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Conservative Party Archive: Steering Committee

 Collection

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Papers of the Steering Committee, 1957-1979, comprising:

  1. Minutes, 1957-1979
  2. Correspondence, 1962-4, 1970-1
  3. Working papers and drafts, 1957-1979.

Dates

  • Creation: 1957-1979

Extent

20 shelfmarks

Language of Materials

  • English

Preferred Citation

Oxford, Bodleian Libraries, Conservative Party Archive [followed by shelfmark, e.g. SC 1.]

Please see our help page for further guidance on citing archives and manuscripts.

Full range of shelfmarks:

SC 1-20

Collection ID (for staff)

CPA SC

Abstract

Papers of the Steering Committee, 1957-1979

Biographical / Historical

The main purpose of the Steering Committee was to draft the Party's general election manifesto, and it was usually reconstituted 1-2 years before an impending election and was chaired by the Party Leader: ‘Both before the 1955 and 1959 elections, and indeed in a less orderly way for the 1950 and 1951 elections, we have had the same system of first generating thoughts about future policy, then bringing them together in various drafts for the election manifesto, and finally supervising them by a senior committee under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister. This seems a very good recipe and, except in detail, I should like to suggest that we follow it again. It involves the setting up of two committees or groups: 1) The Steering Committee. This on the last two occasions was under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister assisted by four or five senior Ministers with Michael Fraser as Secretary….2) The Policy Study Group. I have always been Chairman of this….I would propose to set up the Policy Study Group almost at once…’ [Source: Letter from Iain Macleod to Harold Macmillan, 26/10/1961, Shelfmark: CCO 20/31/1]

Custodial History

The archive of the Conservative Party was established as a source for academic study at the Bodleian Library in 1978 by an agreement made between the University of Oxford and the Conservative Party, and brought together surviving historic papers of the Party previously held in various locations including Newcastle University Library and the former Conservative Central Office in Smith Square, London. Since 1996, ownership of the archive has been vested in the Conservative Party Archive Trust. The archive includes records from all three areas of Party organisation: parliamentary, voluntary and professional.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The Conservative Party.

Title
Conservative Party Archive: Steering Committee
Status
Published
Author
Finding aid prepared by Emily Tarrant
Date
2004
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository

Contact:
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom