Series
Ministry of Defence Art Collection
Catalogue reference: ADM 365
What's it about?
ADM 365
The series contains a small selection of historic manuscrips and maps from the Ministry of Defence Art Collection.
Full description and record details
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Reference (The unique identifier to the record described, used to order and refer to it)
- ADM 365
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Title (The name of the record)
- Ministry of Defence Art Collection
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Date (When the record was created)
- 1662-1996
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Description (What the record is about)
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The series contains a small selection of historic manuscrips and maps from the Ministry of Defence Art Collection.
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Arrangement (Information about the filing sequence or logical order of the record)
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Series arranged in chronological order.
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Separated material (A cross-reference between records that are related by provenance but now kept separately)
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Most of the collection was transferred to the National Maritime Museum, the National Museum of the Royal Navy, the Army Museum, the Royal Air Force Museum, the Imperial War Museum, The Royal Collection.
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Held by (Who holds the record)
- The National Archives, Kew
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Legal status (A note as to whether the record being described is a Public Record or not)
- Public Record(s)
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Language (The language of the record)
- English
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Creator(s) (The creator of the record)
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- Admiralty, 1832-1964
- Ministry of Defence, 1947-1947
- Navy Board, 1546-1832
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Physical description (The amount and form of the record)
- 8 flat sheets and volumes
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Access conditions (Information on conditions that restrict or affect access to the record)
- Open unless otherwise stated
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Immediate source of acquisition (When and where the record was acquired from)
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In 2019 Ministry of Defence
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Closure status (Whether the record is ‘open’ (available to the public) or ‘closed’ (not available due to a legal exemption))
- Open Document, Open Description
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Custodial history (Describes where and how the record has been held from creation to transfer to The National Archives)
- The collection accrued in the 19th and early 20th century and has been held by the Admiralty and later, the War Office, then the Ministry of Defence
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Accruals (Indicates whether the archive expects to receive further records in future)
- No further accruals are anticipated
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Selection and destruction information (Information about how the record was selected for archiving)
- Records Collection Policy, s. 3.1.2 The structures and decision-making process in government
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Administrative / biographical background (Historical or biographical information about the creator of the record and the context of its creation)
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First Lords and Admiralty Secretaries commissioned portraits, donated or bequeathed items from their private collections with the intention of ensuring that their memories were preserved. This art collection grew from the early nineteenth century through the generosity of donors who made bequests and gifts to the Admiralty and, later, to the War Office, then the Ministry of Defence.
The Ministry of Defence Art Collection (MODAC) consisted of around 2,000 items of fine art and antiques, including paintings, drawings, engravings, photographs, clocks and furniture. Following a review of the collection the decision was taken to transfer ownership of the significant works to museums and public bodies in order to ensure their continued protection and public display.
On 12 may 2016 the Secretary of State for Defence Mr Michael Fallon made a written ministerial statement to Parliament explaining the transfer of ownership of the most significant works to public galleries and museums, including the National Maritime Museum, the National Museum of the Royal Navy, the Army Museum, the Imperial War Museum, the Government Art Collection and The National Archives; with the remainder in other public buildings. Residual items remained within the Ministry of Defence as publicly owned non-operational heritage assets. The collection was not valued formally, in line with Government policy. Transfer on an unvalued basis was approved by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. The Ministry of Defence Art Department closed at the end of March 2017.
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Record URL
- https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C16958112/
Catalogue hierarchy
This record is held at The National Archives, Kew
Within the department: ADM
Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies
You are currently looking at the series: ADM 365
Ministry of Defence Art Collection