GB 0369 BRO - Bromhead Collection

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0369 BRO

Title

Bromhead Collection

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.

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

School of Slavonic and East European Studies

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

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area