Public Record Office

This page summarises records created by this Organisation

The summary includes a brief description of the collection(s) (usually including the covering dates of the collection), the name of the archive where they are held, and reference information to help you find the collection.

Alternative name(s):	PRO (Also known as)
Date:	1838-2003
History:	The Public Record Office (PRO) was originally established by Act of 1838 under the Master of the Rolls. It was placed under the Lord Chancellor in 1958, and became an executive agency in 1992. Responsible for administering the UK's public records system under the Public Records acts of 1958 and 1967 by supervising of the selection of government and legal records for permanent preservation, and for safeguarding them and making them publicly available. In 1996, the PRO consolidated its operations at Kew, Surrey, and Chancery Lane, London, on one site at Kew, with a Family Records Centre in central London. In April 2003, the PRO combined with the Historical Manuscripts Commission (HMC) to become The National Archives.
Functions, occupations and activities:	Government (central)
References:	PRO Act 1838; IC; NCA Rules
Name authority reference:	GB/NNAF/C284907

Collections
Number	Description	Held by	Reference
1	1914-1955: Ministry of Transport and successors, Establishment and General Division: Personal Files	The National Archives, Kew	MT 93
2	Hen II-1970s: Documents and objects extracted from various record series	The National Archives, Kew	EXT
3	1880-1995: Public Record Office: Surrogate Copies of Records: Moulds or Impressions of Seals deposited for examination	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 23
4	1847 - c1850: Gifts and Deposits: Hodgson Collection	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 30/88
5	1952-2000: John Cantwell, Assistant Keeper of Public Records: Papers	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 30/98
6	1959-1986: Advisory Council on Public Records	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 42
7	1838-2003: Public Record Office: Deputy Keeper's and Keeper's Reports	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 43
8	1881-1944: Hubert Hall: Papers	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 44
9	1959-2002: Public Record Office: Lord Chancellor's Instruments: Access to Public Records under Public Records Act 1958, s.5(1)	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 51
10	1971-1993: Public Record Office: Records Administration, Guidance to Departments	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 52
11	1927-1973: Public Record Office: Registered Files: Numerical Series	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 54
12	1941-1975: Public Record Office: Registered Files: Miscellaneous Case Files	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 56
13	1956-2014: Public Record Office: Accessions of Records, Registered Files (Case Files)	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 57
14	1945-1977: Public Record Office: Registered Files: Records Administration (CD Series)	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 58
15	1981-1993: Public Record Office: Lord Chancellor's Instruments: Places of Deposit under Public Records Act 1958 s.4(1):	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 60
16	1987-1990: Public Record Office: Lord Chancellor's Instruments: Permanent Transfer of Public Records under Public Records Act 1958, s.4(3)	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 63
17	1987-1988: Public Record Office: Lord Chancellor's Instruments: Temporary Transfer of Public Records under Public Records Act 1958 s.4(3)	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 64
18	1957-1977: Public Record Office: Former Repositories and Offices, Maps, Plans and Photographs	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 65
19	1959-1979: Public Record Office: Registered Files (Numerical Series, 1971-1975)	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 67
20	1969-1980: Public Record Office: Establishment, Registered Files (E Series)	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 68
21	1969-1984: Public Record Office: Registered Case Files (C Series)	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 69
22	1984-1986: Public Record Office: Conservation and Rebinding of Great and Little Domesday: Records	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 83
23	1913-2012: Supplementary Finding Aids from The National Archives	The National Archives, Kew	QFA
