2. Why was there a National Farm Survey?

When the Second World War began in September 1939, Britain was faced with an urgent need to increase food production, as imports of food and fertilisers were drastically cut. The area of land under cultivation had to be increased significantly and quickly. The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries set up War Agricultural Executive Committees in each county (‘County War Ags’) to carry out a farm survey between 1940 and 1941 (see section 9.1), and to use the information collected to bring uncultivated land under the plough and to improve poor farms.

Once the short-term objective of increasing food production had been met, the government decided to carry out a more general National Farm Survey between 1941 and 1943, with a longer-term purpose of providing data that would form the basis of post-war planning. Such a survey was seen at the time as a ‘Second Domesday Book’, a ‘permanent and comprehensive record of the conditions on the farms of England and Wales’.

For more detail on the background and administration of the surveys, see the books listed in section 11.

3. What are the components of the survey?

Every farm and holding of five acres and more was surveyed, including those of market gardeners, horticulturists, and poultry-keepers. The resulting National Farm Survey consists of two distinct components:

• A set of forms for every farm, completed by farmers and farm inspectors, referred to in this guide as ‘individual farm records‘ or sometimes simply ‘the forms’. They make up record series MAF 32.
• A set of maps for each county, based on Ordnance Survey maps, showing the land belonging to each farm. These make up record series MAF 73.

Each part of the survey for a given farm bears that farm’s unique code. This comprises an abbreviation of the county name, the parish number, and the individual farm number: for example NK 531/7 for the Norfolk parish of Stiffkey (531) and the individual farm number 7 for Old Hall Farm. This may be useful as there may be many farm records within a parish.

4. How to search for National Farm Survey records: overview

National Farm Survey records are not viewable online. You can use Discovery, our online catalogue, to search for document and map references but to view the individual farm records and the maps themselves you will need either to visit The National Archives at Kew or order copies (for an entire parish). Alternatively, you can pay for research.

Generally the forms and the maps are consulted together; the map provides the extent and layout of the farm, while the forms provide the details (as described in section 6). However, the maps and forms are not filed together and therefore need to be requested separately, using different document references.

You may wish to consult the map first, for the following reasons:

• if you do not know the name or parish of your farm but just the approximate area where it lay (especially if it is a place since urbanised)
• for a large parish, to obtain the survey’s individual farm code (see section 3) which could save you time looking through large numbers of forms

5. The maps

5.1 About the maps

The maps are a graphic index to the individual farm records in MAF 32 (see section 6). The National Farm Survey used Ordnance Survey maps as a base; you can use the printed topographical detail to help you identify the area you require. Handwritten detail was added to these base maps showing where each farm lay and its extent. On the most complete maps, each farm is identified by:

• coloured boundaries or colour wash over the whole area
• individual farm codes in black ink – useful for finding the corresponding individual farm records (see section 6)
• cross references, for farms spread across more than one map, to the map sheets where the additional land holdings appear

5.2 How to find a map

You will need to visit The National Archives at Kew to find a particular National Farm Survey map or pay for research.

The maps are in record series MAF 73. To order a map you will need to know its document reference, the first part of which will always be MAF 73. To find the other two parts of the reference you will need to be onsite in our research and enquiries rooms (specifically the Map and Large Document Reading Room) following the steps below.

Step 1: Consult the large folder of county index maps for MAF 73. These maps are arranged in alphabetical order by county for England, then Wales. Find the index map for the county you seek. Note the large stamped number in the lower right-hand corner, which is the second part of the document reference. For example, for Herefordshire this is 17.

Step 2: Find the area of the map where your farm lies and note the number in the centre of the large rectangular grid in which it lies. This is the third and final part of the document reference. For example, Lea in Herefordshire lies in rectangle number 52 so the full reference for that map is MAF 73/17/52. Make a note of this full {document reference[1]}.

Step 3: Looking closely at the index map you will see that each numbered rectangle is divided into 16 smaller rectangles. To know which sheet to look at when you come to view your map it will help to note:

• the number of the small rectangle (from 1 to 16) – this will be useful if 25-inch scale sheets were used for that area
• the quadrant your farm falls in (NW, NE, SW, or SE) – this will be useful if 6-inch scale sheets were used for that area

In the example used above, Lea in Herefordshire falls in the SW quadrant in rectangle number 10.

Step 4: Request your map using the three-part document reference and our document ordering system.

