You can obtain further information on the work of AWE from a number of sources, including National Archives and the MoD Freedom of Information source.
AWE is bound by the 1958 Public Record Act, which imposes a duty on us to select those documents worthy of preservation, and transfer them to the National Archives (formerly the Public Records Office) when 30 years old and to destroy all other records when not in use.
National Archives:
National Archives records are organised into classes, and AWE’s records are broken down as follows. These lists are also available in the Public Reading Room at Kew.
|
ES 1
|
Rowley files (covers 1949-1962, setting up of AWRE and overseas trials. Collated by Air Commodore Rowley)
|
|
(ES 2-11
|
Covers the main series of AWRE reports from 1953-1973 and is categorised as follows:)
|
|
ES 2
|
Bomb series
|
|
ES 3
|
Effects series
|
|
ES 4
|
Ordinary ‘O’ reports
|
|
ES 5
|
Trials
|
|
ES 6
|
Nuclear research
|
|
ES 7
|
Feasibility studies
|
|
ES 8
|
Intelligence
|
|
ES 9
|
Reactor
|
|
ES 10
|
Theoretical physics notes
|
|
ES 11
|
Explosive research notes
|
|
ES 12
|
Miscellaneous reports (Diversifications – Health Service etc.)
|
|
ES 13
|
Directors’ / Chief Executive files (records relating to policy and relations with Whitehall)
|
|
ES 14
|
Committee documents (implementation of policy and development at Aldermaston was conducted via a number of committees)
|
|
ES 15
|
Unregistered papers
|
|
ES 16
|
Atomic Weapons Research Establishment and successors: Anglo American visit reports and related material (AVIS, VISAM and JOWOG series)
|
|
ES 17
|
Foulness reports
|
Other classes of interest include:
|
AB Class
|
Records of the UK Atomic Energy Authority and its predecessors. Covering 1939-1999. Includes the records of UKAEA’s London office, Northern Group (production division), research establishments at Harwell, Winfrith and Culham, and the records of the authority predecessor body, the Directorate of Tube Alloys, plus private papers of Sir John Cockcroft and other prominent members of the authority.
|
|
FCO 1
|
Australian Royal Commission into United Kingdom Nuclear Weapons testing in Australia: photocopies of documents made available to the Commission by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
|
A further source of enquiry is the Records of the Ministry of Defence report series DEFE:
|
DEFE 7
|
Ministry of Defence prior to 1964: Registered Files (general series) 1942 – 1976.
|
|
DEFE 16
|
Ministry of Defence: Australian Royal Commission into United Kingdom Nuclear Weapons testing in Australia, photocopies of Proceedings and Documents presented in Evidence c1947-1985.
|
|
DEFE 22
|
Ministry of Defence: Atomic Registry: Registered Files (AR series)
|
|
DEFE 21
|
Ministry of Defence: Directorate of Scientific Intelligence: Joint Intelligence Bureau: Division if Scientific Intelligence and Division of Atomic Energy Intelligence and Directorate of Scientific Intelligence: Registered Files 1946-1978
|
|
DEFE 41
|
Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence: Scientific and Technical Intelligence Branch and Overseas Liaison Branch: Files 1946-1963
|
|
DEFE 44
|
Ministry of Defence: Directorate of Scientific Intelligence: Joint Intelligence Bureau: Division of Scientific Intelligence and Division of Atomic Energy Intelligence: Defence Intelligence Staff: Directorate of Scientific and Technical Intelligence: Reports, Notes and Memoranda 1944-1991
|
National Archives links:
To search the catalogue:
- choose the PROCAT catalogue
- choose a term or phrase
- choose a range of years
- choose a class
If you require further information on AWE’s work which is not covered on this website, you can contact the MoD Freedom of Information source by sending an email to DES-FOI@mod.uk, or visit www.mod.uk.
Further resources – Books on Britain’s atomic weapons policy and testing:
For information on the first five series of tests, see:
- ‘Britain, Australia and the Bomb’ by Lorna Arnold (2007).
- ‘A Very Special Relationship: British Atomic Weapons Trials in Australia’ by Lorna Arnold, (London 1987).
- ‘Test of Greatness’ by Brian Cathcart & John Murray, (1994).
For details of the post-war project see:
- ‘Independence and Deterrence: Britain and Atomic Energy 1945-1952’ by Margaret Gowing, (Macmillan 1974 (2 volumes)).
For the story of the British H-bomb see:
‘Britain and the H-bomb’ by Lorna Arnold and Kate Pyne (Palgrave 2001).
For personal accounts see:
- ‘Christmas Island Cracker’ by Air Vice Marshal Wilfird E Oulton (out of print).
- ‘Christmas Island – the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time’ (Upfrotn Publishing).
- ‘Operation Grapple – testing Britain’s first H-bomb’ by Group Captain Kenneth Hubbard & Michael Simmons (Ian Allen 1985, out of print).
Information for Former Employees:
If you have previously worked at AWE, you may find the below contact useful.
Administrators of the AWE Pension Scheme:
Aon Consulting Limited
TPA Third Floor
Briarcliff House
Kingsmead
Farnborough
Hampshire
GU14 7TE
Email: awepension.scheme@aonconsulting.co.uk
Tel: 0845 601 5903