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British Library of Political and Economic Science

MEADOWCROFT, Michael James, b 1942, Liberal politician


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0097 MEADOWCROFT

Held at: British Library of Political and Economic Science

Title: MEADOWCROFT, Michael James, b 1942, Liberal politician

Date(s): 1960-2000

Level of description: Collection (fonds)

Extent: 52 boxes

Name of creator(s): Meadowcroft | Michael James | b 1942 | Liberal politician

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

Born 1942; educated King George V School in Southport and Bradford University; Chairman, Merseyside Regional Young Liberal Organisation, 1961; Liberal Party Local Government Officer, 1962-1967; Secretary, Yorkshire Liberal Federation, 1967-1970; Assistant Secretary, Joseph Rowntree Social Service Trust, 1970-1978; General Secretary, Bradford Metropolitan Council for Voluntary Service, 1978-1983; Senior Visiting Fellow, PSI, 1989; Director, Electoral Reform Consultancy Services, 1992-1994; Member, Leeds City Council, 1968-1983; West Yorkshire MCC, 1973-1976, 1981-1983; Director, Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House, 1971-1983; Chairman, Liberal Party Assembly Committee, 1977-1981; President Elect, 1987-1988, and President, 1993-, Liberal Party; Liberal candidate for Leeds West, February and October 1974, 1987, and 1992; Liberal MP for Leeds West, 1983-1987; Chairman, Electoral Reform Society, 1989-1993; has undertaken 33 missions to new and emerging democracies; Co-ordinator, UN Electoral Assistance Secretariat, Malawi, 1994, OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) International Observer Mission, Russian Presidential election, 1996, Bulgaria, 1996, and the Bosnia Refugee Vote, 1996; Advisor on Jerusalem, EU Electoral Unit, Palestinian Assembly elections, 1995-1996; Consultant, Committee for Free and Fair Elections, Cambodia, 1997; European Co-Director, EC Support to Democratic Electoral Process in Cambodia, 1998. Publications: Liberalism and social democracy (Liberal Publication Department, London, [1981]); Liberal values for a new decade (Liberal Publication Department, London, [1980]); The bluffer's guide to politics: research and reference for councillors and community activists (North West Community Newspapers Ltd, Manchester, 1976).

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Papers of Michael James Meadowcroft, 1960-2000, mainly relating to his career in the Liberal Party, notably working papers for Liberal publications written by Meadowcroft, 1976-1992, including Liberal values for a new decade (1980), Bluffers guide to politics (1976), Liberalism and the left (1982) and The case for the Liberal Party (1992); documents collected for an article on Liberal strategy, including the Lib-Lab Pact, 1973-1978; material relating to elections for Leeds West, 1974-1987, including candidates handbooks, campaign manuals, General Election papers, press cuttings and reports to electors; material relating to Liberal Assemblies, 1971-1994, notably official papers, press cuttings and scrapbooks; material relating to the central Liberal Party, [1981-1990], including papers of the Liberal Party Council (1980-1983), minutes of the Parliamentary Liberal Party (1983-1987), and working papers of the Standing Committee (1980-1983); papers concerning the SDP and the Liberal/SDP Alliance, 1981-1988, including notes, press cuttings, manifestos, programme material , and SDP conference material; material concerning the SDP and Liberal Party merger, 1987-1989, notably papers relating to negotiations, and press cuttings; papers relating to the inception of the Liberal Movement, 1988-1989, mainly comprising working papers of the Steering Committee; material concerning European elections, 1977-1984; Leeds City Council papers, 1986-1987; material relating to Hammersmith Liberal Association, 1987, and West Leeds Liberal Association; general Liberal Party literature, 1984-1987, including strategy papers and booklets; material concerning the enquiry into Systime [computer company], 1985-1987, including case papers, parliamentary questions and correspondence with Paddy Ashdown; correspondence and papers relating to Cyril Smith, 1975-1984; later political papers, 1990-2000, mainly relating to Meadowcroft's role in the relaunched Liberal Party.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

The collection remains in the files arranged by Meadowcroft.

Conditions governing access:

Open, though some confidential files remain closed. Apply to Archivist for details.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copyright held by the Library. Some documents may be photocopied.

Physical characteristics:

Finding aids:

On-line box-list available.

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:

Accruals:

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Given by Michael Meadowcroft in 1997, 1998 and 2000. Papers relating to the Liberal/SDP Alliance were transferred from the Electoral Reform Society in 1997.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Existence and location of originals:

Existence and location of copies:

Related material:

The British Library of Political and Economic Science holds further material relating to Michael Meadowcroft in the papers of the Liberal Party (Ref: Liberal Party/5), the Liberal Movement (Ref: Liberal Movement 1/1, 4/1-2, 5/2), Neville Devonshire Sandelson (Ref: Sandelson 9/8), Sir David Martin Scott Steel (Ref: Steel 1/2) and Jean Henderson (Ref: Henderson 9/1). There is also some relevant election ephemera (Ref: Coll Misc 0738/1/37 and 0867/34). The Library also holds the papers of the SDP and the Liberal/SDP Alliance. The West Yorkshire Archives Service holds material relating to Meadowcroft's local political interests (Ref: LCO 4171).

Publication note:

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Note:

Archivist's note: Sources: Who's Who 1897-1996 (A & C Black, 1996); British Library On-Line Public Access Catalogue 97. Compiled by Sarah Aitchison as part of the RSLP AIM25 project.

Rules or conventions: Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions: Jan 2001


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Local government | Public administration | Government

Personal names
Ashdown | Jeremy John Durham | b 1941 | Liberal Democrat politician x Ashdown | Paddy
Meadowcroft | Michael James | b 1942 | Liberal politician
Smith | Sir | Cyril | b 1928 | Knight | Liberal (and Liberal Democrat) politician

Corporate names
Hammersmith Liberal Association
Leeds City Council
Liberal Movement
Liberal Party
Liberal Party Council
Liberal/SDP Alliance x Liberal Democratic Party
SDP | Social Democratic Party
Systime | [computer company]
West Leeds Liberal Association

Places
Hammersmith | London | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
Leeds | West Riding | Yorkshire | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
Hammersmith and Fulham