ORIGINAL SERIES (2nd group): 1840-1913

This sub-series (known as Original Series, Group 2) like other parts of ADM 1 contains a wide range of letters on official or semi-official business sent to, or created by, the Admiralty. During this period, these in-letters are increasingly accompanied by memoranda, minutes and other internally generated papers relating to the subject in question. From 1869 these pieces include the out-letters that have resulted from such in-letters and internal papers (prior to 1869, out-letters are to be found in ADM 2 (up to 1859) and ADM 13 (1859-1869)).

This part of ADM 1 is organised first into years, and then within each year into broadly the groups used in the pre 1840 arrangements (i.e.: letters from Admirals, Captains, various Public Offices etc.). For ease of browsing, the pieces have been segregated into decade groups in the on-line catalogue.

Descriptions of pieces containing letters from Admirals are followed by letters (such as 'Qa' for the Brazil/South Atlantic station, 'N' for the Mediterranean Fleet etc.). These are reference codes used in the ADM 12 indexes and digests, and help locate a particular document registered in these finding aids.

It should be noted that these papers were increasingly weeded before transfer to the Public Record Office as the century progressed (to the extent that some documents formerly bound into volumes, were taken out of such volumes as part of the weeding process).

There are also a small number of strays from 1840-1913 in the Original Series, Group 4; Series I; Series II; and the Final Series of ADM 1 (ADM 1/8780-31037). Other registered papers for this period (grouped together into 'cases') can be found in ADM 7 (1787-1871) and ADM 116 (c. 1850 onwards).