The National Archives (United Kingdom)

Last updated

The National Archives
Welsh: Yr Archifau Cenedlaethol
Logo of The National Archives of the United Kingdom.svg
Non-ministerial department overview
FormedApril 2003 (2003-04)
Jurisdiction England and Wales, HM Government
Headquarters Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU
51°28′52″N0°16′46″W / 51.48111°N 0.27944°W / 51.48111; -0.27944
Employees590 [1] : 66 
Annual budgetIncrease2.svg £46.2 million (2022–23) [2]
Ministers responsible
Non-ministerial department executive
  • Jeff James, Chief Executive and Keeper of the Public Records
Parent department Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Child agencies
  • Office of Public Sector Information
  • His Majesty's Stationery Office
Key document
Website nationalarchives.gov.uk OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
The National Archives building at Kew National Archives 2007 02 03.JPG
The National Archives building at Kew

The National Archives (TNA; Welsh : Yr Archifau Cenedlaethol) is a non-ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. [3] Its parent department is the Department for Culture, Media and Sport of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. [4] It is the official national archive of the UK Government and for England and Wales; and "guardian of some of the nation's most iconic documents, dating back more than 1,000 years." [5] There are separate national archives for Scotland (the National Records of Scotland) and Northern Ireland (the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland).

Contents

TNA was formerly four separate organisations: the Public Record Office (PRO), the Historical Manuscripts Commission, the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) and His Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO). The Public Record Office still exists as a legal entity, as the enabling legislation has not been modified, [6] [7] and documents held by the institution thus continue to be cited by many scholars as part of the PRO. [8] Since 2008, TNA has also hosted the former UK Statute Law Database, now known as legislation.gov.uk.

The department is the responsibility of the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Arts, Heritage and Tourism; a minister in His Majesty's Government. [9]

Location

The National Archives is based in Kew in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in south-west London. The building was opened in 1977 as an additional home for the public records, which were held in a building on Chancery Lane. The site was originally a World War I hospital, which was later used by several government departments. [10] It is near to Kew Gardens Underground station.

Until its closure in March 2008, the Family Records Centre in Islington was run jointly by The National Archives and the General Register Office. The National Archives has an additional office in Norwich, which is primarily for former OPSI staff. There is also an additional record storage facility (DeepStore [11] ) in the worked-out parts of Winsford Rock Salt Mine, Winsford, Cheshire.

History

The National Archives was created in 2003 by combining the Public Record Office and the Historical Manuscripts Commission and is a non-ministerial department reporting to the Minister of State for digital policy.

On 31 October 2006, The National Archives merged with the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI), which itself also contained His Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO) which was previously a part of the Cabinet Office. The name remained The National Archives.

Chief Executive and Keeper

Key roles

A manuscript and seals being examined at the archives A gloved pair of hands at The National Archives.jpg
A manuscript and seals being examined at the archives

TNA claims it is "at the heart of information policy—setting standards and supporting innovation in information and records management across the UK, and providing a practical framework of best practice for opening up and encouraging the re-use of public sector information. [14] This work helps inform today's decisions and ensure that they become tomorrow's permanent record." It has a number of key roles in information policy:

Sector leadership

The National Archives (and before it the Public Record Office) has long had a role of oversight and leadership for the entire archives sector and archives profession in the UK, including local government and non-governmental archives. Under the Public Records Act 1958 it is responsible for overseeing the appropriate custody of certain non-governmental public records in England and Wales. [15] Under the 2003 Historical Manuscripts Commission Warrant it has responsibility for investigating and reporting on non-governmental records and archives of all kinds throughout the United Kingdom. [16] In October 2011, when the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council was wound up, TNA took over its responsibilities in respect of archives in England, including providing information and advice to ministers on archives policy. The National Archives now sees this part of its role as being "to enhance the 'archival health of the nation'". [17]

Collections

Types of records

UK Prime Minister William Gladstone's 19th-century "red box", held in the archives Cropped Gladstone's Red Box.jpg
UK Prime Minister William Gladstone's 19th-century "red box", held in the archives
Entrance gates to The National Archives from Ruskin Avenue: the notched vertical elements were inspired by medieval tally sticks. TNA gates.JPG
Entrance gates to The National Archives from Ruskin Avenue: the notched vertical elements were inspired by medieval tally sticks.

