1950 Aug 17
Memorandum by H.R.P. Harrison, A/Governor Khartoum with draft report by Udal on non-official prison visitors and the aftercare of adult prisoners

1951
Middle East Centre for Arab Studies final examination papers

1951 Dec
Confidential report by Udal on his travels in Cyrenaica, Tripolitania and Jordon, Jul-Aug 1951, during his summer break from the Middle East Centre for Arab Studies

1952 Apr 15
Report by Udal on the ceremonies performed at the installation of Reth Kur Fafiti at Fashoda, 6-9 Feb 1952

[1952 Aug]
“A note on the future of the southern Sudan”, a memorandum submitted by Udal to the Civil Secretary's Office (ts. copy, with draft)

[1953]
Shilluk sub-district annual report 1952-53 (draft), by Udal, covering general matters, personnel, local government, local politics, local news of interest, public security and justice, labour, climate, agriculture and forests, public health, education, veterinary, wildlife, communications, posts and telegraphs, water supply, buildings, trade and finance

1954 Jan 16-20
Copy letter from A.E.S. Charles, Director of Establishments to the General Secretary, Expatriate Civil Servants' Association on the revaluation of the former “C” scale, with covering letter from A.C. Beaton to all governors

1954 Jan 17
Circular letter from A.C. Beaton, Permanent Under-Secretary, to all governors re the revaluation of posts in the administrative service, with confidential memorandum by Udal written in response to this letter (ts. with draft)

1954 May 14
Shilluk sub-district annual report 1953-54 by Udal. Subjects as above in 1952-53 report

1950's
Kodok markaz handing-over notes by Udal, covering administration, tribal administration, local government, justice, markaz police, inter-tribal problems, agriculture and fisheries, public health, education, water supply, veterinary, communications, Kodok town, forests, trade and taxation

1958
List of members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, arranged by province

1950 May 5-Jun 23
Letters from E.J.N. Wallis, Governor Khartoum, to N.R. Udal concerning his son's progress

1950 Mar 19-1951 Jan 14
Personal letters home from Udal to his parents, chiefly from Khartoum, and covering his arrival in Khartoum with an account of the flight from Britain via Malta (SAD.781/3/3-4); early days in Khartoum, meetings with various members of the Political Service and assessment of local opposition to British rule (SAD.781/3/9-11); visit to the Assembly with `Abd al-Rahman Ali Taha, Ali Badri and others and a tour of Gordon College (SAD.781/3/12); meetings with local dignitaries, including Shaikh Babikr Badri, Siddiq (son of `Abd al-Rahman al-Mahdi) and Muhammad Saleh Shingetti, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and a visit to a cooperative pump scheme on the Nile (SAD.781/3/13-16); death of Sayyid `Abd al-Rahman's eldest sister and the schoolboys' strike at Wadi Seidna, (SAD.781/3/17); resignations from the Legislative Assembly and account of his daily routine (SAD.781/3/19); tea with Sayyid `Abd al-Rahman (SAD.781/3/20); strikes and Umma Party support for increasing the cost of living allowance (SAD.781/3/21); meeting with Sayyid `Ali Mirghani and farewell party for Whistler, the Qaid (SAD.781/3/23); house tax assessments, silver jubilee for Sayyid `Abd al-Rahman's Dairat and opening of the new civil hospital in Khartoum North (SAD.781/3/24); political difficulties facing Sayyid `Ali Mirghani and birth of a new anti-Sectarian party closely linked with the communists (SAD.781/3/27-28); meeting with a number of Sudanese qadis at Omdurman (SAD.781/3/29); dinner with Sayyid `Abd al-Rahman (SAD.781/3/32-33); farewell parties for E.J.N. Wallis, Governor Khartoum (SAD.781/3/38); heavy rains and flood damage (SAD.781/3/42-45); moves towards a coalition of the Unity parties (SAD.781/3/52-55); preparations for a move to Beirut to attend the Middle East Centre for Arab Studies (SAD.781/3/52-57, 60-61); the unlikelihood of an agreement between Sayyid `Abd al-Rahman and Sayyid `Ali Mirghani (SAD.781/3/60-61); Isma`il Azhari's campaign for a plebiscite (SAD.781/3/62-64); government reaction to demands for a plebiscite (SAD.781/3/65-68); memorial service for Huddleston, former Governor-General and the arrival of Scoones, the new Qaid (SAD.781/3/69-76); deplorable state of education in the country, with continuing strikes (SAD.781/3/77-82); temporary post as Assistant clerk of the Legislative Assembly (SAD.781/3/83-87); vote of confidence in the Legislative Assembly in `Abd al-Rahman Ali Taha over the strike at Khor Taggat School (SAD.781/3/88-89); from Asmara on medical leave, with a description of the town and assessment of future prospects for Eritrea (SAD.781/3/90-92); failure of the British Government to exploit pro-British sentiment in the Sudan, shortage of educated Sudanese capable of governing the country and an Umma Party protest meeting (SAD.781/3/93-96); threat of general strike by the newly elected Workers' Federation of Unions (SAD.781/3/97-104); proposed new Commission to consider the amendment of the Legislative Assembly debate on the resolution for self-government and the Executive Council Ordinance and consideration of a resolution signed by 50 Legislative Assembly members calling for self-government for the Sudan by the end of 1951 (SAD.781/3/101-108); dismissal of striking firemen (SAD.781/3/105-108); reaction to the Legislative Asembly debate on the resolution for self-government and public renunciation by Sayyid `Abd al-Rahman of designs on a crown (SAD.781/3/109-110); prospects for a reconciliation between Sayyid Ali Mirghani and Sayyid `Abd al-Rahman (SAD.781/3/115-117); possibility of Khatmiyyah participation in the Commission to consider the amendment of the Executive Council and Legislative Assembly Ordinance (SAD.781/3/118-120); from Cairo re Umma Party reaction to British opposition to their self-government motion (SAD.781/3/121-123)

