Reference
Po/RA
Title
Registration of Aliens Cards
Admin/biog history
Aliens are overseas citizens living in or visiting Britain who have been subject to a series of controls since the Aliens Act 1905. Historically citizens of Commonwealth countries have not been Aliens and since the early 1980’s citizens of member states of the European Union have not been required to register with the police as Aliens.
The requirement for Aliens to register with the police was introduced under the provisions of the Aliens Restriction Act 1914; it was renewed by the Aliens Restriction (Amendment) Act 1919 and the Immigration Act 1971. The legislation gave to the government the power to require Aliens to register with the police giving detailed particulars including name, address, marital status, employment or occupation, including employer’s name and address, a photograph, and to pay a registration fee. A registered person is required to register changes of address, marital status, nationality, and employment or occupation must be notified to the police within seven or eight days of the change. In return the Alien receives a police certificate of registration.
Scope and Content
These records consists of up to four documents relating to each individual, subject to very little modification over the period covered by the archive, and are described in detail below.
Registration Card
The cards are colour coded with pink for males and yellow for females (although not always strictly adhered to). The card is divided into 13 sections recording the following information:
OBVERSE SIDE
Section 1 Name ( Surname first in Roman capitals );
Section 2 Registration Certificate : No. , date, and place of issue;
Section 3 Nationality ( if any ) : date and place of birth;
Section 4 Previous Nationality (if any );
Section 5 Profession or Occupation ;
Section 6 Date of arrival in the United Kingdom ;
Section 7 Address of the last residence outside the United Kingdom;
Section 7a Marital Status;
Section 8 Government Service ( if any );
Section 9 Passport or other papers as to nationality and identity;
Section 10 Photograph;
Section 11 Signature or left thumb print;
REVERSE SIDE
Section 12 Remarks (if any);
Section 13 Subsequent changes of circumstances left to right across the page: date, registration district serial no. and address of residence or remarks. A continuation card for Sections 12 and 13 are added if necessary.
Certificate of Registration
This certificate was issued to the overseas national following registration and consists of a double page for endorsement and remarks. Sometimes these pages are stamped with a variety of official police and Home Office stamps.
Transfer Card
This white card was filled in when a registered foreign national moved away from Bedfordshire and settled at a new address. The local police force serving the area including the new address applied to the Bedfordshire Police requesting the forwarding of the relevant registration card or cards. The transfer card is divided into 3 sections recording the following information:
(1) Name ( Surname first in Roman capitals ) , alias (if any), nationality and date of birth;
(2) Registration Certificate No. and place of issue;
(3) This section is in 3 parts with:
Part 1 The names of the police forces making and receiving the request, date of the move,
the new and old addresses of the foreign nationals concerned and the name of the
requesting officer;
Part 2 Recording the forwarding of the requested card , the serial no. and the signature of the dispatching officer;
Part 3 Recording the formal receipt of the card and the name of receiving police officer.
Immigration Interview Reports
These are mainly found attached to the registration cards dating from the 1940s and early 1950s. These reports were written by an Immigration Officer after interviewing the foreign national and can include the following information on each individual:
* Date of the interview;
* Date of arrival in the United Kingdom and port or airport of entry;
* Current address;
* Languages spoken and a general assessment of proficiency in each language;
* Autobiography including education, family details, membership of national organisations (e.g.
refugee societies), political beliefs, war service, work and subsequent history since their arrival in Britain.
* Interviewers’ comments concerning the alien’s general character, intelligence and interest to (if any) the security services.
Other Documentation
Occasionally other papers are attached to the cards such as official correspondence with the registered alien, police reports e.g. relating to offences committed and enquiries from relatives abroad.
Dating of the records
Each national series is assumed to start in 1919 when the peacetime registration of aliens was introduced or from the date of creation or independence of a state (Burma for instance became independent in 1948).
System of arrangement
The records are arranged alphabetically into national groups and by surname within each group. Where there are two individuals with the same names the records are arranged by the date of the first registration with the British immigration or police authorities. Where appropriate, additional information is given e.g. when a state such as South Africa left and later rejoined the Commonwealth.
During their administrative history some of the Aliens Registration Cards were kept in two embarked series arranged alphabetically by surname but not by nationality. These cards have been integrated into their respective national groups but have had their top right hand corners cut off to indicate their original provenance.
In addition to the main national series there is a small collection of records relating to nationalities for which there are only a few cards in the archive, Ref. PO/RAGen1 and bundle of records for stateless (or of uncertain status) persons Ref. PO/RASP1. In June 1995 the archive consists of 65 boxes containing approximately 25,000 cards dating from 1919 to the late 1980’s.
The Archives Service is not the data controller for these records – this responsibility remains with Bedfordshire Police. As a result, the Archives can only permit access in certain situations. When the Archives does permit access to information contained within the cards, they must inform Bedfordshire Police.
If the subject of the card is living, or it is unknown whether they are alive, requests for access must be addressed to Bedfordshire Police.
If the subject of the card is deceased, information on the card can be disclosed provided there is no reference to any third parties (such as a spouse or children).
If a card relating to a deceased individual does contain reference to any third parties, other information on the card can still be provided by the Archives assuming all references to third parties are redacted prior to release of information. Due to the time taken to complete this process, a fee may apply. If the individual requesting the information wishes to access cards containing third party information in full, their request must be addressed to Bedfordshire Police.
Level of description
sub-fonds