Prison
Service
Order
National Archives
ORDER
NUMBER
1251
Issue No. 243
PSO 1251
page 1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
This PSO provides instruction and guidance in the management of historic documents and
related artefacts held by the Prison Service. It updates the previous version of PSO 1251 and
reflects the closure of the Prison Service Museum at Newbold Revel and recent Open
Government Legislation.
DESIRED OUTCOME
To ensure compliance with the Prison Service statutory obligations under the Public Records
Acts 1958 and 1967 also the Data Protection Act 1998 and Freedom of Information Act 2000.
MANDATORY ACTIONS
All Governors and Heads of Group should review any historical records or related artefacts held
within their Units.
RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS
None
IMPLEMENTATION DATE:
22 August 2005
(signed)
Michael Spurr
Director of Operations
Area/Operational Manager: Paul Carroll
Further advice or information on this PSO or the systems contained within it can be sought
from:
As listed at paragraph 5.
Issue No. 243
Issue date 2/7/05
PSO 1251
page 2
National Archives
1.
Introduction
The coming into force of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FoIA) and the decision to
close the Prison Service Museum at Newbold Revel has changed the way in the way in
which HMPS manages historical records and artefacts.
1.1
Under the Public Records Acts 1958 and 1967 the Prison Service is required to preserve
records selected for permanent preservation with a view to making them available to the
public. There is also a wider duty to retain historical objects, such as those items formerly
held by the Prison Service Museum.
2.
Management of Historic Documents
2.1
On January 1 2005, the FoIA came into full effect. This gives individuals a wide-ranging
right of access to official information held by public authorities such as the Prison Service,
see PSO 9020, The Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
One effect of the Act is to do away with the ‘Thirty Year Rule’ whereby access to
government files could be denied for a set period after they had been closed. Under the
FoIA, all files are potentially accessible, whether or not a ‘closed’ period has been specified
at some point in the past. This means that there is no cooling off period in which
sensitivities can diminish.
2.2
It is likely that many establishments and headquarters units retain files after the normal
destruction date because they were considered to be of historical value and candidates for
eventual transfer to either The National Archives (TNA) or Local Archives. Because of the
legislative changes outlined above, these closed files can be accessed with immediate
effect by members of the public, subject to any FoIA exemptions. Where such a request is
made the overhead involved in meeting it would have to be borne by the Prison Service.
2.3
For this reason, the procedures for managing historic records have been changed and the
new procedures are as follows;
2.4
Governor or equivalent assesses whether the file or other papers are of sufficient
historical significance to justify preservation at The National Archives at Kew. There is a
statutory requirement for this work to be done under the supervision of TNA, who will
also set the criteria to be followed. Advice on this can be sought from the Registry
Manager at Branston, and the selection criteria to follow. If it is agreed that the file
should be transferred to Kew, the Registry will make the necessary arrangements.
2.5
If it is agreed that either TNA or LRO will take the file it should be sent via the Registry
where it will be vetted in line with the Freedom of Information and Data Protection Acts
before it is transferred.
2.6
If the file is not of national significance, but is of local importance, it should be offered to
the Local Record Office (LRO) who may wish to inspect the papers first. A list of LROs is
attached at annex.
2.7
If neither TNA nor local archives want the file, and there is no ongoing operational
requirement to hold the information, then it should be destroyed locally. The Registry at
Branston cannot accept any material turned down by the archives. There is a statutory
requirement for all of this work to be completed before the records reach 30 years of
age.
Issue No. 243
Issue date 2/7/05
PSO 1251
3.
Retention of long term operational records
3.1
The following files, no matter how old, must be retained:

plans of prisons still in use;

details of prison security arrangements.
page 3
Any request for access to such material should be referred to the Open Government Unit in
line with the procedures set out in PSO 9020.
4.
Historical Objects
4.1
As well as papers, the Prison Service holds a large number of objects that are of genuine
interest to the general public. With the closure of the Prison Service Museum, it has been
agreed that these objects will be held at The Galleries of Justice in Nottingham.