1951 Jan 19-Nov 26
Personal letters home from Udal to his parents during a year-long intensive Arabic course at the Middle East Centre for Arab studies at Shemlan in Beirut. Include descriptions of his fellow students and progress of the course, social life and visits to neighbouring countries. The letters also cover the journey to Beirut via Cairo and meeting with G.W. Bell, the Assistant Sudan Agent there (SAD.781/4/1-3); arrangements for Udal's parents to visit the Sudan (SAD.781/4/4-5); criticism of misleading statements in Muhammad Saleh Shingetti's broadcast (SAD.781/4/6-8); increasing Khatmiyyah involvement in the affairs of the Legislative Assembly as a result of British opposition to the Umma motion and support for the British line from the tribal leaders and southern politicians (SAD.781/4/9-12); invitation to Udal's father from Sayyid `Abd al-Rahman to visit the Sudan and the unlikelihood of Sayyid Ali Mirghani backing the Commission to revise the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Ordinance (SAD.781/4/17-19); terms of reference for the Sudan Commission (781/4/23-25); from Jerusalem re changes there since the war (SAD.781/4/26-29); from Aleppo in Syria and Shemlan re his visit to Amman, Bosra, Damascus, Palmyra and Antioch in Turkey (SAD.781/4/30-40); the composition of the Governor-General's Commission on the future of the Sudan under Judge Stanley-Baker (SAD.781/4/44-45); short trip to Syria (SAD.781/4/54-56); police strike in the Sudan (SAD.781/4/64-66); progress of the Anglo-Egyptian talks on the future of the Sudan (SAD.781/4/67-68); political developments in the Sudan and a visit to southern Lebanon (SAD.781/4/69-71); from Tripoli and Cairo re study leave in Tripoli to improve his Arabic (SAD.781/4/76-79); trip to Jordan (SAD.781/4/80-81); reports of a speech by Siddiq al-Mahdi in which he threatened an Umma Party boycott of the Assembly if self-government was not forthcoming by the end of the year (SAD.781/4/91-94); visit to Damascus (SAD.781/4/97-101); appointment of Udal's father as Sayyid `Abd al-Rahman's personal and political adviser in the U.K. (SAD.781/4/102-103); reaction to the abrogation of the Anglo-Egyptian agreements on the Sudan (SAD.781/4/104-107); resignation of members of the Constitutional Commission (SAD.781/4/120-121)

