Records of Welfare and Students Departments

Division within CO

1941-1974

Records of Welfare and Students Departments relating to responsibilities for the welfare of colonial subjects resident in Britain.

Correspondence of these departments is in CO 876 and CO 1028, with registers in CO 977. Selected personal files of colonial students are in CO 981

For later records see OD 14

Public Record(s)

English

• Colonial Office, Students Department, 1951-1961
• Colonial Office, Welfare Department, 1943-1951
• Department of Technical Co-operation, Students Branch, 1961-1964

4 series

Topics

Welfare

In 1943 the growing number of colonial subjects in the United Kingdom led to the creation of a separate Welfare Department to look after their interests. It was responsible for the administration of their hostels and clubs, for colonial students and ethnic minority questions generally in the United Kingdom. In 1951 it was renamed the Students Department and in 1961 it was transferred to the Department of Technical Co-operation.