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Archivist, librarian and cartographer
Raleigh Ashlin Skelton
(21 December 1906 ? 7 December 1970) is best known for his work on the history of
cartography
and particularly his attempts to prove the authenticity of the
Vinland map
.
Life
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An enigmatic personality, Skelton was known as "Peter". Skelton was born in
Plymouth, England
.
[
citation needed
]
He was educated at
Aldenham School
and
Pembroke College, Cambridge
.
[
citation needed
]
He served as the Assistant Keeper of the Department of Printed Books of the
British Museum
from 1931 to 1953, with a break for military service from 1939 to 1945, and as Deputy Keeper from 1953 to 1967. He began work in the Map Room of the British Museum upon his return from military service in 1945 and in 1950 became the Superintendent, in which post he continued until his retirement in 1967.
[
citation needed
]
He died in a car crash in December 1970.
[
citation needed
]
Works
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Professional activities
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Skelton served as the Honorary Secretary of the
Hakluyt Society
from 1946 to 1966. He was the General Editor of
Imago Mundi
, the major journal in the field of the history of cartography, from 1957 to 1970.
[
citation needed
]
This was a collaboration with
R. V. Tooley
.
[
citation needed
]
He was Chair of the Working Group on Early Maps of the International Geographical Union from 1961. He was also a member of the
Academie Internationale d'Histoire des Sciences
and of various other societies concerned with history, geography, archaeology, bibliography and archives. During a sabbatical leave in 1962?63, he served as consultant and Acting Map
Curator
at
Harvard University
in the
Widener Library
.
[
citation needed
]
Honours
[
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]
Skelton was elected a Fellow of the
Society of Antiquaries of London
(FSA) in 1951. He was awarded the Gill Memorial of the
Royal Geographical Society
in 1957 and its
Victoria Medal
in 1970.
[1]
References
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External links
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