Catalogue description Records of the Public Record Office's Internal Administration

Policy concerning the creation and retention of administrative records in the PRO was initially shaped by the findings of the Record Commission, the collective name for a series of six Royal Commissions appointed to inquire into the state of the public records between 1800 and 1831.The Record Commission produced three reports in 1812, 1819 and 1837.

In 1838, a select committee of the House of Commons concerned with governmental records was established. Its report included a proposal for the collection of the public records into one place under a single authority, and resulted in the Public Record Office Act 1838.

From 1840, the Assistant Keepers in charge of the branch offices submitted reports to the first Deputy Keeper, Sir Francis Palgrave, to help him frame an annual report to Parliament.

In December 1840, Palgrave specified the subjects to be reported on: the duties performed by the Assistant Keeper and the clerks; the number of authenticated and unauthenticated copies made; receipts and removals of records; inventories, calendars and indexes compiled; the cleaning, binding and repair of records; and any other significant observations. Lists of readers and the documents they consulted, and descriptive lists of documents were often annexed.

From August 1854, the Assistant Keepers at the State Paper Office, newly brought in to the PRO, submitted reports; from 1857, curators of the Welsh record offices submitted reports concerning Welsh records brought into the PRO.

In 1861, these reports increased as the contents of almost all branch offices had been moved into the new repository and nearby buildings on the Rolls Estate in Chancery Lane.

The internal administration of the PRO remained substantially unchanged until the 1950s. 1n 1955, a report by a Treasury organisation and methods team on the work of the Public Record Office Secretariat, Establishment and Accounting Section recommended the introduction of a new method of filing all correspondence and papers which were not treated as ephemeral letters of enquiry. Two main series were introduced on 1 January 1956, subject files (dealing with staff matters and the work and functions of the office), and case files (dealing with the application of policy and rules to particular individuals, organizations or cases). Additionally a five year cycle for files was established.

The system was revised in 1971. General files, which dealt with the main work of the office and which included policy and case files, were introduced along with establishment files, which covered all issues relevant to establishment, accounts and accommodation. Together these replaced the subject and case files of the previous period.The 5 year cycle was retained.

In 1976, a new cycle of files was opened and internal file prefixes were revised. In 1987, as a result of an internal working party proposals, new file series in each work area were established and the registry control system was computerised.

In 1992, a new file series was opened at the PRO to coincide with the move to agency status.