president Vice-President scholars
He was born in Dunedin, Otago on 15 September 1895. De Beer was the grandson of Dunedin businessman Bendix Hallenstein, founder of Hallenstein Brothers, a major New Zealand retailers, and nephew of avid collector Willi Fels, from whom he developed a love of books
He was educated at Mill Hill School and in 1914 Esmond enrolled in New College, Oxford to read History.
The De Beers moved to London in 1910 when Esmond"s father Isidore was made manager of Hallensteins" London office. After serving on India"s Northwest Frontier during World War I, Esmond returned to gain an Master of Arts at the University of London in 1923. De Beer worked as an editor for Clarendon Press, working on two massive and time-consuming projects, first the diary of John Evelyn (six volumes, published in 1955) and then the correspondence of John Locke.
The latter work, published in eight volumes between 1976 and 1989, was left uncompleted at the time of De Beer"s death.
Numerous other gifts were given to both of these institutions and to the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.Dunedin Public Library was also gifted with over 100 rare books, including many first editions of the works of Sir Walter Scott. De Beer also contributed to the library of the University of Essex and the Bodleian Library, among others
De Beer was a major figure in several notable institutions, including London"s Historical Association (of which he was vice-president) and the Institute of Historical Research. He served as president of the Hakluyt Society, and was a trustee of the National Portrait Gallery.
De Beer was named a fellow of the British Academy in 1965, was bestowed a similar honour by University College, London two years later, and was awarded honorary doctorates by the Otago, Oxford and Durham Universities.
De Beer died in a nursing home in Stoke Hammond, Buckinghamshire on 3 October 1990, aged 95.