4.2
Photographs taken by officials in the course of their duty, e.g. ‘mug shot’ albums, are
historic records that should be offered to TNA. If TNA do not select them, then they should
be offered to an appropriate LRO or the Gallery of Justice, Nottingham.
4.3
Artefacts such as obsolete uniforms, items made by prisoners, prison fixtures and fittings
etc, should be offered to The Galleries of Justice.
5.
Contacts
Registry:
Tel No: 01283 740013
Open Government Unit:
Tel No: 0207 217 5491
Home Office IRMS:
Tel No: 0207 035 6021
The National Archives, Kew:
Tel No: 0280 876 3444
mark.jarvis@nationalarchives.gov.uk
For information about other organisations dealing with historical records visit:
http://www.archon.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archon/
The Galleries of Justice, High Pavement, Lace Market, Nottingham, NG1 1HN (0115 952
0555)
www.galleriesofjustice.org.uk
Issue No. 243
Issue date 2/7/05
PSO 1251
6.
page 4
List of local archive offices:
Below is a list of local archive offices. All these places have been approved as “places of
deposit” by The National Archives. You can also find details of record repositories at the
following: http://www.archon.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archon/
ENGLAND
Repository Name
Telephone
Barking & Dagenham Archives
0208 592 8404
Barnet Archives
0208 359 2876
Barnsley Archive Service
01226 773950/773938
Bath City Record Office
01225 477421
Bedfordshire Record Office
01234 228833/228777
Berkshire Record Office
0118 901 5132
Berwick-upon-Tweed Record Office
01289 330044 ext 275
Bexley Libraries & Museums Department
01322 526574
Birmingham City Archives
0121 303 4217
Bolton Archive & Local Studies Service
01204 522311
Brent Archives
0208 937 3540
Bristol Record Office
017 922 4224
Bromley Archives Service
0208 460 9955
Buckinghamshire Record Office
01296 382587
Burton-upon-Trent Archives
01283 239566
Bury Archive Service
0161 797 6697
Cambridgeshire Record Office, Cambridge
01223 717281
Cambridgeshire Record Office, Huntingdon
0123 718131
Camden Local Studies & Archives Centre
0207 413 6342
Centre for Kentish Studies
01622 694363
Cheshire Record Office
01244 602574
Chester City Record Office
01244 492110
Cleveland County Archives
01642 248321
Cornwall Record Office
01872 273698/323127
Issue No. 243
Issue date 2/7/05
PSO 1251
page 5
Repository name
Telephone
Corporation of London Record Office
0207 332 1250
Coventry City Record Office
01203 832418
Croydon Local Studies Library
0208 760 5400 ext 1112
Cumbria Record Office, Barrow
01229 894363
Cumbria Record Office, Carlisle
01228 607285
Cumbria Record Office, Kendal
01539 773540
Cumbria Record Office, Whitehaven
01946 852920
Derbyshire Record Office, Whitehaven
01629 580000 ext 35201
Devon Record Office
01392 384253
Doncaster Archives Department
01302 859811
Dorset Record Office
01305 250550
Dudley Archives & Local History Service
01834 812770
Durham Record Office
0191 383 3523/3474
Ealing Local History Library & Archive 0208 567 3656 ext 37
Service
East Riding Record Office
01482 885044
East Sussex Record Office
01273 482349
Essex Record Office, Chelmsford
01245 430067
Essex Record Office, Colchester
01206 572099
Essex Record Office, Southend
01702 464278
Gloucestershire Record Office
01452 425295
Greater Manchester County Record Office
0161 8325284
Greenwich Local History Library
0208 858 4631
Guildhall Library
0207 332 1862/3
Hackney Archives Department
0207 241 2886
