Keeping change within bounds: Aspects of colonial policy during the churchill and eden governments, 1951-57

The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History

Volumn 18, Issue 1, 1990, Pages 81-108

  Goldsworthy, David ^a  

^a NONE

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EID: 84928830276     PISSN: 03086534     EISSN: 17439329     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/03086539008582810     Document Type: Article

References (139)

1. Michael Twaddle, ‘Decolonization in Africa: A New British Historiographical Debate’, in B. Jewsiewicki and D. Newbury (eds.), African Historiographies: What History for Which Africa? (Beverly Hills, 1986).
2. Miles Kahler, Decolonization in Britain and France: The Domestic Consequences of International Relations (Princeton, 1984);
3. R.F. Holland, European Decolonization 1918-1981: An Introductory Survey (Basingstoke, 1985);
4. J.D. Hargreaves, Decolonization in Africa (London, 1988);
5. John Darwin, Britain and Decolonisation: The Retreat from Empire in the Post-war World (Basingstoke, 1988).
6. Ronald Hyam, ‘Africa and the Labour Government, 1945-1951’, Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History, XVI, 3 (1988), 148.
7. R.F. Holland, ‘The Imperial Factor in British Strategies from Attlee to Macmillan, 1945-63’, Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History, XII, 2 (1984).
8. Yusuf Bangura, Britain and Commonwealth Africa: The Politics of Economic Relations 1951–75 (Manchester, 1983).
9. J.M. Lee’s Colonial Development and Good Government: A Study of the Ideas Expressed by the British Official Classes in Planning Decolonization 1939–1964 (Oxford, 1967.
10. Ronald Robinson, ‘Andrew Cohen and the Transfer of Power in Tropical Africa 1940-1951’, in W.H. Morris-Jones and G. Fischer (eds.), Decolonisation and After: The British and French Experience (London, 1980);
11. J.W. Cell, ‘On the Eve of Decolonisation: The Colonial Office’s Plans for the Transfer of Power in Africa, 1947’, Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History, 7 (1980);
12. R.D. Pearce, The Turning Point in Africa: British Colonial Policy 1938–48 (London, 1982);
13. Ronald Robinson and Wm. Roger Louis, ‘The United States and the Liquidation of the British Empire in Tropical Africa, 1941-1951’, in Prosser Gifford and Wm. Roger Louis (eds.), The Transfer of Power in Africa: Decolonization 1940–1960 (New Haven, 1982);
14. P.S. Gupta, ‘Imperialism and the Labour Government of 1945-51’, in J.M. Winter (ed.), The Working Class in Modern British History (Cambridge, 1983);
15. M.D. Cowen, ‘Early Years of the Colonial Development Corporation’, African Affairs, 83 (1984);
16. D.K. Fieldhouse, ‘The Labour Governments and the Empire-Commonwealth 1945-1951’, in R. Ovendale (ed.), The Foreign Policy of the British Labour Governments 1945–1951 (Leicester, 1984);
17. Wm. Roger Louis, The British Empire in the Middle East 1945–51 (Oxford, 1984);
18. Kenneth O. Morgan, Labour in Power, 1945–1951 (Oxford, 1984).
19. A.N. Porter and A.J. Stockwell, British Imperial Policy and Decolonization 1938–64, Vol. 1, 1938–51 (Basingstoke, 1987);
20. W.P. Kirkman, Unscrambling an Empire: A Critique of British Colonial Policy 1956–1966 (London, 1966);
21. Dan Horowitz, ‘Attitudes of British Conservatives towards Decolonization in Africa’, African Affairs, 69 (1970);
22. Nigel Fisher, Iain Macleod (London, 1973).
