Admiralty Record Office
Agency overview | |
---|---|
Formed | 1809 |
Dissolved | 1964 |
Jurisdiction | Government of the United Kingdom |
Headquarters | Admiralty Building Whitehall London |
Parent department | Department of the Permanent Secretary |
The Admiralty Record Office[1] was a former office of the British Admiralty responsible for the collection, filing and management of all official Admiralty documents from 1809 until 1964.
History
The record office was established in the Admiralty in 1809 to only manage the collections and to devise a central system of digesting and indexing.[2] It existed until 1964 when the Admiralty Department was abolished and merged within a new Ministry of Defence.
Responsibilities
Before the First World War the Admiralty was usually divided up for administrative reasons into branches, departments, divisions and sections, they were all individually responsible for the managing and maintaining their own records, each function were supposed to send all their finished documents to the record office for filing and preservation, this however did not happen due to constant organisational changes that were common place at the Admiralty. Those branches that were outside the remit of the Admiralty Secretariat did not always adhere correctly to internal procedures resulting in a loss of crucial documents.
Example of the types of records kept
Now held at The National Archives included:[3]
- ADM 1 (Admiralty correspondence 1660-1976)
- ADM 2 (Admiralty out-letters)
- ADM 3 (Admiralty minutes 1657-1881)
- ADM 4 (Admiralty: Letters Patent, Lord High Admiral and Lords of Admiralty Appointments 1707-1964)
- ADM 5 (Admiralty and predecessors: Letters Patent, Navy Board, Transport Board, Vice-Admiralty and Commissions of Inquiry Appointments 1746-1890)
- ADM 6 (Admiralty: Service Records, Registers, Returns and Certificates 1673-1960)
- ADM 7 (Admiralty miscellanea 1563-1956)
- ADM 8 (Admiralty: List Books 1673-1909)
- ADM 9 (Admiralty: Survey Returns of Officers' Services 1817-1848)
- ADM 10 (Admiralty: Officers' Services, Indexes and Miscellanea 1660-1933)
- ADM 11 (Admiralty: Officers' Service Records (Series I) 1741-1903)
- ADM 12 (Indexes and digests for 1793-1913)
- ADM 13 (Supplementary Admiralty records 1803-1917)
- ADM 116 (Admiralty Record Office cases 1852-1965)
- ADM 137 (records used to compile the official history of the First World War)
ADM records go up to ADM 363 plus one additional filed ADM 900.
Historical researchers criticisms
The Record Office within the Admiralty consisted of very limited space, and as a result of those decisions, 98% of all routine, original and official papers were destroyed.[4]
References
- ^ Archives, The National. "Admiralty: Record Office: Cases". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. National Archives, 1852-1965, ADM 116. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
- ^ Hamilton, C. I. (Feb 3, 2011). The Making of the Modern Admiralty: British Naval Policy-Making, 1805–1927. Cambridge University Press. p. 46. ISBN 9781139496544.
- ^ Archives, The National. "Naval correspondence using the ADM 12 indexes and digests - The National Archives". The National Archives. National Archives, 1660-1965. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
- ^ Seligmann, Matthew S.; Nägler, Frank (Mar 3, 2016). The Naval Route to the Abyss: The Anglo-German Naval Race 1895-1914. Routledge. p. Introduction XVII. ISBN 9781317023265.
Sources
- Archives. National ADM (1205–1998) Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies concerning all aspects of the organisation and operation of the Royal Navy and associated naval forces. http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/Admiralty Records/ADM.
- Hamilton C. I. (2011) The Making of the Modern Admiralty: British Naval Policy-Making, 1805–1927, Cambridge Military Histories, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-1139496544
- Rodger. N.A.M., (1979) The Admiralty (offices of state), T. Dalton, Lavenham, ISBN 978-0900963940.