24	1913-2012: Public Record Office: Search Department (and Successors): Digitised Seals Register		QFA 1
25	1914-1922: Treasury: Books of Out-letters to Public Record Office and Registrar General	The National Archives, Kew	T 150
26	1953-1991: Public Record Office: Registered Case Files (CASE and 2/CASE series)	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 84
27	1806-1962: Public Record Office: Maps and plans extracted to rolled storage of up to 1 metre in length from various series of records	The National Archives, Kew	MR 2
28	-: Public Record Office: Maps and plans extracted to rolled storage of between 1.5 and 2 metres in length from various series of records		MR 4
29	1982-2003: Public Record Office: Lord Chancellor's Instruments: Retention by Department under Public Records Act 1958	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 70
30	c 1500-c 1950: Indexes to various series	The National Archives, Kew	IND
31	2003: List and Index Society (LIS) store material sent off-site for storage	The National Archives, Kew	QLX 1
32	2003: Resource Centre and Library stores material sent off site for storage	The National Archives, Kew	QLIB 1
33	2003: Pipe Roll Society material sent off site for storage	The National Archives, Kew	QPR 1
34	1996-2001: Public Record Office: Presentations to Places of Deposit under the Public Records Act 1958, Section 3(6), dataset	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 72
35	from 1996: Culture Media and Sport: Government Websites	The National Archives, Kew	ZWEB 5
36	1987: Public Record Office: Internal Standards and Guidance		PRO 73
37	1998: Public Record Office: Publications on Records Management, Archives and related subjects	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 74
38	1961-1987: Public Record Office: Registered Files: General (GEN) series policy records	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 78
39	1999-2004: Public Record Office: Records Accessions Registers: Datasets	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 79
40	1974-2003: Public Record Office: Conservation Database	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 80
41	From 1999: Public Record Office Website	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 81
42	From 2001: Family Records Website	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 82
43	1985-1997: Public Record Office: Management Records of the Public Record Office: Registered Files (MGT and CPY prefix)	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 86
44	1978-2008: Public Record Office: Records Management Policy and Liaison; Registered Files (RAD, RAL and RAS Prefix)	The National Archives, Kew	PRO 85
45	1700-1985: Obsolete lists and indexes	The National Archives, Kew	OBS
46	1974-2004: Domestic Records of the Public Record Office, Gifts, Deposits, Notes and Transcripts	The National Archives, Kew	PRO
47	1801-1992: Unfinished and unpublished texts, calendars and finding aids held in the Public Record Office	The National Archives, Kew	ZBOX
48	c 1610-1995: Maps and plans formerly held by the Public Record Office Library	The National Archives, Kew	ZMAP
49	19th century-1972: Maps and plans extracted to flat storage from records of the Forestry Commission	The National Archives, Kew	MPO
50	1763: Maps and plans extracted to extra large flat storage from records of the State Paper Office	The National Archives, Kew	MPFF
51	Hen VIII-1960: Maps and plans extracted to flat storage from records of departments not assigned an individual map extract prefix	The National Archives, Kew	MPI
52	c.1679-1952: Maps and plans extracted to extra large flat storage from records of departments not assigned an individual map prefix	The National Archives, Kew	MPII
53	16th century-1966: Maps and plans extracted to rolled storage from records of various departments	The National Archives, Kew	MR
54	1777-c 1947: Maps and plans extracted to flat storage from records of various departments	The National Archives, Kew	MF
55	c1542-1955: Maps and plans extracted to flat storage from records of various departments formerly held at the Public Record Office, Chancery Lane	The National Archives, Kew	MFC
56	1565-1962: Maps and plans extracted to flat storage from records of various departments held at the Public Record Office, Kew	The National Archives, Kew	MFQ
57	?1536-1937: Maps and plans extracted to flat storage from records of the Chancery	The National Archives, Kew	MPA
58	1719-?1864: Maps and plans extracted to extra large flat storage from records of the Chancery	The National Archives, Kew	MPAA