The National Archives is His Majesty's Government's official archive, "containing 1000 years of history from Domesday Book to the present", with records from parchment and paper scrolls through to digital files and archived websites. [18] The material held at Kew includes the following:

There is also a museum, which displays key documents such as Domesday Book and has exhibitions on various topics using material from the collections. [19]

Highlights of the Collection

Treaty of Bretigny chest in the collection Treaty of Calais Chest.jpg
Treaty of Brétigny chest in the collection

Access to documents

Researchers at the archive A pair of Researchers at The National Archives.jpg
Researchers at the archive
Researcher's point of view: Document open at assigned table, with foam supports to prevent binding from breaking Inspecting Admiralty documents at The National Archives.jpg
Researcher's point of view: Document open at assigned table, with foam supports to prevent binding from breaking

The collections held by the National Archives can be searched using their online catalogue. [20]

Entrance to The National Archives is free. [21] Anybody aged 16 or over can access the original documents at the Kew site, after producing two acceptable proofs of identity and being issued a free reader's ticket. [22]

The reading room has terminals from which documents can be ordered up from secure storage areas by their reference number. The reference number is composed of three sections: the department code of up to four letters, such as WO for the War Office; a series or class number, for the "subcategory" or collection that the document comes from; and an individual document number. Documents can also be ordered in advance. [23]

Once a document has been ordered, The National Archives aims to get it to the reader within 45 minutes (assuming it is kept at Kew rather than at their second repository, "Deep Store" – a former salt mine in Cheshire: it can take 2–3 days for files to be retrieved from the latter). Special arrangements are in place for readers wishing to retrieve large groups of files.

A reader's ticket is not needed to access records on microform or online. Frequently accessed documents such as the Abdication Papers have been put on microfilm, as have records for two million First World War soldiers. The originals of the latter were stored in a warehouse in London along with four million others, but incendiary bombs dropped on the warehouse in the Second World War started a fire in which most were destroyed. The surviving third were largely water or fire-damaged and thus acquired the colloquial name of the "Burnt Documents." Because they were mostly too fragile for public access, they were put on microfilm with the aid of the Heritage Lottery Fund. They have now also been digitised and are available on the Ancestry website. [24]

Some of the most popular documents have now been digitised and are available to download from Discovery, for a fee of £3.50 per file, [25] or through co-branded services called licensed Internet associates (LIA) as pay per view or part of their subscription service. [26] A list of records online is available under the records, catalogues and online records menu on The National Archives' website. [27]

All of the open census records have been digitised, and there are also significant other sources online, such as wills proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1383–1858. Researchers are encouraged to check the online services first, to see if they can get what they want online. If a document is available online, The National Archives' policy is to encourage people to use the digital copy and not the original, even if they come to Kew, in order to protect the original from damage.

Storage

Moveable shelving in one of the more modern repositories National archives shelving.jpg
Moveable shelving in one of the more modern repositories

The documents are stored on mobile shelving – double-sided shelves, which are pushed together so that there is no aisle between them. A large handle on the end of each shelf allows them to be moved along tracks in the floor to create an aisle when needed.

They are generally stored in acid-free folders or boxes.

In the event of a fire The National Archives would be clearly unable to use sprinklers for fear of ruining its holdings, and so when the building is evacuated, argon gas is released into the air-tight repositories.

Other services

The National Archives also provides services to help users in their research and also find collections beyond those it holds.

Education

National Archives at the London University School of Advanced Studies History Day, November 2015. National Archives School Adv Studies History Day 27 Nov 2015.JPG
National Archives at the London University School of Advanced Studies History Day, November 2015.