1951 May 8
Letter from J.W. Robertson, Civil Secretary, to Udal re political developments in the Sudan

1951 Dec 31-1952 Dec 29
Personal letters home from Udal to his parents from Kokok, Upper Nile Province where he was A.D.C. Shilluk. Subjects covered include the journey up the Nile (SAD.781/5/3-5); arrival at Malakal, description of Kodok and district, needs of the Shilluk and conference with neighbouring officials on the infiltration of Arab Nomads into Shilluk country for grazing (SAD.781/5/6-9); N.R. Udal's visit to Omdurman and Udal's feelings on being posted to the south (SAD.781/5/10-13); trek through the district visiting one of the new cultivation areas and a native court centre at Athodwai (SAD.781/5/14-16); visit to the new Reth of the Shilluk (SAD.781/5/17-19); views on lack of progress in the south, particularly in education and report of the Constitution Commission (SAD.781/5/20-23); installation of the new Reth (SAD.781/5/24-27); exploration of the area between Atara and Fama with Aubrey Davidson (SAD.781/5/28-30); native court meeting at Kaka (SAD.781/5/31-33); support for the Socialist Republican Party, illegal grazing by Hawazma-Baqqarah cattle in the Shilluk lands (SAD.781/5/36-38); British views on their future prospects after Sudanisation and the Shilluk Education Council meeting (SAD.781/5/39-42); preparations for the May elections (SAD.781/5/43-44); details of the new constitution and the spread of cerebro-spinal meningitis (SAD.781/5/45-48); court duty and collection of tribute at Biu, views of southern Sudanese on self-determination and Udal's plans for his future career (SAD.781/5/49-52); dealings with the Reth of the Shilluk (781/5/53-54); efforts to clean up Kodok (SAD.781/5/55-56); invitation to Sayyid `Abd al-Rahman to send a delegation to Cairo (SAD.781/5/59-61); description of Kodok (SAD.781/5/62-64); trip by steamer to Western Nuer District with P. Bowcock and A.W. Polden (SAD.781/5/70-72); from Malakal re his return journey at the end of leave (SAD.781/5/73-74); progress of negotiations in Cairo (SAD.781/5/77-78); mounting opposition in the south to self-determination (SAD.781/5/84-86); Umma Party views on special safeguards for the south (SAD.781/5/91-94); N.R. Udal's article on the history of Gordon Memorial College and the arrival of journalists and politicians in the south (SAD.781/5/95-97); Christmas festivities in Malakal, refusal of the journalists to visit the Reth at Fashoda as a protest against the Yambio incident and growing distrust between north and south (SAD.781/5/98-101)

1953 Jan 4-Dec 28
Continuation of personal letters from Udal to his parents from Kodok, Upper Nile Province including references to the presentation of a robe of honour to the Reth, reports of the progress of an Egyptian delegation in Equatoria and proposals by `Abd Allah Mirghani for the spread of Islam in the south (SAD.781/6/1-3); the Egyptian delegation to the Reth, led by Salah Salim, news of an agreement between all the Northern parties on a complete handover of power in 3 years (SAD.781/6/4-8); visits by British journalists to the south to report on the situation there (SAD.781/6/11); the Shilluk “fighting season”, alarm in the south at the Khartoum agreement (SAD.781/6/13-15); delays to the elections and increasing Egyptian propaganda in the south (SAD.781/6/20-22); visit of Yaq`ub `Uthman, Assistant Secretary General of the Umma to Malakal and the holding of a trial for sedition at Malakal (SAD.781/6/23-25); Selwyn Lloyd's visit to Khartoum (SAD.781/6/26-28); Shilluk/Dinka/Nuer meeting on the Zeraf river (SAD.781/6/29-31); departure of J. Longe, the Governor and reaction in Khartoum to Selwyn Lloyd's visit (SAD.781/6/32-34); delay in the elections (SAD.781/6/35-36); trial at the Reth's court of Shilluk accused of murder and accusations against Udal of partiality in the trial of an onbashi (SAD.781/6/44-46); from Khartoum re Udal's return journey from leave (SAD.781/6/49); continued pressure on the Reth from the Egyptian Irrigation Service to go to Egypt and news of Udal's stay in Khartoum (SAD.781/6/50-51); deteriorating situation in Kodok and visit of the Reth's advisers to Egypt (SAD.781/6/52-54); public disturbance in Kodok as a result of a illegal gathering of Arab merchants (SAD.781/6/55-57); first major court held by Udal (SAD.781/6/60-61); restrictions imposed by the Electoral Commission on elections to the Senate (SAD.781/6/62-63); candidates for the Shilluk constituency (SAD.781/6/64-66); continuing interference from the Egyptian Irrigation Department (SAD.781/6/69-71); visit of Ismail al-Azhari to Malakal and Udal's attendance at a Shilluk funeral dance for one of the Reth's wives (SAD.781/6/74-75); British press coverage of events in the Sudan and a visit from Sefton Delmer, journalist for the Daily Express (SAD.781/6/76-78); N.U.P. objections to the presence of the Reth and Sefton Delmer at the election station at Kaka (SAD.781/6/79-80); results of the Shilluk election and elections in general (SAD.781/6/81-83); approaches by northern politicians to southern delegates with a view to forming an “Independence front” and the appointment of northern Deputy Governors to southern provinces (SAD.781/6/84-85); success of the N.U.P. in the elections (SAD.781/6/86-87); first meeting of the new Shilluk council (SAD.781/6/88-90)

