Peierls was Professor of Applied Mathematics (the title was changed to Mathematical Physics in 1946) from 1937 to 1963.

In addition to dealing with matters relative to university business, the correspondence with the Vice Chancellors (see MS. Eng. misc. b. 198/B.9 and MS. Eng. misc. b. 198/B.10) contains much information of a biographical and personal nature, such as Peierls's war work and consultancies, offers of university chairs, journeys abroad for conferences, invitations to spend sabbatical leave in institutes or universities abroad. More strictly 'Birmingham University' topics include matters relative to the organisation, administration and finance of the department, Senate and university committee meetings, arrangements for visits by distinguished scientists, university housing and construction projects, policy on retirement age for professors, social invitations, 1954 Home Universities Conference (see also MS. Eng. misc. b. 220/E.1) and the like.