British Overseas Socialist Fellowship

The collection includes minutes of meetings, the BOSF Secretary's correspondence files, AGM papers and copies of the groups newsletter, 'Labour Link'.

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Formed following a decision by the Labour Party National Executive Committee, the British-Asian Socialist Fellowship was launched at a conference held at Beaver Hall, Garlick Hill, London on the 11 July 1953.

In the Constitution, the stated aims of the group were as follows:

- The promotion of socialist solidarity and understanding by the organisation of conferences, meetings, lectures and schools on political, economic and cultural subjects of common interest to Britain and Asia;- the exchange of knowledge and information between the United Kingdom and the countries of Asia;- the promotion of exchange visits between the United Kingdom and the countries of Asia;- the publication of periodical bulletin or magazine;- the organisation of social activities designed to bring members if the Labour Party and representative groups and individual Asians/resident in the United Kingdom in touch with one another, with a view to strengthening the international socialist movement.

Under the Presidency of Clement Attlee, the first meeting of the committee took place at the House of Commons on the 30 July 1953, and subsequent meetings were generally held at the House of Commons or the Labour Party Headquarters, Smith Square, London. The Committee, later Council, met regularly, with the secretarial duties undertaken by staff of the Labour Party International and Commonwealth Department and later International Department, and the first Annual Conference was held on 6 February 1964 with over 200 delegates and observers attending. The group quickly looked to form local branches, with ones set up at Leeds, Croydon, West London (later just London) and Cambridge, though the latter failed to prosper. Following an invitation to affiliate, 132 Labour Parties, 18 Co-operative Parties and 113 trade unions and union branches and 10 other organisations responded. By 1956, there were 318 individual members and 263 organisations affiliated.

From the early days the group produced a bulletin, ?East and West?, though this was replaced by a quarterly issued bulletin ?Labour Link? from around 1959 until at least 1962.

In March 1956 notice was given that, in recognition of the increased scope to cover the Caribbean, South America, Africa and the [British] Mediterranean territories, the name of the organisation would change to British-Asian and Overseas Socialist Fellowship, which was chosen rather than an 1955 suggestion of British Asian and African Socialist Fellowship. At the 7th Annual Conference, a final name change saw the group become the British Overseas Socialist Fellowship.

The organisation facilitated visits from socialists from overseas and arranged meetings for them with prominent British socialists, and it was also responsible for the running or sponsoring of a number of activities to further its aims, including the running of day schools, ?Brains Trusts? where experts in particular fields were quizzed, the giving of scholarships. The groups was also linked with the Overseas Socialist Hostel Society Limited, a body that provided lodging for visiting socialists.

Other leading figures on the Council included Fenner Brockway, Dr David Pitt (later Baron Pitt of Hampstead), Leah Manning and Donald Chesworth.