British Documents

Guide to Government Publications Series

British Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts

Publications are listed in the library’s online catalog

HMC is the UK’s central advisory body on archives and manuscripts relating to British history. It is the principal source of information on the nature and location of records.

The Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts or the Historical Manuscripts Commission is a standing commission first established in 1869 with the stated purposed of inquiring into the availability of papers and manuscripts in private hands that might be useful for the study of history, constitutional law, science, and general literature. Since its establishment, the Commission has been creating calendars and carefully edited texts for the use of researchers. The bulk of its work is contained in the series of Commissioners’ and Inspectors’ reports.

Beginning with its first Report to the Crown in 1870, the Commission has maintained a regular flow of publications. Its Reports and Calendars series describes over 600 major collections of family, estate, and institutional papers. Seven further volumes of nineteenth century political papers have been edited in the Prime Ministers’ Papers series.
Other publications include Record Repositories in Great Britain, the Guide to Sources for British History series and the Annual Review. The Commissioners’ 28th Report to the Crown, Archives at the Millennium, a survey of the nation’s archival health, was published in 1999.

Publications and Guides
Report of the Historical Manuscript Commission, 1870-
Volumes have individual titles.
DA25 Green Brit-Docs

A companion to the Kraus reprint edition: [reports I to IX]. 1977.
DA25 .Z6 A12 Green Brit-Docs

Guide to the location of collections described in the Reports and Calendars Series, 1870-1980; Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts. 1982. (Guides to sources for British history, 3).
DA25.M1G85 1982 SSRC-reading room

Guide to the reports of the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts, 1911-1957. 1973-
DA25.M252 SSRC-reading room

A guide to the reports on collections of manuscripts of private families, corporations and
Institutions in Great Britain and Ireland, 1914-38.
DA25.M25 SSRC-reading roo
Secretary's report to the commissioners, 1972/1973-1986/1987.
CD1040 .A25/vol. 1-15 Green Stacks

12/2005

 

Last modified: May 30, 2006