The National Archives' education web page is a free online resource for teaching and learning history, aimed at teachers and students. [28] Users can select time periods they are interested in, from the medieval era to the present day. Each time period contains sub-topics with various materials that can be used as teaching tools for teachers. [29] Resources for students focus primarily on tips for research and writing using archival materials. [30]

"Access to Archives"

Access to Archives (also known as A2A) [31] is a database containing details of archival collections held in many different archive repositories in England and Wales. [32] As of March 2008, there are no more plans to add additional collections to A2A due to lack of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the changing financial priorities of The National Archives, but existing entries can still be updated. [33] The A2A database was transferred to The National Archives with a new platform with a simpler interface to ensure its availability. [34]

National Register of Archives

A researcher at the archives A researcher working with delicate resource at The National Archives.jpg
A researcher at the archives

The National Register of Archives (NRA) [35] is the central point for the collection and circulation of information about the content and nature of archival manuscripts relating to British history. [36] It contains published and unpublished lists and catalogues describing archival collections in the UK and overseas: currently over 44,000 such catalogues are included. [37] The register can be consulted in the National Archives reading room and the index used to be searchable as an online database on the National Archives web site. [36]

The information is collected in a variety of ways. TNA is sent hard-copy catalogues from archive repositories holding records relating to British history. These are kept in the reading room at The National Archives and indexed in the online database. TNA conducts an annual survey of archive repositories and records all new accessions, and the accession lists [38] are also available on TNA's website. Information is also obtained from surveys and guides to archival collections, and other publications. [36]

The Register includes name indexes to its contents (covering corporate names, personal names, family names, and place names); but not subject or thematic indexes. [36] Where the catalogues are themselves available online the indexes provide direct electronic links; but many still exist in hard copy only (often as unpublished "grey literature"), and it remains necessary for the researcher to visit either TNA or the specific repository in order to consult them.

A separate National Register of Archives for Scotland is maintained at the National Archives of Scotland, but its contents are duplicated within the NRA at Kew.

ARCHON directory

ARCHON Directory is a database of contact details for archive repositories in the UK and institutions elsewhere in the world which have substantial collections of manuscripts relating to British history. [39]

"Your Archives"

Your Archives [40] was a wiki for the National Archives on-line community which was launched in May 2007; it was closed for editing on 30 September 2012 in preparation of archiving on the Government web archive. [41] The contributions were made by users to give additional information to that which is available on the other services provided by the National Archives, including the catalogue, research guides, documentonline and National Register of Archive. [40] Your Archives encouraged users to create articles not only about historical records held by the National Archives, but those held in other archive repositories. [42]

Databases

The National Archives also hosts several databases on types of records including hospital records; [43] migration records; [44] and manorial records. [45] [46]

Working with the Wellcome Library, TNA has made hospital records available via the Hospital Records Database. The Hospital Records Database has not been updated since 2012, and there are no current updates occurring as of 2018. [47]

The Manorial Documents Register includes records relating to manors located in England and Wales. Digitization of the records is on-going as of 2018. [48]

Civil Pages

The National Archives operates the Civil Pages project on behalf of the Cabinet Office, operating as an online directory for the civil service, facilitating working together and providing a means of sharing knowledge securely between government departments. [49]

Smartphone applications

QRpedia codes at the archives National Archives QRpedia codes - 1.jpg
QRpedia codes at the archives

In January 2011 The National Archives, in conjunction with historian Nick Barratt and smartphone applications development studio RevelMob, [50] developed its first Old Money iPhone app, [51] which uses historic price data from documents held at The National Archives to see what a sum of money from the past (from 1270) would be worth today and the spending power it would have commanded at the time. [52]

In September 2011, TNA's museum began using QRpedia codes, which can be scanned by smartphone users in order to retrieve information about exhibits from Wikipedia. [53]

Blogs and podcasts

TNA regularly posts blogs to its website. Posts cover a wide range of topics, from specific events and time periods to features on holdings in TNA, as well as information on the archive's operations. [54]

The "Archives Media Player" section holds videos and podcasts created and posted by TNA. Videos and audio are not posted as regularly as TNA's blog. [55]

The Future: Archives Inspire 2015–19

Archives Inspire [56] is a strategy document that sets out the goals and priorities of the organisation over four years, from 2015 onwards.

