Identity area
Reference code
LK LK-NA LK-NA/5
Title
Dispatches from the Governor of Ceylon to the Secretary of State for the Colonies
Date(s)
- 1798-1948 (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
Files 1-490, manuscripts and printed
Context area
Name of creator
Chief Secretary’s Office
(1798-1948)
Administrative history
Chief Secretary's office was established in 1798 with the appointment of Hugh Cleghorn as the first chief secretary of the colony on 25 May 1798 by a dispatch of the Director of the East India Company to Fredrick North, Governor of Ceylon. The appointment was made by the Crown.
With the recommendation of the Colebrooke-Cameron Commission of 1833 the designation of chief secretary was changed to the colonial secretary and P. Anstruther was appointed as the first colonial secretary on 1st May 1833. His function was to take the governor's orders and all matters connected with the executive duties of the government. He was the chief administrator of the colony, under the guidance of the governor.
Once again the designation was changed to chief secretary under the Donoughmore constitution and B. H. Bolldillon resumed duties as chief secretary on 7th July 1931. The subject pertaining to defence, external affairs and the public services were directly under the supervision of the chief secretary.
The Soulbury commission, recommended the abolition of this post in 1947.
With the recommendation of the Colebrooke-Cameron Commission of 1833 the designation of chief secretary was changed to the colonial secretary and P. Anstruther was appointed as the first colonial secretary on 1st May 1833. His function was to take the governor's orders and all matters connected with the executive duties of the government. He was the chief administrator of the colony, under the guidance of the governor.
Once again the designation was changed to chief secretary under the Donoughmore constitution and B. H. Bolldillon resumed duties as chief secretary on 7th July 1931. The subject pertaining to defence, external affairs and the public services were directly under the supervision of the chief secretary.
The Soulbury commission, recommended the abolition of this post in 1947.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Dispatches, (1798-1885) duplicates of dispatches, (1805-1809, 1828-1837) summaries, precis of dispatches, telegrams, (1917-1948), registers of dispatches, (1941-48), annexures (1812-1885), telegrams (1798-1948)
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
File List, Precise of Dispatches: 1812-1816, 1824-1836, 1828-1832, 1834-1843, 1842-1844). Summaries of Dispatches (1795-1905) Alphabetical Index to Dispatches: 1796-1833.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Chief Secretary’s Office (Creator)
Description control area
Description identifier
LK-NA/CSO
Institution identifier
LK-NA
Rules and/or conventions used
ISAD(G)
Status
Final
Level of detail
Minimal
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
- Latin
Sources
International Council on Archives Guide to the Sources of Asian History Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka II (Vol 1), National Archives of Sri Lanka, 1996.