Foreign and Commonwealth records from 1782 - The National ...

Guide reference: Overseas information 14
Online version: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk > Records > In-depth research guides >
Foreign and Commonwealth correspondence and records from 1782
Foreign and Commonwealth correspondence
and records from 1782
Contents
1. Why use this guide?
2. Essential information
3. Finding FO and FCO records in The National Archives - general tips
4. General correspondence: 1782 to the present
5. Confidential print: 1820s-1970s
6. Embassy and consular archives
7. Treaties: 1695-present
8. Private and private office papers
9. Archives of commissions and conferences
10. Allied Administration of Germany and Austria after the Second World War
11. Other record categories
12. Further reading
1. Why use this guide?
This guide covers the main types of Foreign Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office records
held in The National Archives, with an overview of what they contain and how to search them.
There are a number of different types of records, which originated in different ways, contain
different types of information and sometimes need to be searched using different methods and
tools.
2. Essential information
The Foreign Office was created in 1782 and merged into the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in
1968. It was the department responsible for the conduct of British relations with nearly all foreign
states between those dates. From 1968, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office assumed these
roles, in addition to administering the remaining British dependencies and managing relations with
the Commonwealth (previously the responsibility of the Commonwealth Office). Their records
therefore provide a wealth of information of British relations with foreign states from 1782 to the
present day.
For further details, see the administrative history on Discovery, our catalogue, for FO and
FCO.
3. Finding FO and FCO records in The National Archives -
general tips
Use the information contained in this guide to identify which record series is likely to be of interest.
Once you have identified the series, use a keyword search on our catalogue:

Enter your keyword (such as a country or person) and your chosen record series code
You can further restrict your search by date
Some record series have indexes and registers which may be more effective than a
keyword search – see below for more information
Please note that a number of the records described below have either been reproduced in published
volumes, or more recently in commercial licensed digitisations (see Further reading). These may
provide an easier method of accessing the records than consulting the original documents.
4. General correspondence: 1782 to the present
4.1 Searching general correspondence
The general correspondence consists of the original papers accumulated in London:
original despatches from British representatives abroad with any enclosures
drafts of outgoing despatches; minutes
domestic correspondence with foreign representatives in this country, with other branches of
the British government and with private individuals and bodies.
General correspondence covers a large number of record series. Until 1938 their catalogue
descriptions are usually very basic, often giving nothing more than the surname of the relevant
diplomatic representative (to 1905) or the name of the country (from 1906), but there are
registers and indexes that can help.
4.2 General correspondence 1782-1905
Records before 1906 are in the series FO 1 to FO 82 and FO 99 to FO 110. For the most part,
they are arranged by country. There are also some series of a general or miscellaneous nature not
related to a particular country: FO 83 (General correspondence, Great Britain and other); FO
84 (Slave Trade department correspondence); FO 95 and FO 96 (Miscellanea); and FO 97
(supplements to general correspondence).
To locate records within general correspondence 1782-1905, search our catalogue, or browse our
catalogue from FO. For further details on the contents of each records series refer to the following
registers and indexes:
To 1891: Library series registers and indexes (FO 605). These are the best registers and
indexes to access the major record series up to 1891. Registers and indexes arranged by
country; consist of subject indexes which refer to registers which then refer to the records in
FO 1 to FO 90 and FO 95 to FO 105
1891-1905: Indexes to departmental registers (FO 804). Arranged by country or subject;
coverage is good but not comprehensive. Photocopies of selected volumes are in The
National Archives' reading rooms (FO 738); they must be cross-referenced with
departmental registers (see below)
Departmental registers (FO 566). Registers of correspondence by department. Useful for an
overview of correspondence up to 1890. 1891-1905 these are main form of reference, in
conjunction with the indexes to departmental registers
Note that reference conversions from old Foreign Office to current National Archives
references will be necessary
4.3 General correspondence 1906-1966
From 1906 the general correspondence covering for all countries is arranged in a small number of
subject series. Of these, the political correspondence (FO 371) is by far the largest and generally
most important.