5.3 Viewing a map

You will receive your maps in folders. The inside flap of the folders is stamped with a small grid representing the numbered rectangle you requested and showing which maps on the grid are included.

Where the 25-inch scale maps were used, you will receive a folder of 16 map sheets arranged in numerical order 1-16.

Where the 6-inch scale maps were used, you will receive a folder usually of four map sheets. Each one represents a quarter of the large numbered rectangle: the NW, NE, SW and SE quadrants.

The numbering on these maps, in the top right corner, is partly in Roman numerals. Supposing you had requested the maps for rectangle 15 on the index map, the maps themselves, if there are 16 of them, will be numbered XV.1, XV.2, XV.3 and so on; and if there are four of them, they will be numbered XV NW, XV NE, XV SW and XV SE.

Turn to the sheet you noted in Step 3 (see section 5.2).

If you are viewing the map before viewing the individual farm records (described in section 6):

• Find the farm you seek on the map and note the individual farm number handwritten on it. Also note from the map the (civil) parish in which the farm lay, as you will need this to order the individual farm record forms

If you are viewing the map after viewing the individual farm records:

• You can find the farm using the farm code, to view the layout and detail of its fields, buildings and roads

If your farm had any other lands which are shown on adjacent map sheets, this will normally be indicated by the appropriate Ordnance Survey map reference; on the other map(s), look for the same individual farm code.

Please keep the maps in order, and return them in the order you find them.

6. The individual farm records

6.1 What information is on the individual farm record?

Each individual farm record comprises up to four forms. Each form gives:

• the name of the farmer and farm
• the address
• the parish
• the individual farm code (see section 3)

Three of these forms were effectively an enlarged 1941 farm census return, posted to the farmer for him to complete on 4 June 1941. The three forms show details of:

• small fruit, vegetables, and stocks of hay and straw
• agricultural land
• labour, engines, rent, and length of occupancy

The fourth form, the Primary Farm Survey, was completed by an inspector who visited the farm and interviewed the farmer. The Primary Farm Survey has four sections:

• section A: ‘tenure’, stating whether the farmer was a tenant or owner, full or part time
• section B: ‘conditions of farm’, assessing farm layout, soil type, condition of buildings and roads, and the degree of infestation with weeds or pests
• section C: water and electricity provision
• section D: ‘management’, in which the inspector had to classify the farm reflecting how a farmer managed his resources:
  • well (A)
  • fairly well (B)
  • badly (C)

If B or C were due not to old age or lack of capital but to ‘personal failings’, the inspector had to say what these were. This was to assess where farm management could be improved, but was naturally a controversial part of the survey.

6.2 How to find individual farm records

The individual farm records of the National Farm Survey 1941-1943 are in record series MAF 32. The records are arranged by county and then alphabetically by parish within each county.

If you know the parish in which the farm lay, search for the name of the parish in our catalogue. For instance, to find the farm records for Wennington in Lancashire, enter ‘Wennington’ as your keyword into the search box in MAF 32 (with this example, you should find MAF 32/577/186).

If you do not know the parish of your farm, or it is a very large parish, to obtain the individual farm number that it was given by the survey you will need to:

• Consult one of the survey maps (see section 5) for the parish and farm code (see section 3)
• Once you have the parish code, use the search box in MAF 32 to search by county and code. For instance a search using the keywords ‘Somerset’ and ‘255’ shows that the relevant parish is Muchelney
• Your full {document reference[1]} will be, for example, MAF 32/144/255 for Muchelney. Order the forms for the parish

6.3 Viewing the records

Individual farm records are stored in folders. Each folder contains four loose stacks of forms for a number of farms within a parish, one stack for each of the four types of form. Within these groups, the forms are arranged in numerical sequence by the individual farm codes. When looking at the documents please do not alter the order in which you find them – if any appear to be out of order, then please inform a member of staff.

7. How to find records of the planning, implementation and analysis of the survey

Records of the planning and implementation of the two surveys of 1940 and of 1941-1943 are in the record series MAF 38 in the following piece ranges:

• MAF 38/206-217
• MAF 38/469-473
• MAF 38/865-867

Statistical analyses of the National Farm Survey arranged by county are in MAF 38/852-863.

A proof copy of National Farm Survey, England & Wales (1941-1943): a Summary Report (HMSO, 1946) which contains a statistical analysis of the survey data is in MAF 38/216, together with copies of press releases. Contemporary press releases issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries include historical notes on the original Domesday Survey and on other land surveys that had been carried out over the centuries.

