British National Committee of the International Historical Congress , [1913-1923] British National Committee of the International Committee of Historical Sciences , 1923-present

British National Committee of the International Historical Congress , [1913-1923] British National Committee of the International Committee of Historical Sciences , 1923-present

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.