- v
- t
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of Admiralty and Naval affairs
the First Lord
- Board of Admiralty
- Navy Board
- Navy Office
- Navy Pay Office
- Office of the Naval Secretary
- Office of the First Naval Lord
- Office of the First Sea Lord
- Office of the Senior Naval Lord
- Office of the Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty
- Office of the Permanent Secretary to the Admiralty
- Office of the Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty
Admirals
Naval/Sea Lords
War and Naval Staff
- Office of the Senior Naval Lord
- Office of the First Naval Lord
- Office of the First Sea Lord
the First Sea Lord
strategy, tactical doctrine
requirements
under the War and
Naval Staff
- Administrative Planning Department
- Administrative Planning Division
- Air Division
- Anti-Submarine Division
- Anti-Submarine and Warfare Division
- Anti-U-boat Division
- Air Warfare Division
- Air Warfare and Fly Training Division
- Air Warfare and Training Division
- Combined Operations Division
- Communications Division
- Convoy Section
- Directorate of Defence Plans (Navy)
- Economic Warfare Division
- Gunnery and Anti-Aircraft Warfare Division
- Gunnery Division
- Gunnery and Torpedo Division
- Historical Section
- Local Defence Division Division
- Mercantile Movements Division
- Naval Air Division
- Naval Air Organisation and Training Division
- Naval Artillery and Torpedoes Division
- Navigation and Direction Division
- Navigation Division
- Minesweeping Division
- Mobilisation Division
- Naval Intelligence Division
- Operations Division
- Operations Division (Home)
- Operations Division (Foreign)
- Operations Division (Mining)
- Plans Division
- Plans Division (Q)
- Press Division
- Signal Division
- Signal Section
- Standardisation Division
- Tactical Division
- Tactical and Weapons Policy Division
- Torpedo Division
- Torpedo, Anti-Submarine and Minewarfare Division
- Trade Division
- Trade and Operations Division
- Training and Staff Duties Division
- Tactical and Staff Duties Division
- Undersurface Warfare Division
and organisations
under the Sea Lords
- Admiralty Area Cash Offices
- Admiralty Central Dockyard Laboratory
- Admiralty Central Metallurgical Laboratory
- Admiralty Civilian Shore Wireless Service
- Admiralty Compass Observatory
- Admiralty Constabulary
- Admiralty Constabulary Headquarters
- Admiralty Engineering Laboratory
- Admiralty Experimental Station
- Admiralty Experiment Works
- Admiralty Gunnery Establishment
- Admiralty Interview Board
- Admiralty Labour Department
- Admiralty Marine Technology Establishment
- Admiralty Materials Laboratory
- Admiralty Mine Design Department
- Admiralty Mining Establishment
- Admiralty Naval Aircraft Materials Laboratory
- Admiralty Record Office
- Admiralty Regional Offices
- Admiralty Research Laboratory
- Admiralty Signal Establishment
- Admiralty Signals and Radar Establishment
- Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment
- Admiralty Surveying Service
- Admiralty Torpedo Experimental Establishment
- Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment
- Admiralty Underwater Weapons Launching Establishment
- Architectural and Engineering Works Department
- Air Equipment and Naval Photography Department
- Air Department
- Air Materiel Department
- Air Personnel Department
- Amphibious Warfare Headquarters
- Armament Supply Department
- Board of Invention and Research
- Board of Longitude
- Boom Defence Department
- Boom Defence and Marine Salvage Department
- Britannia Royal Naval College
- Chemical Board
- Chemical Department
- Civil Catering Department
- Civil Engineer in Chiefs Department
- Coastguard and Reserves Branch
- Combined Operations Headquarters
- Commissioner for Property and Income-tax for the Naval Department
- Compass Department
- Contract and Purchase Department
- Council of Naval Education
- Dental Examining Board
- Department of Radio Equipment
- Department of the Accountant-General of the Navy
- Department of Aeronautical and Engineering Research
- Department of Miscellaneous Weapons Development
- Department of Naval Assistant (Foreign) to Second Sea Lord
- Department of Naval Education
- Operational Research
- Department of Personal Services and Officer Appointments
- Department of Physical Research
- Department of Physical Training & Sports
- Department of Radio Equipment
- Department of Research Programmes and Planning
- Department of Superintendent of de-magnetisation
- Department of the Admiral of the Training Service
- Department of the Chief Inspector of Naval Ordnance
- Department of the Chief of Naval Information
- Department of the Chief Scientist
- Department of the Civil Engineer-in-Chief
- Department of the Comptroller of Steam Machinery
- Department of the Comptroller of Victualling and Transport Services
- Department of the Controller of the Navy
- Department of the Controller-General of Merchant Shipbuilding
- Department of the Controller for Navy Pay