Lost and misplaced records

Between 2005 and 2011, over 1500 files had been reported missing from the archives. Notable items reported missing during this period included correspondence from Winston Churchill and documents from the courts of several monarchies. Around 800 of these records have since been recovered, and the archives has reported that they believe most are misplaced rather than permanently lost. [57] In 2017, the archives again received attention when it was reported that around 1000 files had been removed – in part or whole – by government officials and reported as missing when not returned. In response to concerns stated by politicians and historians about management of the collection, the archives stressed that the number of missing files is quite small in proportion to the entire holdings of the repository – about 0.01% – and that, as of 2017, its loss rate was only around 100 documents, annually. [58] [59]

Forgeries discovered in 2005

In June 2005, journalist Ben Fenton of The Daily Telegraph received an email from a colleague asking him to investigate documents held at TNA that alleged that a British intelligence agent had, on the orders of Winston Churchill, murdered Heinrich Himmler, the head of the Nazi SS, in 1945. [60] The three documents had come to prominence after being revealed by author Martin Allen in his book Himmler's Secret War. [60]

On viewing photographs of the documents, Fenton's suspicions were immediately aroused by the fact that such a controversial policy was casually committed to paper, even to the extent of naming the assassin, and by the use of colourful language. [60] Viewing the original documents the next day, Fenton spotted what looked like pencil marks beneath the signature on one of them. This confirmed his suspicions and, along with his experience of analysing historic documents, it enabled him to persuade The Daily Telegraph to pay for forensic analysis. [60]

TNA staff took four files, along with authenticated copies of the authors' handwriting, to Audrey Giles, a former head of Scotland Yard's Questioned Documents Unit, who confirmed that the documents were forgeries. One letter head had been printed on a laser printer and all had tear marks where they had been threaded on to the security tags. Further investigations by TNA staff revealed that the counterfeit documents contained errors, breaches of protocol and etiquette which their supposed authors would not have committed. [60]

After his account of the deception appeared in the newspaper, Fenton was contacted by a German academic, Ernst Haiger, who informed him of his own suspicions over other TNA documents cited in an earlier Allen book. Examination by TNA experts led to more than a dozen documents being identified as suspicious and submitted to Home Office specialists for examination. When they, too, were declared forgeries, the TNA called in the police. [60]

In the addendum to the later American edition of the book (which acknowledged that the papers were forged), Allen theorised that, some time after he saw the documents, they had been removed and replaced with clumsily forged replicas, to cast doubt upon his discoveries. [60]

In all, twenty-nine forged documents were discovered, each typed on one of only four typewriters. They were placed in twelve separate files, and cited at least once in one or more of Allen's three books. According to the experts at TNA, documents now shown to be forgeries supported controversial arguments central to each of Allen's books: in Hidden Agenda, five documents now known to be forged helped justify his claim that the Duke of Windsor betrayed military secrets to Hitler; in The Hitler/Hess Deception, thirteen forged papers supported Allen's contention that, in 1941, British intelligence used members of the Royal Family to fool the Nazis into thinking Britain was on the verge of a pro-German putsch; in Himmler's Secret War, twenty-two counterfeit papers also underpinned the book's core claims that British intelligence played mind games with Himmler to encourage him to betray Hitler from 1943 onwards, and that ultimately they murdered the SS chief. [60]