1954 Jan 3-Dec 3
Continuation of letters home from Udal to his parents from Kodok, Upper Nile Province including references to discussions with Sa`d al-Din Fawzi, a lecturer at the University of Khartoum on future prospects for the Sudan (SAD.781/7/1); appointment of Udal's sub- ma`mur as minister without portfolio (SAD.781/7/2-3); invitations to the opening of the new parliament (SAD.781/7/4-5); prospects for future employment (SAD.781/7/6-7); refusal of the Southern Party to co-operate under an Umma Party opposition leader (SAD.781/7/8-9); refusal of the Shilluk to accept the presence of a northern fishing team in their khor (SAD.781/7/10-11); festivities to mark the first anniversary of the Khartoum agreement and the failure of Robertson and Howe to ensure safeguards for the south (SAD.781/7/12-13); Shilluk/Dinka meeting at Tonga in the aftermath of serious inter-tribal fighting (SAD.781/7/14-15); reinstatement of Neguib and attempts to isolate Egypt in the Middle East (SAD.781/7/16-18); demonstration in Khartoum when Neguib was temporarily overthrown and criticism of the Self-Government Constitution of 1952 (SAD.781/7/19-21); mounting tension in Khartoum between the N.U.P. and the Umma (SAD.781/7/22-23); tribute collection and attendance at a peace-making ceremony at Fashoda (SAD.781/7/24); visit of the Reth to S. Kordofan (SAD.781/7/25-27); visit from the new Sudanese Deputy Governor (SAD.781/7/34-36); proposed early Sudanisation of some posts, resulting in delayed leave (SAD.781/7/39-40); Shilluk inter-village fight over fishing rights (SAD.781/7/41-42); refusal of the Shilluk to accept a chief appointed by the Reth (SAD.781/7/43-44); grain shortage due to steamers' strike (SAD.781/7/47-49); departure of a number of British officials on final leave (SAD.781/7/50-51); arrival of Udal's notice (SAD.781/7/54-55); trek to Tonga area to inspect ruined crops and make arrangements for famine relief (SAD.781/7/58-60); meeting arranged between the Reth and some division chiefs and Azhari at Malakal and Azhari's agreement to demands of the south regarding promotion, pay, etc. (SAD.781/7/61-62); hardening of opinion among educated southerners (SAD.781/7/63-64); attempted assassination of Azhari in Malakal and Udal's handover of the district to Fadl Ubayd (SAD.781/7/65-67); hostility towards new northern Sudanese D.C.'s in the south (SAD.781/7/68-69); reasons for the attempted assassination of Azhari and Shilluk mistrust of the Reth as a result of his visit to Khartoum (SAD.781/7/70-72)

1947 Mar 10-1948 Jan 15
Letters to Udal from A.W. Nejumi in Cairo offering to meet Udal on his way to Palestine. A.W. Nejumi was the son of `Abd al-Rahman al-Nejumi and was picked up as a baby from the battlefield of Toski in Aug 1889.

1952
Card from `Abd Allah Khalil to Udal acknowledging his congratulatory message on the occasion of Ramadan

1954 Nov 1
Farewell telegram from Muhammad `Uthman Yassin to Udal on his departure from Kodok

1958-1968
Personal letters to Udal from friends and former colleagues in the Sudan, including John G. Warrabeck concerning his dislike of life in London and with news of former colleagues in the Sudan administration (SAD.781/8/31-33); Anthony Mann of the Daily Telegraph to J.C.N. Donald (forwarded by Donald to Udal) concerning election results in the south, economic, military and administrative conditions there and increasing Soviet influence in the Sudan (SAD.781/8/34-35); Mohammed Osman Yassin, Governor Upper Nile Province concerning agricultural schemes for the Shilluk and Dinka and plans to meet on Udal's trip back from Rhodesia (SAD.781/8/36-38); Ahmed Hasan El Daw regarding the death of J.O.U's father (SAD.781/8/44); and letters of thanks for hospitality

1964-1996
Personal letters and postcards to J.O. Udal from Richard Hill, founder of the Sudan Archive, with some copy replies, chiefly concerning Hill's research for A black corps d'élite and J.O. Udal's work for his history of the Nile. Enclosed is one letter from Peter Hogg (Hill's co-author) and obituaries for Hill from The Times and the Independent.

1961-1967
Letters to J.O. Udal from members of the Mahdi family, chiefly exchanging greetings, extending thanks for hospitality and re arrangements to meet up in either London or Khartoum

1995 Feb 15-22
Personal letters to Udal from Sam Richardson (former A.D.C. Northern Kordofan 1947-1950, A.D.C., and D.C. El Fasher, Darfur 1950-1953 and Resident Dar Masalit 1953-1955) concerning his experiences in the Sudan, in particular antiquities visited while on trek in Dar Kabbabish and the origins of the Zaghawa

1950-1954
Contact prints from an original album of photographs still in the possession of the Udal family, covering Udal's service at the Middle East Centre for Arab studies in the Lebanon, with trips to Israel, Syria, Turkey, South Lebanon, Cyrenaica, Tripolitania, Jordan and Iraq.
(For duplicates of those photographs marked * and photographs of similar subject matter, particularly from the years 1952-1954. See under (b) Loose Photographs, below)
Includes the following:

1954
Contact prints from an original album of photographs still in the possession of the Udal family, covering Udal's service with the Shilluk and the journey home in 1954.
(For duplicates of those photographs marked * and photographs of a similar subject matter, see under (b) Loose Photographs, below)
Includes the following:

[ c.1952-1954]
Many of the following loose photographs are duplicates of photographs in the albums, arranged here in a similar order, with cross-references, and interfiled with photographs of a similar subject matter. Most were taken by Udal

[c.1950-1954]
Enlargements of photographs, some originally taken by Udal and repeated in the albums above, others taken by the photographer for Life Magazine

1953 Jan 26
“Alarm in South Sudan. Unwelcome news from Khartoum”, from The Times

1953 Nov 23
“I call this tragedy. Take pride in men like young John Udal - but tomorrow holds trouble”, from the Daily Express, with thank you card from the author, Sefton Delmer, for Udal's hospitality

1953 Nov
“The king and I go to an election”, by Sefton Delmer, from the Daily Express

1958
Transcript of BBC broadcasts by W.V. Harcourt, on “Egypt's failure in the Sudan”

Two pipes with wooden stems and clay bowls, one stem with additional leather and metal decoration (one stem detached from bowl)

1897-1948
Set of Sudan stamps, collected, mounted and labelled by Udal on A4 card. The set consists of 236 individual stamps on 30 sheets, three of which have suffered some damage from damp

[n.d.]
Article by J.O. Udal on “Britain's landing in Egypt: 1882”

Printed material deposited with collection; now integrated into the library's printed collections and catalogued on the Open Public Access Catalogue


Blackwood's magazine, Nov 1954, including “Omdurman: the capital city”, by J.S.R. Duncan
The National and English Review v 140 no 840, Feb 1953, including short article on “Intrigue in the Sudan” with quotes from Udal