IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0813 POST 37 Series
Held at: British Postal Museum and Archive: The Royal Mail Archive
Title: Post Office: Scottish Minutes: volumes
Date(s): 1842-1937
Level of description: Series
Extent: 187 volumes
Name of creator(s):
No further information available
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
Please contact the Archive for further information.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
This series consists of volumes containing a précis of, or reference to, every minute submitted to the Postmaster General from the Secretary to the Post Office in Scotland, relating to all aspects of Post Office administration. Separate bound indices to the minutes begin in 1846.
Much of the actual paperwork referred to in these volumes can be found in the accompanying class POST 32 (Scottish Minute Papers). For further details of how this class relates to the other report and minute classes, see the following section 'Related Material'.
The dates and minute numbers on the binding of a number of the volumes are incorrect.
Please note that all of the records in this class cover the years 1842-1921, with the exception of one record, POST 37/187, which is an index to minutes for the years 1920-1937.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
Chronological within series.
Conditions governing access:
Public Record
Conditions governing reproduction:
Please contact the Archive for further information.
Finding aids:
Please contact the Archive for further information.
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
Please contact the Archive for further information.
ALLIED MATERIALS
Existence and location of copies:
Some of the items in this series are available on microfilm for viewing in the Search Room.
Related material:
GENERAL GUIDE TO REPORTS AND MINUTES:
POST 37 is one of several POST classes that contain reports and minutes that have been generated at Headquarters level, usually for the purpose of bringing a variety of Post Office matters to the attention of the Postmaster General. Records can relate to people, places or subjects. The various POST classes that hold these records cover the years 1790-1973. The reason there are numerous classes for such records is that organisational changes have occurred within the Post Office through the decades and different and sometimes overlapping systems have been put in place for such record keeping. For a fuller understanding of central records and how the POST classes that they can be found in relate to each other, readers are advised to consult the 'Guide to Reports and Minutes', which includes a timeline that illustrates what periods and subjects are covered by the various POST classes and how they relate to each other. This can be viewed in the BPMA search room or online. For now, here are two pointers.
1. As a rule of thumb, there are two POST classes for each run of records. One class contains the full paperwork for each case ('papers') and the other class is likely to contain an index or series of précis to this material ('volumes'). This means that the indexes of a 'volume' class will often list the material in the corresponding 'papers' class by subject, name, or place.
2. There are a number of POST classes that address issues such as Packet Service minutes, Scottish minutes, Irish minutes and miscellaneous matters. However, the principal classes likely to address central issues of general importance for England and Wales are:
1790 - 1840: POST 40 (POST 42 volumes)
1840 - 1921: POST 30 (POST 35 volumes)
1921 - 1955: POST 33 (POST 38 volumes)
(1941 - 1948): POST 102 (overlaps with POST 33)
1955 - 1973: POST 122 (also POST 35 volumes)
POST CLASSES SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO POST 37:
POST 32 (Scottish Minute Papers) contains many of the actual papers that POST 37 refers to.
Prior to 1842 Scottish subjects were recorded along with all other subjects in POST 35 and POST 30 (England and Wales Minutes). Early nineteenth century material for Scotland can also be found in POST 42 and POST 40 (Postmaster General's Reports).
In 1921, a significant change occurred to the way all reports and minutes were recorded. Before this time, reports and minutes for England and Wales, Ireland, Scotland, and the Packet Service had been recorded separately. From 1921, they were all (including POST 37 and POST 32) amalgamated into POST 38 (Postmaster General's Minute Volumes) and POST 33 (Postmaster General's Minute Papers).
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Archivist's note: Entry checked by Barbara Ball
Date(s) of descriptions: Entry checked June 2011