Catalogue of the papers and correspondence of Richard Bowen (1926-2005) Title: Catalogue of the papers and correspondence of Richard Bowen (1926-2005) Compiled by: Lizzie Richmond Description level: Fonds Date of material: ca 1873-2005 Extent of material: 69 boxes, ca 2298 items Deposited in: University of Bath Library Reference code: GB 1128 Bowen 2008 Library & Learning Centre, University of Bath. by Lizzie Richmond R. Bowen 2 R. Bowen 3 University of Bath Archives University of Bath Archives LIST OF CONTENTS Items Page GENERAL INTRODUCTION 4 SECTION A BIOGRAPHICAL A.1-A.21 7 SECTION B BUDOKWAI B.1-B.343 10 SECTION C RESEARCH C.1-C.927 45 NOT ALL THE MATERIAL IN THIS COLLECTION MAY YET BE AVAILABLE FOR CONSULTATION. ENQUIRIES SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN THE SECTION D SOCIETIES AND ORGANISATIONS D.1-D.305 131 FIRST INSTANCE TO: THE ARCHIVIST SECTION E PUBLICATIONS, PROGRAMMES AND POSTERS E.1-E.486 157 LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF BATH CLAVERTON DOWN SECTION F CORRESPONDENCE F.1-F.134 203 BATH BA2 7AY SECTION G PHOTOGRAPHS G.1-G.103 206 INDEX OF CORRESPONDENTS 218 R. Bowen 4 R. Bowen 5 University of Bath Archives University of Bath Archives GENERAL INTRODUCTION DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION The material is presented in the order given in the contents list. It covers the period from ca 1873 to 2005. PROVENANCE The papers were received in January 2004 and May 2005 from Mr R. Bowen and Mrs A. Bowen. Section A, Biographical, contains a very small amount of material relating to Bowen’s military service and to his early judo achievements. OUTLINE OF THE CAREER OF RICHARD BOWEN Section B, Budokwai, documents the origins and history of the first judo club to be established in the UK. It includes a sequence of general management committee minutes covering the period from the Richard (Dickie) Bowen was born in Belgravia, London in 1926. His father was English and his club’s foundation in 1918 to 1954 and a series of members’ signing-in books dating from 1935 to mother was from Wexford, Ireland. His early training was in bacteriology and, after serving in the 1988. The section also contains correspondence and papers relating to a wide variety of training army for nearly four years, he worked as a laboratory technician. Generally physically active, he had events, instruction courses and martial arts displays organised by the Budowkai. Material relating to become a proficient skier during his military service and on his return to London Bowen was keen to the physical premises of the Budokwai and to the administration of its financial affairs is also find an occupation to maintain and improve his physical fitness. In January 1949, on the presented here. recommendation of a colleague, he took up judo and joined the Budokwai, the UK's oldest judo club, where he received expert instruction from Gunji Koizumi, Percy Sekine, Trevor P. Leggett and Teizo Section C, Research, is the largest section in the catalogue. It comprises a wide variety of material Kawamura. ranging in date from 1873 to 2005 collected together from different sources by Bowen during his research into the history of British judo. The section is divided into three main sequences based on In 1956 Bowen was selected to represent Britain at the 1st World Judo Championships, an open Bowen’s original ordering of the material. All three of these sequences contain an eclectic mix of weight competition held in Japan. He subsequently spent three and a half years training at the original documents, newspaper cuttings, notes, publicity posters, correspondence and papers Kodokan in Tokyo. As part of the Kodokan’s Kenshusei, an elite group of mostly Japanese judoka, relating to all aspects of British and European judo; its origins and introduction, the techniques used including Matsushita and Watanabe, Bowen was regularly taught by Daigo, Osawa and Kawamura in teaching and in competition, the development of an organised network of judo associations and its and received occasional tuition from Mifune, Samura and Kotani. elevation to Olympic status in 1964. The section also contains some material relating to the routine management of the Budokwai. Bowen’s close, life-time association with the Budokwai, as a judoka and instructor, and as a committee member and Vice-President, continued when he returned to the UK. He also became Section D, Societies and Organisations, contains material relating to five judo and sports-related actively involved with the British Judo Association (BJA). bodies with which Bowen was either personally involved or contacted in connection with his research into the history of judo. It also contains a small amount of material relating to judo training events in the UK and in Europe organised by G. Koizumi and the Central Council for Physical Recreation. Bowen had always been interested in the