A Summary Description of the Papers of the National FrontTABLE OF CONTENTS |
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A Summary Description of the Papers of the National Front
Return to the Table of Contents Administrative/Biographical HistoryThe National Front was formed on 7 Feb 1967 by a merger of three existing organisations: the Racial Preservation Society, the British National Party and the League of Empire Loyalists, later joined by John Tyndall's Greater British Movement. A. K. Chesteron was the first Chairman. John Tyndall became Chairman in 1972, but was succeeded by John Kingsley Read in 1974. In 1976, however, Read left to found the National Party and Tyndall once more became Chairman. The party steadily gained members, reaching 17,000 in the mid 1970s, until the Conservative Party came to power in 1979, when membership began to drop off and the organisation began to struggle for survival. The new British National Party replaced it as the pre-eminent nationalist party. Tyndall resigned to form the New National Front, which later became the BNP, in 1980, being replaced as Chairman by Andrew Brons. In the 1990s the National Front gained more ground, but in 1995 it was decided to change its name to the National Democrats. Some members, led by John McAuley, refused to accept this and broke away, continuing to call themselves the National Front. Both a populist movement and a political party, the National Front's views were nationalistic, strongly right wing and pro-white, opposing multiracialism and multiculturalism, immigration, homosexuality, the European Union, capitalism, communism and internationalism. The National Front was controlled by a National Chairman and a Directorate, established in 1971, comprising Activities (later renamed National Activities), Administration, Branch Development (later renamed Branch Liaison), Finance, Policy, and Publicity Departments. Elections and Special Recruitment Departments were added later. The Young National Front was the youth branch. There were also local branches throughout the country, organised into Regions, which included North West England, South West England, West Midlands, East Midlands, Thames Valley, Home Counties North, and South London. Each Directorate department, the Young National Front, and each branch and region were headed by an Organiser, each of whom frequently held several positions. Initially the National Front was supported only by two privately-owned publications, John Tyndall's Spearhead and A. K. Chesterton's Candour, but in 1971 it started its own broadsheet, Britain First. In December 1977 National Front News began publication. By 1995 the National Front published The Flag and Vanguard. Reference: The National Front (http://www.natfront.com/history.html). Return to the Table of Contents Scope and ContentMinutes, national and local ephemera, 1970s-80s with cuttings albums relating to Mr P. Harrington and the Polytechnic of North London. Return to the Table of Contents Immediate Source of AcquisitionThis collection was deposited in the Centre by Mr P. Harrington. AccrualsFurther deposits are not expected. Access ConditionsThere are no restrictions on access to these papers. Copyright/ReproductionThere are no restrictions on the use of this archive, apart from the requirements of copyright law. Return to the Table of Contents Finding AidsA copy of this collection-level description is available in paper format in the Centre's searchroom. An authority record exists for the National Front (GB 0152 AAR1822). Related Units of DescriptionFurther papers of the National Front are held at the Centre within the papers of Wayne Ashcroft (MSS.412) Return to the Table of Contents Index Headings
National Front
Nationalism Great Britain Nationalists Great Britain Political activity Return to the Table of Contents |