Post Office and Successors: Radio Regulation (P, RB and RD Series) Files

The records in this series consist of registered files created by the Post Office for matters for which the Home Office became responsible after 1974. They are from the General Post Office's central registry P (Preservation) series and the decentralised (from the early 1950s) RB and RD (Radio Branch) registries, pertaining to the regulation of radio transmissions.

The files relate to various radio matters including interpretation and implementation of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949, policy in respect of the licensing of all types of radio services, control of equipment used, development of radio services, the certification of ship radio officers, the Meteorological Broadcast Service, the regulation of business and private transmissions through licensing, communications at sea, transmissions by Trinity House services, of radio interference, the allocation of frequencies for commercial television, papers relating to the International Telecommunication Union and papers of committees and conferences relating to radio transmission and regulation. The Government's response to illicit radio (pirate radio) was also covered, as was the Independent Television Authority's staff pension scheme.. Files also relate to the setting up and the business of various technical and advisory committees on radio matters.

Note on Post Office P registry system. P 'minutes' or 'bundles' numbers as they are termed within the Post Office were assigned to papers at any point subsequent to their original registration. The system operated to facilitate the early destruction of ephemeral papers, and also allowed the reregistration forward of earlier papers when a similar piece of business arose subsequently. Consequently there is no correlation between the P number and the original registered number or the subject matter. The second numerical element in the reference indicates the year they had a P number assigned; the first numerical element was the next available plain number for that year, each year recommencing at 1.

A small number of WQ and RT prefixed files are included.

Conference documents and related files for international telecommunications conferences, conventions and the International Telecommunications HO 257

• General Post Office, 1660-1969
• Home Office, Radio Regulatory Department, 1974-1983
• Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, 1969-1974

Topics

Trade and commerce

Radio and television

Pay and pensions

Communications

Responsibilities passed from the Post Office in 1969 to the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, in 1974 to the Home Office, and in 1983 to the Department of Trade and Industry.