history and early development of judo in Britain, and in 1990 this interest took on a more definite form when he embarked on a project to document the people, techniques and styles connected with ‘the old judo’ that Bowen felt may otherwise be Section E, Publications, Programmes and Posters, is composed of material relating to the promotion forgotten. Over ten years later, with the help and support of friends, acquaintances and fellow of judo and other martial arts. It includes incomplete early sequences of several judo journals from enthusiasts, he had painstakingly accumulated a substantial UK ‘judo archive’. Sadly, Bowen died the UK, Japan, Europe and North America, and a fairly comprehensive series of display and event before the book he intended to publish was complete. programmes and posters from the period 1921-1989. It also contains Bowen’s collection of judo- related press cuttings and material relating to Bowen’s own writings on judo. R. Bowen 6 R. Bowen 7 University of Bath Archives University of Bath Archives Section F, Correspondence, contains diverse letters written by and addressed to Bowen between SECTION A BIOGRAPHICAL A.1-A.21 1966 and 2005 in connection with his research into the history of judo. Section G, Photographs, contains approximately 100 photographs assembled by Bowen in the A.1 OBITUARY course of his research work. The photographs range in date from ca 1925 to 1986 and document judo demonstrations and displays, Budokwai social occasions, international judo competitions and A.2-A.7 BIOGRAPHICAL judo summer schools. They also include formal and informal portraits of judoka. A.8-A10 CAREER There is also an index of correspondents. A.11-A.19 JUDO ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A.20, A.21 PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE We are very grateful to the Bowen family and Mr Mike Callan for their assistance in making this material available. A.1 OBITUARY 2005 L. Richmond, University of Bath, 2008. A.1 2pp obituary published on the Budokwai website, 24 January 2005, with contributions by S. Hoare and J. Purnell and two photographic portraits, 1974 and 1997, printed from http://www.budokwai.org , 7 February 2006. A.2-A.7 BIOGRAPHICAL 1957-2005 A.2 Mounted newspaper cuttings entitled ‘Local Judo Enthusiast Lives the Japanese Way’, Gazette and Post, 18 January 1957. A.3 5pp typescript entitled ‘Japan Diary: Originally Written in Tokyo, 1957-59’. A.4 Various mounted newspaper cuttings re Bowen’s judo and his marriage to Ayako, September-November 1959. A.5 Interview with Ayako Bowen, Woman’s Journal, September 1966. R. Bowen 8 R. Bowen 9 University of Bath Archives University of Bath Archives A.6 1p typescript biographical notes entitled ‘Richard Bowen’, annotated ‘From A.15 Velvet-covered box containing a medal awarded at the International Koizumi’s records’, nd. Goodwill Judo Tournament, Tokyo, Japan, [May] 1956. Bowen fought in the tournament against J. Hatshita of Canada. A.7 VHS video recording entitled ‘An Interlude with Richard Bowen’, 2005. See also C.208-C.209a, E.283-E.285. A.16 Diploma (Japanese and English) issued on the occasion of Bowen’s A.8-A.10 CAREER 1945-1962 admission to the rank of second grade of Kodokan Judo, 24 May 1956. A.8 Army service record card, R. Bowen, 4 January 1945-7 June 1948. A.17 ?Membership card (Japanese), 1958. A.9 3pp manuscript letter (annotated) from Bowen to his parents written whilst A.18 Letter sent on behalf of the Crown Prince of Greece thanking Bowen for his he was stationed at Chichester, Sussex, UK, for army training, ca January gift of a book on judo, 23 July 1963. 1945. A.19 Honorary membership card, the Judokan, London, nd. A.10 1p typescript contract of employment (signed copy) with covering letter re Bowen’s engagement as General Manager, European Honda Motor Trading GMBH, 26 April 1962. A.20, A.21 PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE 1964-1990 A.11-A.19 JUDO 1949-1963 A.20 1964-1965. A.11 Budokwai membership cards (ref J907) showing subscription payments and grading results, 1949-1953, issued 6 April 1949. A.21 1980-1990. A.12 Certificate (signed) issued on the occasion of Bowen’s admission to the British Register of Black Belts, 1st Dan grade, January 1954. A.13 Diploma (signed) issued on the occasion of the European Judo Championships, 10, 11 December 1954. See also E.271, G. 40. A.14 1p typescript letter (copy) certifying Bowen’s appointment to represent the British Judo Association at the International Judo Congress, Tokyo, Japan, 20 April 1956. R. Bowen 10 R. Bowen 11 University of Bath Archives University of Bath Archives SECTION B BUDOKWAI B.1-B.343 B.1-B.7 CONSTITUTION ca 1944-ca 1981 This sub-section contains various editions of the Budokwai’s printed The Budokwai, the UK’s oldest judo organisation, was founded by Gunji Koizumi in January 1918 as constitution and related constitutional material.