Private Papers

We hold around 200 collections of private papers of politicians, pressure groups and Parliamentary officials, including some Speakers. The list below highlights the most substantive and well-used collections.

The Beaverbrook Papers (BBK)

Papers of Sir William Maxwell Aitken (1879-1964); Lord Beaverbrook, 1st Baron. The papers contain correspondence and a variety of papers, photographs and other images, maps and a few artefacts covering every aspect of the life and work of Lord Beaverbrook, politician and newspaper proprietor, from 1869 to 1972.

The Bonar Law Papers (BL)

Papers of Andrew Bonar Law (1858-1923), politician. He became leader of the Unionist Party in 1911, and subsequently served as Secretary of State for the Colonies in 1915, Chancellor of the Exchequer 1916-1918, Leader of the House of Commons 1916-1921, and Prime Minister in 1922. The Bonar Law papers provide a great deal of interest, particularly in relation to the Unionist Party and Unionist opinion between 1911 and 1923. Major topics covered include party organisation, tariff reform, the Irish question, the conduct of the war, relations with the Coalition Liberals and post-war home and foreign policy.

Britain in Europe Campaign (BIE)

Papers of the original campaign group working towards British accession into the European Economic Community in the early 1970s.

The Davidson Papers (DAV)

Political and private papers of John Colin Campbell Davidson (1889-1970), MP, 1st Viscount Davidson. The Davidson Papers are of particular interest, not only because of Davidson’s work as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Chairman of the Conservative Party, but also on account of his close association successively with Lewis Harcourt, Andrew Bonar Law and Stanley Baldwin, which resulted in some of their office papers passing into Davidson’s hands.

The Lloyd George papers (LG)

Papers of David Lloyd George; (1863-1945); Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor, politician . This collection comprises the political papers of David Lloyd George. The papers cover the period up to 1905; papers created when Lloyd George was President of the Board of Trade, 1905-1908, Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1908-1915; Minister of Munitions, 1915-1916; Secretary of State for War, June-Dec 1916; Prime Minister, 1916-1922; and papers created following his Premiership, 1922-1945. There are also press cuttings and personal correspondence and papers, including notes for speeches. The Parliamentary Archives also holds the papers of Lloyd George’s second wife, Frances Stevenson (FLS).

Herbert Samuel (SAM)

Papers of Herbert Louis Samuel (1870-1963), 1st Viscount Samuel. The Samuel papers cover his life and career from his childhood until the year of his death. The principal gaps in the collection at the Parliamentary Archives are Departmental Papers (few of which Lord Samuel retained) and Cabinet Papers which, with a few exceptions, he returned to the Cabinet Office.

John St Loe Strachey (STR)

This collection contains the political and literary correspondence of John St. Loe Strachey (1860-1927), journalist, editor and proprietor of “The Spectator”. The Strachey papers give an insight into the political and social atmosphere, particularly within the Unionist Party, from the turn of the twentieth century until the General Strike of 1926.