| Description | This series contains the unregistered correspondence and papers of Charles Edward Fagan. The bulk of the correspondence comprises letters written to Fagan by three successive directors, W H Flower, E Ray Lankester and L Fletcher. Flower's letters, mostly written while on holiday, are friendly and full of gossip about mischief-making by the Principal Trustees and other topics; Lankester's are brief and business-like requests for action; while Fletcher's are mostly concerned with the poor state of his health. A volume of letters and memoranda relate to Fagan's abortive application for the directorship in 1919, and a final volume of memoranda acted as his source of reference to regulations, conditions of service and procedures in the Museum. |
| AdminHistory | Fagan was appointed to the British Museum as a Clerk in 1873, and was transferred to South Kensington in 1881, becoming a 1st Class Assistant in 1887. Fagan quickly proved himself a capable administrator, and Flower was able to leave most of the day-to-day running of the Museum to him. His position was recognised when he was appointed Assistant Secretary in 1889. After E Ray Lankester's departure in 1907, Fagan and the keepers ran the Museum for 18 months until Fletcher was finally appointed Director in July 1909. Fletcher suffered from ill health throughout his directorship and, once again, heavily relied on Fagan's support. A move to have Fagan appointed Director after Fletcher's retirement was defeated by representations from the Royal Society and a letter to The Times signed by leading scientists. Fagan was promoted to Secretary in 1919 and retired in January 1921, dying just two weeks later. |