University College London is pleased to announce that the
Papers of Hugh Gaitskell, Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1950 to
1951, and Leader of the Labour Party from 1955 until his sudden death
in 1963, are now open to researchers.
The bulk of the papers cover Gaitskells political life and
parliamentary career. Documents and correspondence relating to his work
as Opposition Leader and a working MPaccount for most of the
collection, while not surprisingly only a few Ministry files remain.
Highlights include a file relating to the 1949 devaluation crisis,
including correspondence with Harold Wilson and Clement Attlee, and a
manuscript diary of events, letters and papers relating to the 1951
re-armament budget; and after 1955 a wealth of more general political
material covering Suez, Clause 4, Defence and Europe, reflecting
Gaitskells major challenges as Labour Party Leader, including
interesting exchanges with other prominent politicians of the
day.
Thanks to the generous assistance of the Leverhulme Trust, who
awarded UCL a substantial grant, the work of cataloguing the archive
has been completed and researchers will be able to view the papers
which are deposited in the College where Gaitskell was once a lecturer
in Political Economy.
Please address all enquiries concerning access to the papers to
"[log in to unmask]" or telephone 0171 380 7796.
Gillian Furlong
Archivist, UCL Library Services
Manuscripts & Rare Books
Library Services
University College London
Gower Street
London WC1E 6BT
Tel: 0171-380-7796
Fax: 0171-380 7727
Email: [log in to unmask]
WWW: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/Library/special-coll/
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