23. J.D.B. Miller, Survey of Commonwealth Affairs: Problems of Expansion and Attrition 1953–1969 (London, 1974).
24. A.N. Porter, ‘Iain Macleod, Decolonization in Kenya and Tradition in British Colonial Policy’, Journal for Contemporary History, 2 (1975);
25. Dennis Austin, ‘The Transfer of Power: Why and How’, in Morris-Jones and Fischer, op. cit.; D.J. Morgan, The Official History of Colonial Development, Vol.5 (London, 1980).
26. CO 537/6696, Cohen minute to Lloyd, 31 Oct. 1951; Lyttelton to Churchill, 7 Nov. 1951; prime ministerial minute, 8 Nov. 1951.
27. PREM 11/1367, draft telegram, 12 Feb. 1952. For whatever reason - second thoughts? advice from Sir Norman Brook? - the telegram was not sent.
28. PREM 11/1726F, brief on C(54) 307, ‘Commonwealth Membership’, 1 Dec. 1954.
29. CAB 128/25, CM 85 (52)1, 14 Oct. 1952 (tactics);
30. CAB 129/71, C(54)329, 3 Nov. 1954.
31. T220/389 p. 184, 14 Oct. 1953 (loyalty).
32. PREM 11/824 (coloured immigration, 1952–55).
33. FO 371/95757/UP 2434/25, Eden minute on file, 23 Dec. 1951.
34. CAB 128/25, CM 93 (52)3, 6 Nov. 1952 (Washington; UN);
35. CAB 128/25, CM 101 (52)9, 3 Dec. 1952 (Turkey and Greece);
36. DO 35/4673/156, Laithwaite to Liesching, 13 July 1956 (South Africa).
37. CAB 129/77, CP (55)144, 3 Oct 1955;
38. CAB 128/29, CM 44 (55)2, 1 Dec. 1955. The Colonial Office was frankly bemused by this Canute-like directive. ‘I do not foresee the Gold Coast celebrating “Ghana Full Self-Government Day’”, Sir Hilton Poynton drily observed: CO 1032/98, Poynton minute to Lloyd, 14 Dec. 1955.
39. CO 936/217/1, with covering letter by Sir William Strang (Permanent Under-secretary at the Foreign Office) dated 21 June 1952.
40. DO 35/5056/6, comments on draft paper ‘Colonial Territories and Commonwealth Membership’, n.d. (probably late Feb. 1953).
41. CAB 134/1202, ‘Powers of Colonial Governors to Preserve Order’, note by Salisbury to the Colonial Affairs Committee, CA (56)18, 16 May 1956.
42. CO 1017/396/47, Macmillan to Lennox-Boyd, 5 Jan. 1956;
43. CO 1025/75/41, Macmillan to Lennox-Boyd, 10 May 1956.
44. DEFE 7/415/40, brief by Parker (Permanent Secretary) for the Minister of Defence for a meeting with the Colonial Secretary and the Secretary of State for War to discuss colonial forces, 27 Nov. 1954.
45. CAB 134/1203, ‘Future Departmental Responsibility for Malta’, memorandum by the Home Office to the Official Committee on Colonial Policy, CA (0)(56)8, 11 May 1956.
46. T220/314, Drake memorandum to Johnston, 19 Nov. 1954; Johnston minute to Drake, 22 Nov. 1954.
47. CAB 129/71, C (54)307, ‘Commonwealth Membership’, 11 Oct. 1954; CAB 129/ 77, CP (55)133, ‘Smaller Colonial Territories’, 27 Sept. 1955.
48. The records of the counter-subversion committee are still withheld; indeed the committee’s very existence has yet to be publicly acknowledged. There is however a reference to it in FO 371/118677/J1023/39G. On the costs and benefits committee see Morgan, Official History of Colonial Development, Vol.5, 96–102.
49. FO 800/827, Churchill telegram to Eden, 15 Jan. 1953.
50. CAB 130/113, GEN 518/6/9a, ‘Gold Coast Candidature for Commonwealth Membership’, briefing paper for Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ Meeting, 13 June 1956.
51. CAB 129/49, C (52)28, ‘Amendment of the Gold Coast Constitution’, 9 Feb. 1952; CAB 128/24, CM 11 (52)6, 12 Feb. 1952.