Description Catalogue reference
Political correspondence FO 371
Africa correspondence to 1913 (from 1914 see FO 371) FO 367
Commercial and sanitary correspondence to 1920 FO 368
Consular correspondence FO 369
Treaty and protocol correspondence FO 372
Wartime departments (First World War) FO 382, FO 383
News, library, information, communications, cultural
relations, publicity
Claims correspondence from 1946 FO 950
To locate records within general correspondence 1906-1966:
1906-1920: Online catalogue descriptions are very basic, usually containing only a country's
name; for search tips see section 2 above. For detailed searching refer to the following registers
and indexes:
Card index to correspondence 1906-1920 (FO 1111). Comprehensive card index to
correspondence by name, subject and place. Located in the reading room at The National
Archives. From 1906 to 1909 must be used in conjunction with departmental registers
Departmental registers (FO 566). Registers of correspondence by department. Useful for an
overview of correspondence
1920-1966: Online catalogue descriptions are very basic until 1939, and generally give only
moderate detail thereafter; for search tips see section 2 above. For more detailed searching refer
to the following indexes:
Index to volumes of correspondence 1920-1953, 1959 (FO 409). Comprehensive index
volumes to correspondence by name, subject and place. 1920-1951 volumes have been
published: Index to Foreign Office Correspondence (Kraus-Thomson 1969-82, 131 volumes)
The National Archives does not have any registers or indexes for 1954-1958 or from 1960
onwards. Researchers interested in these period should identify record series using this guide
and then use a keyword search (detailed above)
In the 20th century, and particularly after 1914, these registers and indexes often provide
references to records since destroyed.
Note that reference conversions from old Foreign Office to current National Archives' references
will be necessary.
4.4 General correspondence after 1966
In 1967 the registries of the Commonwealth Office and the Foreign Office were merged, more than
one year before they themselves were combined as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. From
this point, the records are arranged in regional geographical groups or subject groups reflecting
their departmental organisation.
The geographical general correspondence series are:
FO 395 , FO 370, FO
627, FO 850, FO 924,
FO 953

Region Series
Europe FCO 9 (Southern Europe), FCO 28 (Eastern Europe and USSR),
FCO 33 (Western Europe), FCO 87 (Republic of Ireland from
The Americas and
Atlantic
1972)
FCO 7 (America and Latin America), FCO 42 (Gibraltar and
South Atlantic to 1971), FCO 44 (West Indies to 1972, West
Indies and Atlantic from 1972), FCO 63 (North America and
Caribbean to 1969, Caribbean from 1969), FCO 82 (North
America from 1971), FCO 83 (Atlantic and Indian Ocean 1971-
72), FCO 86 (Gibraltar from 1972), FCO 99 (Mexico and
Caribbean from 1977)
Africa FCO 29 (Central Africa 1968-69), FCO 31 (East Africa), FCO
36 (Rhodesia), FCO 39 (North Africa to 1972, Near East and
North Africa 1972 only), FCO 45 (Southern Africa to 1969,
Central and Southern Africa from 1969), FCO 65 (West Africa),
FCO 93 (Near East and North Africa from 1972)
Middle East FCO 8 (Arabia to 1972, Middle East from 1972), FCO 17 (Near
East to 1972, Near East and North Africa 1972-73), FCO 39
(Near East and North Africa 1972 only), FCO 93 (Near East
and North Africa from 1972)
South Asia and Indian FCO 32 (Pacific and Indian Ocean to 1971), FCO 37 (South
Ocean
Asia), FCO 40 (Hong Kong and Indian Ocean from 1972), FCO
83 (Atlantic and Indian Ocean 1971-72)
Far East, South East FCO 15 (South East Asia), FCO 21 (Far East), FCO 24 (South
Asia and Pacific West Pacific), FCO 32 (Pacific and Indian Ocean to 1971,
Pacific Dependent Territories from 1972), FCO 40 (Hong Kong
to 1972, Hong Kong and Indian Ocean from 1972)
The subject general correspondence series are in:
Subjects Series
Economic, Transport and
Communications
Departments
Defence and Disarmament
Departments
Cultural, Development and
Scientific Departments
5. Confidential print: 1820s-1970s
FCO 14, FCO 30, FCO 35, FCO 59, FCO 67, FCO 69,
FCO 70, FCO 71, FCO 74, FCO 76, FCO 96, FCO 98
FCO 10, FCO 16, FCO 41, FCO 46, FCO 66
FCO 13, FCO 34, FCO 48, FCO 55
Consular, Migration, Treaty, FCO 47, FCO 50, FCO 53, FCO 57, FCO 64
Protocol and Claims
Departments
United Nations FCO 58, FCO 61
Administrative, Information,
Research and Central Policy
Departments
1977 Conferences (EEC,
NATO, Commonwealth)
FCO 12, FCO 26, FCO 49, FCO 51, FCO 52, FCO 56,
FCO 68, FCO 72, FCO 86, FCO 95
FCO 104
From the late 1820s, correspondence of particular significance began to be printed in several
copies and distributed to officials in the Foreign Office, to the Cabinet, to other departments and to
British missions abroad. These copies were known as confidential print.
By 1906 nearly every important despatch or telegram was printed routinely. These documents are
a good way to gain a summary overview of Foreign Office political correspondence before
accessing the extensive holdings in the main general correspondence series described above.
Confidential prints vary from a single document to a substantial volume of papers, and are
numbered individually, roughly in order of printing. For further information, and to see lists of

