Graphical version

London Metropolitan Archives

LONDON LABOUR PARTY


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0074 ACC/2417

Held at: London Metropolitan Archives

Title: LONDON LABOUR PARTY

Date(s): 1889-1979

Level of description: Collection

Extent: 30.2 linear metres

Name of creator(s): London Labour Party x Greater London Labour Party

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

The London Labour Party was founded in 1915 and continued as the co-ordinating body of Labour activity in London until 1965 when the London County Council (LCC) and the Middlesex County Council (MCC) were replaced by the Greater London Council (GLC). The party was reconstituted as the Greater London Labour Party covering the whole of the GLC area.

The history of the London Labour Party is inextricably linked with the political activity of Herbert Morrison. He was secretary of the London Labour Party, 1915-1925, and he was chairman and leader of the LCC Labour Party from 1925 to 1940 when he was appointed home secretary and minister for home security in the wartime coalition government. Under his leadership, the LCC Labour Party held power on the LCC for 25 years from 1924-1950. During this period there was great activity in improving education, housing and other public services.

Many different groups were affiliated to the London Labour Party including local constituency parties, the LCC and MCC labour parties, trade unions, young socialists and the Cooperative Movement. Such a body of support allowed the party to undertake a publication programme, organise conferences and training courses, and direct campaigns on issues like housing and rents.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Records of the London Labour Party, reflecting the activity of the central body of the Party, the executive committee, and its relation to the affiliated organisations. Records relating to individual parties are the central body's dealings with the parties rather than being the records of the individual parties themselves. There is much printed material, including a fine series of journals, especially the London Labour Chronicle (later, London News) from 1915-1964. The majority of the records are post World War II.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

Many of the individual items in the list of records are whole files and for the purpose of brevity only the file title is given. Their arrangement in broad subject terms should help the researcher find any surviving papers relating to a particular subject.

Executive committee ACC/2417/A;
Parliamentary ACC/2417/B;
County ACC/2417/C;
Metropolitan borough ACC/2417/D;
Local parties ACC/2417/E;
Inquiries, disputes and appeals ACC/2417/F;
Conferences and training courses ACC/2417/G;
Affiliated organisations ACC/2417/H;
Nomination of magistrates ACC/2417/I;
Local government reorganisation ACC/2417/J;
Issues ACC/2417/K;
Finance and membership ACC/2417/L;
Herbert Morrison ACC/2417/M;
Photographs ACC/2417/N;
Printed material ACC/2417/O;
Journals ACC/2417/P.

Conditions governing access:

These records are open to public inspection, although records containing personal information may be subject to closure periods.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copyright to these records rests with the depositor.

Physical characteristics:

Fit

Finding aids:

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Records deposited in April 1987.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Related material:

The national records of The Labour Party are held at the National Museum of Labour History, 103 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 6DD. Some constituency Labour Party records from London are located with the national records. A booklet published by The Labour Party, Guide to the Archives, is available from Stephen Bird, Labour Party Archivist, at the NMLH.

Relevant LMA collections: N/M/001, N/M/002, N/M/008.

DESCRIPTION NOTES Rules or conventions: Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions: June to August 2010.


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Political campaigns | Internal politics
Political clubs | Clubs | Leisure time activities | Leisure
Political groups | Groups
Political participation | Political behaviour | Political sociology
Political parties | Internal politics
Political activists

Personal names
Morrison | Herbert Stanley | 1888-1965 | 1st Baron Morrison of Lambeth | statesman x Morrison of Lambeth | 1st Baron

Corporate names
Labour Party
London Labour Party x Greater London Labour Party

Places
London | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe