GB 0097 ROMNEY STREET GROUP - Romney Street Group

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0097 ROMNEY STREET GROUP

Title

Romney Street Group

Date(s)

  • 1924-2000 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

6 boxes

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The Romney Street Group is a small London-based luncheon club, with no political or religious alignment, which has met regularly since 1917 for the discussion of public affairs. It has maintained a membership of working and retired professionals with a range of backgrounds in the public, private and voluntary sectors. Its discussions are open to members and their guests, and are conducted according to so-called 'Chatham House rules' - that is, on the understanding that all contributions to the discussion remain confidential to the participants, except with express permission to the contrary. Women were first admitted as guests in 1926, and as members in 1959 or 1960. The Group was founded by Joseph Peter Thorp, then dramatic critic of Punch magazine. Its first Chairman was Thomas Jones, Deputy Secretary to Lloyd George's Cabinet. Its immediate purpose was to provide a forum in which to discuss, and a means by which to influence, the conduct of post-war public affairs. It met in a house in Romney Street, Westminster, for the first year of its existence only. Meetings have since taken place in many venues, mostly in London.. At first, topics for discussion were taken up on an 'ad hoc' basis, depending upon the interests of members and guests present, and the immediate events of the day. Since the 1950s, however, a formal programme of speakers and topics for discussion has been drawn up and circulated in advance by the Group Secretary. Administration has been informal for most of the Group's history.

Archival history

Given by the Romney Street Group in 1994, 1998, 1999 and 2000.
GB 0097 ROMNEY STREET GROUP 1924-2000 Collection (fonds) 6 boxes Romney Street Group
The Romney Street Group is a small London-based luncheon club, with no political or religious alignment, which has met regularly since 1917 for the discussion of public affairs. It has maintained a membership of working and retired professionals with a range of backgrounds in the public, private and voluntary sectors. Its discussions are open to members and their guests, and are conducted according to so-called 'Chatham House rules' - that is, on the understanding that all contributions to the discussion remain confidential to the participants, except with express permission to the contrary. Women were first admitted as guests in 1926, and as members in 1959 or 1960. The Group was founded by Joseph Peter Thorp, then dramatic critic of Punch magazine. Its first Chairman was Thomas Jones, Deputy Secretary to Lloyd George's Cabinet. Its immediate purpose was to provide a forum in which to discuss, and a means by which to influence, the conduct of post-war public affairs. It met in a house in Romney Street, Westminster, for the first year of its existence only. Meetings have since taken place in many venues, mostly in London.. At first, topics for discussion were taken up on an 'ad hoc' basis, depending upon the interests of members and guests present, and the immediate events of the day. Since the 1950s, however, a formal programme of speakers and topics for discussion has been drawn up and circulated in advance by the Group Secretary. Administration has been informal for most of the Group's history.

Given by the Romney Street Group in 1994, 1998, 1999 and 2000.

Records of the Romney Street Group, 1924-2000, including attendance registers of members and guests, 1924-1995, which also contain press cuttings and other ephemera; general correspondence of the Group Secretary, 1935-1999, mainly relating to the arrangement of topics, speakers and venues for Group meetings, membership and finances, and including circulars, press cuttings and obituaries; membership lists, [1940]-1991; Group meeting programmes, 1951-2000, giving details of topics, speakers and venues, as well as general news items; material concerning members' suggestions for topics and speakers, 1973-[1994], comprising completed annual survey forms and the secretary's analysis of these; notes of the proceedings of Group meetings, 1972-1977, on subjects including politics, social and economic policy, industry, devolution, and technical education; papers and offprints, 1974-1991, including transcripts of presentations to Group discussions; material concerning the organisation of special group events, such as anniversary dinners, 1973-1993; notes and correspondence relating to venues for Group discussions, 1973; Secretary's appointment book, 1988-1990, containing details of topics and speakers; account books, 1968-1989; Treasurer's correspondence, 1968-1993, including AGM reports, accounts, invoices and circulars; AGM minutes and papers, 1994-2000; materials relating to the history of the group, 1984-2000, comprising correspondence, notes, circulars and press cuttings.

Expected.

Open.

Copyright is retained by the donor.
English

Unbound handlist and on-line catalogue available. Later accessions are unlisted.

The British Library of Political and Economic Science holds material concerning the Romney Street Group in the papers of Arnold plant (Ref: Plant). The Library also holds the papers of various Group members.

Sources: British Library of Political and Economic Science Archives catalogue. Compiled by Sarah Aitchison 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. Apr 2001 Discussion groups Groups Romney Street Group

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of the Romney Street Group, 1924-2000, including attendance registers of members and guests, 1924-1995, which also contain press cuttings and other ephemera; general correspondence of the Group Secretary, 1935-1999, mainly relating to the arrangement of topics, speakers and venues for Group meetings, membership and finances, and including circulars, press cuttings and obituaries; membership lists, [1940]-1991; Group meeting programmes, 1951-2000, giving details of topics, speakers and venues, as well as general news items; material concerning members' suggestions for topics and speakers, 1973-[1994], comprising completed annual survey forms and the secretary's analysis of these; notes of the proceedings of Group meetings, 1972-1977, on subjects including politics, social and economic policy, industry, devolution, and technical education; papers and offprints, 1974-1991, including transcripts of presentations to Group discussions; material concerning the organisation of special group events, such as anniversary dinners, 1973-1993; notes and correspondence relating to venues for Group discussions, 1973; Secretary's appointment book, 1988-1990, containing details of topics and speakers; account books, 1968-1989; Treasurer's correspondence, 1968-1993, including AGM reports, accounts, invoices and circulars; AGM minutes and papers, 1994-2000; materials relating to the history of the group, 1984-2000, comprising correspondence, notes, circulars and press cuttings.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

Expected.

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright is retained by the donor.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

The British Library of Political and Economic Science holds material concerning the Romney Street Group in the papers of Arnold plant (Ref: Plant). The Library also holds the papers of various Group members.

Finding aids

Unbound handlist and on-line catalogue available. Later accessions are unlisted.

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

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

British Library of Political and Economic Science

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