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This company was established in 1908. It was acquired by, and allied with, the London and Lancashire Insurance Company Limited in 1923. In 1961 the London and Lancashire Insurance Company was acquired by, and allied with, the Royal Insurance Company Limited.

British Fire Insurance Company Limited traded from 167 Fenchurch Street, 1908-9; 106 Charing Cross Road, 1910-11; 46 Queen Victoria Street, 1911-17; 31 Great St. Helen's, 1917-19; 1-2 Bucklersbury, 1919-25; 47-51 King William Street, 1925-41; and 149 Leadenhall Street, from 1941.

The Hamburg British Friendly Society was partly administered by Hamburg consulate staff, but the funds were raised from donations by British firms trading in or with Hamburg and the Secretary of the Society was a British businessman living in Hamburg. The aim of the Society was to assist British nationals who fell into financial need while staying in Hamburg.

The British Funeral Workers' Association was based at 23 Bride Lane (1917-1925), 7 Milford Lane (1925-1938) and St Bride's Institute (1939-1940). In 1920, the Association had seven branches in London, as well as branches in Portsmouth, Kingston and Southampton. From evidence inside the minute books, the Association may have become the National Union of Funeral and Cemetery Workers by 1963 (based in Wembley).

The British General Insurance Company Limited was based at 66 Cheapside (in 1930). It was purchased in 1926 by the Commercial Union Assurance Company Limited.

British Government

A handwritten comment on the third page indicates that the leaflet was dropped by the RAF in 1943 or 1944.

Dr Hugh Baron was keen to establish a society for the promotion of arts in hospital, and he and other interested parties proposed to set up a centre for this. A Steering Committee was established. Originally, negotiations were with Manchester Polytechnic funded by the Carnegie Trust (but they pulled out when staff were being appointed, as it was counter to their remit). However, the Committee found itself unable to agree on a Director, and plans to set up the centre in Manchester were scrapped. This led to some of the Committee members (notably Peter Senior, who applied for the post of Director) breaking away. Eventually, Senior established a rival institution in Manchester (Arts for Health. See D.1) and the British Health Care Arts Centre based itself in Dundee at the Duncan of Jordanstane Art College, under the Directorship of Malcom Miles. It was financed through donations from charitable trusts and foundations.

In 1993, through financial instability, the Centre was wound up. However, the English venture merged with the arts project at the United Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (at Leeds General Infirmary), whilst the Scottish arm remained in Dundee. The two institutions were separate in terms of finance and management but still retained collaborative links.

The aims of the BHCAC were: (a) to improve the environment in all health care buildings, by encouraging the development of the arts in these buildings through the provision of an advice and consultancy service, both to the health authorities and to arts organisations and projects working with the Health Service, and (b) to initiate studies and arts in health care. Every year, the BHCAC awarded the Astra Award funded by Astra Pharmaceuticals.

The British Horological Institute was founded in 1858 in reaction to the large number of foreign clocks and watches entering Britain, and to improve standards of British clock-making.

The Home for Mothers and Babies opened in two converted houses in Wood Street, Woolwich on 11 May 1905. Its objects were, "(1) to enable women to be attended in their confinements, either in the Hospital or at their own homes, by Gentlewomen, all of whom have received previous training in General Nursing", "(2) to promote the training of Gentlewomen as District Midwives", "(3) to lengthen the customary period of training for District Midwives". The inspiration for its foundation came from three well educated and devoutly religious women, Miss Alice Gregory, Mrs Lelia Parnell, and Miss Maud Cashmore. Miss Gregory became honorary secretary to the hospital, Mrs Parnell was the first Matron, and Miss Cashmore became Senior Sister. On Mrs Parnell's death in 1931, Miss Cashmore succeeded her as Matron.

The original hospital had beds for twelve in-patients. Midwives also attended outpatients in their own homes. Patients were charged fees according to their means. In 1915 an antenatal clinic was started. Midwifery pupils with at least a year's experience of general nursing were admitted for a minimum of six months training. When pupils had completed their training, they were expected to work as district midwives. A building fund was started to raise money to build a new and larger hospital.

In 1912 a proposal was received from the British Lying-In Hospital, Holborn, for the amalgamation of the two institutions. This was formally approved by the Charity Commission on 29 January 1915. The British Lying-In Hospital closed in May 1913. The Home for Mothers and Babies was renamed the British Hospital for Mothers and Babies and was placed under the control of a newly constituted Managing Committee with representatives of both institutions. In practice it continued much as before with the same objects, the same methods, and the same staff, but enriched by the endowments of the British Lying-In Hospital.

A site in Samuel Street, Woolwich was purchased in 1914. The first stone of the new building was laid in 1920 and the first stage of the new hospital was opened in March 1922. The second stage of the building was completed in 1929. An important part of the work of the hospital was the holding of both antenatal and postnatal clinics.;The hospital was badly damaged by bombing in 1940. An evacuation hospital was set up in Pednor House, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, which was loaned by the Ministry of Health. The Ministry then insisted that the administration of the hospital should be handed over to Buckinghamshire County Council. Rather than submit to this condition, the evacuation hospital was moved in March 1941 to a privately owned house, Moatlands, situated at Brenchley in Kent. Moatlands was purchased in 1944.

Miss Gregory and Miss Cashmore retired in October 1945 after forty years at the hospital. In 1948 the hospital was taken over by the National Health Service and became the responsibility of Woolwich Group Hospital Management Committee. Moatlands was vacated in 1953 when the beds were transferred to Saint Nicholas Hospital, Plumstead. The hospital was transferred to Greenwich and Bexley Area Health Authority in 1974 and to Greenwich Health Authority in 1982. It closed in 1984.