8. Minutes of the County War Agricultural Executive Committees

Minutes of the County War Agricultural Executive Committees (see section 2) and of their sub-committees are in MAF 80. Some volumes have detailed indexes that include farm names. These records are subject to a closure period of 50 years, but all pieces may be seen by readers on completion of an undertaking form (for a copy of this form speak to the Document Services staff at Kew).

9. Other farm surveys

9.1 The 1940-1941 survey

Between June 1940 and the early months of 1941, some 85% of the agricultural area in England and Wales was surveyed – all but the smallest farms. This survey classified farms into one of three categories: A, B, or C, according to their productive state, rather than the managerial efficiency of the farmer, as was the case with the 1941-1943 survey.

No individual farm records of this survey appear to have survived. However, summarised reports by county of the 1940-1941 survey are in MAF 38/213. You can view them by visiting The National Archives at Kew or paying for copies to be sent to you.

9.2 Parish Summaries of Agricultural Returns

From 1866 there were annual surveys of agricultural land and livestock and there are statistics drawn from these in record series MAF 68. The system of individual farm codes is the same as that used for the National Farm Survey, of which the 4 June 1941 returns provide a unique survival of completed forms. Use the advanced search in our catalogue, placing the county name in the Keyword box and MAF 68 in the ‘Search within’ field.

10. The farm survey in Scotland

An abridged report on the equivalent but more limited farm survey carried out in Scotland, 1941-1943 is in MAF 38/217.

The National Records of Scotland holds records of the Scottish Agricultural Executive Committees and maps showing farm boundaries.

11. Further reading

Search The National Archives’ Library catalogue to see what is available to consult at Kew.

Brian Short, Charles Watkins, William Foot and Phil Kinsman, The National Farm Survey 1941-1943: State surveillance and the countryside in England and Wales in the Second World War (1999)

G Beech and R Mitchell, chapter 4, Maps for family and local history (The National Archives, 2004)

2. Second World War campaign medals

2.1 All campaign medals except Arctic Star

The medals were claimed and issued from 1946 to 2002. Medals were not automatically issued but had to be claimed by the merchant seaman. If a seaman is not listed, it may be because they did not claim their medal entitlement.

Search by first and last name for records in BT 395 of the award of Second World War campaign medals. These record the issue of campaign medals including the 1939-1945 Star and the War Medal but excluding the Arctic Star, which was not awarded until 2012 and for which there is a separate process (see below). For more information about eligibility for medals and interpretation of details on the records, refer to our guide to Merchant Navy campaign medal records 1939-1945.

Seamen were automatically entitled to some medals if they died in service. You can search by name for records of merchant seamen who died in service or went ‘missing presumed dead’ in the Second World War Rolls of Honour (£) at Ancestry.co.uk. The original records are held in series BT 339.

For merchant marine officers who served in the Royal Naval Reserve, download and scroll through the mishmash of records, which include items of correspondence, relating to awards to Royal Naval Reserve officers (1939-1946) in BT 164/23.

Published sources may also provide information of medal or award entitlement.

2.2 Arctic Star

In December 2012 the Prime Minister announced that veterans of the Second World War Arctic Convoys were to be awarded an Arctic Star medal.

Look on the GOV.UK website at the Ministry of Defence’s Veterans UK pages to find out:

• who qualifies for the award
• what evidence you need to provide
• how to make an application

To issue an Arctic Star the Ministry of Defence require proof that an individual was on a particular ship and also that the ship took part in an operation or convoy north of the Arctic Circle. You may already have documents that prove this and/or you may also be able to find this proof within records held at The National Archives. The Ministry of Defence require either of the following records as evidence of the ships a seaman served on:

• Continuous Discharge Book – issued to the seamen themselves with details of the ships they served on (you may already have this)
• Central Register of Seamen – held at The National Archives; see our guide for advice on finding an individual seaman within these records but to examine them you will need to visit us or pay for research

Once you have found out which ships a seaman served on you can search for and download (£) ships’ movement cards from our website to establish whether any of the ships took part in an operation or convoy north of the Arctic Circle at the time that the seaman was part of the crew. The cards, from record series BT 389, show the movements of British and Allied merchant ships during the Second World War.

Read our research guide on Royal Navy operations in the Second World War for advice on other records we have that might be helpful.

