Introduction
CCO 120/1 Broadcasting,
1951-60
CCO 120/2 By-Elections,
1952-63
CCO 120/3 Committee to examine the People's League for the Defence
of Freedom and the Middle Class Alliance (Mr. Cohen's Committee),
1956-7
CCO 120/4 Party Organisation and Committee on Reorganisation,
1962-3
| Abstract: Papers of the General Director's Office, 1951-63, including files relating to broadcasting, by-elections, the Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation, and the committee set up to investigate The People's League for the Defence of Freedom, and the Middle Class Alliance. |
Shelfmarks: CCO 120/1-4
Extent: 126 shelfmarks
The post of General Director at Conservative Central Office was created in February 1931 and arose from that of the Principal Agent, a position that dated back to 1885. The General Director was the full-time professional head of Central Office, answerable directly to the Party Chairman. Traditionally raised from the ranks of the agents, he had overall responsibility for the smooth running of the central party machine, although with an emphasis more on organisation and administration than on the publicity side. There were three occupants before the post was abolished by Edward Heath in June 1966: Sir Robert Topping (February 1931-September 1945, and Principal Agent since February 1928), Sir Stephen Piersenne (October 1945-August 1957) and Sir William Urton (August 1957-June 1966). Thereafter the various departmental directors answered directly to the Party Chairman and Vice Chairmen, a policy which was interrupted briefly in 1974 when Heath appointed Michael Wolff as Director General. Wolff, a former assistant to Heath, was removed by Margaret Thatcher when she assumed the leadership in 1975, and the post was again abolished.
Despite the central position of the General Director in the party organisation between 1931 and 1966 few papers have been kept. The factors determining what has survived have been quite arbitrary, and the collection listed here represents only a small and miscellaneous fraction of the original. In the case of the papers of the 1963 Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation (CCO 120/4/1-25), moreover, the General Director's Office appears merely to have been used as a depository for papers produced by others.
The collection nevertheless contains much of interest, from files on individual by-elections, to correspondence on broadcasting and politics. The working papers of the Selwyn Lloyd enquiry and the committee set up to investigate the People's League for the Defence of Freedom, and the Middle Class Alliance, equally provide valuable supplementary information to the final reports.
General access conditions apply to this material.
Oxford, Bodleian Library, Conservative Party Archive [followed by shelfmark, e.g. CCO 120/1/1].
CCO 120/1: Broadcasting, 1951-60
| CCO 120/1/1 | General | 1951-3 |
| CCO 120/1/2 | General | 1954-5 |
| CCO 120/1/3 | General | 1956-7 |
| CCO 120/1/4 | General | 1958-9 |
| CCO 120/1/5 | General | 1960 |
CCO 120/2: By-Elections, 1952-63
| CCO 120/2/1 | Bournemouth East | Feb. 1952 |
| CCO 120/2/2 | Farnworth | Nov. 1952 |
| CCO 120/2/3 | Small Heath | Nov. 1952 |
| CCO 120/2/4 | Wycombe | Nov. 1952 |
| CCO 120/2/5 | Canterbury | Feb. 1953 |
| CCO 120/2/6 | Barnsley | Mar. 1953 |
| CCO 120/2/7 | Hayes and Harlington | Mar. 1953 |
| CCO 120/2/8 | Isle of Thanet | Mar. 1953 |
| CCO 120/2/9 | Stoke on Trent | Mar.-Apr. 1953 |
| CCO 120/2/10 | Sunderland | May 1953 |
| CCO 120/2/11 | Abingdon | June-July 1953 |
| CCO 120/2/12 | Edgebaston | June-July 1953 |
| CCO 120/2/13 | Broxtowe | Sept. 1953 |
| CCO 120/2/14 | South Battersea | Sept. 1953 |
| CCO 120/2/15 | Crosby | Oct.-Nov. 1953 |
| CCO 120/2/16 | Holborn and St. Pancras | Sept.-Nov. 1953 |
| CCO 120/2/17 | Ormskirk | Oct.-Nov. 1953 |
| CCO 120/2/18 | Paddington North | June-Dec. 1953 |
