Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1915-1918 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
2 boxes
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Alfred Claude Bromhead (1876-1963) worked before the First World War as the British representative of the French film projector company belonging to Leon Gaumont. This led to him also becoming involved with the showing and distribution of films. Bromhead was also a territorial officer in an infantry battalion of the Queen's Regiment. After the outbreak of the First World War he was chosen by the British Government to undertake British Military Cinematographic Mission to Russia to show British propaganda films to Russian troops. The aim was to impress upon Russian troops the scale of the British war effort in order to keep up morale and to encourage pro-British sentiment.
Archival history
GB 0369 BRO 1915-1918 Collection (Fonds) 2 boxes Bromhead , Alfred Claude , 1876-1963 , Lieutenant Colonel
Alfred Claude Bromhead (1876-1963) worked before the First World War as the British representative of the French film projector company belonging to Leon Gaumont. This led to him also becoming involved with the showing and distribution of films. Bromhead was also a territorial officer in an infantry battalion of the Queen's Regiment. After the outbreak of the First World War he was chosen by the British Government to undertake British Military Cinematographic Mission to Russia to show British propaganda films to Russian troops. The aim was to impress upon Russian troops the scale of the British war effort in order to keep up morale and to encourage pro-British sentiment.
Not known
Papers of Lt Col Alfred Claude Bromhead, 1915-1918, comprising:
typescript copies of Bromhead's diaries of his work with the British Military Cinematographic Mission to show British propaganda films to Russian troops, 1916-1918, Bromhead and his mission made visits to the Finnish, Baltic, Ukrainian, Caucasian, Turkish and Romanian Fronts. There is also a diary for Bromhead's Italian mission from May-December 1918; correspondence between Bromhead and the Government Committee for Propaganda, supervising his activities, correspondence received by Bromhead from British and Russian contacts in Russia, memo on Russian affairs by Sir Bernard Pares, Russian printed material; photographs (probably) taken by Bromhead while on his mission to Russia, the main subjects of the photographs are Russian troops and the work of the Mission, 1916-1917
The papers are arranged in 3 classes - Diaries(Bro/1), correspondence and papers (BRO/2) and photographs (BRO/3)
Unrestricted access. Researchers wishing to consult the archives or seeking further information should contact UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES) Library, 16 Taviton Street, London WC1H 0BW
Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied for research use only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Librarian.
English, Finnish, French, Italian, Russian and Swedish
On-line catalogue available on the School's website
University of London Library has a collection of Bromhead's books and manuscripts including the original ms diaries (ref MS 817/1-2), however this collection is mostly unrelated to his work in Russia. The Imperial War Museum has copies of the diaries and photographs as well as copies of some of the films shown by Bromhead during his mission.
Revised by Alan Kucia as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description ISAD(G), 2nd edition 2000 and National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. Revised Feb 2002 British Military Cinematographic Mission Bromhead , Alfred Claude , 1876-1963 , Lieutenant Colonel Cinema Eastern Europe Europe European history Finland International conflicts Middle East National history Northern Europe Pares , Sir , Bernard , 1867-1949 , Knight , historian Romania Russia Russian history Turkey War Western Europe World War One (1914-1918) World wars (events) Wars (events) Crimea
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Not known
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of Lt Col Alfred Claude Bromhead, 1915-1918, comprising:
typescript copies of Bromhead's diaries of his work with the British Military Cinematographic Mission to show British propaganda films to Russian troops, 1916-1918, Bromhead and his mission made visits to the Finnish, Baltic, Ukrainian, Caucasian, Turkish and Romanian Fronts. There is also a diary for Bromhead's Italian mission from May-December 1918; correspondence between Bromhead and the Government Committee for Propaganda, supervising his activities, correspondence received by Bromhead from British and Russian contacts in Russia, memo on Russian affairs by Sir Bernard Pares, Russian printed material; photographs (probably) taken by Bromhead while on his mission to Russia, the main subjects of the photographs are Russian troops and the work of the Mission, 1916-1917
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
The papers are arranged in 3 classes - Diaries(Bro/1), correspondence and papers (BRO/2) and photographs (BRO/3)
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Unrestricted access. Researchers wishing to consult the archives or seeking further information should contact UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES) Library, 16 Taviton Street, London WC1H 0BW
Conditions governing reproduction
Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied for research use only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Librarian.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English, Finnish, French, Italian, Russian and Swedish
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
On-line catalogue available on the School's website
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
University of London Library has a collection of Bromhead's books and manuscripts including the original ms diaries (ref MS 817/1-2), however this collection is mostly unrelated to his work in Russia. The Imperial War Museum has copies of the diaries and photographs as well as copies of some of the films shown by Bromhead during his mission.
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description ISAD(G), 2nd edition 2000 and 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