Archives - Details
Record ID
HKRS365
Title
Feature Article Dossiers with Photographs
Date
1887 - 1978
Level
Series
Archival History
Series maintained in custody of creating agency until transfer to PRO. At time of transfer, the deposit included three different series: a master reference series; a series containing stock for distribution; and a series containing feature material for translation into Chinese. The master series had been depleted by the removal of items for distribution to the press and other agencies. After transfer, the three series were merged into one series by the PRO.
Creating Agency
INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT, PUBLISHING DIVISION, EDITORIAL SECTION
Transferring Agency
INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT, PUBLISHING DIVISION, EDITORIAL SECTION
Administrative / Biographical History
A Public Relations Office was established during the period of British Military Administration, September 1945 - April 1946. On resumption of civil administration, a Public Relations Officer was appointed on 1.6.1947in the Colonial Secretariat. The principal functions of the Office were liaison with the press, to interpret policy to the public and to inform government of public opinion. In 1949 the Office became responsible for film censorship and for Radio Hong Kong from 1.4.1951. Following a review of its activities in 1950, the Office was reorganised in stages. In 1953 it comprised 4 sections including a Display and Distribution Section and an Administration Section. It was renamed the Information Service Department in 1959 and the position of Public Relations Officer changed to Director from 19.6.1959. In the same year the Department was reorganised into a Press Division and a Publicity Division. From 1967 to 1973 the Director exercised the statutory function of Television Authority. Further restructurings of the Department occurred in 1968, 1981 and 1983. With effect from 21.2.1992 the Department was divided into 2 units: the Local and Administrative Wing which included the Administration and Publicity Divisions, and the Overseas Public Relations Wing. From 2.8.1993 the Department consisted of a single Wing until a second Wing was re-established in November 1995. The two Wings were the Public Relations Wing including the Publicity Division, and the Overseas Wing containing the Administration Division. The Administration Division was responsible for the General and Confidential Registries.
Scope and Content
The series was created for the dual prupose of bringing material of local topical interest together and making it available for distribution to newspapers and other publishing agencies in HK and overseas. Each dossier contains a number of photographs and a feature article on a particular subject. Each photograph has a brief explanatory article attached to the back. Most of the early feature articles were written by William Fish and Steward Clyde, then Senior Information Officers in the Department. The dossiers cover a wide range of subjects including HK's early history, culture, traditions, social problems, industries, commerce, urban and rural development; also matters of seemingly lesser importance such as informal visits of government officers to remote villages.
Physical Description
Manila wallets open at top, 25.5 x 29.75 x 0.5 - 1.5 cm. Black and white photographs, 20.5 x 25.75 cm.
Arrangement System
Dossiers arranged numerically. Single consecutive number system. Range of control symbols 1 -611 (with gaps). Photographs controlled by GIS library file numbers which include a letter prefix followed by a two number system indicating the subject and number of the photograph respectively.
Conditions Governing Access
Public Records (Access) Rules 1996
Language and Scripts
English
Finding Aids
There are three finding aids: (1) a subject index giving dossier number and a description of photographs; (2) a revised subject index showing the Deposit and Serial numbers; (3) a bound volume titled "Miscellaneous Photographs of Information Services Department in respect of HKRS No 365 - Feature Article Dossiers - INDEX". This comprises an alphabetical subject index with page references at the front of the volume, and subject pages giving the dossier number and listing the photographs, together with reference number and description..