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Administering the Empire, 1801-1968: A Guide to the Records of the Colonial Office in The National Archives of the UK, by Mandy Banton. London Institute of Historical Research/ The National Archives of the UK, 2008, xx + 402. ISBN 978-1-905165-29- 2. £20.
The clarity and rigour with which this tome has been compiled will not surprise any of the many visitors to The National Archives who have benefitted from Dr. Banton's expertise over the years.
The first section of Administering the Empire is sub-divided into eleven 'commentaries', opening with chapters on 'The British Empire', 'Colonial government structure and relations with London' and other important background topics before moving on to the records themselves. Some seventyfive pages are devoted to the detailed explanation of the workings of Colonial Office records. Subsequent...