William F. Grimes: archaeology in the public eye

William Francis Grimes (1905–1988) was Director of the Institute of Archaeology, London, from 1956 to 1973. His career included membership of the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff where he was responsible for the excavation of prehistoric and Roman sites in Wales. In 1938 he joined the archaeology team of the Ordnance Survey and took part in the excavation of the Anglo-Saxon burial at Sutton Hoo. During the war years he undertook rescue excavations prior to the construction of military airfields. He was appointed Director of the Museum of London in 1945 and was engaged with the excavation of bomb-damaged London, including the site of the Roman Mithraeum at Walbrook. In retirement he conducted a number of field projects in Pembrokeshire through the Field Studies Centre at Dale.