The British Hospitals Contributory Schemes Association was formed in 1930 in the aftermath of the report of the Cave Committee of 1921. The aim of the committee was to rationalise the various health contributory schemes established to fund voluntary hospitals, prior to the introduction of the National Health Service, in different regions at the end of the nineteenth century. The BHCSA was essentially an instrument for dealing with the territorial spheres of the operation of the schemes, and gave guidelines and advice on contributions and benefits. The association continued to act as the national organising body for the regional schemes until it was disbanded with the inception of the National Health Service in 1948.

The National League for Hospital Friends (now the National Association of Leagues of Hospital Friends) was founded in 1949. The association represents voluntary workers supporting patients and their carers in hospitals and in the community, and provides services such as group insurance and deposit schemes, grants, fund-raising, advice, goods, information and publications, and opportunities for national and regional networking.

British Humanist Association

The British Humanist Association has its origins in the ethical movement established by Felix Adler in America in 1876. The aim of the ethical movement was to 'disentangle moral ideals from religious doctrines, metaphysical systems and ethical theories'. Ten years later, the movement was brought to Britain by Doctor Stanton Coit who became a minister of the South Place Ethical Society and later established the West London Ethical Society. In 1896 the Union of Ethical Societies was formed creating a central body to which local societies could affiliate and send representatives to the annual Congress. From 1920 the organisation was known as the Ethical Union. The Ethical Union was involved with moral education, repeal of the blasphemy laws, penal reform and neighbourhood community work. They also assisted the women's movement and drew attention to racial, colonial and international problems by initiating and supporting effective action. Searching for alternatives to religious worship also led to the formation of the Ethical Church by the Stanton Coit in Bayswater, operating from c.1909 to c.1954. The immediate origins of the British Humanist Association stem from the 1962 annual conference of the International Humanist and Ethical Union. British representatives concluded that there was a need to establish a national Humanist body to incorporate the growing number of local and university Humanist groups. At this point the central point of contact and unity between the local societies remained the Ethical Union. A Humanist Council had been established in the 1950s to promote greater collaboration between secularist groups at a national level (representatives from the Ethical Union, Rationalist Press Association and National Secular Society were invited to sit on the Council) but it was disbanded by the mid-1960s. Further attempts were made to move towards greater collaboration in 1957 when the Rationalist Press Association and the Ethical Union formed the Humanist Association. The name ‘British Humanist Association’ was registered in 1961 and co-operation between the Ethical Union and Rationalist Press Association was formalised in 1963 with the inaugural dinner of the British Humanist Association at the House of Commons in May. Following the creation of the British Humanist Association there was an immediate rise in membership and local group activity. University humanist groups also became more active instituting the Humanist Student Federation. Harold Blackham, an influential figure in the ethical movement and a former assistant to Stanton Coit, was appointed Executive Director of the British Humanist Associations serving from 1963 to 1968. Despite the joint commitment to the British Humanist Association in 1963, both the Ethical Union and the Rationalist Press Association retained their individual identities: the Ethical Union in West London was concerned with public relations, and the Rational Press Association, in Drury Lane, with publishing. By 1965 collaboration between the Ethical Union and Rationalist Press Association was to become more difficult following amendments to the charity laws. The Ethical Union was removed from the charity register on a technical point. This necessitated the Rationalist Press Association, because of its own charitable status, to pull out of the joint running of the British Humanist Association. The issues surrounding charitable status led to the creation of the Humanist Trust in 1967 and the incorporation of the Ethical Union into the British Humanist Association. The Humanist Trust became a charitable organisation focused on funding educational activities, whilst the British Humanist Association (now solely operated by the former Ethical Union) was able to pursue political lobbying and campaigning. The battle for charitable status for the British Humanist Association continued and was eventually won in 1983. From its origins the British Humanist Association's activities have been wide and varied. These have included the publication of pamphlets, books and periodicals, arranging conferences, promoting campaigns and organising local groups. The Association also calls for and promotes new thinking, research and experimentation in moral and religious education, along with helping Humanist parents and teachers. It also seeks a fuller and fairer representation of Humanist views in broadcasting , the press and government. The British Humanist Association is linked internationally with the International Humanist and Ethical Union and has been affiliated to the United Nations Association and supported Freedom from Hunger and similar campaigns. It was also involved in establishing the Humanist Housing Association, the Agnostics Adoption Society, the Social Morality Council (now transmuted into the Norham Foundation), and a Humanist counselling service. Education continues to be a priority and many books, newsletters and literature are produced. The British Humanist Association members receive the official newsletter of the Association, Humanist News, and since 2001, The New Humanist, (published by the Rational Press Association). Presidents of the British Humanist Association: - Sir Julian Huxley, (1963-1965) - Professor AJ Ayer, (1965-1970) - Edmund Leach, (1970-1972) - George Melly, (1972-1974) - Harold Blackham, (1974-1977) - James Hemming, (1977-1980) - Hermann Bondi, (1981-1999) - Claire Rayner, (1999-2004) - Linda Smith, (2004-2006) - Polly Toynbee, (2007-2013) - Jim Al-Khalili, (2013- )

The company was established in 1885 as a subsidiary of British India Steam Navigation Company (whose historic records are at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich) and put into liquidation in 1903-1904. The directors met at the offices of Gray, Dawes and Company (CLC/B/123-30), British India's London agents. The firm's steamers operated between the United Kingdom, India and Queensland, Australia.