2.3 Applying for Second World War campaign medals

To request the issuing of a Second World War campaign medal, for which you will need to provide evidence, contact the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

You may be able to find evidence of a seaman’s sea service in one of the registers of seamen or by locating ships’ movement cards (BT 389). This may prove the vessel was in the theatre of war on that date.

3. Second World War gallantry medals

The gallantry medal most commonly awarded to merchant seamen was the Albert Medal.

Use the search box below to search our catalogue listings of Second World War Merchant Navy award files, by name of person or ship. The records, held in series T 335, list the type of award, the recipient’s rank at the time and the ship they were serving on.

Narrow your search by using double quotation marks to find a ship’s or person’s full name, such as “Sydney Star” or “John Williams”.

4. First World War campaign medals

Most of the records of the award of First World War campaign medals to merchant seamen are available online.

4.1 Merchant seamen’s campaign medal records 1914-1918

See our guide and customized search of records of the issuing of the British War Medal, the Mercantile Marine Medal and the Silver War Badge to merchant seamen and officers in the First World War.

4.2 Roll of Naval War Medals, 1914-1920

Download, free of charge, the Roll of Naval War Medals (ADM 171/130-132), which lists the award of the British War Medal, Victory Medal and 1914-1915 Star to men of the Mercantile Marine Reserve and officers and men of the Royal Naval Reserve.

4.3 First World War Rolls of Honour

Search and download records from the First World War Rolls of Honour at Ancestry.co.uk (£) for details of  merchant marine fleet crew who died in service. The original records are held in series BT 339.

5. First World War gallantry medals

6. Pre-First World War campaign medals

Download, free of charge, from our website, digital microfilm copies of rolls and lists of officers and ratings awarded or claiming campaign medals. The original Admiralty records, in series ADM 171, are primarily of Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel but include the awards of medals to merchant seamen too, as follows:

• Lists of claims for and awards of the Sea Transport Medal for officers of the Mercantile Marine who served on vessels transporting troops to the South African War and to the Boxer Rebellion in China (1899-1902)
• Medal roll of naval and marine personnel who qualified for the Egyptian Medal (1882)

7. Pre-First World War gallantry medals

7.1 Albert Medal register, 1866-1913

Search the Albert Medal register, in BT 97/1, for details of all Albert Medals awarded for gallantry at sea from 1866 until 1891; from that date onwards there are details only of awards of the medal made to civilians.

8. Published sources

Consult Lloyd’s Medals, 1836-1989 for a published list of officers and men of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleet of exceptional gallantry at sea in the time of war.

Consult Seedie’s list of awards to the Merchant Navy for World War II.

Read Medals: the Researcher’s guide by William Spencer (Kew, 2006) for further guidance on how to find medals.

The collections of records outlined in this research guide are held in various locations; they are not held by The National Archives.

2. Searching for records

Search Discovery, our catalogue, to find records from over 2,500 archives across the UK, as well as from The National Archives itself. Your search results will include details of which archives currently hold the records.

Click on the title of a result for the contact details of the archive which holds the record – you will need to contact this archive for further information about the collection or the record itself.

Where the keywords you searched for appear in the description of a record, the search results are displayed under the ‘Records’ tab.

Where the keywords you searched for appear in the name of the institution or person that originally created the record (often not the same as the institution or person that currently holds the record), the search results are displayed under the ‘Record creators’ tab. For further tips on searching, see our Discovery help pages.

3. Major collections

These repositories and institutions hold major collections relating to film, television and performing arts.

Film and television

BBC Written Archives Centre has two main collections: policy, programme and contributors’ files; and other related holdings. The former includes material on BBC Television’s programme output and correspondence regarding contracts of production staff and performers. The latter includes TV and radio news bulletin and drama scripts, programme-as-broadcast logs, and a collection of BBC publications such as Radio Times and the BBC Year Book. The Centre also holds manuscript and other material relating to individuals connected with the BBC, notably its founder Lord Reith.

Bill Douglas Centre for the History of Cinema and Popular Culture houses the Bill Douglas and Peter Jewell collection on the history of cinema and popular culture, and has a public museum and an academic research centre.

British Film Institute Archive holds the most important collection in the UK relating to the history of film and television. This includes the records of the British Film Institute (BFI) itself, a number of television companies, other organisations connected with the industry and the papers of many prominent individuals from film and television. The BFI Reuben Library holds important printed sources for the history of film and television. The collections are international in scope, focusing mainly on British Film and television.

The East Anglian Film Archive (EAFA) was the first regional film archive in the UK, established in 1976. The archive holds collections of film and television relating to the six counties of the East of England, including the Anglia Television collection, BBC East and the Institute of Amateur Cinematographers.

The Imperial War Museum Film and Video Archive holds material covering all aspects of 20th and 21st century conflict involving Britain, the Commonwealth and other former empire countries. The collections are available to search online.

The Independent Television Commission (ITC), formerly the Independent Broadcasting Authority, is responsible for licensing and regulating independent television. As well as its own records the ITC retains the records of its predecessor bodies and also those of the Cable Authority. There are collections of press cuttings on broadcasting and reports on audience research. The ITC can advise on locating the records of independent television companies.

The Lincolnshire Film Archive was set up in 1986 to locate and preserve motion film showing life and work in all parts of the County (including what was formerly South Humberside). A list of holdings is available online.

The Media Archive for Central England (MACE) collects, preserves and makes available the moving image heritage of the English Midlands. The collections can be searched online.

The National Media Museum collection includes more than three million items covering film, television, photography, radio and the web. These include the world’s first negative, the earliest television footage and what is regarded as the world’s first example of moving pictures – Louis Le Prince’s 1888 film of Leeds Bridge. Information on the collections and searching is available online.

The North East Film Archive (NEFA) finds, preserves and provides public access to moving image made in or about the North East region from Middlesbrough in the south to the Scottish Borders to the north.

The North West Film Archive preserves moving images made in or about Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Cumbria and offers a variety of access services to users in the public, academic and commercial sectors.

The Royal Television Society retains its own records dating from its foundation in 1927 and collects material relevant to the history and development of television.

The Scottish Screen Archive is a film and video collection of over 100 years of Scotland’s social, cultural and industrial history, reflecting the lives of ordinary Scots and achievements of Scottish film-makers. The collections include documentaries, newsreels, educational, television, public information, industrial, advertising and promotional film and video. A catalogue is available online.

The Screen Archive South East is the public sector moving image archive for the South East of England. The collections cover the four counties of Surrey, Kent, East Sussex and West Sussex and the unitary authorities of Brighton & Hove and Medway. Their Screen Search catalogue is available online.

The South West Film and Television Archive is the official film archive for the South West of England. It holds nearly 130,000 films and tapes, dating from the start of film making in the 1880s to the present day and covering every aspect of life in the South West of England.

The Yorkshire Film Archive (YFA) finds, preserves and provides public access to moving image made in or about the Yorkshire region.

Drama and poetry

University of Bristol Theatre Collection holds a vast collection of original documents, photographs, film footage and artefacts from theatres, actors, performers, designers and theatre historians relating to the history of theatre in Britain. Major collections include: the Mander and Mitchenson Collection; the Robinson Collection of 18th and 19th century playbills; the Southern Collection of prints, photographs and models of theatres; the papers of Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree; correspondence of William Macready; and the Ernest Thesiger Collection.

British Library, Manuscript Collections include the papers of a number of prominent dramatists and actors (including Lord Olivier) and records relating to the censorship of plays by the Lord Chamberlain prior to 1968. The British Library catalogue for manuscript collections is available online.

The Garrick Club Library holds material relating to British drama and the theatre, with special emphasis on the 18th and 19th centuries. Major collections include the Garrick Collection, consisting of material relating to David Garrick himself; the Northcote Collection which includes the archives of Drury Lane Theatre; a major art collection of theatre history; playbills and theatre programmes from the 18th century onwards. The Library catalogue is available online.

Glasgow University Library, Special Collections Department The University holds the Scottish Theatre Archive, which includes the records of many theatrical companies as well as individuals’ papers, programmes and scripts. Collections include: the scripts of BBC Scotland Radio; the Citizens’ Theatre Archive; the Jimmy Logan collection of theatre memorabilia; and the Scottish Ballet Archive. The catalogue is available online.

The Poetry Library is based in the Southbank Centre in the Saison Poetry Library. Major collections include the Arts Council Poetry Collection. In addition to books and periodicals, the Poetry Library holds collections of press cuttings and recordings of poets performing readings of their work.

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) retains its own archives which are an important source for the history and development of British theatre.

National Theatre Archive Established in 1993, 30 years after the first performance took place at the Old Vic, National Theatre Archive holdings include the administrative and technical records of the theatre, prompt scripts, production and press photographs and press cuttings. The catalogue is available online.

V&A Department of Theatre and Performance (formerly) the Theatre Museum Archive. The Gabrielle Enthoven Theatre Collection forms the basis of the collections, which are a major resource for the history of theatre, ballet, pantomime and circus in Britain from the early 18th century. The British Theatre Museum Association Collection has extensive coverage of London theatre dating from the 18th century. Non-manuscript material includes designs for Gilbert and Sullivan operas, circus photographs and the Arts Council Collection of modern theatre designs. The collections are catalogued at a broad level on the National Art Library Catalogue.

Music

British Library Music Collections include extensive holdings of published sheet music and collections of papers of important composers and musicians. Catalogues are available online.

Britten-Pears Library Established in 1973, the library holds the papers of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears along with the records of the English Opera Group, manuscripts of other composers and proofs of published material. A catalogue is available online.

Birmingham: Archives and Heritage Service The library houses the British Organ Archive, which includes the records of many organ-building firms collected by the British Institute of Organ Studies. A catalogue is available online.

The Elgar Birthplace Museum has a unique and nationally important collection of manuscripts, letters, press cuttings, concert programmes, diaries, recordings, books, personal possessions and memorabilia associated with the life, work and influences of Sir Edward Elgar. It is the largest and most wide-ranging collection of material associated with the composer.

Glyndebourne Festival Opera Archive holds the records of Glyndebourne Festival Opera (founded 1934) and its touring company. It also collects material relating to the singers who have worked there and has an oral history project to record interviews with singers, conductors and members of administrative staff.

The Institute of Popular Music is based at the University of Liverpool. It holds major collections including: the Recorded Sound Collection; the Robert Shelton Archive; the Robert Pring-Mill Collection; the Mikis Theodorakis Collection; the Music Journalism Collection; and International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM) archive. Information about the collections is available online.

The British Library Sound Archive (also known as the National Sound Archive or NSA) holds a vast collection of published and unpublished recordings, ranging from wildlife noises to parliamentary debates, music and recordings of poetry and drama. The archive also hold records of BBC, ITV and C4 television programmes and BBC radio broadcasts. The only public access to the BBC sound library is via the NSA. The NSA also maintains a reference library.

Plymouth Theatre History highlights the extensive archive of playbills, photographs and programmes from the 18th century to the present day held in their collections. Access to archived versions of the previous Applause South West theatre history website is also available.

Royal Opera House Collections The collections of playbills, programmes, photographs, correspondence, designs and administrative files concentrate on performances given at the House, the individuals who took part in them and performances by the company elsewhere. The majority of the collections date from 1850 onwards. A catalogue, arranged by performance is available online.

The Royal Academy of Music Library houses the records of the Academy, dating from its foundation in 1822, together with collections of early printed music, early recorded sound and manuscripts of past pupils and teachers of the Academy, including Sir Henry Wood.

The Royal Northern College of Music holds records of its predecessor bodies; the Royal Manchester College of Music and the Northern School of Music, together with collections of private papers, early printed works and historic musical instruments.

The Royal College of Music The extensive holdings of this institution include records of the college and manuscripts of those connected with it, a museum of historical instruments, the most comprehensive collection of portraits of British composers and musicians, a reference library and large collections of opera designs and concert programmes.

The Scottish Music Centre Founded as the Scottish Music Archive in 1969, the Centre is a member of the International Association of Music Information Centres. Its holdings include manuscripts and scores of many Scottish composers, together with recordings of performances of classical, jazz, folk and popular music. Resources include: a comprehensive database with information and contact details on artists, composers, promoters, venues, festivals, services, recording, agents and so on; an online events diary; historical information on Scottish music; a sound archive representing over 30 years of recordings; and a reference library with over 10,000 scores, song and tune collections. A catalogue is available online.

The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library is the library of the English Folk Dance and Song Society, holding the archives of the Society and its predecessor bodies the English Folk Dance Society and the Folk Song Society, together with field recordings and research papers of many British collectors of folk songs. There is a published catalogue of the collections. Information on access to the collections is available online. Online resources and the catalogue are also available.

The National Museum, Cardiff holds extensive collections of Welsh social and cultural history including the records of the Welsh Folk Song Society and a film and sound archive. Information on the collections is available online.