52. PREM 11/1367, Churchill minute to Lyttelton, 13 Feb. 1952.
53. CAB 128/26.1, CM 34 (52)6, 27 May 1953.
54. CAB 129/49, C (52)28, 9 Feb. 1952.
55. CO 554/254, T.B. Williamson minute to Lloyd, 19 March 1953; CO 554/254/24, Lloyd telegram to Saloway, 20 March 1953.
56. CO 554/254, minute on file, n.d., early Feb. 1953.
57. CO 554/256/140B, Arden-Clarke to Lyttelton, 14 Sept. 1953;
58. CO 554/256/176, Gorell Barnes to Arden-Clarke, 17 Nov. 1953;
59. CO 554/256/182, Arden-Clarke to Gorell Barnes, 28 Nov. 1953;
60. CO 554/256/184, Lloyd to Arden-Clarke, 8 Jan. 1954.
61. CO 537/6960, minute on file by Jeffries, 25 April 1952.
62. CO 1037/2/12, ‘Report of the Working Party on the Position of the Police in the Later Stages of Colonial Constitutional Development’, 22 April 1953;
63. CO 1037/2/ 19, ‘Minutes of Meeting in Sir Charles Jeffries’ Room on 5th November, 1954’.
64. CAB 131/16, DC (55), third meeting of Cabinet Defence Committee, 10 June 1955.
65. CO 554/254/10, Lloyd to Sir John Macpherson, 5 March 1953.
66. CO 554/256/138, brief for Secretary of State, n.d., early Sept. 1953.
67. CAB 129/66, C (54)62, memorandum by Lyttelton, 18 Feb. 1954.
68. FO 371/118676 and 118677, ‘Soviet Influence and Penetration in Africa’, 1956.
69. DO 35/6172/246A, Cumming-Bruce to Laithwaite, 21 July 1956. Cumming-Bruce further regarded the CO as naive about Gold Coast realities.
70. CO 554/1435/8, Home to Lennox-Boyd, 11 July 1956;
71. DO 35/6177/122, Home to Macmillan, 29 Jan. 1957.
72. CO 1032/55, Jeffries minute to Lloyd, 16 Dec. 1955.
73. Holland, European Decolonization, 139.
74. CAB 129/48, respectively C (51)11, 9 Nov. 1951;
75. C (51)21, 19 Nov. 1951;
76. C (51)49, 17 Dec. 1951.
77. CAB 131/16, DC (55)10, ‘Defence Cooperation with South Africa’, memorandum, 7 June 1955.
78. PREM 11/1367, Savin gram, Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations to UK High Commissioner in South Africa, 19 Feb. 1952;
79. CAB 129/61, C (53)165, ‘Relations with South Africa’, memorandum by Swinton, 5 June 1953.
80. CAB 129/57, C (52)452, ‘Membership of the Commonwealth: The Sudan’, memorandum by Swinton, 23 Dec. 1952.
81. FO 371/90114, draft of R. Allen to C.G. Davies (Sudan Government Agent in London), n.d., early Dec. 1951.
82. CO 537/6696, Cohen minute to Trafford Smith, 10 Dec. 1951;
83. CO 1032/10, minute by Jeffries, 21 Nov. 1952.
84. CAB 128/29, CM 44 (55)5, 1 Dec. 1955.
85. Lloyd at the Colonial Office saw ‘no reason to object to this proposal’ and the Colonial Secretary was briefed accordingly. CO 1032/50, J.E. Marnham minute to J.S. Bennett, 31 May 1954.
86. CAB 134/768, CCM (54)7, memorandum by Swinton to Cabinet Committee on Commonwealth Membership, 16 June 1954.
87. DO 35/6176/9, ‘The Gold Coast and Commonwealth Membership - Conversation between the United Kingdom High Commissioner and the Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa’, 15 Dec. 1955.
88. CAB 134/1202, CA (56)10, memorandum by Home to Cabinet Colonial Policy Committee, 5 March 1956.
89. CO 1032/52/123A, ‘Extract from Minutes of the 10th Meeting of Commonwealth Prime Ministers on 5th July, 1956’.
90. DO 35/4673/157, R.W.D. Fowler to M.R. Metcalf (UK High Commission, Salisbury), 19 July 1956.
91. DO 35/6176/45, ‘Note for Record’ by Laithwaite, 28 June 1956.
92. DO 35/6176/48, Eden to Commonwealth Prime Ministers, 3 July 1956.
93. DO 35/5056, minute by A.F. Morley, 29 April 1954;
