11 - Director of the Royal College of Music, 1938-52: The First Five Terms

Summary

Dyson's appointment

Royal College of Music

27th July 1937

Dear Doctor Dyson,

I am instructed by the Council of the Royal College of Music to write to inform you that at their meeting on July 15th, last, your appointment to succeed Sir Hugh Allen, as Director on January 1st was unanimously approved, subject to the agreement of the Duke of Kent which has since been received.

As explained when you met Lord Palmer and myself, the salary is fixed at fifteen hundred pounds per annum with a Pension payable in retirement …

Yours Sincerely

Charles Morley

Hon Sec to the Council

Winchester

29 July 1937

Dear Mr Morley

Thank you for your letter. I hereby accept the appointment to the Directorship of the Royal College, in succession to Sir Hugh, as from January 1st, 1938.

I appreciate very deeply the confidence which the Council has thus shown in me, and I will do my best to deserve it.

I also accept the terms of the appointment, with the one reservation, already discussed with you and Lord Palmer, that I may, should the appropriate time come, ask the Council to reconsider the pension maximum.

Yours very sincerely,

George Dyson

Thus, the new appointment was signed and sealed with Dyson showing his habitual eye for detail. He was, of course, thrilled by this new challenge and felt the honour of the appointment very deeply.