The founder of the company was William Mackinnon (1823-1893) who, in partnership with William Mackenzie (c 1810-1853) was in business as a general merchant near Calcutta. In the mid-1850s they secured the East India Company's mail contract between Calcutta and Rangoon, for which purpose Mackinnon founded the Calcutta and Burmah Steam Navigation Company Limited, registered in Glasgow in 1856. Within five years of its founding the company had expanded considerably; from Burma, its ships were serving Penang and Singapore: by coasting from Calcutta to Bombay, dozens of small ports along the Indian coasts were being opened up to large-scale traffic.

In 1861 Mackinnon founded the British India Steam Navigation Company Limited, which superseded the Calcutta and Burmah Company. The mercantile firm of Mackinnon, Mackenzie and Company, Calcutta, became the managing agents, a function which they were to fulfil for well over a hundred years. As, until the opening of the Suez Canal, British India operated exclusively in eastern waters, and thereafter had a large part of its fleet employed in 'foreign-to-foreign' trades, it developed a distinctive organization. The Calcutta office had wide decision-making powers as managing agents, and were the operators of the eastern services. All but the most complicated repairs and overhauls were carried out at the Company's establishments at the Garden Reach workshops at Calcutta or the Mazagon Dock at Bombay. In Britain, the Secretary, based in Glasgow until 1892 and thereafter in London, was the link between Calcutta and the Board of Directors. Entry into the Dutch East Indies internal trade was achieved by the formation in 1865 of a Dutch flag company, the Netherlands India Steam Navigation Company. A connection with China was made in 1868, in conjunction with the Messageries Maritimes of France. There was also westward expansion, British India taking a share of the Moslem pilgrim traffic to Jeddah from 1869, and from 1872 carrying P and O mails, passengers and cargo from Aden to Zanzibar. The first 'Home Line' (in B I terminology a service to and from the United Kingdom) was inaugurated in 1874, as a result of the opening of the Suez Canal. In 1881 a mail contract was arranged with the Queensland government, although it lasted only until 1895. British India ships on the Australian run were grouped under the British India Associated Steamers, to differentiate them from vessels earmarked for the company's main trading routes.

Throughout the period the company had been consolidating its position with the Indian and home governments as a partner in the business of moving troops and military stores by sea. The British India involvement in East Africa was strengthened in 1890 by a regular service from London to Zanzibar via Aden and Mombasa. It was at this point that Mackinnon took part in the formation of the Imperial British East Africa Company, investing a quarter of the capital in it; however, the government was not prepared to back it. Japan was included in the B I itineraries in 1907 and participation in the trade was strengthened in 1912 by the purchase of the Apcar Line, which since 1901, had had a cargo pooling agreement with British India. Another British India service was the transport of Indian workers from the Coromandel Coast to Burma, Malaya, East Africa and Mauritius, 1892 to 1932. Sir William Mackinnon was succeeded by James Macalister Hall (d 1904) in 1893 and Duncan Mackinnon (d 1914). The appointment in 1913 of James Lyle Mackay (later Earl of Inchcape, 1852-1932) as chairman foreshadowed the amalgamation of B I with P and 0 (q.v.) in 1914, of which combination he was to become the chairman. Lord Inchcape was, however, careful to maintain a great degree of autonomy for British India. First World War losses were partially offset by the acquisition in 1917 of the Ham Line and the Nourse Line (q.v.). A massive replacement of tonnage after the war led to B I's becoming in 1922.

Globe Telegraph and Trust Company Limited was incorporated in 1873 by John Pender, a Liberal MP, who also founded the Eastern and Associated Telegraph Companies Group. Globe was formed in order to spread the short term risk of cable laying over a number of companies, and shares in Globe were offered in exchange for shares in submarine telegraph and associated companies. The Eastern and Associated Telegraph Companies Group, meanwhile, was built up by Pender over a number of years in the late 19th century.

The British Indian Extension Telegraph Company Limited was formed in 1869 by John Pender, in order to lay a telegraph cable from Madras to Singapore. It merged in 1873 with China Submarine Telegraph Company Limited and British Australian Telegraph Company Limited to form Eastern Extension, Australasia and China Telegraph Company Limited.

Globe Telegraph and Trust Company Limited was incorporated in 1873 by John Pender, a Liberal MP, who also founded the Eastern and Associated Telegraph Companies Group. Globe was formed in order to spread the short term risk of cable laying over a number of companies, and shares in Globe were offered in exchange for shares in submarine telegraph and associated companies. The Eastern and Associated Telegraph Companies Group, meanwhile, was built up by Pender over a number of years in the late 19th century.

The British Indian Submarine Telegraph Company Limited was formed in 1869 by John Pender and merged in 1872 with Anglo-Mediterranean Telegraph Company Limited; Falmouth, Gibraltar and Malta Telegraph Company Limited; and Marseilles, Algiers and Malta Telegraph Company Limited to form Eastern Telegraph Company Limited.

The formation of an association of insurance offices of all types of business was suggested at a meeting of the Fire Offices Committee on 28 July 1916. Initially, a sub-committee was set up to monitor legislation affecting insurance companies, while an association of composite offices was being formed to consider "questions affecting the interests of insurance both at home and abroad". In 1917, this resulted in the British Insurance Association, with a brief to provide information and express views to government departments and other bodies requiring help or advice on insurance problems, and to monitor affairs worldwide which might affect member offices. This was felt to be particularly important in the years immediately after World War I. During the 1920s the Association's work declined, but the worldwide economic and political crises of the 1930s revived interest in its functions as an umbrella organization with wider scope and powers, including investment protection. It became actively involved in liaising with various Boards and legislative committees, such as the Cassel Committee on compulsory insurance.