Dance

English National Ballet Archives were set up in 1975 to maintain the records of the English National Ballet. Collections include material relating to the history of ballets in the company’s repertoire and dancers who have performed with the company.

Rambert Dance Company Archives was created in 1982 to document the work of Britain’s oldest dance company. Collections include include: dance notation, designs, photographs, music, costumes and programmes; sound recordings, videos, press cuttings; administrative records and board papers. There are also files for people and productions connected with the Company and a number of small collections, including papers of Andrée Howard and Walter Gore.

Trinity Laban: Laban Library and Archive holds extensive research collections of library and archive of material relating to dance. Information on the collections is available online.

University of Glasgow Library, Special Collections Department catalogues are available online.

The National Resource Centre for Dance holds the records of many dance associations and societies, as well as collections of dance companies and individual collectors’ papers.

4. Useful websites

The Archives Hub provides descriptions of collections held at archives in UK universities and colleges. At present the descriptions are primarily of the broad themes and subject matters of the collections, although where possible they are linked to more detailed descriptions of the records that make up each collection.

Archives in London and the M25 area (AIM25) is a major project to provide electronic access to collection level descriptions of the archives of over 50 higher education institutions and learned societies within the greater London area.

Association of Performing Arts Collections (APAC) provides a specialist network for those working with performing arts collections in the UK. The current members include the institutions responsible for much of the UK’s performing arts heritage.

British Library Newspaper Collections holds the most important and extensive collections of national and provincial newspapers, journals and trade papers relating to Britain and selected overseas countries. These are an invaluable source for copies of reviews, commentaries and articles on film, television, music and the performing arts.

Cecilia: mapping the UK music resource. This project, which is a joint initiative involving Ensemble, the Music Libraries Trust and the United Kingdom branch of the International Association of Music Libraries, Archives, and Documentation Centres (IAML(UK)) will create a web-based collection level map of music resources in UK libraries, archives and specialist music institutions.

The Scottish Archive Network (SCAN) – the project aims to revolutionise access to Scotland’s archives by providing a single electronic catalogue to the holdings of more than 50 Scottish archives.

5. Further reading

Peter Beal, Barbara Rosenbaum et al, Index of English literary manuscripts, 4 volumes (1980-1993)

Francesca Franchi, Directory of performing arts resources (1998)

Location register of 20th century English literary manuscripts and letters, 2 volumes (1988)

Location register of English literary manuscripts and letters: Eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, 2 volumes (1995)

Elizabeth Oliver, Researcher’s guide to British film and television collections (third edition, 1989)

2. How to search for records

The majority of historical business and trade records in the UK are held by local county record offices. Use our Find an archive tool to find contact details of archives/repositories across the UK.

Alternatively, search Discovery our catalogue to find records from The National Archives and over 2,500 archives across the UK. Your search results will display details from a range of archives and you can then refine your results. Where the keywords you searched for appear in the description of a record, the search results are displayed under the ‘Records’ tab. Use the ‘held by’ filter to distinguish between records held at The National Archives and those found at other archives.

Where the keywords you searched for appear in the name of the institution or person that originally created the record (often not the same as the institution or person that currently holds the record), the search results are displayed under the ‘Record creators’ tab.

For further tips on searching see our catalogue help pages.

3. New accessions: records recently collected by other archives

Many archives regularly take in new records to add to their collections – this process is known as accessioning. Every year, The National Archives collects information about new accessions from 250 archives across Britain and Ireland. This is known as the annual Accessions to Repositories survey.

This information is added to Discovery, our catalogue. It is also edited and used to produce a number of thematic digests, including one relating to labour history. The digests are made available online and distributed for publication in a number of learned journals and newsletters. Further information about accessions is available on our website.

4. Major collections

The following list includes some of the repositories and institutions that hold important archival collections relating to the history of the labour movement.

4.1 General repositories

Parliamentary Archives
Holds records of both Houses of Parliament.

National Library of Scotland, Manuscripts Division
Has extensive collections of records of Scottish trades unions.

4.2 Specialist repositories

Bishopsgate Institute
Holds papers of George Howell and Charles Bradlaugh, together with extensive printed materials relating to the history of labour and political radicalism in the 19th century.

London School of Economics Library, Archives Division
Has collections relating particularly to Fabian and Labour Party thinkers, including Hugh Dalton, George Lansbury, RH Tawney, Graham Wallas and Sidney and Beatrice Webb.

