Ordnance Survey International

Established in 1946 as the Directorate of Colonial Surveys by the Colonial Office as a central survey and mapping organisation for British colonies and protectorates. Renamed Directorate of Overseas Surveys (DOS) in 1957, it largely retained its mapping responsibilities to the growing number of independent members of the British Commonwealth, and in addition undertook mapping for non-Commonwealth countries, such as Ethiopia, Indonesia, Liberia, Paraguay, Sudan and Yemen Arab Republic between 1975 and 1991. DOS lost its independence in 1984 when it merged with Ordnance Survey as Overseas Surveys Directorate, OS (OSD). Aid-funded survey and mapping projects were concluded in 1991 and its title changed again, to OS International; it was wound up as an independent unit in 2001.

Most of the files in this collection date from the 1960s to 1980s, with an overall span of 1949 to 2001. They concern matters such as technical assistance, co-operation and appraisal, map printing and production, cadastral and air survey, instruction manuals, staff lists, management committee correspondence, estimates, progress and annual reports, example sheets and authority for mapping, for most of the smaller Commonwealth nations.