Archives West Finding Aid

The Beverly Jane Porter papers (1936-2010) consist primarily of correspondence from Porter living in South Africa to family in the United States. Most of the letters are addressed to Porter's parents. The earliest letters are from New York in 1936. From 1939 through 1955, she writes from Northern Rhodesia now Zambia; Durban, South Africa; and Johannesburg, South Africa. In these lengthy letters, Porter provides family updates regarding their health and studies. She also writes about their "frightfully hectic" social life where bridge luncheons and buffet suppers often occur. She also touches upon her husband's work as a metallurgist recovering uranium. In 1949, British physicist, Sir John Cockcroft, visits her husband for a tour of the Witwatersrand University lab and mines. The letters from 1969 through 1970 are written from various countries during trip to Europe, the Mediterranean, and South Africa. The correspondence also includes telegrams, postcards, and photostatic copies via Airgraph. Also included are Porter's United States passports, death certificate, and general materials.