The Papers of Admiral Sir (William) Reginald Hall

Hall was born in 1870, joining the Royal Navy in 1884 and reaching the rank of Commander in 1898 and Captain in 1905. He served as Inspecting Captain of Mechanical Training Establishments, 1906-7; as Naval Assistant to Comptroller of Navy, 1911-13; commanded HMS "Cornwall", "Natal" and "Queen Mary"; was Director of Intelligence Division Admiralty War Staff, 1914-18. He founded (with Sir Alfred Ewing) the famous British naval intelligence office 'Room 40', establishing radio-finding stations along Britain's east and south-east coasts. He was appointed Rear Admiral in 1917, Vice Admiral in 1922 and Admiral in 1926.

He also served as the Unionist MP for West Derby Division [Liverpool] (1919-23) and Eastbourne (1925-9). He was knighted in 1918 and died in 1943

Memoirs and papers, 1915-42, additional papers, 1851-1911, and correspondence, 1939-1943.

The papers were presented to Churchill Archives Centre by Commander Richard Hall (son) and David Shneidman

The papers are owned by Churchill College, Cambridge.

The collection is open for consultation by researchers using Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge. Churchill Archives Centre is open from Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm. A prior appointment and two forms of identification are required.

Researchers wishing to publish excerpts from the papers must obtain prior permission from the copyright holder and should seek advice from Archives Centre staff.

Please cite as Churchill Archives Centre, The Papers of Admiral Sir (William) Reginald Hall, HALL

A copy of this finding aid is available for consultation at Churchill Archives Centre, Cambridge, the National Register of Archives, London and on the Janus website, http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/.

This collection (fonds) level description was compiled by Andrew Riley of Churchill Archives Centre in March 2004. Information obtained from Hall's entry in Who's Who 1897-1996 (A&C Black) and a biography of Hall by Admiral Sir William James (1955).