Roderick Urwick Sayce (1890 – 1970) was a

social anthropologist Social anthropology is the study of patterns of behaviour in human societies and cultures. It is the dominant constituent of anthropology throughout the United Kingdom and much of Europe, where it is distinguished from cultural anthropology. In ...

and

geographer A geographer is a physical scientist, social scientist or humanist whose area of study is geography, the study of Earth's natural environment and human society, including how society and nature interacts. The Greek prefix "geo" means "earth" a ...

who was President of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society, Vice-President of the Powysland Club and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, Royal Anthropological Institute and Museums Association.

Life

Sayce was born in

Welshpool Welshpool ( cy, Y Trallwng) is a market town and community in Powys, Wales, historically in the county of Montgomeryshire. The town is from the Wales–England border and low-lying on the River Severn; its Welsh language name ''Y Trallwng'' m ...

, Wales in 1890 and gained his Master of Arts (MA) with a thesis on "The hill-top camps of north Cardiganshire" at the

University College, Aberystwyth , mottoeng = A world without knowledge is no world at all , established = 1872 (as ''The University College of Wales'') , former_names = University of Wales, Aberystwyth , type = Public , endowment = ...

. During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, he served as a Lieutenant in the

South Wales Borderers The South Wales Borderers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence for 280 years. It came into existence in England in 1689, as Sir Edward Dering's Regiment of Foot, and afterwards had a variety of names and headquarters. In ...

(1915–19) and was severely wounded. Post-war he returned to Aberystwyth to teach

Geography Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, a ...

. He was Lecturer in

Geology Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ea ...

and

Natal University College The University of Natal was a university in the former South African province Natal which later became KwaZulu-Natal. The University of Natal no longer exists as a distinct legal entity, as it was incorporated into the University of KwaZulu-Na ...

in the

University of South Africa The University of South Africa (UNISA), known colloquially as Unisa, is the largest university system in South Africa by enrollment. It attracts a third of all higher education students in South Africa. Through various colleges and affiliates, U ...

(1921–27) then Lecturer in

Physical Anthropology Biological anthropology, also known as physical anthropology, is a scientific discipline concerned with the biological and behavioral aspects of human beings, their extinct hominin ancestors, and related non-human primates, particularly from an e ...

and

Material Culture Material culture is the aspect of social reality grounded in the objects and architecture that surround people. It includes the usage, consumption, creation, and trade of objects as well as the behaviors, norms, and rituals that the objects crea ...

at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

(1927–35) before being appointed Keeper of the Victoria Museum (Manchester Museum) at the

University of Manchester The University of Manchester is a public university, public research university in Manchester, England. The main campus is south of Manchester city centre, Manchester City Centre on Wilmslow Road, Oxford Road. The university owns and operates majo ...

. At Manchester, he was awarded an Honorary Master of Science (MSc) degree and was an Honorary Lecturer in

Anthropology Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of be ...

. He was elected a Fellow of the

Museums Association The Museums Association (MA) is a professional membership organisation based in London for museum, gallery and heritage professionals, museums, galleries and heritage organisations, and companies that work in the museum, gallery and heritage s ...

Royal Geographical Society The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), often shortened to RGS, is a learned society and professional body for geography based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical scien ...

and

Royal Anthropological Institute The Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland (RAI) is a long-established anthropological organisation, and Learned Society, with a global membership. Its remit includes all the component fields of anthropology, such as biolo ...

, and served as President of the North Western Federation of Museums and Art Galleries (1941). He was a Council Member of the

British Association The British Science Association (BSA) is a Charitable organization, charity and learned society founded in 1831 to aid in the promotion and development of science. Until 2009 it was known as the British Association for the Advancement of Scien ...

and

Folklore Society The Folklore Society (FLS) is a national association in the United Kingdom for the study of folklore. It was founded in London in 1878 to study traditional vernacular culture, including traditional music, song, dance and drama, narrative, arts an ...

, a Governor of the

National Museum of Wales National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

and an Honorary Member of the Irish Folklore Society. He became a Member of the

Powysland Club The Powysland Club is a historical society for the county of Montgomeryshire, Wales. It was founded in 1867. Among the society's members was Elias Owen, the antiquarian who served as a committee member and published articles in the club's journal ...

(1920) and was later Editor of their ''

Montgomeryshire Collections ''Montgomeryshire Collections'' (Welsh: ''Casgliadau Maldwyn'') is the annual journal of the Powysland Club, containing scholarly articles on archaeological and historical topics relating to Powys, book reviews, and society notes. It was first pu ...

'' (1930–66) then Vice-President (1966–70). He was also Editor of ''The Anthropological Journal'' (1934–36) and Member of the Editorial Committee of the

Cambrian Archaeological Association The Cambrian Archaeological Association ( cy, Cymdeithas Hynafiaethau Cymru) was founded in 1846 to examine, preserve and illustrate the ancient monuments and remains of the history, language, manners, customs, arts and industries of Wales and the ...

. He was a Member of the

Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society The Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society is a historical society and registered charity founded, on 21 March 1883, for the study of any aspects of the area covered by the Palatine Counties of Lancashire and Cheshire (and succeeding local ...

serving as Council Member (1937–70), President (1954–8) and Vice-President (1958–70). He was also a Member of the

Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society The Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society, popularly known as the Lit. & Phil., is one of the oldest learned societies in the United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United ...

from 1944. He died in Welshpool in 1970 aged 80.

Select bibliography

''Primitive arts and crafts, an introduction to the study of material culture''

Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press is the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII of England, King Henry VIII in 1534, it is the oldest university press in the world. It is also the King's Printer. Cambr ...

, Cambridge, 1933. *
A survey of Montgomeryshire folklore
', Welshpool, 1940. * ''The North Western Federation of Museums and Art Galleries: Presidential address: The museums and British ethnology'', Manchester, 1941. *
Folk-lore and folk-culture
', Manchester, 1943. * “A survey of Montgomeryshire folklore”, ''Collections historical and archaeological relating to Montgomeryshire and its borders'', 46, pt. 2, 183–93. * ''Need years and need foods'', Manchester, 1954. * ''"The Otter" in Wales and North West Europe'', Manchester, 1955.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sayce, Roderick Urwick 1890 births 1970 deaths People from Welshpool British anthropologists British geographers British folklorists Alumni of Aberystwyth University Academics of Aberystwyth University Academic staff of the University of Natal Academics of the University of Cambridge Academics of the University of Manchester Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society Fellows of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland Fellows of the Museums Association Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society