Until 1956, the BIA mainly worked through its chairman and the General Purposes Committee, who were empowered to act when necessary. The General Purposes Committee devolved many of its functions to sub-committees co-opted from members with relevant expertise, and these in turn delegated to sub-sub-committees. In 1956, these sub-committees were renamed committees, and their subsidiaries consequently became sub-committees. From 1945, the BIA also represented its members' interests in matters concerning nationalization, and successfully negotiated several agreements with nationalized bodies. It was also closely involved with work on metrication, decimalization, company law, health and safety.

The BIA's nationalisation work had shown it that public opinion was a potent force, and it accordingly began a public relations programme of lectures, films and press releases about insurance matters, as well as participating in major exhibitions in Britain and abroad. Until 1953 the BIA had no offices of its own. From 1918 to 1937 it was at St Michael's Rectory, Cornhill, the business address of its secretary. In 1937 it moved to 19a Coleman Street, the headquarters of the Equitable Life, and also the business address of its chairman. In 1953 it moved to Estates House, 66 Gresham Street; in 1957 to Barrington House, 59-67 Gresham Street; and for a few weeks in 1962 to Abacus House, 33 Gutter Lane, before finally moving on 30 June 1962 to Aldermary House, Queen Street. This building also housed a number of other insurance associations.

In 1985, the British Insurance Association was abolished and its functions transferred to the Association of British Insurers.

British Journal of Surgery

The British Journal of Surgery was established in 1913. The first meeting of the Editorial Committee and Sub-Committee was held at the Royal College of Surgeons of England on 13 Feb 1913. It was attended by the following: Sir William Bennett, Edred Moss Corner, Sir Thomas Crisp English, Charles Herbert Fagge, William Sampson Handley, Robert Jones, Sir Berkeley Moynihan, Ernest William Hey Groves, and Sir Berkeley Moynihan as chairman. The British Journal of Surgery was to be a periodical devoted entirely to surgery, and was published by John Wright & Sons Ltd.

This company was established in 1888. The head office was at 5 Lothbury. It was acquired in 1918 by the London Assurance and later by Sun Alliance. Its name was changed to British Law Insurance Company, and it was henceforth based at 31 and 32 King Street. The company undertook all classes of business except life assurance.

The National Life Story Collection (1987-) was established in 1987 to 'record first-hand experiences of as wide a cross-section of present-day society as possible'. It operates as an independent charitable trust within the Oral History Section of the British Library Sound Archive and undertakes oral history fieldwork. It has initiated a series of interviewing programmes funded from sponsorship, charitable and individual donations and voluntary effort. In the early 1990s a project supported by The Fawcett Society was undertaken to interview 'pioneering career women, each of whom made their mark in traditionally male-dominated areas, such as politics, law and medicine.' Members of the Friends of the Fawcett Library, now The Women's Library, conducted the interviews.

British Life Assurance Trust

The organisation was founded in 1966 as the 'British Life Assurance Trust for health education in association with the British Medical Association'. It was established as a charitable trust with the objective 'by means of audio visual aids to promote the further education of the medical profession and public generally in the fields of preventative medicine and health'. The Trust was formed of trustees from British Life Offices (Life Offices' Association and Associated Scottish Life Offices) and trustees from BMA including BMA's Chair of Council, Secretary and Committees. Meetings were mainly held at BMA House, Tavistock Square.

The Trust promoted and financed the production and exhibition of audio visual aids (including printed matter, films, television, videos, cassette tapes, discs, photographs and exhibits), co-ordinated and advised on production, research into the production and effectiveness of audio visual aids. The Trust also approved finished products through a Trophy award. A BLAT Centre for Health and Medical Education was later established at BMA's offices at BMA House.

From 1987 the name by which the Trust was widely known was changed from BLAT to BLITHE (British Life Assurance Trust for Health Education), and was sponsored by Association of British Insurers (successor to Life Offices' Association) and the BMA. By 1987 staffing and related funding issues were apparent and in March 1989 solicitors resolution for dissolution of the Trust were agreed. The Trust was dissolved at the final meeting held 26 April 1990 at Aldermary House, City of London.

British Linen Company

The British Linen Company was incorporated by Royal Charter on 5 Jul 1746, 'to do everything that may conduce to the promoting and carrying on' the manufacture of linen.

The Lying-In Hospital for married Women was founded in November 1749 by a group of governors of the Middlesex Hospital who were dissatisfied with the resources allocated by that hospital to lying-in women. From 1752 female pupils were admitted to the hospital for periods of six months in order to learn midwifery.

A General Meeting or Court of the Governors was held every quarter to make the laws and rules of the hospital. A committee of fifteen governors was chosen at each Quarterly General Court to meet at the hospital once a week to receive patients and to direct the ordinary affairs of the hospital. From 1806, except for the years 1811-1820, the General Court met half-yearly instead of quarterly. A new constitution was approved on 9 July 1869. This provided for an annual general meeting of governors who were to elect fifteen of their number to form a Board of Management which was to meet once a month. The Board was to appoint such standing committees as might be advisable including a ladies committee. In 1756 the name of the hospital was changed from 'The Lying-In Hospital for Married Women' to 'The British Lying-In Hospital for Married Women'. In 1828 the hospital decided to start sending midwives to deliver out-patients in their own homes. In 1849 it moved to a new building in Endell Street, Holborn.

