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Basil Megaw

1913 – 2002

Archaeologist

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About Basil Megaw

Lived 1913 – 2002 (aged 89). Basil Megaw was an archaeologist.

Basil Richardson Stanley Megaw (22 June 1913 – 22 August 2002) was a British archaeologist. He was the first Director of the School of Scottish Studies at Edinburgh.

Life He was born on 22 June 1913 in Belfast the son of Arthur S. Megaw and his wife, Helen Bertha Smith. He was educated at Mourne Grange then Campbell College in Belfast. He then obtained a place at Peterhouse, Cambridge where he graduated BA in Archaeology and Anthropology in 1935. His brothers Eric Megaw and Peter Megaw were also notable in their fields.

He joined the Manx Museum in 1936 as assistant director and in 1940 he replaced William Cubbon as Director, holding this post from 1947 to 1957.

In 1940 he was also appointed an Inspector of Ancient Monuments in England but could not take on this role due to the Second World War. He instead became a Scientific Officer for RAF Bomber Command.

From 1974 to 1977 he was Vice President of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.

He retired fully in 1980 and died in Stevenage on 22 August 2002.

Family

He was married to Eleanor Hardy (d.1977). They had two children, Sam and Helen.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Education
University of Cambridge
Employers
University of Edinburgh
Awards
Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Also known as
Basil Richardson Stanley Megaw, Basil R. S. Megaw, B. R. S. Megaw

People in Basil Megaw's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Basil Megaw's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Basil Megaw?

archaeologist

When was Basil Megaw born?

Basil Megaw was born on 22 June 1913.

When did Basil Megaw die?

Basil Megaw died on 22 August 2002.

What was Basil Megaw's occupation?

Basil Megaw was an archaeologist.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Basil Megaw

· Wikidata: Q38533552

· DBpedia: Basil Megaw

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Basil Megaw. https://biography.guide/basil-megaw/

MLA: "Basil Megaw." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/basil-megaw/.

Chicago: "Basil Megaw." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/basil-megaw/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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