Idris Bell

Sir Harold Idris Bell CB OBE (2 October 1879–22 January 1967) was a British papyrologist (specialising in Roman Egypt) and scholar of Welsh literature.

Bell was born at Epworth, Lincolnshire to an English father and a Welsh mother. He was educated at Nottingham High School and Oriel College, Oxford. In 1903, [LondonGazette |issue=27562 |date=9 June1903 |startpage=3650 |accessdate=2008-10-10] [LondonGazette |issue=27572 |date=3 July 1903 |startpage=4196 |accessdate=2008-10-10] he joined the British Museum as an assistant in the Department of Manuscripts and remained there his entire working life, becoming Deputy Keeper of the Department in 1927 [LondonGazette |issue=33332 |date=25 November 1927 |startpage=7537 |accessdate=2008-10-10] and Keeper in 1929. [LondonGazette |issue=33521 |date=30 July 1929 |startpage=4996 |accessdate=2008-10-10] He retired in 1944.

Bell was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1920 civilian war honours for his wartime services as editor of the Food Supplement of the Daily Review of the Foreign Press. He was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in 1936 [LondonGazette |issue=34296 |date=23 June 1936 |startpage=3998 |supp=x |accessdate=2008-10-10] and was knighted in 1946. [LondonGazette |issue=37502 |date=15 March 1946 |startpage=1387 |accessdate=2008-10-10]

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