/1. Student Work. Architectural plans and sketches completed during Cubitt's time as a student at the Architectural Association (1935-1940).

/2. Architect. Material relating to Cubitt's career as an architect. Including papers relating to individual architectural projects, such as the University of Benghazi in Libya. Comprises notebooks, sketches, reports, articles, photographs and plans.

/3. Artist. Material relating to Cubitt's career as a sculptor. Comprises sketches, catalogues of works, notes on exhibitions and accounts.

/4. Personal Papers. Material relating to personal interests and involvements. Includes correspondence, papers relating to the Mortimer and Burghfield Labour Party, papers relating to Greece (including, in particular, the campaign for the restitution of the Parthenon/Elgin Marbles), biographical information, invitations to events and information on work contracts

James William Archibald Cubitt (1914-1983) BA (Oxon) Dip AA, Associate of the RIBA.

Born in Melbourne Australia. Educated at Harrow School (1928-1932), Brasenose College Oxford (1932-1935), part-time student at Ruskin School of Art, and at the Architectural Association School of Architecture London where he received his Diploma in 1940. 

Served with the Royal Engineers, in West Africa, India and Burma (1940-1946). Commanded the West African Field Company (major). Awarded an MBE in 1944.

One time studio master at the Department of Architecture, Kingston School of Art (1946-1948).

In 1947, James Cubitt set up an architectural practice in London with 3 partners; Fello Atkinson, Stefan Buzas and Dick Maitland. All of whom were recent graduates of the Architectural Association School of Architecture.

James Cubitt & Partners drew on their acquired knowledge of tropical countries, designing several schools and colleges in Ghana between 1951 and 1954.  The practice rapidly gained a pioneering reputation in this field and, after designing some schools in Sowerby Bridge and Pontefract, Yorkshire (1954-7), it was appointed to plan the University of Nigeria at Nsukka (1956-1958). In 1965 the firm began work on the University of Garyounis, Benghazi, Libya; phase 1 of work in 1965. phase 2 and 3 in 1974-1978 and phase 4 in 1977. 

Cubitt began sculpture "to improve my architecture and for itself if successful". He created sculpture for the University of Garyounis site, and held exhibitions of his work. 

In his personal life, Cubitt married Ann Tooth in 1939 (divorced, 1947); married Constance Anne Sitwell in 1950, with whom he had three children, Jennifer, Benjamin and Francis, (divorced, 1972); and married Eleni Alkmene Kiortsis in 1973. 

Cubitt was a keen member of the Mortimer and Burghfield Labour Party from 1974.