Hammersmith and Fulham Archives
0208 741 5159
Hampshire Record Office
01962 846154
Haringey Bruce Castle Museum
0208 808 8772
Hereford Record Office
01432 265441
Hertfordshire Record Office
01992 555105
Hillingdon Heritage Service
01895 250702
Hounslow Local Studies
0208 570 0622 ext 7892
Issue No. 243
Issue date 2/7/05
PSO 1251
page 6
Repository name
Telephone
Isle of Wight Record Office
01923 823820/1
Kensington & Chelsea Libraries & Arts 0207 361 3038
Service
Knowsley Archives
0151 443 3738
Lambeth Archives Department
0207 926 6076
Lancashire Record Office
01772 263039
Leicestershire Record Office
0116 257 1080
Lewisham Local History Centre
0208 297 0682
Lichfield Record Office
01543 510720
Lincolnshire Archives
01522 526204
Liverpool Record Office
0151 225 5417
London Metropolitan Archives
0207 332 3820
Manchester City Archives Department
0161 832 5284
Merseyside Record Office
0151 236 8038
Newham Borough Archives
0208 557 8856
Norfolk Record Office,
01603 761349
North Devon Record Office, Norwich
01271 388603
Northamptonshire Record Office
01604 762129
Northumberland Record Office,
0191 236 2680
Nottinghamshire Archives
0115 958 1634/950 4524
Oldham Archives Service
0161 911 4654
Oxfordshire Archives
01865 815203
Portsmouth Records Office
01705 827261
Rochdale Library Service
01706 647474
Rochester upon Medway City Archives
01634 732714
Rotherham Borough Archives
01709 823616/382121
Salford City Archives Service
0161 775 5643
Sheffield Archives
0114 273 4756
Shropshire Record Office
01743 255350
Somerset Record Office
01823 278805
Southampton Record Office
01703 832251
Southwark Local Studies Library
0207 403 3507
Staffordshire Record Office
01785 278380
Issue No. 243
Issue date 2/7/05
PSO 1251
page 7
Repository name
Telephone
Stockport Archives Service
0161 474 4530
Suffolk Record Office, Ipswich
01473 584541
Suffolk Record Office, Bury St Edmunds 01284 352350
Branch
Suffolk Record Office,Lowestoft Branch
01502 405357
Surrey History Centre
01483 594594
Sutton Archives
0208 770 4747
Tameside Archive Service
0161 338 2708
Tower Hamlets Archive Service
0208 980 4366 ext 129
Trafford Borough Council
0161 912 3013
Tyne & Wear Archives Service
0191 232 6789
Walsall Archives Service
01922 721305/6
Waltham Forest Archives
0208 509 1917
Warwickshire Record Office
01926 412735
West Sussex Record Office
01243 533911
West Yorkshire Archive Service, Bradford
01274 731931
West
Yorkshire
Archive
Service, 01422 39236
Calderdale
West Yorkshire Archive Service, Wakefield 01924 305980
West Yorkshire Archive Service, Kirklees
01484 221966
Westminster City Archives
0207 641 2180
Wigan Record Office
01942 404430
Wiltshire & Swindon Record Office
01225 713136
Wirral Archives Service
0151 652 6106/7/8
Wolverhampton Archives
01902 552480
Worcester (St Helen’s) Record Office
01905 765922
York City Archives Department
01904 551878/9
WALES
Anglesey County Record Office
01248 752080
Ceredigion Archives
01970 633697/8
Carmarthenshire Record Office
01267 224184
Denbigshire Record Office
01824 703077
Flintshire Record Office
01244 532364
Glamorgan Record Office
01222 780282
Issue No. 243
Issue date 2/7/05
PSO 1251
page 8
Repository name
Telephone
Gwent Record Office
01633 644886
Gwynedd, Caernarfon Area Record Office
01286 679095
Gwynedd, Merioneth Archives
01341 422341
Pembrokeshire Record Office
01437 763707
Powys County Archives Office
01597 826088
West Glamorgan Archive Service
01792 636589
Issue No. 243
Issue date 2/7/05