Colonial Office: Honours: Original Correspondence

CO 448

1858-1974

This series contains original correspondence relating to honours.

Bound volumes arranged chronologically within the following subject headings: Despatches (letters of the governors), Offices (letters of government departments and other organisations) and Individuals (arranged alphabetically). Each volume with a contents list, or précis of each letter giving name of correspondent, date of letter and subject matter. From 1926 the correspondence is arranged in subject files.

For records relating to the Imperial Service Order (Dominions) see DO 81

For records relating to the Imperial Service Order see CO 524

For records relating to the Order of St Michael and St George see CO 447

Public Record(s)

English

153 files and volumes

Subject to 30 year closure unless otherwise stated

From 2019 Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Topics

International

Series is accruing.

The functions of the Treaty and Royal Letter Department were to prepare theformal documents of diplomatic representation and treaty negotiation, to dealwith matters of protocol and to engross treaties; it was not concerned with theactual negotiation of treaties. The appointment of a clerk to deal specificallywith these functions dates from 1813 and he was given an assistant in 1817.Between 1841 and 1854 the superintendence of the Treaty and Royal LetterDepartment was one of the duties of the chief clerk, but in 1854 the departmentwas established as a separate entity. In addition to its responsibilities forformal documents, it dealt with British and foreign orders and medals,shipwreck and honorary awards, precedence, diplomatic privilege, presents,foreign titles of nobility and letters of introduction. Honours and awardsremained part of a separate Treaty Department from World War I through to 1951when they became part of the Protocol Department. By 1962 honours and awardssat within the Protocol, Treaty and Nationality Department and remained as partof the Protocol department after the amalgamation of the Foreign Office and theCommonwealth Office in 1968. A separate Honours section was created in 1993. In2000 the honours remit became part of the FCO Protocol Directorate.

Microfilm copies were created as part of the Australian Joint Copying Project (1948-1997). The microfilm images have been digitised and made available online by the National Library of Australia.