By the beginning of this century the hospital was facing serious problems. Its buildings were unsatisfactory and old fashioned. It was in financial difficulties. The population of the area was decreasing and the teaching hospitals in the neighbourhood had opened maternity wards. Rather than rebuilding in the same area, King Edward's Hospital Fund advised amalgamation with another maternity hospital, preferably the Home for Mothers and Babies in Woolwich. Agreement between the two institutions was soon reached, though legal difficulties delayed the signing of the Charity Commission Scheme approving the amalgamation until 29 January 1915. The British Lying-In Hospital closed on 31 May 1913.

The British Maritime Law Association was founded in 1908 to promote the study and advancement of British maritime and mercantile law; to promote, with foreign and other maritime law associations, proposals for the unification of maritime and mercantile law in the practice of different nations; to afford opportunities for members to discuss matters of national and international maritime law; to collect and circulate information regarding maritime and mercantile law; and to establish a collection of publications and documents of interest to members. Membership comprises representatives from shipowners, shippers, merchants, manufacturers, insurers, insurance brokers, tug owners, shipbuilders, port and harbour authorities, bankers, and other bodies interested in the objects of the Association. The Association also has individual members - employees of corporate or institutional members, barristers, or others without a corporate identity. The two principal functions of the Association are, firstly, to advise UK Government bodies responsible for maritime legislation or regulation and, secondly, to co-operate with its international parent body, the CMI (Comité Maritime International, or International Maritime Committee, composed of the maritime law associations of more than 30 nations), in research and drafting of international instruments for the harmonisation of maritime and mercantile law. The Association publishes documents pertaining to its interests, and organises an annual lecture, dinner, and other events. Its work is delegated to standing committees on particular topics, and to ad hoc sub-committees, appointed from time to time to report as necessary on topics not under consideration by a standing committee.

British Medical Association

Foundation of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association. 19 Jul 1832; the Eastern Medical Association is the first branch to open, Sep 1835; Monmouthshire (first Welsh branch) opens, 1852; name changes to the British Medical Association, 1856; the Medical Act is passed. Establishment of the General Medical Council and the Medical Register, 1858; first appointment of the Parliamentary Bills Committee, 1863; South of Ireland Branch opens, 1874; Association registered as a company limited by guarantee, 1974; Edinburgh (first Scottish branch) opens, 1875; first overseas branch in Jamica opens, 1877; the Medical Act is passed, 1886; National Health Insurance Bill, 1911; Medical Planning Commission set up to consider the future of British medical services, 1940; Commission publishes its report, Jun 1942; Beveridge report published, Dec 1942; Government publishes its White Paper 'A National Health Service', Feb 1944; Negotiating Committee set up under the chairmanship of Dr Guy Dain to negotiate with the coalition Government, 1945; 7 principles announced - these had to be adhered to if the proposed national health service was to gain professional support, 15 Dec 1945; publication of the National Health Services Bill, 20 Mar 1946; National Health Services Bill passed, 6 Nov 1946; NHS came into being, 5 Jul 1948; appointment of the Royal (Pilkington) Commission on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration, 1957; report of the Medical Services Review Committee published (Porritt Report), 1962; report of the committee set up to review the future of general practice (committee set up in 1961), 1963; publication of the Government’s Green Papers on the structure of the Health Service in England and Wales and Scotland, 1968; branches are abolished and replaced by Regional Councils, 1973-1974.

Francis Nicholls White and Company acted as proprietor of a debt collection business known as the British Mercantile Agency which had been established in 1855. In 1924, when Francis Nicholls White and Company moved from 13/14 Old Jewry Chambers, the British Mercantile Agency moved to 90 Queen Street, London. In 1966 it relocated to Sidcup House, Station Road, Sidcup. Subsequently the agency was acquired by Woods Management Services. They sold it to Legal and Trade who dropped the name of British Mercantile Agency, since when it has ceased to exist.

Plans to form a British Microcirculation Society came to fruition in 1963 when the decision was made to hold the 4th European Conference on Microcirculation in Cambridge in 1966. The European Society had emerged from the first European Conference in 1960 and Dr P.A.G. Monro of the University of Cambridge Anatomy School, who was on the Committee, was instrumental in setting up the British Society and was its Secretary until 1980.

The British Migraine Association (BMA) was founded in 1958 as an association for sufferers. Growing out of the activities of the BMA, the Migraine Trust was set up in 1965 as a charitable organisation for the promotion of research into migraine and its alleviation.

British Military Court

The papers relate to the activities of two anti-Nazi activists, Arthur Geissler and Erich Arp, who, at the end of the war, were indicted by a British Military Court for 'the unlawful appropriation of authority' by arresting the former Ortsgruppenleiter Krömer, Elmshorn, Schleswig-Holstein, at gun point.

