Collection Summary

Creator: Chamberlain, Bernard
Title: The Papers of Bernard P. Chamberlain (re Law School Alumni Association and Class of 1922)
Accession: MSS 88-6
Description: 1/3 linear feet
Location: This collection is stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections before your visit to ensure your papers are available.
Photograph Collection: View 0 digitized photographs
Digitized Content: 0 objects
Use Restrictions: There are no restrictions.

Collection Description & Arrangement

This small collection (1 box. .3 linear feet) contains papers that concern Bernard Chamberlain's work for the Law School Alumni Association and Class of 1922. They came from his home and from booksellers, Vesta Gordon and Paul Colling, who found them among his books.

Biographical & Historical Information

Bernard Peyton Chamberlain was born on November 21, 1896 at "Birdwood" in Albemarle County, Virginia. He entered the University of Virginia in 1915 but his studies were interrupted by WWI where he served and was member of the University Hospital Unit (Base Hospital #41) in France.  He received his B. A. degree in 1919 and in 1922 received his LL.B. from the Law School. He was member of Zeta Psi, Sigma Upsilon, Skull and Keys, the German Club, Secretary of the First Year Law Class, was on the Virginia Law Review Editorial Board, manager of the Glee Club, president of the Virginia Union, president of the Jefferson Society, president of the Y.M.C.A., president of the Interfraternity Council, on the editorial board of Corks and Curls, and member of the Varsity Track Team.
 
He started his law practice in Baltimore, MD with the firm of Brown, Marshall, Brune and Parker.  In 1924 he returned to Charlottesville and worked with The Michie Company while studying an M.A. degree. In 1926 he began his practice of law in Charlottesville in partnership with Edward W. Scott.  Mr. Chamberlain was president of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Bar Association.
 
During WWII he served with the Office of Price Administration in Richmond as District Rationing Attorney and later as District Rationing Executive.  After the war he was Rent Director in Charlottesville for four years, and during the Korean war he served with the National Production Authority. 
 
Mr. Chamberlain was president of the General Alumni Association (1936), president of the Law School Alumni Association (1969-1971), and chairman of the Track Alumni Advisory Committee.  In response to his work the University elected him to the Raven Society, to Phi Beta Kappa, the Order of the Coif, and honored him with the Algernon Sidney Sullivan Award.
 
He was also a very active member of the community.  He was president of the Albemarle County Historical Society, president of the Charlottesville Community Concert Association, president of the Thomas Jefferson Chapter Sons of the American Revolution, member of the Executive Committee of the County Democratic Committee, chairman of the local Civil War Centennial Committee and of Charlottesville Independence Day Celebrration Committee.  He was Senior Warden of St. Paul's Memorial Church.
 
Mr. Chamberlain died in June of 1983, at the age of 86.

Acquisition Information

Date Received 1988
Donor Information This collection came from Chamberlain's home and from booksellers, Vesta Gordon and Paul Colling, who found it among his books. They were donated to the Law School in the fall of 1988.

Content List

  • 1975-78, Correspondence re the Class of 1922
  • [1972], Class Book (1972) of the Law Class of 1922
  • 1970, 1972, Correspondence re the Alumni Directory
  • 1962, Directory of Alumni of the Law School: copy used by BPC in preparing the 1972 edition
  • 1972, Directory of Alumni of the Law School: leather bound copy inscribed by C. Maurice Flinn
  • [1980 January], Notes made by BPC in preparation for Frances Farmer's taped interview re recent law school history
  • 1970, 1978, Miscellaneous items re alumni/ae
  • 1963, Framed copy of slip opinion for Woodson v. Chamberlain, In the Matter of Sterling R. Decker, Bankrupt

Associated People

Use Policy

Access There are no restrictions.
Use Restrictions There are no restrictions.
Preferred Citation

 Papers of Bernard P. Chamberlain, MSS 88-6, Special Collections, University of Virginia Law Library
Unless otherwise stated, digital materials in our collections are available for use under a Creative Commons BY 4.0 License (CC-BY-4.0). For Use and Citation guidelines, see Special Collections Use Policy.