John Rylands Library receives historic archive of Sir Harold Evans
20 May 2025
A unique insight into the life and work of a pioneering journalist, editor and author.
The John Rylands Library is proud to announce the donation of the personal archive of legendary journalist, editor, and author Sir Harold Evans (1928–2020).
This remarkable collection, including both personal and professional records such as diaries, press cuttings, correspondence, photographs and extensive research notes offers an unprecedented glimpse into the mind of one of the most influential figures in investigative journalism.
About Sir Harold Evans
Born in Eccles, Sir Harold Evans began his career working at the Ashton-under-Lyne Reporter, The Manchester Evening News and the Northern Echo. He later became editor of The Sunday Times, where he redefined the standards of investigative reporting. Under his leadership the newspaper exposed the shocking revelation that the British Intelligence Officer Kim Philby was a Soviet spy, championed the posthumous pardon of Timothy Evans, who was wrongly convicted and executed for murder, and spearheaded the groundbreaking thalidomide campaign, overcoming substantial legal barriers to achieve compensation and accountability.
Dr Janette Martin, Research and Learning Manager and Curator of the Modern History Archives at The John Rylands Library, provides a fascinating account of both Harold’s work and the archive in our recent Special Collections Post: Sir Harold Evans (1928-2020), legendary editor, journalist and author.
“It has been a real privilege working on this major acquisition and bring Sir Harold’s legacy back to Manchester where it all began. In an age of disinformation and rising authoritarianism, the pursuit of the truth has never been more important. The Sir Harold Evans papers demonstrate the significance of investigative journalism, and the crucial role of press freedom in holding power to account. This archive will be a rich resource for academics, students, journalist and the public."
Upcoming event
To celebrate the arrival of this extraordinary collection, the Rylands is hosting an academic symposium on 12 June 2025 exploring the enduring impact of investigative journalism and Manchester's pivotal role in uncovering and shaping the news. The event will conclude with an evening public lecture welcoming distinguished guests Peter Gillman, previous investigative journalist at The Sunday Times, and Emanuele Midolo, investigative journalist for The Times and The Sunday Times. They will focus on their recently published book Murder in Cairo: Solving a Cold War Spy Mystery. Their work delves into the mysterious murder of The Sunday Times foreign correspondent David Holden in 1977 during Sir Harold Evans' tenure as editor, an event that remained unsolved during his lifetime.
New addition to investigative journalism archives
The Sir Harold Evans Papers joins a wealth of investigative journalism resources at the Rylands, including the Manchester Guardian Archive, the papers of Guardian editors and journalists such as C.P. Scott, A.P. Wadsworth, Norman Shrapnel and Bill Webb, in addition to the recently acquired papers of Ray Fitzwalter, former editor of World in Action. Moreover, the Humanitarian Archive, established in partnership with the Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute, includes collections of photojournalism and reporting on war and humanitarian crises in which Sir Harold Evans had a profound understanding, as evidenced by his editorial use of impactful visual communication and his published work in photojournalism.
Find out more
This collection will provide valuable insights for academic researchers and students, especially those focused on the history of the press, investigative journalism, and twentieth-century America. Considerable time will be needed to assess and curate the collection. Any queries should be directed to uml.special-collections@manchester.ac.uk.
We would like to thank Tina Brown for her generous donation of this archive and Alan Rusbridger, former editor of The Guardian, for the initial introduction.