Born (Fritz) Erich von Lewinski, Berlin, Germany, 1887; adopted by relatives and assumed von Manstein name; educated at the Lycée, Strasbourg; served in the Cadet Corps, Plön and Berlin, Germany, 1895-1906; Ensign, 3 Foot Guards, 1906; Lt, 1907; Battalion Adjutant, 1911; Senior Lt (Oberleutnant), 1914; served in World War One, 1914-1918; Adjutant, 2 Guards Reserve Regt, 1914; served in Marne campaign, France, 1914; severely wounded on Eastern Front, Nov 1914; Staff Officer, Army Group Gallwitz, Poland and Serbia, Jun-Aug 1915; Capt, 1915; Adjutant, Headquarters, 12 Army, 1915-1916; Staff Officer, Headquarters, 11 Army, Battle of Verdun, Western Front, 1916; Staff Officer, Headquarters, 1 Army, Battle of the Somme, Picardy, France, 1916; Senior Operations Officer, 4 Cavalry Div, Courland (Estonia), 1917; Senior Operations Officer, 213 Assault Infantry Div, Western Front, 1918; General Staff Officer, Frontier Defence, East, Breslau, Germany, 1919; Staff Officer to Gen von Lossberg, Berlin and Kassel, Germany, 1919; Company commander, 5 Infantry Regt, Angermunde, Pomerania, Germany, 1920; General Staff Officer, Wehrkreis I, II and IV, 1923-1927; Maj, 1927; General Staff Officer to Infantry Leader IV, Oct 1927; served with Operations Branch of Truppenamt, Sep 1929; Lt Col, 1932; Commanding Officer, Jäger Bn, 4 Infantry Regt, Kolber, Germany, 1932; Col, 1933; Chief of Staff to Gen Erwin von Witzleben, Wehrkreiss III, Berlin, Germany, 1934; Head of Operations Branch, Army General Staff, 1935; Maj Gen, 1936; Deputy Chief of Staff to Gen Ludwig Beck, 1936; commanded 18 Infantry Div, Liegnitz, Germany, 1938; Chief of Staff to Gen Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb during Munich Crisis, Sep 1938; Lt Gen, 1939; appointed Chief of Staff to Gen (Karl Rudolph) Gerd von Rundstedt, Commander-in-Chief, Army Group South, Aug 1939; served in World War Two, 1939-1945; service in German invasion and conquest of Poland, Sep-Oct 1939; Chief of Staff, Army Group A, 1939-1940; commanded 38 (Infantry) Corps, German invasion and conquest of France, May-Jun 1940; Gen of Infantry, 1940; commanded 56 Panzer Corps, 4 Panzer Group, Army Group North, May-Sep 1941; service in Operation BARBAROSSA, the German invasion of the USSR, 22 Jun 1941, and the advance on Leningrad, 1941; commanded 11 Army, Army Group South, USSR, 1941-1942; planned and completed German conquest of the Crimea, USSR, 1942; FM, 1942; commanded Army Group Don (later renamed Army Group South from Feb 1943), USSR, Nov 1942-1944; dismissed by Adolf Hitler, Mar 1944; served with Führer reserve, 1944-1945; surrendered to British forces, May 1945; tried by British Military Court on seventeen charges of war crimes, Curio House, Hamburg, Germany, Aug 1949; found guilty of nine charges of war crimes relating to neglecting to protect civilian lives, and sentenced to eighteen years imprisonment (later reduced to twelve years), Dec 1949; released from prison, 1953; appointed organisational adviser to the Bundeswehr, 1956; died 1973. Publications: Verteidigung Manstein (Hamburg, Germany, 1950); Verlorene siege (Bonn, Germany, 1955); Aus einem Soldatenleben, 1887-1939 (Bonn, Germany, 1958); Lost victories, edited and translated by Anthony G Powell (Methuen, London, 1958).

The album in this collection depicts a British Miners' Delegation on a visit to the USSR hosted by Soviet miners that took place between August and Octber 1926. The delegation was led by the secretary of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain, A J Cook. The album was originally in the possession of H C Stevens, a translator who was part of the British Delegation. The timing of the visit is significant as 1926 was the year of the British General Strike in which miners played an important role. The General Strike itself began and ended in May but the miners began their strike in late April and did not return to work until November. Therefore this visit to the USSR was happening at a very crucial time in labour relations and one in which the issue of British trade union relations with the Soviet Union was very sensitive, particularly since there had been controversy relating to Soviet contributions to strike funds.

A British Museum expedition to collect dinosaur bones from Tendaguru in Tanganyika was first proposed in 1918 as a result of information received from the geologist C W Hobley. The site had been discovered by a German palaeontologist in 1907 and systematically excavated from 1909 until 1912. A S Woodward, Keeper of Geology, pressed the case, suggesting that the German work had been poor, and that important material must remain to be discovered. Final approval for the expedition was given by Trustees in October 1923. The costs were paid by the Trustees, the Treasury and by a public subscription, which raised enough to buy one motor lorry. William Edmund Cutler, a Canadian with experience of collecting dinosaurs, was appointed leader, and he travelled to Africa in February 1924, accompanied by an undergraduate from Cambridge, L S B Leakey. Leakey returned at the end of the year, and Cutler worked largely on his own until his sudden death from malaria in August 1925.

Frederick William Hugh Migeod, 'an intrepid and experienced traveller', replaced Cutler as leader of the expedition, with Major T Deacon as his assistant. Neither of these two men had any geological or palaeontological training, and some alarm was expressed in London at the lack of proper scientific control over the collecting. A team of forty labourers worked on the site and 431 boxes or packages of bones were sent back to the Museum during 1926 alone. Migeod and Deacon returned to England at the end of 1926, leaving G W Parrett and W Kershaw, two big game hunters, in charge of the site.