confidential prints on particular regions and subjects, please go the FO series division within our
catalogue.
Confidential prints ceased to be produced in the 1970s with the arrival of photocopying.
6. Embassy and consular archives
These consist of the original despatches received from the Foreign Office by British diplomatic and
consular posts abroad, draft despatches to London, local correspondence with the government and
other authorities of the foreign state, with other British representatives and agents and private
individuals. These records often include other local records such as registers of births, deaths and
marriages of British subjects abroad, consular court records, commercial records of many sorts,
papers about British churches and cemeteries and the estates of British subjects.
From the 1820s, registers exist for some of these series. Please note that not all embassy and
consular records have survived.
How to search:
Search our catalogue using as key words country names, and terms such as ‘Embassy’,
‘Consular’ and ‘Archives’; refine by FO and FCO
Or go to the Series Division ‘Records of Embassies, Legations, Consulates, etc’ within
FO for a full list
7. Treaties: 1695-present
There are different types of treaty records, made at different stages of the treaty process, and
these are held in different record series:
Before a treaty is made, the parties exchange the Full Powers or authorisations granted to
their plenipotentiaries.
The document reciting the agreed terms of the treaty, signed and sealed by the
plenipotentiaries of each side is the Protocol.
Following the signing and sealing of the Protocol, ratifications were drawn up, and signed and
sealed by the head of state of each party and exchanged, or sometimes deposited in an
agreed place if there were several parties.
Subjects Dates Series
Treaty Protocols (with Full Powers of other parties, and
subsidiary documents, mostly 1775 to 2001)
1695-2003 FO 93
Ratifications of treaties (mostly up to 2001) 1782-2005 FO 94
Full powers of British plenipotentiaries and entries or
drafts of ratifications
1813-1967 Pieces
within FO
83
Protocols and ratifications of multilateral treaties (mostly 1907-2002 FO 949
from 1969)
Protocols and ratifications of EEC treaties (mostly from
1973)
Draft full powers and draft ratification instruments 1968
onwards
1953-1997 FO 974
FCO 3