In 2007 the Crown Prosecution Service announced that it was "not in the public interest" to prosecute the only suspect questioned by police. Allen's health problems had prevented the police questioning him for nine months, after which he told them he was wholly innocent. In a December 2007 response to questions from Norman Baker MP, the Solicitor-General said that the police investigation, guided by the opinion of a senior barrister, had produced "sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction" on charges of forgery, using a forged document and criminal damage but it had been decided that it was not in the public interest to proceed. In reaching that decision, "matters relating to Mr Allen's health and the surrounding circumstances were significant in deciding that a prosecution was not in the public interest". [60]

a well-planned attempt to corrupt the UK's primary source of historical information

— Detective Inspector Andy Perrott, Financial Times, 3 May 2008 [61]

It is hard to imagine actions more damaging to the cause of preserving the nation's heritage, than wilfully forging documents designed to alter our historical record.

— Historian Sir Max Hastings, Financial Times, 3 May 2008 [61]

MI5 records at TNA

TNA receives records from MI5 around twice a year. [62] Some information in records, or records themselves, are withheld at the discretion of MI5. [62]

MI5 records in the news

MI5 records relating to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's time in office have caused some questions and controversy regarding the transparency of the British government. In 2017, journalist Richard Norton-Taylor argued that MI5, and the British government by extension, was purposely withholding some information that the public deserves to know. [63] Norton-Taylor specifically refers to Thatcher's reluctance to allow the publication of two books looking into the impact that intelligence organizations of Britain had on World War II, as well as her worries about British activities in Northern Ireland becoming known to the general public. [63]

Additional MI5 records relating to the blacklisting of government workers during Thatcher's time in office have also prompted questions after their release. [64] In addition to government workers, the blacklists also targeted other groups, such as unions and minorities, that may not fall in line with Conservative policies. [64] Debates on the roles of MI5, Whitehall, and Thatcher's administration, have come up in light of these records at TNA and prompted questions of transparency as well as whether or not these blacklists had an effect on the careers of any individuals included. [64] Questions also remain, as of 2018, whether or not there are still blacklists currently in effect and if these could affect government workers, unions, and other individuals possibly included in the blacklists. [65]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Archives and Records Administration</span> United States government agency

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent agency of the United States government within the executive branch, charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It is also tasked with increasing public access to those documents that make up the National Archives. NARA is officially responsible for maintaining and publishing the legally authentic and authoritative copies of acts of Congress, presidential directives, and federal regulations. NARA also transmits votes of the Electoral College to Congress. It also examines Electoral College and constitutional amendment ratification documents for prima facie legal sufficiency and an authenticating signature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MI5</span> British domestic intelligence agency

The Security Service, also known as MI5, is the United Kingdom's domestic counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), and Defence Intelligence (DI). MI5 is directed by the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), and the service is bound by the Security Service Act 1989. The service is directed to protect British parliamentary democracy and economic interests and to counter terrorism and espionage within the United Kingdom (UK).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stella Rimington</span> British author and former Director General of MI5

Dame Stella Rimington is a British author and former Director General of MI5, a position she held from 1992 to 1996. She was the first female DG of MI5, and the first DG whose name was publicised on appointment. In 1993, Rimington became the first DG of MI5 to pose openly for cameras at the launch of a brochure outlining the organisation's activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public Record Office</span> National archive service of the United Kingdom from 1838 until 2003

The Public Record Office, Chancery Lane in the City of London, was the guardian of the national archives of the United Kingdom from 1838 until 2003, when it was merged with the Historical Manuscripts Commission to form The National Archives, based in Kew. It was under the control of the Master of the Rolls, a senior judge. The Public Record Office still exists as a legal entity, as the enabling legislation has not been modified.

The United States Government Publishing Office is an agency of the legislative branch of the United States Federal government. The office produces and distributes information products and services for all three branches of the Federal Government, including U.S. passports for the Department of State as well as the official publications of the Supreme Court, the Congress, the Executive Office of the President, executive departments, and independent agencies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Archive</span> Accumulation of historical records

An archive is an accumulation of historical records or materials – in any medium – or the physical facility in which they are located.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Met Office</span> United Kingdoms national weather service

The Meteorological Office, abbreviated as the Met Office, is the United Kingdom's national weather service. It is an executive agency and trading fund of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and is led by CEO Penelope Endersby, who took on the role as Chief Executive in December 2018 and is the first woman to do so. The Met Office makes meteorological predictions across all timescales from weather forecasts to climate change.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is an Australian government statutory authority within the Communications portfolio. ACMA was formed on 1 July 2005 with the merger of the Australian Broadcasting Authority and the Australian Communications Authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Identity Cards Act 2006</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Identity Cards Act 2006 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that was repealed in 2011. It created National Identity Cards, a personal identification document and European Economic Area travel document, which were voluntarily issued to British citizens. It also created a resident registry database known as the National Identity Register (NIR), which has since been destroyed. In all around 15,000 National Identity Cards were issued until the act was repealed in 2011. The Identity Card for Foreign nationals was continued in the form of Biometric Residence Permits after 2011 under the provisions of the UK Borders Act 2007 and the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ministry of Information (United Kingdom)</span> United Kingdom government ministry

The Ministry of Information (MOI), headed by the Minister of Information, was a United Kingdom government department created briefly at the end of the First World War and again during the Second World War. Located in Senate House at the University of London during the 1940s, it was the central government department responsible for publicity and propaganda. The MOI was dissolved in March 1946, with its residual functions passing to the Central Office of Information (COI); which was itself dissolved in December 2011 due to the reforming of the organisation of government communications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Directgov</span> Former British government website

Directgov was the British government's digital service for people in the United Kingdom, which from 2004 provided a single point of access to public sector information and services. The site's portal was replaced by the new GOV.UK website on 17 October 2012, although migration of all services to GOV.UK branding took several years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan Borough of Stockport</span> Borough of Greater Manchester, England

The Metropolitan Borough of Stockport is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in England. It is south-east of central Manchester and south of Tameside. As well as the towns of Stockport, Bredbury and Marple, it includes the outlying villages and suburbs of Hazel Grove, Bramhall, Cheadle, Cheadle Hulme, Gatley, Reddish, Woodley and Romiley. In 2021, it had a population of 295,243, making it the fourth-most populous borough of Greater Manchester.

The National Archives of Scotland (NAS) is the previous name of the National Records of Scotland (NRS), and are the national archives of Scotland, based in Edinburgh. The NAS claims to have one of the most varied collection of archives in Europe. It is the main archive for sources of the history of Scotland as an independent state, her role in the British Isles and the links between Scotland and many other countries over the centuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Evans, Baron Evans of Weardale</span> Director General of MI5

Jonathan Douglas Evans, Baron Evans of Weardale, is a British life peer who formerly served as the Director General of the British Security Service, the United Kingdom's domestic security and counter-intelligence service. He took over the role on the retirement of his predecessor Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller on 21 April 2007. Evans was succeeded by Andrew Parker on 22 April 2013.

Crown copyright is a type of copyright protection. It subsists in works of the governments of some Commonwealth realms and provides special copyright rules for the Crown, i.e. government departments and (generally) state entities. Each Commonwealth realm has its own Crown copyright regulations. There are therefore no common regulations that apply to all or a number of those countries. There are some considerations being made in Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand regarding the "reuse of Crown-copyrighted material, through new licences".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Archival research</span> Type of research using evidence from archival records

Archival research is a type of research which involves seeking out and extracting evidence from archival records. These records may be held either in collecting institutions, such as libraries and museums, or in the custody of the organization that originally generated or accumulated them, or in that of a successor body. Archival research can be contrasted with (1) secondary research, which involves identifying and consulting secondary sources relating to the topic of enquiry; and (2) with other types of primary research and empirical investigation such as fieldwork and experiment.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office Migrated Archives are a collection of about 20,000 files and other records created by the governments of 37 British colonial dependencies, removed to the UK at independence, and held clandestinely for decades in various repositories in and around London. They came only from territories administered by the Colonial Office, so not from India and other dependencies administered by the India Office and its predecessors, whose records are in the India Office Records at the British Library.

