War Cabinet and Cabinet: Various Ministers: Private Office Files

CAB 118

1938-1947

This series consists of papers collected by Clement Attlee during his term of office as Deputy Prime Minister and subsequently kept together as a single collection. They consist mostly of files of Private Office papers of Attlee, but also contain some of Neville Chamberlain and Sir John Anderson during their periods of office as Lord Presidents of the Council. They also include some of Attlee's correspondence prior to his membership of the War Cabinet. Two files (CAB 118/29 and CAB 118/40) comprise papers of Arthur Greenwood, the Lord Privy Seal.

Original numerical sequence of creating body has been followed

For Dominions Office private office papers, including the period when Attlee was minister, see:

Public Record(s)

English

• Cabinet, 1945-1945
• War Cabinet, 1939-1945

91 file(s)

From 1974 Cabinet Office

Topics

Personal and family papers

Series is accruing

Clement Attlee was leader of the Labour Party, and a member of the wartime coalition government from its formation in May 1940, until its dissolution in May 1945. He served as Lord Privy Seal from May 1940 to February 1942, then Secretary of State for the Dominions to September 1943, and was Lord President of the Council from 8 Sept 1943 to 28 May 1945. The War Cabinet and the Defence Committee met under his chairmanship and he was styled and recognised as Deputy Prime Minister, although no constitutional change was made.

Neville Chamberlain became Lord President of the Council on 12 May 1940 in the coalition government, having previously been Prime Minister. Following his resignation through ill-health, he was succeeded as Lord President on 4 October 1940 by Sir John Anderson (the Home Secretary and Minister of Home Security) who continued in the post until 8 Sept 1943 when he became Chancellor of the Exchequer. He was succeeded as Lord President by Attlee.

Arthur Greenwood was Lord Privy Seal from 1945 to 1947, and Paymaster General from 1946 to 1947. He had previously been a member of the War Cabinet and Minister without Portfolio, 1940 to 1942.