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Series

Central Office of Information: Public Information Films

Catalogue reference: INF 32

What's it about?

INF 32

This series contains a selection of public information films produced by the Central Office of Information (COI) as part of national campaings designed to inform the public on issues which affect their daily lives, such as health, safety,...

Full description and record details

Reference

INF 32

Title
Central Office of Information: Public Information Films
Date

1945-2005

Description

This series contains a selection of public information films produced by the Central Office of Information (COI) as part of national campaings designed to inform the public on issues which affect their daily lives, such as health, safety, welfare, education and rights. Other subjects featured in the films are: animal cruelty, protecting the environment, crime prevention and how to vote in an election or fill in a census form. Many of the films were aimed at children and were shown during breaks in children's television programmes. They have provided information and influenced behaviour and social attitudes since the end of the Second World War.

Digitised copies of these films were made available through an online exhibition on The National Archives website in 2006 to mark the 60th anniversary of the creation of the Central Office of Information.

Related material

For miscellaneous public record films, see CD 1

Held by
The National Archives, Kew
Legal status

Public Record(s)

Language

English

Creator(s)
Central Office of Information, 1946-1946
Physical description

83 film(s)

Access conditions

Open

Subjects
Topics
Archives and libraries
Radio and television
Conflict
Democracy
Children
Census
Operations, battles and campaigns
Custodial history

The films were transferred to the British Film Institute who hold selected public record films on behalf of The National Archives.

Selection and destruction information

The public information films which covered subjects of particular interest or films which were in themselves innovative were selected for permanent preservation.

Administrative / biographical background

The Central Office of Information was created in 1946 and worked with government departments to create public information films to highlight issues which affected the British public.

Record URL
https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C14542159/

Catalogue hierarchy

Over 27 million records

This record is held at The National Archives, Kew

39,792 records

Within the department: INF

Records created or inherited by the Central Office of Information

You are currently looking at the series: INF 32

Central Office of Information: Public Information Films

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