59	early 14th century-1862: Maps and plans extracted to flat storage from records of the Exchequer	The National Archives, Kew	MPB
60	c1595-1864: Maps and plans extracted to extra large flat storage from records of the Exchequer	The National Archives, Kew	MPBB
61	16th century-19th century: Maps and plans extracted to flat storage from records of the Duchy of Lancaster	The National Archives, Kew	MPC
62	c1430-1848: Maps and plans extracted to extra large flat storage from records of the Duchy of Lancaster	The National Archives, Kew	MPCC
63	1670-1920: Maps and plans extracted to flat storage from records of the Treasury and Treasury Solicitor	The National Archives, Kew	MPD
64	1830-1949: Maps and plans extracted to extra large flat storage from records of the Treasury	The National Archives, Kew	MPDD
65	1619-1959: Maps and plans extracted to flat storage from records of the Office of Land Revenue Records and Enrolments	The National Archives, Kew	MPE
66	1606-1961: Maps and plans extracted to extra large flat storage from records of the Office of Land Revenue Records and Enrolments	The National Archives, Kew	MPEE
67	[c1545]-[c1917]: Maps and plans extracted to flat storage from records of the State Paper Office	The National Archives, Kew	MPF
68	[1612]-1949: Maps and plans extracted to flat storage from records of the Colonial Office	The National Archives, Kew	MPG
69	1715-1946: Maps and plans extracted to extra large flat storage from records of the Colonial Office	The National Archives, Kew	MPGG
70	1661-1945: Maps and plans extracted to flat storage from records of the War Office	The National Archives, Kew	MPH
71	c1660-1944: Maps and plans extracted to extra large flat storage from records of the War Office	The National Archives, Kew	MPHH
72	early 18th century-1966: Maps and plans extracted to flat storage from records of the Foreign Office	The National Archives, Kew	MPK
73	1798-1940: Maps and plans extracted to extra large flat storage from records of the Foreign Office	The National Archives, Kew	MPKK
74	c1762-1930: Maps and plans extracted to flat storage from records of the Court of Common Pleas	The National Archives, Kew	MPL
75	1775-1953: Maps and plans extracted to extra large flat storage from records of the Court of Common Pleas	The National Archives, Kew	MPLL
76	1775-1863: Maps and plans extracted to flat storage from records of the Court of King's Bench	The National Archives, Kew	MPN
77	1792-1817: Maps and plans extracted to extra large flat storage from records of the Court of King's Bench	The National Archives, Kew	MPNN
78	1743-1950: Maps and plans extracted to flat storage from records of the Privy Council	The National Archives, Kew	MPQ
79	1765-?1945: Maps and plans extracted to extra large flat storage from records of the Privy Council	The National Archives, Kew	MPQQ
80	1839-?1951: Maps and plans extracted to flat storage from records of the British Transport Commission	The National Archives, Kew	MPT
81	1744-c1939: Maps and plans extracted to rolled storage from records of various departments formerly held at the Public Record Office, Chancery Lane	The National Archives, Kew	MRC
82	1770-[1954]: Maps and plans extracted to rolled storage from records of various departments held at the Public Record Office, Kew	The National Archives, Kew	MRQ
83	1740-2003: Content from The National Archives Library	The National Archives, Kew	QLIB
84	2003: List and Index Society store material sent off site for storage	The National Archives, Kew	QLX
85	2003: Pipe Roll Society stock sent off site for storage	The National Archives, Kew	QPR
86	-: Archive Production Services: non-catalogue material sent off site for storage	The National Archives, Kew	QAPS
87	1861-1974: Elizabeth Garret Anderson Hospital: Correspondence, Minutes and Papers	London Metropolitan Archives: City of London	CF 1
88	1831-2002: St Bernard's Hospital, Middlesex: Records	London Metropolitan Archives: City of London	CF 2
89	1850-1977: Photographic prints and negatives extracted from various record series	The National Archives, Kew	CN
90	c1600-2004: Records of the Public Record Office's Internal Administration
91	1861-2003: Records relating to Records Management in Government and Lord Chancellor's Instruments
92	1899-1965: Foreign Office: Consulates, Asmara, Harar and Mega, Ethiopia (formerly Abyssinia): General Correspondence and Registers of Correspondence	The National Archives, Kew	FO 742

Related record creators
	Record creator	Description of relationship	Dates	Category of relationship
1	The National Archives	Successor/Predecessor		See Also