The Government of the United Kingdom maintains several intelligence agencies that deal with secret intelligence. These agencies are responsible for collecting, analysing and exploiting foreign and domestic intelligence, providing military intelligence, and performing espionage and counter-espionage. Their intelligence assessments contribute to the conduct of the foreign relations of the United Kingdom, maintaining the national security of the United Kingdom, military planning, public safety, and law enforcement in the United Kingdom. The four main agencies are the Secret Intelligence Service, the Security Service (MI5), the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and Defence Intelligence (DI). The agencies are organised under three government departments, the Foreign Office, the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence.

Graham Russell Mitchell OBE, CB, was an officer of MI5, the British Security Service, between 1939 and 1963, serving as its deputy director general between 1956 and 1963. In 1963 Roger Hollis, the MI5 director general, authorised the secret investigation of Mitchell following suspicions within the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) that he was a Soviet agent. It is now thought unlikely that Mitchell ever was a "mole". Mitchell was an International Master of correspondence chess who represented Great Britain.

References

  1. ↑ "Annual report and accounts of The National Archives: 2022-23" (PDF). The National Archives. July 2023.
  2. ↑ "Core financial tables 2022-23" (PDF). The National Archives. July 2023.
  3. ↑ "The National Archives". UK Government. Archived from the original on 14 September 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  4. ↑ "Machinery of Government changes: Data protection policy; Information Commissioner's Office; The National Archives; and, Government records management policy:Written statement – HCWS209". Inside Government. parliament.uk. 2015. Archived from the original on 30 September 2015. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  5. ↑ "Welcome to GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  6. ↑ "Freedom of Information Act 2000". www.legislation.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 12 June 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  7. ↑ "Public Records Act 1958". www.legislation.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 18 May 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  8. ↑ "General Instructions: The Library". academic.oup.com. Archived from the original on 3 June 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  9. ↑ "Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Arts, Heritage and Tourism". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 29 January 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  10. ↑ "The opening of the Public Record Office in Kew in 1977". Your Archives. The National Archives. Archived from the original on 7 June 2007. Retrieved 5 July 2007.
  11. ↑ "Home". Deepstore. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  12. ↑ "New role for Chief Executive". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  13. ↑ "Appointment of Chief Executive and Keeper". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  14. ↑ "About Us, About us". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 5 July 2007.
  15. ↑ "Public Records Act 1958". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  16. ↑ "HMC Warrant". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  17. ↑ Kingsley, Nick (2012). "Perspectives and Priorities: The National Archives Vision for Sector Leadership". Journal of the Society of Archivists. 33 (2): 135–47. doi:10.1080/00379816.2012.721344. S2CID   111298367.
  18. ↑ "Who we are, what we do and how we operate". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 12 July 2008. Retrieved 5 July 2008.
  19. ↑ "Visit us, Museum". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 26 May 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
  20. ↑ "Detecting your browser settings". Nationalarchives.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2 February 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  21. ↑ "Visit us, Why visit us?". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 10 July 2008. Retrieved 10 July 2008.
  22. ↑ "Visit us, Registering for a readers ticket". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 20 November 2007. Retrieved 10 July 2008.
  23. ↑ "Visit us, Ordering documents in advance". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 20 November 2007. Retrieved 10 July 2008.
  24. ↑ "Family Tree, Genealogy and Census Records". Ancestry.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 November 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  25. ↑ "The National Archives, Discovery". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 20 May 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  26. ↑ "The National Archives, Licensed Internet Associates". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  27. ↑ "The National Archives, online records". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  28. ↑ "Education". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 2 February 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  29. ↑ Archives, The National. "Education – The National Archives". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 9 November 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  30. ↑ Archives, The National. "Education – The National Archives". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 2 February 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  31. ↑ "Access to Archives". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 2 February 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  32. ↑ "The National Archives – Access to Archives". Archived from the original on 8 July 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2008.