94. DO 35/6176, L.B. Walsh Atkins minute to I.M.R. Maclennan, 22 Aug. 1956.
95. PREM 11/1367, Strijdom to Eden, 5 July 1956.
96. PREM 11/1367, handwritten notes by Eden on Home to Eden (draft letter), 6 July 1956, and Strijdom to Eden, 8 Aug. 1956.
97. DO 35/6176, Laithwaite to Home, 23 Aug. 1956;
98. DO 35/6176/70A, Laithwaite to Liesching, 29 Aug. 1956;
99. CO 554/1435, I.B. Watt minute to J.S. Bennett, 21 Aug. 1956:
100. CAB 129/60, C (53)138, ‘Mr Nehru’s Speech’, memorandum by Swinton, 23 April 1953.
101. DO 35/5056, memorandum by Swinton, 16 Feb. 1953.
102. CO 1032/51, minute by Lloyd, 21 June 1956.
103. CAB 129/71, C (54)307, ‘Commonwealth Membership’, memorandum by Swinton, 11 Oct. 1954.
104. CAB 129/71, C (54)327, ‘Anglo-Canadian Relations’, 28 Oct. 1954.
105. CAB 129/73 C (55)43, ‘Commonwealth Membership’, 16 Feb. 1955.
106. CAB 128/25, CM 93 (52)4, 6 Nov. 1952 (Sudan);
107. CAB 128/26.1, CM 26 (53)5, 14 April 1953 (committee).
108. CAB 129/62, C(53)218, ‘Departmental Responsibility for Malta and the Gold Coast’, memorandum by Lyttelton, 28 July 1953.
109. CAB 134/786, CCM (53) 1st meeting, Committee on Commonwealth Membership, 7 May 1953;
110. CAB 130/87, GEN 435/lst meeting, Official Committee on Commonwealth Membership, 15 May 1953.
111. DO 35/5056, memorandum by Swinton, 16 Feb. 1953;
112. DO 35/5056, Jeffries to R.R. Sedgwick, 31 March 1953 (‘mezzanine’);
113. CAB 134/786, CCM (53)lst meeting, 7 May 1953 (Lyttelton in committee); CO 1032/9, minute by Hopkinson, 3 July 1953.
114. CO 1032/9, minute by Hopkinson, 3 July 1953.
115. CO 1032/9/2, ‘Departmental Arrangements for Handling Commonwealth Affairs’, report by Jeffries on discussion with Liesching and Garner of the CRO, 29 June 1953.
116. T 220/314, ‘Bearing of Financial Independence on Commonwealth Membership’, brief for the Chancellor of the Exchequer, 6 Dec. 1954;
117. CAB 130/111, GEN 501/3, Interim Report of the Official Committee on the Military Implications of General Templer's Report, 15 Aug. 1955;
118. CO 1032/50, minute by T.B. Williamson, 5 Feb. 1954.
119. CAB 130/87, GEN 435/2nd meeting, 17 July 1953.
120. DO 35/5056/47, Lyttelton to Swinton, 2 July 1953.
121. CO 1032/50, minute by M.G. Smith, 7 April 1954. Lloyd later stated that it was Brook’s interim report that had changed the ministers’ minds; CO 1032/50, Lloyd to Lennox-Boyd, 3 Sept. 1954.
122. CAB 129/71, C (54)307, ‘Commonwealth Membership’, 11 Oct. 1954.
123. CAB 128/27.11, CM 83 (54), 7 Dec. 1954.
124. CAB 129/80, CP(56)97, ‘Singapore’, 19 April 1956;
125. CAB 129/81, CP (56)109, ‘British Somaliland’, 1 May 1956;
126. CAB 129/83, CP (56)205, ‘The Strategic Importance of Malta’, 5 Sept. 1956.
127. CAB 128/25, CM 101 (52)9, 3 Dec. 1952.
128. Lord Chandos, The Memoirs of Lord Chandos (London, 1962), 43;
129. Anthony Seldon, Churchill's Indian Summer: The Conservative Government, 1951–55 (London, 1981), 603.
130. CO 1032/54, minute by Hopkinson, 31 Oct. 1954.
131. CAB 129/69, C (54)245, ‘Cyprus’, 21 July 1954.
132. Holland, European Decolonization, 252.
133. CAB 129/68, C (54)187, ‘Egypt’, 3 June 1954.
134. FO 800/827/61, Churchill minute to Eden, 14 Dec. 1953.
135. Darwin, Britain and Decolonisation, 165.
136. Kahler, Decolonization in Britain and France, 141; Darwin, op. cit, 229–32.
137. David Carlton, Anthony Eden: A Biography (London, 1981), 458–65.
138. Holland, European Decolonization, 198–200.
139. Darwin, op. cit., 166.