GB 0103 BMLA - British Maritime Law Association Archives

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0103 BMLA

Title

British Maritime Law Association Archives

Date(s)

  • 1921-c1971 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

92 boxes, 3 files

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

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.

Archival history

GB 0103 BMLA 1921-c1971 Collection (fonds) 92 boxes, 3 files British Maritime Law Association , London
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.

Presented by the British Maritime Law Association to University College London Manuscripts Room in 1983.

Papers and correspondence of the British Maritime Law Association (BMLA), dating largely from 1947-c1971, with a few related items dating back to 1921, and comprising adminstrative papers and correspondence of the BMLA and its papers on issues in maritime law; papers and correspondence relating to the Comité Maritime International (CMI) and to overseas maritime law associations in Europe and America; and papers and correspondence on international conferences concerning issues of maritime law, held in Europe, the USA, and elsewhere, including conference documents, amendments, proceedings, and papers of the British delegation. The papers relate to issues in maritime law including limitations of shipowners' liability; bills of lading (issued by the carrier to the shipper on delivery of goods for shipment); the Hague Rules (defining the rights and liabilities of a carrier, introduced in Brussels in 1921 and adopted first as clauses in bills of lading and after 1923 as the Brussels Convention on Limitation of Liability); the 'gold clause' concerning contradictions in international conventions regarding the extent of liability; carriage of nuclear material by sea and the liability of operators, including the OEEC (Organisation for European Economic Co-operation) convention; and issues relating to oil pollution in the wake of the Torrey Canyon incident (1967).

Closed pending review.

When the collection is opened, anyone wishing to publish anything based on the papers must be referred to the Association.
English and French

Uncatalogued.

Sources: British Maritime Law Association website; Encyclopaedia Britannica online. Compiled by Rachel Kemsley as part of the RSLP AIM25 project. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. Jun 2001 Associations British Maritime Law Association , London x BMLA CMI , Comité Maritime International x Comité Maritime International x International Maritime Committee Communication process Conferences Environmental degradation Group communication International law Law of the Sea North America Nuclear engineering Nuclear safety OEEC , Organisation for European Economic Co-operation x Organisation for European Economic Co-operation x OEEC Oil pollution Organizations Pollution Professional associations Sea transport Torrey Canyon incident (1967) Transport USA

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Presented by the British Maritime Law Association to University College London Manuscripts Room in 1983.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers and correspondence of the British Maritime Law Association (BMLA), dating largely from 1947-c1971, with a few related items dating back to 1921, and comprising adminstrative papers and correspondence of the BMLA and its papers on issues in maritime law; papers and correspondence relating to the Comité Maritime International (CMI) and to overseas maritime law associations in Europe and America; and papers and correspondence on international conferences concerning issues of maritime law, held in Europe, the USA, and elsewhere, including conference documents, amendments, proceedings, and papers of the British delegation. The papers relate to issues in maritime law including limitations of shipowners' liability; bills of lading (issued by the carrier to the shipper on delivery of goods for shipment); the Hague Rules (defining the rights and liabilities of a carrier, introduced in Brussels in 1921 and adopted first as clauses in bills of lading and after 1923 as the Brussels Convention on Limitation of Liability); the 'gold clause' concerning contradictions in international conventions regarding the extent of liability; carriage of nuclear material by sea and the liability of operators, including the OEEC (Organisation for European Economic Co-operation) convention; and issues relating to oil pollution in the wake of the Torrey Canyon incident (1967).

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Closed pending review.

Conditions governing reproduction

When the collection is opened, anyone wishing to publish anything based on the papers must be referred to the Association.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English and French

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Uncatalogued.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

University College London

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area