- Department of the Deputy Controller for Auxiliary Shipbuilding
- Department of the Deputy Controller for Dockyards and Shipbuilding
- Department of the Director Contract-Built Ships
- Department of the Director-General Aircraft
- Department of the Director-General of Manpower
- Department of the Director-General, Supply and Secretariat Branch
- Department of the Director of Aircraft Maintenance and Repair
- Department of the Director of Contract Labour
- Department of the Director of Dockyards
- Department of the Director of Electrical Engineering
- Department of the Director of Manning
- Department of the Director of Merchant Shipbuilding
- Department of the Director of Merchant Shipbuilding and Repairs
- Department of the Director of Merchant Ship Repairs
- Department of the Director of Naval Construction
- Department of the Director of Naval Equipment
- Department of the Director of Naval Recruiting
- Department of the Director of Naval Weather Service
- Department of the Director of Personal Services
- Department of the Director of Physical Training and Sports
- Department of the Director of Torpedoes and Mining
- Department of the Director of Transports
- Department of the Director of Underwater Weapons
- Department of the Director of Underwater Weapons Materials
- Department of the Director of Unexploded Bombs
- Department of the Director of Warship Production
- Department of the Director of Welfare and Service Conditions
- Department of the Director of Wreck Dispersal
- Department of the Flag Officer Sea Training
- Department of the Engineer in Chief
- Department of the Paymaster Director-General
- Department of the Inspector of Anti-Aircraft Weapons
- Department of the Inspector of Dockyard Expense Accounts
- Department of the Inspector-General of Naval Hospitals and Fleets
- Department of the Medical Director-General of the Navy
- Department of the Physician of the Navy
- Department of the Physician General of the Navy
- Department of the Storekeeper-General of the Navy
- Department of the Surveyor of Buildings
- Department of the Surveyor of Dockyards
- Directorate-General, (Naval Manpower and Training)
- Directorate General Training
- Dockyards and Fleet Maintenance Department
- Dockyards Branch
- Dockyard Expense Accounts Department
- Dockyard Schools
- Electrical Engineering Department
- Engineer Branch
- Engineering Department
- Experimental Department
- Fire Control Group
- Greenwich Hospital Department
- Inspector of Telegraphs
- Inspector of Repairs
- Joint Warfare Establishment
- Medical Consultative Board
- Medical Examining Board
- Historical Section
- Hydrographic Department
- Marine Department
- Marine Pay Department
- Materials and Priority Department
- Medical Consultative Board
- Medical Department
- Medical Examining Board
- Movements Department
- Nautical Almanac Office
- Naval Artillery and Torpedo Department
- Naval Engineering College
- Naval Equipment Department
- Naval Historical Branch
- Naval Construction Department
- Naval Intelligence Department
- Naval Medical Service
- Naval Law Division
- Naval Manpower Department
- Naval Mobilisation Department
- Naval Ordnance Department
- Naval Ordnance Inspection Department
- Naval Ordnance Stores Department
- Naval Personnel Services and Officer Appointments Department
- Naval Publicity Department
- Naval Regional Offices
- Naval Reserve Department
- Naval Security Department
- Naval Stores Department
- Naval Training Department
- Naval Works Department
- Navy, Army and Air Force Institute
- Navy and Army Canteen Board
- Navy Works Department
- Navigation Department
- Observatory at the Cape of Good Hope
- Office of the Admiral Commanding Coast Guard and Reserves
- Office of the Admiral Commanding, Reserves
- Office of the Admiralty Chemist
- Office of the Adviser on the Naval Construction to the Board of Admiralty
- Office of the Assistant Controller
- Office of the Assistant Controller Research and Development
- Office of the Clerk of the Journals
- Office of the Chief Polaris Executive
- Office of the Deputy Controller of Navy
- Office of the Deputy Controller Production
- Office of Extra Naval Assistant to Second Sea Lord
- Office of the Inspector Gun Mountings
- Office of the Keeper of Records
- Office of the Senior Psychologist (Naval)
- Office of the Senior Psychologist of the Navy
- Office of the Translator of French and Spanish Languages
- Office of the Vice Controller Air
- Office of the Vice Controller of the Navy
- Organisation and Methods Department
- Packet Service
- Regional Organisation for Merchant Shipbuilding and Repairs
- Royal Corps of Naval Constructors
- Royal Flying Corps
- Royal Marine Police
- Royal Marines Office
- Office of the Chaplain of the Fleet
- Royal Naval Academy
- Royal Naval Aircraft Workshops
- Royal Naval Air Service
- Royal Naval Air Stations
- Royal Naval Armaments Depot
- Royal Naval Auxiliary Service
- Royal Naval Cordite Factories