  33. ↑ "Archives Hub Steering Committee meeting, 1 November 2007, University of Manchester". Archives Hub. 1 November 2007. Archived from the original on 29 September 2008. Retrieved 5 July 2008.
  34. ↑ "A2A – Access to Archives home". Archived from the original on 28 July 2008. Retrieved 5 July 2008.
  35. ↑ "Discovery – The National Archives". nationalarchives.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 4 August 2007.
  36. 1 2 3 4 The National Archives. "National Register of Archives". Archived from the original on 4 August 2007. Retrieved 5 July 2007.
  37. ↑ The National Archives. "National Register of Archives: Frequently asked questions". Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  38. ↑ "Search Other Archives | Accessions to Repositories". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 2 February 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  39. ↑ "The National Archives – The ARCHON Directory". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 29 June 2007. Retrieved 5 July 2007.
  40. 1 2 "Your Archives". yourarchives.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 17 August 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  41. ↑ The National Archives (14 May 2007). "Your Archives". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 7 June 2007. Retrieved 5 July 2007.
  42. ↑ "Your Archives: What can I contribute?". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 4 July 2007. Retrieved 5 July 2007.
  43. ↑ "Catalogues and online records". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  44. ↑ "migration". Nationalarchives.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  45. ↑ "Manorial Documents Register | Welcome". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 2 February 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  46. ↑ "The National Archives – Search the archives". Archived from the original on 3 July 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2008.
  47. ↑ "The National Archives | Hospital Records Database | Welcome". www.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2 January 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  48. ↑ "Manorial Documents Register". Archives sector. The National Archives. Archived from the original on 16 November 2018.
  49. ↑ "The National Archives Annual Report and Resource Accounts 2008–2009 HC 469" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 March 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  50. ↑ "www.revelmob.com | Revel Mob – developing best-selling smartphone apps". Revel Mob. Archived from the original on 28 January 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  51. ↑ "Old Money". www.revelmob.com. Archived from the original on 22 January 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  52. ↑ "Old Money iPhone app launched using records from The National Archives". www.revelmob.com. Archived from the original on 25 January 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  53. ↑ "New collaboration between Wikimedia UK and The National Archives". The National Archives (United Kingdom). 15 September 2011. Archived from the original on 25 August 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  54. ↑ "All Blog Posts". The National Archives Blog. Archived from the original on 18 November 2018.
  55. ↑ "Archives Media Player". The National Archives. Archived from the original on 18 November 2018.
  56. ↑ Archives, The National. "Archives inspire – The National Archives". nationalarchives.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 9 December 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  57. ↑ Holehouse, Matthew (8 August 2011). "Hundreds of historic papers lost from National Archives". www.telegraph.com. Archived from the original on 21 April 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  58. ↑ Cobain, Ian. "Government admits 'losing' thousands of papers from National Archives". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  59. ↑ Bateman, Tom. "More than 400 government files missing from National Archives". BBC News. Archived from the original on 22 April 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  60. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Fenton, Ben (3 May 2008). "Lies and secrets". Financial Times . Archived from the original on 6 May 2008.
  61. 1 2 Fenton, Ben (3 May 2008). "Himmler forgeries in National Archives case will stay unsolved". Financial Times . Archived from the original on 6 May 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  62. 1 2 "MI5 At The National Archives | MI5 – The Security Service". www.mi5.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 26 November 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  63. 1 2 Norton-Taylor, Richard (29 December 2017). "For their eyes only: the secret stories ministers don't want you to read". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 November 2018.
  64. 1 2 3 Cobain, Ian (24 July 2018). "'Subversive' civil servants secretly blacklisted under Thatcher". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 December 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  65. ↑ Cobain, Ian; MacAskill, Ewen (25 July 2018). "Labour: government must say if blacklists are still in place". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 November 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.