CIVIL DEFENCE CORPS (BARROW)

BA/C/CD/1. RECORDS OF VOLUNTEERS

1-22. Enrolment registers and record cards. 1949-1967

23-31. Attendance registers. 1960's

32-37. Lists of professional medical staff. c1966-7

38-41. Long service and Defence medals. 1951-1973

42-4 Miscellaneous. 1960's

BA/C/CD/2. TRAINING

1-11. Syllabuses, test papers and results. 1962-1967

12-20. Training memoranda, bulletins and notes. 1953-c1967

21-28. Correspondence files. 1951-1968

29-34. Scientific intelligence officers. 1961-1972

35-45. Civil Defence Training schools. 1957-1972

46-112. Training exercises and studies. 1954-1971

BA/C/CD/3. UNIFORM AND EQUIPMENT

1-13. Inventories, loan of equipment, issue notes and receipts. 1951-1969

BA/C/CD/4. MANUALS AND HANDBOOKS 1942-1972

BA/C/CD/5. CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

1-6. Correspondence with Home Office and various ministries and departments. 1941-1972

7-8. Reports and regulations. 1953-1967

9-42. Circulars and Bulletins. 1949-1973

BA/C/CD/6. REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS

1-4. Correspondence files. 1950-1973

5-6. Circulars. c1964

7-8. Conference.

BA/C/CD/7. BARROW HEADQUARTERS

1-8. Office management. 1957-1971

9-31. Correspondence files. 1951-1968

32-36. Invitations. c1967-1968

37-46. Financial records. 1949-1973

47-48. Annual reports and returns. 1963-1967

49-73. Stencils and blank forms. c1960's

74-107. Information files. c1960's

BA/C/CD/8. SECTIONS

1-9. Ambulance and First Aid. 1943-1968

10-16. Welfare. 1941-1972

17-30. Transport. 1951-1967

BA/C/CD/9. EMERGENCY PLANNING AND PUBLIC SAFETY SCHEMES

1-3. Emergency Services Project Group. 1967-1974

4-12. Public Safety Scheme. 1953-1973

BA/C/CD/10. CIVIL DEFENCE ASSOCIATIONS

1-3. Association of Civil Defence Officers. 1953-1972

4. Society of Industrial Civil Defence Officers. 1965

BA/C/CD/11. MISCELLANEOUS

1-6

Records deposited by Barrow Borough Council on 12 October 1982.

Donated by Mr. B. Beckett. Accession 1570. 29 September 1997, Ba/C/CB/11/6

The idea of forming a national network of volunteers to carry out civil defence duties was first discussed by central government in 1935. With the increasing concern with events in Germany and the likelihood of war, the Air Raid Precautions Act of 1937 was passed, establishing the first functions of the Civil Defence Corps under Sir John Anderson. As a result of this Act 'Anderson' shelters and gas masks were provided for the general public. Plans for evacuation of risk areas and provisions to move 1¾ million children were made, under the aegis of Elliot at the Ministry of Health. Land girls, observer corps, auxiliary fire services and Women's Voluntary Service personnel were all recruited. The rescue service section of the Civil Defence Corps was organised as well as the network of air raid wardens.

In order to run an efficient civilian defence corps the country was divided into thirteen regions, each under the control of a regional director. In wartime a senior minister was to be sent to each of the regions to take control of the new decentralised government. The first regional office was opened in Leeds on 1 November 1937 and, by the end of the following Summer, about eleven such offices were open.

In January 1939 the National Service Handbook was distributed to every household. The first Civil Defence act was passed in July of that year with a second act in 1948. These two Acts established the chain of command within the Civil Defence Corps. The Home Office was in supreme control with other Ministries taking responsibility for certain aspects of civil defence which related to their peacetime duties so, for example, the Ministry of Housing and Local Government was responsible for billeting dispersal, care of the homeless and the continuation of local government.

During wartime the regional commissioners were joined by representatives from all the major departments of government so that government could continue as usual. Each region was further divided into sub-regions under a sub-regional commissioner and director of operations. His responsibility was to control all civil defence operations and to carry out civil administration, thus providing further decentralisation of central government. All the aforementioned posts were filled by civil servants and not volunteers.

Barrow was in Region 10 and was controlled by a controller, the lowest level of staff approved by the Secretary of State. His functions were to do whatever was delegated to him by central government and to co-ordinate the exercise of central government powers and public utilities. Like the regional commissioner, the controller would have representatives from government departments, the uniformed services and public utilities to help him.

The local civil defence corps was divided into five sections: Headquarter staff at the control centres, carried out intelligence, scientific and reconnaissance duties and was in charge of signals. The wardens were the link between the corps and the public. Rescue section carried out rescue work and administered first aid. Similar medical duties were performed by the ambulance and first aid section. Finally, welfare dealt with the homeless, evacuation billeting, sanitation and emergency feeding.

A further branch was the Industrial Civil Defence group. Industries and commercial concerns numbering more than 200 employees were invited to form their own civil defence units.

Barrow Borough Council approved the appointment of a local controller and Civil Defence Sub-Committee on 3 April 1939 and Abbotswood became the Headquarters of the Borough's corps sometime later. Moves were taken to disband the majority of the Civil Defence Corps nationally in the 1970's and although councils retain some vestige of their former duties, civil defence is no longer the national organisation it was in the 1940's-1960's