| CCO 120/2/19 | Ilford North | Jan.-Feb. 1954 |
| CCO 120/2/20 | Haltemprice | Feb. 1954 |
| CCO 120/2/21 | Harwich | Feb. 1954 |
| CCO 120/2/22 | Bournemouth West | Feb. 1954 |
| CCO 120/2/23 | Edinburgh East | Feb.-Mar. 1954 |
| CCO 120/2/24 | Arundel and Shoreham | Mar. 1954 |
| CCO 120/2/25 | Harrogate | Mar. 1954 |
| CCO 120/2/26 | Aldershot | Aug.-Oct. 1954 |
| CCO 120/2/27 | Aberdare | Oct. 1954 |
| CCO 120/2/28 | East Croydon | Sept.-Oct. 1954 |
| CCO 120/2/29 | Shoreditch | Oct. 1954 |
| CCO 120/2/30 | Wakefield | Oct. 1954 |
| CCO 120/2/31 | Morepeth | Oct.-Nov. 1954 |
| CCO 120/2/32 | Sutton and Cheam | Nov. 1954 |
| CCO 120/2/33 | West Derby | Nov. 1954 |
| CCO 120/2/34 | Orpington | Jan. 1955 |
| CCO 120/2/35 | South Norfolk | Jan. 1955 |
| CCO 120/2/36 | Stockport South | Jan.-Feb. 1955 |
| CCO 120/2/37 | Twickenham | Jan.-Mar. 1955 |
| CCO 120/2/38 | Wrexham | Mar. 1955 |
| CCO 120/2/39 | Gateshead | Oct.-Nov. 1955 |
| CCO 120/2/40 | Greenock | Nov. 1955 |
| CCO 120/2/41 | Torquay | Nov.-Dec. 1955 |
| CCO 120/2/42 | Hereford | Jan.-Feb. 1956 |
| CCO 120/2/43 | Blaydon | Feb. 1956 |
| CCO 120/2/44 | Gainsborough | Jan.-Mar. 1956 |
| CCO 120/2/45 | West Walthamstow | Jan.-Mar. 1956 |
| CCO 120/2/46 | Tonbridge | Apr.-June 1956 |
| CCO 120/2/47 | Newport | Jan.-July 1956 |
| CCO 120/2/48 | Leeds North East | Jan.-Oct. 1956 |
| CCO 120/2/49 | Taunton | Jan.-Oct. 1956 |
| CCO 120/2/50 | Chester-le-Street | Sept.-Oct. 1956 |
| CCO 120/2/51 | Chester | Aug.-Dec. 1956 |
| CCO 120/2/52 | Carmarthen | Nov. 1956-Feb. 1957 |
| CCO 120/2/53 | Melton | Nov. 1956-Feb. 1957 |
| CCO 120/2/54 | By-Elections - general | 1957 |
| CCO 120/2/55 | Wednesbury | Jan.-Feb. 1957 |
| CCO 120/2/56 | Beckenham | Jan.-Mar. 1957 |
| CCO 120/2/57 | Bristol West | Jan.-Mar. 1957 |
| CCO 120/2/58 | Newcastle-upon-Tyne, North | Mar. 1957 |
| CCO 120/2/59 | Warwick and Leamington | Jan.-Mar. 1957 |
| CCO 120/2/60 | Edinburgh South | May 1957 |
| CCO 120/2/61 | East Ham | Mar. June 1957 |
| CCO 120/2/62 | Hornsey | Feb.-June 1957 |
| CCO 120/2/63 | Lewisham North | Jan.-June 1957 |
| CCO 120/2/64 | North Dorset | May-June 1957 |
| CCO 120/2/65 | Gloucester | Sept.-Nov. 1957 |
| CCO 120/2/66 | Leicester South East | June-Dec. 1957 |
| CCO 120/2/67 | Ipswich | Sept. 1957-May 1958 |
| CCO 120/2/68 | Kelvingrove | Feb.-Mar. 1958 |
| CCO 120/2/69 | Rochdale | Jan.-Mar. 1958 |
| CCO 120/2/70 | Torrington | Feb.-Mar. 1958 |
| CCO 120/2/71 | North Islington | Mar.-May 1958 |
| CCO 120/2/72 | Argyll | May-June 1958 |
| CCO 120/2/73 | Ealing South | Feb.-June 1958 |
| CCO 120/2/74 | Weston-super-Mare | May-June 1958 |
| CCO 120/2/75 | Wigan | June 1958 |
| CCO 120/2/76 | Chichester | July-Nov. 1958 |
| CCO 120/2/77 | Aberdeenshire East | Oct.-Nov. 1958 |
| CCO 120/2/78 | Morecombe and Lonsdale | Aug.-Nov. 1958 |
| CCO 120/2/79 | Pontypool | Oct. Nov. 1958 |
| CCO 120/2/80 | St. Helen's | June-Nov. 1958 |
| CCO 120/2/81 | Shoreditch and Finsbury | Nov. 1958 |
| CCO 120/2/82 | Southend West | Oct. 1958-Jan. 1959 |
| CCO 120/2/83 | South West Norfolk | Jan.-Mar. 1959 |
| CCO 120/2/84 | Belfast | Mar. 1959 |
| CCO 120/2/85 | Whitehaven | Apr.-June 1959 |
| CCO 120/2/86 | Ebbw Vale | Oct.-Nov. 1960 |
| CCO 120/2/87 | Warrington | Apr.-May 1961 |
| CCO 120/2/88 | Glasgow Bridgeton | Nov. 1961 |
| CCO 120/2/89 | Orpington | Mar. 1962 |
| CCO 120/2/90 | Swansea East | Mar.-Apr. 1963 |
CCO 120/3: Committee to examine the People's League for the Defence of Freedom and the Middle Class Alliance (Mr. Cohen's Committee), 1956-7
| CCO 120/3/1 | Minutes | 1956 |
| CCO 120/3/2 | Memoranda | 1956 |
| CCO 120/3/3 | Correspondence | 1956 |
| CCO 120/3/4 | History of the People's League and Middle Class Alliance and evidence of activities | 1956 |
| CCO 120/3/5 | Report of Committee | 1956 |
| CCO 120/3/6 | Minutes of Standing Committee on the People's League | 1957 |
