Catalogue description MERSEYSIDE COMMUNIST PARTY

M1 Committee minutes 1955-1992

M2 Secretariat minutes 1984-1988

M3 Organisation Committee minutes 1974-1978

M4 Other Committees and sub-committees 1970-1987

M5 Area conferences 1949-1988

M6 Finance 1963-1987

M7 Membership 1955-1988

M8 (Secretarial) correspondence and administrative files, newspaper cuttings 1948-1985

M9 Elections 1945-1990

M10 Campaigns/issues - domestic 1953-1984

M11 Campaigns/issues - foreign 1971-1983

M12 Branches 1950s-1980s

M13 Docks and Seamen's Branches/shipping issues ?1942-c1980

M14 Colonial People's Defence Association 1950-1953

M15 Progressive Books Ltd 1952-1983

M16 Red Star Social Club/39 Shaw St 1976-1985

M17 Morning Star 1970-1983

M18 Women 1967-1968

M19 Premises 1955-1968

M20 Young Communist League 1947-1983

M21 Education, speakers' notes c1950-1986

M22 Labour movement/trades unions etc 1960-1986

M23 Local government involvement 1960-1987

M24 Photographs and memorabilia: obituaries 1950s-1980s

M25 North West District CP 1952-1989

M26 CPGB: executive committee papers 1985-1989

M27 CPGB: Political Committee minutes 1986-1988

M28 CPGB: Political sub-committee minutes 1986-1988

M29 CPGB: "Political letters" 1965-1984

M30 CPGB: "Organisation and Carpaign Bulletin" 1986-1989

M31 CPGB: Congress papers 1952-1987

M32 CPGB: Educational literature/propaganda 19451988

M33 CPGB: Circular letters etc 1970-1987

M34 Publications: Area 1950s-1983

M35 Publications: CPGB 1930s1989

M36 Publications: British, non-CPGB 1924-1980s

M37 Publications: Soviet 1950-1985

M38 Publications: Foreign non-Soviet 1949-1983

M39 Handbills and leaflets 1950s-1980s

M40 Posters 1970s-1980s

Merseyside Communist Party, c 1945-1990

Researchers consulting non-printed material will be asked to sign an undertaking to make use of any personal data contained therein in compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and not to make the results of their research available in a form that identifies any data subject.

The records were deposited by Merseyside Communist Party on 30 April 1990 (1990-5), 23 July 1991 (1991-8) and 7 April 1992 (1992-8), and by Roger O'Hara on 15 November 1990 (1990-17/part) and 6 July 1992 (1992-12). (The majority of the latter's records were deposited by Roger O'Hara (secretary of MCP from 1970-1980), member of the national Executive Committee in the late 1980s.)

The records of the MCP do not seem to have ever been kept in a methodical way: this and the fact that the bulk of the records were found in a physically chaotic state, posed problems when compiling this list. Many files have been reconstituted or individual items grouped together on a subject basis: nevertheless it is hoped that the list is an accurate as possible representation of the work and actitivies of the MCP - there has been some cross-referencing to related records within the list but searchers are recommended to look carefully at all possible sections. The archive also includes some North West District records, and some of the national Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB).

• Merseyside

The earliest surviving minute books for the Merseyside Area Communist Party (MCP) date only from 1955. Though it is clear that the Party was active in the 1940s (and possibly earlier), only ephemeral material has survived from this period, and no written evidence for its earlier history has survived. Similarly there is no existing history of the party in Merseyside: the most accessible source for its year-to-year activities can be found in the reports to (biennial) Area Conferences (5/).

The Area CP achieved District Status in Summer 1988 becoming Merseyside and Cheshire District CP. Before this date the Merseyside Area was part of the North West District CP (earlier Lancashire and Cheshire District). In 1992 the reconstituted CP took the title Democratic Left, with the local area known as 'Mersey Region Democratic Left' (MRDL).

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