A geologist, Dr John Parkinson, replaced Migeod in May 1927, but results during 1928 were disappointing, partly due to illness. Migeod resumed his place as Leader for the years 1929 and 1930, assisted by F R Parrington, and financed by the governments of Tanganyika, Nyasaland and Kenya. The expedition finally closed in January 1931.

Overall the results of the expedition were disappointing. Although a large number of bones had been discovered and returned to London, few appeared to belong to new genera or species, and it was many years before they were all even unpacked. No scientific report of the expedition was ever published.

The British National Committee (BNC) was established to provide for British representation at the International Congresses of Historical Sciences. The first Congress was held in Paris, 1900, followed by Rome, 1903, Berlin 1908. In 1913, the BNC organised the Congress in London, the only International Congress held in Britain.

In 1923, following a conference on historical sciences in Brussels, 1923, the International Committee of Historical Sciences (ICHS) was formed. It was officially chartered in 1926 in Geneva.

The members of the BNC are nominated from accredited constituent bodies which include professional societies and associations representing a range of general and specialist historical interests in Britain (not including Northern Ireland). The Committee is also supported by the majority of British universities (or their History departments) through annual subscriptions, though the universities are not directly represented on the Committee.

The BNC constitution has been amended at various time to take account of the changing structure of the profession. In 1972 the BNC became a committee of the British Academy (The national academy for humanities and social sciences), and in 1980, a number of recently formed societies were added to its constituent membership.

International Committee of Historical Sciences holds an International Congress, meeting every five years in a different city of the world. The BNC, representing historians in Britain, is entitled to send one voting and one non-voting representative to the General Assembly of the Congress which meets immediately before and after each Congress, and on one occasion between Congresses.

Organisation of bilateral conferences with historians in other countries is another task of the BNC. Since the 1950s, these have taken place regularly at two to three year intervals, taking place alternately in Britain and in a partner country.

After 1993, the BNC ceased to be a committee of the British Academy From the 1960s to the 1990s, the BNC secretariat was located at the Institute of Historical Research, London. In 1993, the administration of the BNC was transferred to the Royal Historical Society by the retiring director of the Institute of Historical Research.

Between 1950 and 1960, four national conferences were held involving organisations and individuals representing a wide range of social work organisations and activities. The 1957 conference was held in Edinburgh and was entitled 'Children and Young People'. Regional study groups met prior to the conference to discuss questions raised in a 'Guide to Studies'. Members of these were drawn from many different types of organisation and included voluntary and local government social workers, academics, school teachers, church workers, doctors, education officers, and local councillors. They discussed a very wide range of issues and local concerns based on the five main chapters of the 'Guide to Studies': children at home; children at school; young people at work; leisure; and homemaking. Each local group drew up a report on their discussions and many were included in the published conference handbook.

British National Party

The British National Party (BNP) was founded by John Tyndall in 1982 as an offshoot of the National Front. The BNP aims to ensure that the "British people retain their homeland and identity" through such measures as the halt to all further immigration, opposition to the single European Currency, and the selective exclusion of foreign-made goods from British markets and the reduction of foreign imports. The BNP is headed by its National Chairman Nick Griffin (1959 - ), who sits upon the Advisory Council with the Deputy Chairman, national officers of the party and organisers from the party's regions. The Council deals with the party's financial and agenda issues. Current BNP publications include: "Asylum seeker leaflet - say YES to putting our own people first!"; "Europe leaflet - say YES to restoring Britain's freedom!"; "Crime leaflet - say YES to clamping down on crime!".

The Council was based at 100c Queen Victoria Street, City of London. It organised major demonstrations and distributed handbills protesting against Nazi persecution in Germany, particularly of Jewish people. In 1935 the Council's major resolution was to promote an economic boycott on German business 'until complete civil and religious liberty have been restored in Germany'.

According to The Times of Monday, Oct 28, 1935, page 16, the demonstration in Hyde Park in October 1935 attracted over 20,000 people. The event had 6 platforms at Speaker's Corner with a number of key political and religious speakers including Eleanor Florence Rathbone, campaigning suffragette and politician.

British Olympic Association

The International Olympic Committee, formed in 1894, held its 4th Session in London between 20-22 June 1904. Three of the main organizers of this meeting were Sir Howard Vincent, the Rev Robert Stuart de Courcy Laffan and Charles Herbert, who were the British representatives on the IOC. One of the main results of the Session was the formation of the British Olympic Association (BOA) in the House of Commons on 24 May 1905. William Henry Grenfell MP, later Lord Desborough, was elected as its first chairman with de Courcy Laffan as its honorary secretary. Its remits were to spread in Great Britain the knowledge of the Olympic movement, to guarantee that the views of British sporting associations had due weight and influence in the organisation of the Olympic Games and to ensure the participation both in the Olympic Games and international athletic congresses, of representatives properly accredited by official Sporting Associations and to facilitate the attendance of such representatives. The original committee was made up of members from seven national governing bodies of sport, but today all 33 summer and winter Olympic sports are represented.

In 1906, when Rome pulled out of hosting the 1908 Olympic Games it had been awarded at the 4th IOC Session, Lord Desborough proposed that London should step in. With only two years to organize the event, the 1908 Games utilised existing venues, most notably the White City Stadium which was being constructed for the Franco-British Exhibition. When London was again awarded the Olympic Games with two years notice in 1946, this tactic of exploiting established venues was similarly employed.

