Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- [1854]-1969 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
10 volumes; 2 boxes (approx)
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Sir Thomas Gardiner chaired a departmental committee tasked with the applying the increased decentralisation recommended by the Bridgeman Committee report of 1932 which advocated that the Post Office should be organised along more commercial lines. The Gardiner Committee's recommendations, published in its report of 1936, led to eight regions being established in the provinces, each in the charge of a Regional Director responsible for the control and co-ordination of all Post Office services within his region. Additional to these eight provincial regions, two further regions were set up in London - one for Posts and one for Telecommunications. The provincial regions were divided into Head Postmasters' districts for the management of the postal and the telegraph services (in practice these were already in existence).
The telephone service regions were divided into telephone Areas under Telephone Managers, of which there were ultimately 57 for the provinces and nine in London. Telephone Managers, with Head Postmasters acting as their agents on certain matters, were to be responsible for the day-to-day control of all aspects of the telephone service (engineering, traffic, sales and accounts). They were also to be accountable to the Regional Director for the overall efficiency of the telephone service in their territory.
The first two regions (Scotland and North East) were set up in 1936, followed by the two London regions (Telecommunications and Postal), and the changes throughout the country were in place by 1940. (The records note that Midlands telecommunications region was due to be established in 1940 but its formation was formed in haste on 2 September 1939, the day before the declaration of the Second World War.)
Repository
Archival history
GB 1814 TCB Local Administration [1854]-1969 Sub fonds 10 volumes; 2 boxes (approx) Post Office Telecommunications
Sir Thomas Gardiner chaired a departmental committee tasked with the applying the increased decentralisation recommended by the Bridgeman Committee report of 1932 which advocated that the Post Office should be organised along more commercial lines. The Gardiner Committee's recommendations, published in its report of 1936, led to eight regions being established in the provinces, each in the charge of a Regional Director responsible for the control and co-ordination of all Post Office services within his region. Additional to these eight provincial regions, two further regions were set up in London - one for Posts and one for Telecommunications. The provincial regions were divided into Head Postmasters' districts for the management of the postal and the telegraph services (in practice these were already in existence).
The telephone service regions were divided into telephone Areas under Telephone Managers, of which there were ultimately 57 for the provinces and nine in London. Telephone Managers, with Head Postmasters acting as their agents on certain matters, were to be responsible for the day-to-day control of all aspects of the telephone service (engineering, traffic, sales and accounts). They were also to be accountable to the Regional Director for the overall efficiency of the telephone service in their territory.
The first two regions (Scotland and North East) were set up in 1936, followed by the two London regions (Telecommunications and Postal), and the changes throughout the country were in place by 1940. (The records note that Midlands telecommunications region was due to be established in 1940 but its formation was formed in haste on 2 September 1939, the day before the declaration of the Second World War.)
These records were divided between the Royal Mail Archive and BT Archives in 1991, when the telecommunications records were transferred to BT Archives' custody, or transferred from BT directly.
Administrative records of telecommunications regions including London, the Home Counties, Midlands and North Eastern regions and the Aberdeen telephone area. Such records typically include regional annual reports, bulletins and local service issues but not all records survive for all regions.
The most extensive records are for the London Telecommunications Region (LTR) which include annual reports 1937-60 (TCB 26), internal information and newsletters such as the publicity officers 'News and Views' 1960-82 (TCB 708).
Arranged by local administrative unit.
Researchers may reproduce copies of material held by BT Heritage or take photographs/film of them themselves, subject to approval by the archivist and the conditions laid out in BT Archives Copying, Photography and Reproduction Information available on request and in BT Archives searchroom.
Available for research at BT Archives, see www.bt.com/archivesonline.
English
Full catalogues for BT Archives can be searched at www.bt.com/archivesonline.
18.02.2013 Telecommunications London Aberdeen Aberdeenshire England Scotland UK Western Europe Europe
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
These records were divided between the Royal Mail Archive and BT Archives in 1991, when the telecommunications records were transferred to BT Archives' custody, or transferred from BT directly.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Administrative records of telecommunications regions including London, the Home Counties, Midlands and North Eastern regions and the Aberdeen telephone area. Such records typically include regional annual reports, bulletins and local service issues but not all records survive for all regions.
The most extensive records are for the London Telecommunications Region (LTR) which include annual reports 1937-60 (TCB 26), internal information and newsletters such as the publicity officers 'News and Views' 1960-82 (TCB 708).
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Arranged by local administrative unit.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Researchers may reproduce copies of material held by BT Heritage or take photographs/film of them themselves, subject to approval by the archivist and the conditions laid out in BT Archives Copying, Photography and Reproduction Information available on request and in BT Archives searchroom.
Conditions governing reproduction
Available for research at BT Archives, see www.bt.com/archivesonline.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Full catalogues for BT Archives can be searched at www.bt.com/archivesonline.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
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Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
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Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English