Foreign and Commonwealth Office and predecessors: British Residency and High Commission,...

DO 229

1952-1967

This series contains selected records of the British Residency in Brunei to 1959, and the office of Her Majesty's High Commissioner in the State of Brunei from 1959.

Public Record(s)

English

• Colonial Office, British Residency, Brunei, 1905-1959
• Commonwealth Relations Office, High Commission, Brunei, 1959-1968
• Foreign and Commonwealth Office, High Commission, Brunei, 1968-1968

8 file(s)

Subject to 30 year closure

From 2001 Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Topics

International

Asia

Records of the British Residency in Brunei passed to the High Commissioner's Office when it was established in September 1959, when responsibility for UK relations with Brunei passed from the Colonial Office to the Commonwealth Relations Office.

File series began in 1905

Occasional further accruals can be expected.

Selected under Acquisition Policy criterion 2.2.1.3, documenting UK relations with the State of Brunei.

The State of Brunei was placed under British protection by a treaty of 1888, under which the Sultan of Brunei agreed that the state's foreign relations would be conducted by Britain. A supplementary agreement to this treaty in 1905 provided for a British officer, the Resident, to be the agent and representative of the British government in Brunei. The Resident reported to the British High Commissioner for the Malay States (1905-1948) and then to the Governor of Sarawak (1948-1959).

In September 1959 a new agreement replaced that of 1905. The Sultan promulgated a written constitution, and Britain remained responsible for the defence and foreign relations of Brunei. The office of Resident was terminated, and replaced with a High Commissioner. Brunei resumed full independence from Britain as a member of the Commonwealth in 1984.