One of the fundamental functions of the BOA is to provide the funding and organization to ensure that a Great Britain Team competes at the Olympic Games. Between 1936 and 1976 financial support came from nationwide public appeals for funds. However when the Government wished the British Team to boycott the 1980 Moscow Olympics in protest at the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the BOA realised that the public was unlikely to be willing to support such a cause. Under the leadership of Sir Denis Follows and influenced by the spirit of Olympism which transcends all political interference, the BOA decided to send a British Team from its own funds, a move which left it virtually bankrupt. Conscious of safeguarding against relying on such inconsistent sources of income in the future, the BOA was one of the first national Olympic committees who sought additional funding from industry such as sponsorship and merchandising.

The BOA also offers elite athletes other support services, such as medical and physiological facilities to ensure that a GB Team attending each Games is as best prepared as it can be.

As the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Britain, the BOA is also involved in the selection process for candidate cities wishing to host the Olympic Games.

BOAPAH was a pilot project conducted by the British Library of Political and Economic Science in 1979-1980, and financed by a Social Science Research Council grant. The aim of the project was to collect a systematic oral archive of interviews with key figures from politics, the civil service and the armed forces. Interviewees were selected predominantly from former Permanent Secretaries or former Cabinet Ministers, and were asked questions relating to the whole period of their official life, concentrating on the post-war years. Day to day administration and interviewing was carried out by Andrew Seldon. A detailed methodology is available in the bound catalogue.

Founded in 1917 as the British Overseas Banks Association, the association's name was changed to British Overseas and Commonwealth Banks Association in 1964. It was based at 10 Clements Lane (1917-85), 38 Bishopsgate (1985-7), 8 Old Jewry (1988-9), 99 Bishopsgate (1990), 110-112 Fenchurch Street (1991-2), 91 Gresham Street (1993-4) and 35 John Street (1995-6). The Association was dissolved in 1997.

From the inception of the British Paediatric association in 1928 up until 1958, Annual scientific meetings were held at the Old England Hotel in Windermere. These meetings were a focal point of activity for the association, and it was both an opportunity for paediatricians to present scientific papers as well as a social occasion with an annual dinner, an annual golf tournament and a showing of a film. As membership numbers increased, the annual general meeting moved to the Royal Hotel Scarborough in 1959. Meetings were held in Cambridge in 1961 and in Dublin in 1968, but remained at Scarborough until 1971. Meetings were subsequently held in Glasgow, Lancaster and Harrogate until York University was set as a location in 1975, where meetings continued until 2009. The location of the annual conference has since varied from York to include the University of Warwick, and remains a mix of social activities and scientific presentations. Other activities include the issue of numerous awards and prizes, and the occasion of the College’s Annual General Meeting. When the College originally received it's charter in 1996, the name of the Annual Meeting was changed to that of the Spring meeting, with the view that meetings would take place each season. As of 2010, the name of the meeting was changed to that of the Annual Conference. In accordance with the College By Laws, the standing order of the annual general meeting is as follows: Chairing, Minutes, Composition of Agenda, Motions, Rules of debate, Voting, Points of order, Suspension of standing orders, Chairs decision, Quorum.

British Pharmaceutical Codex

The British Pharmaceutical Codex (BPC) was first published by the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain in November 1907. These items appear to relate to discussions within the Society and comments by members of it, criticising the contents of the Codex.

In 1931 the British Pharmacological Society was founded in Oxford by group of c 20 pharmacologists, and brought together by J.A. Gunn, H.H. Dale and W.E. Dixon. It aimed to meet once a year for the reading of papers on pharmacological subjects and the discussion of questions of teaching and publication to promote friendly relations between workers in pharmacology.

The British Phrenological Society was established in 1886, incorporated in 1899, and disbanded in 1966-1967.

The British Postgraduate Medical Federation (BPMF) was established by the Senate of the University of London in April 1945, was granted incorporation by Royal Charter in March 1947 and was admitted as a school of the University in December 1947. The Royal Charter stated that the BPMF would "provide opportunity for the advancement in general medicine or in any of the special branches thereof and by arranging lectures and demonstrations or otherwise promote the investigation of disease".

The BPMF was established as a result of the Goodenough report (1944), which recommended the reorganisation of the British Postgraduate Medical School at Hammersmith and its reconstitution as a federal organisation. The first Director of the Federation, Sir Francis Fraser, was instrumental in taking forward the Goodenough report's recommendation that the federation should constitute a series of institutes in each of the principal special subjects of medicine, based on a leading teaching hospital. The Federation included medical research institutes such as the Institute of Cancer Research, Institute of Child Health, Institute of Dental Surgery, National Heart and Lung Institute, Institute of Neurology, Institute of Ophthalmology and Institute of Psychiatry.

The Tomlinson report (1992) recommended that the institutes supervised by the BPMF should instead be attached to the multi-faculty Colleges within the University of London. As a result, the BPMF ceased operations on 31st July 1996.

The Bishop of London was held to exercise responsibility for Anglican churches overseas where no other bishop had been appointed. He retained responsibility for churches in northern and central Europe until 1980, but his jurisdiction in southern Europe ceased in 1842 on the creation of the diocese of Gibraltar. In 1980, the Bishop of London divested himself of all overseas jurisdiction and a new diocese of 'Gibraltar in Europe' was established.

The association was inaugurated in July 1932, but little else is known of its background. It was based at 69 Cannon Street until 1955, when it moved to 84 Leadenhall Street. A predecessor of the Grain and Feed Trade Association (GAFTA) shared premises with the Radio Cabinet Manufacturers Association at 84 Leadenhall Street, which is presumably how this volume entered GAFTA custody.