- Royal Naval Propellant Factory
- Royal Naval College
- Royal Naval College and the School for Naval Architecture
- Royal Naval College, Dartmouth
- Royal Naval College, Greenwich
- Royal Naval College, Keyham
- Royal Naval College, Osborne
- Royal Naval Engineering College
- Royal Naval Film Corporation
- Royal Naval Hospital
- Royal Naval Medical Depot
- Royal Naval Minewatching Service
- Royal Naval Mine Depot
- Royal Naval Patrol Service
- Royal Naval Scientific Service
- Royal Naval Sick Quarters
- Royal Naval Torpedo Depot
- Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
- Royal Naval War College
- Royal Naval War College, Portsmouth
- Royal Navy Dockyard
- Royal Navy Medical Service
- Royal Navy Shore Signal Service
- Royal Observatory, Greenwich
- Royal School of Naval Architecture
- Salvage Department
- School of Mathematics and Naval Construction
- Scientific Research and Experiment Department
- Sea Transport Branch
- Sea Transport Department
- Sea Transport Division
- Ship Department
- Ship Design Department
- Signal Department
- Signal School
- Sixpenny Office
- Statistics Department
- Steam Department
- Superintendent of De-magnetisation
- Torpedo Experimental Establishment
- Transport Department
- Undersurface Warfare Department
- Victualling Department
- Volunteer Boys and Cadet Corps
- Weapons Department
- Weapons Department (Naval)
- Women's Royal Naval Service
- Wireless Telegraphy Board
- 1st Fleet
- 2nd Fleet
- 3rd Fleet
- Commander-in-Chief, Africa
- Atlantic Fleet
- Commodore, Arabian Seas and Persian Gulf
- Australia Station
- Cape of Good Hope Station
- Cape and West Africa Station
- Battle Cruiser Fleet
- Battle Cruiser Force
- Caspian Flotilla
- Channel Fleet
- Channel Squadron
- Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Ireland
- Cork Station
- Coast of Scotland
- Commander-in-Chief, China
- Commander-in-Chief, Dover
- Flag Officer, East Africa
- East Indies Station
- East Indies and China Station
- Eastern Fleet
- Far East Fleet
- English Channel
- Grand Fleet
- Flag Officer Gibraltar
- Harwich Force
- Home Fleet
- Jamaica Station
- Leith Station
- Commander-in-Chief, Levant
- Levant and East Mediterranean
- Commander-in-Chief, Leeward Islands
- Mediterranean Fleet
- Medway
- Newfoundland Station
- New Zealand Division
- New Zealand Naval Forces
- Nore
- North America and West Indies Station
- Commander-in-Chief, North Sea
- Admiral Commanding, Orkneys and Shetlands
- Pacific Fleet
- Pacific Station
- Admiral of Patrols
- Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
- Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
- Queenstown Station
- Royal East African Navy
- Royal Indian Navy
- Flag Officer Submarines
- Commander-in-Chief, Rosyth
- Reserve Fleet
- Scotland and Northern Ireland
- Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic
- South East Coast of America Station
- Commander-in-Chief, Thames and Medway
- West Africa Squadron
- Flag Officer, West Africa
- Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches
Parliamentary and Financial Secretary
- Department of the Civil Lord of the Admiralty
- Accountant-General's Department
- Comptroller of the Navy
- Department of the Surveyor of the Navy
and the Admiralty Secretariat
- Department of the Permanent Secretary
Permanent Secretary
- Admiralty Central Copying Branch
- Admiralty Central Registry Branch
- Admiralty Record Office
- Admiralty Library
- Admiralty Secretariat
- Air Branch
- Civil Branch
- Legal Branch
- Military Branch
- Naval Branch
- Ship Branch
- Department of the Civil Lord of the Admiralty, Department of the Additional Civil Lord of the Admiralty
Civil Lords
- Accountant-General's Department
- Contract and Purchase Department
- Department of the Director of Contract Labour
- Department of the Surveyor of Buildings
- Department of the Director of Works
- Greenwich Hospital Department
- Works Loan Department
- Admiralty Judicial Department
- Admiralty court
- High Court of Admiralty
- Office of the Judge of the High Court of Admiralty
- High Court of Justice
- Office of the Judge Advocate of the Fleet
- Office of the Marshall High Court of the Admiralty
- Office of the Admiralty Advocate
- Office of the Admiralty Proctor
- Office of the Chief Naval Judge Advocate
- Office of the Counsel for the Affairs of the Admiralty and Navy
- Office of the Counsel to the Admiralty
- Office of the Deputy Judge Advocate of the Fleet
- Office of the Receiver of Droits High Court of Admiralty
- Office of the Registrar High Court of the Admiralty
- Office of the Solicitor for the Affairs of the Admiralty
- Office of the Solicitor to the Admiralty and Navy
- Office of the Solicitor to the Admiralty
- Office of the Counsel to the Admiralty
- Court of Admiralty for the Cinque Ports
- King's Bench Division (Admiralty)
- Queens's Bench Division (Admiralty)
- Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division
- Vice Admiralty courts
- Colonial Courts of Admiralty