Protocols and Ratifications of Treaties (mostly from
2001)
8. Private and private office papers
1962
onwards
Private and private office papers relating to foreign affairs held at The National Archives fall under
three main categories:
9. Archives of commissions and conferences
FCO 85
Categories Series
Private papers of diplomats and politicians involved in
foreign affairs directly gifted to, or deposited with, the
Public Record Office (later the National Archives)
Unregistered papers of mostly (though not entirely)
19th century politicians, diplomats and officials taken
away on retirement but subsequently returned to
government. Anthony Eden’s papers (FO 954) are
available online
Private office papers of mostly 20th century politicians,
diplomats and officials surrendered to government on
retirement
Private papers are found
in PRO 30/1-99. You can
also search the National
Register of Archives by
name/place
name/subject.
Search our catalogue by
surname, restricting by
year range and by
department code FO
Search our catalogue by
surname and record series
FO 800 and FO 73.
RA Butler’s private office
papers are in FO 1109.
Also a small selection of
papers (1904-1942) in FO
794
The Foreign Office records contain the archives of a large number of bilateral or multilateral
international commissions, from 1790-1967. Subjects range from the slave trade to American
fisheries. Search by keyword within FO to find more information.
The records of British delegations to international conferences from 1814-1976 can be found in
FO and CAB (records of the Cabinet Office). See our catalogue series divisions for FO and CAB for
further details.
10. Allied Administration of Germany and Austria after the
Second World War
The Foreign Office inherited the records of a number of the organisations through which the Allies
administered what are now Germany and Austria after the Second World War. Researchers should
note the distinctions between the Control Offices, which were based in London, the Control
Commissions, which were based in Germany and Austria, and the Civil High Commission, which
instigated de facto self-government in West Germany from 1948 until 1955 (when normal
diplomatic relations were resumed).
A catalogue of most of these records, produced in German and English, was published in the
1990s. Researchers are advised to consult it: Akten der britischen Militärregierung in Deutschland:
Sachinventar 1945-1955 (11 Volumes, Published by KG Saur 1993).
For a breakdown of the records relating to the Allied Administration, please see the Series
Division within FO
If you are interested in a particular subject, you could also use a key word search on our
catalogue. For example, search for the word or phrase ‘Censorship AND Control Commission

for Germany’, year range 1945 to 1950, within series FO
The records of the Allied Kommandatura, the four power body that administered Berlin until
the end of the Cold War, are in FO 1112
11. Other record categories
Please see below for other relevant series:
Categories Series
Chief Clerk’s
Department
PRO 57/2805
Wartime departments
and missions (First
World War)
Wartime departments
and missions (Second
World War)
12. Further reading
Some or all of the publications below may be available to buy from The National Archives'
bookshop. Alternatively, search The National Archives' library catalogue to see what is
available to consult at Kew.
Published copies of records:
British Documents on the Origins of the War, Documents on British Foreign Policy, Documents on
British Policy Overseas (13, 68 and 18 Volumes respectively, HMSO and Routledge, 1926
onwards). Selections of documents (mostly general correspondence) covering the build up to the
First and Second World Wars and the Cold War respectively.
British Documents on Foreign Affairs (over 200 volumes, University Publications of America, 1983
onwards). Selection of Confidential Prints from mid-19th to mid-20th century.
British and Foreign State Papers (168 Volumes, HMSO 19th c. to 1977). Published copies of major
treaties from 1812 to 1967.
Secondary material:
Michael Roper, The Records of the Foreign Office, 1782-1968 (Public Record Office, 2002)
Louise Atherton, Never Complain, Never Explain: Records of the Foreign Office and the State Paper
Office 1500-c.1960 (Public Record Office, 1994), includes well-explained guidance on how to use
the registers and indexes to Foreign Office correspondence.
Guide reference: Overseas information 14
Downloaded from:
See Series Division
FO 660 (Ministers Resident), FO 837 and FO 935 (Ministry of
Economic Warfare), FO 892 (French National Committee), FO
898 (Political Warfare Executive), FO 916 (Consular (War)),
FO 921 (Minister of State, Cairo), FO 957 (British Middle
East Office, Cairo)
Passport Office See Series Division; also FO 971 (special files)
Permanent
Undersecretary of
State’s Department
FO 1093 (unregistered papers covering intelligence matters;
includes papers on Rudolf Hess and on the Duke of Windsor)

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