National Co-operative Archive
The central record repository in the UK for records of the Co-operative movement, the archive also holds papers of prominent individuals such as Robert Owen, GJ Holyoake and Edward Greening, and extensive printed collections.

Hull History Centre (Hull University Archives)
The labour archive includes papers of prominent left-wing individuals and several national organisations: the Co-operative Women’s Guild and International Women’s Co-operative Guild, the National Council for Civil Liberties, the Socialist Medical Association and the Union of Democratic Control.

Labour History Archive and Study Centre
One of the most important record repositories in the UK for the study of labour history, the centre holds the archives of the Labour Party and the Communist Party, and personal papers of nationally important figures in the labour movement. There are also materials relating to Chartism and the Labour and Socialist International.

Trades Union Congress Library Collections
One of the major research libraries in Britain for the study of all aspects of trades unions and collective bargaining. The collections are largely printed, but the archival holdings include personal papers of several prominent trades unionists, records of a number of individual unions, the Workers Educational Union, and the London Trades Council.

Swansea University Archives
Holds the South Wales Coalfield Collection (SWCC) which was established in 1969 as an attempt to preserve the documentary records of the mining community of South Wales. The majority of records relate to the South Wales Miners’ Federation, later the NUM (South Wales Area) and its individual lodges. The archive also contains records from miners’ institutes, co-operative societies and individuals connected with the mining community. There are also some colliery records and documents relating to political parties.

Warwick University: Modern Records Centre
Holds records of the Trades Union Congress, numerous national trade union collections and papers of leading trade unionists. Also has collections relating to the Communist Party and Marxist left. See its published guides (1977, 1981, 1986, 1992) and the Summary Guide on its website.

Working Class Movement Library
Holds records particularly of trades unions and shop stewards in the North West of England and in the engineering industry; also extensive printed collections.

5. Useful resources

In many cases the records of trades unions branches and organisations connected with the labour movement are held at the appropriate local record office; contact details can be found via the Find an archive tool.

For advice about oral history and information about existing oral history resources, you should first approach the Curator of Oral History at the British Library Sound Archive, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB

Archives Hub
The Archives Hub provides descriptions of collections held at archives in UK universities and colleges. At present the descriptions are primarily of the broad themes and subject matters of the collections, although where possible they are linked to more detailed descriptions of the records that make up each collection.

Archives in London and the M25 area (AIM25) – AIM25 provides online descriptions of collections held at the archives of over fifty higher education institutions and other academic and cultural organizations within the greater London area.

South Wales Coalfield Collection – The South Wales Coalfield Collection (SWCC) gives an insight into the experience of the South Wales Valleys during a period of industrial turmoil both from an institutional and personal perspective. It contains records of trade unions (notably the South Wales Miners’ Federation, later the National Union of Mineworkers (South Wales Area) and the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation, South Wales Division), miners’ institutes, co-operative societies, and individuals connected with the mining community.

Scottish Archive Network (SCAN) – The Scottish Archive Network allows online searching of over 20,000 collections in 52 Scottish repositories.

6. Further reading

J Bellamy and J Saville (eds), Dictionary of Labour Biography, 9 vols (Macmillan, 1972-1993)

C Cook (ed), Sources in British Political History 1900-1951, 6 vols (Macmillan, 1975-1985)

C Cook (ed), The Longman guide to Sources in Contemporary British History, 2 vols (Longman, 1994)

JFC Harrison and D Thompson, Bibliography of the Chartist Movement, 1837-1976 (Harvester Press, 1978)

C Hazlehurst, S Whitehead and C Woodland, Guide to the Papers of British Cabinet Ministers 1900-1964 (Cambridge University Press, 1996)

Labour History Review (formerly the Bulletin of the Society for the Study of Labour History)
Since 1974 the second issue each year has included a list of archives deposited in record offices and libraries during the previous year. (Since 1991, this list has been provided by the HMC, and since 1994 it has been made available on our website.) The Review also publishes an annual bibliography and list of theses and occasionally more specialised surveys.

I MacDougall, Catalogue of Some Labour Records in Scotland and Some Scots Records Outside Scotland (Scottish Labour History Society, 1978)

A Marsh and V Ryan, Historical Directory of Trade Unions, 3 vols (Gower, 1980-1994)

John Saville, The Labour Archive at the University of Hull (Brynmor Jones Library, University of Hull, 1989)