CCO 120/4: Party Organisation and Committee on Reorganisation, 1962-3
| CCO 120/4/1 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - correspondence with Party Chairman | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/2 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - 'Indispensable memoranda' handed to S.L., previous enquiry reports | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/3 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - Arrangements for S.L. to visit Areas | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/4 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - index to verbal evidence received | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/5 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - minutes of verbal evidence (1-40) | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/6 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - minutes of verbal evidence (41-75) | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/7 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - minutes of verbal evidence (76-153) | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/8 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - miscellaneous notes by S.L. on verbal evidence | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/9 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - correspondence with Party Treasurers | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/10 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - memoranda from Central Office | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/11 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - correspondence with MPs and Ministers | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/12 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - correspondence to arrange individual interviews | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/13 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - written evidence, index and memoranda (1-30) | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/14 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - written evidence, index and memoranda (31-60) | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/15 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - written evidence, index and memoranda (61-89) | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/16 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - written evidence, index and memoranda (91-101) | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/17 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - other written suggestions on organisation (1) | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/18 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - other written suggestions on organisation (2) | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/19 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - other written suggestions on organisation (3) | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/20 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - miscellaneous suggestions on organisation (1) | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/21 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - miscellaneous suggestions on organisation (2) | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/22 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - Agents' pay and conditions of employment | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/23 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - Women's National Advisory Committee | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/24 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - Report of S.L., draft, additional memoranda, final report | 1962-3 |
| CCO 120/4/25 | Selwyn Lloyd Enquiry into Party Organisation - correspondence after publication of report | 1962-3 |