Contribution Of Percy Macqueen Towards The Progress Of Historical Research In Tamil Nadu As Revealed Through The Archival Data

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Dr. S. Chandra Meghala

Abstract

Tamil Nadu Archives occupies a unique place in the Archives administration.  The past decades have witnessed a significant increase in Government records.  The Government established an independent Record department in 1909 due to the increasing mass of records.  Therefore, the Madras Record office was built in the Egmore area of Chennai.  After India’s Independence, the institution was named Madras State Archives in 1969.  It acquired its present name in 1973, following the renaming of Madras State Archives into Tamil Nadu. The temporary appointment of curators failed to fulfil the day-to-day needs of the Tamilnadu Archives in the sphere of administration and historical research. So, the Madras Government wanted to review the contents and conditions of the records.  Hence, the Government deputed Percy Macqueen, the Collector of Ramnad, to the Tamil Nadu Archives on special duty for two years to examine Revenue records. Though Percy Macqueen was not an academician, he was highly interested in historical research. He paid particular attention to accumulated materials related to historical events, and his period witnessed the growth of historical research in the Tamilnadu Archives.  He rendered valuable service to the research scholar through such critical apparatus as guides to records and preparation of indexes. He knew the needs of the scholars well and guided them properly in location materials.  He suggested the allocation of comfortable study places to the scholars.

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