This collection, reflecting the highest level in the Barclays Group, comprises three principal elements: records of the main boards and their committees; records of the chair (the chairman was an executive throughout this period); records of board-appointed managers including the general managers.
The records comprise:
- board: complete series of signed minutes from first board meeting July 1896; agenda papers extant from 1962 onwards; amalgamation papers (including agreements and valuations) for the 1896 merger and for banks acquired subsequently; annual report and accounts and balance sheets; records of general meetings including verbatim transcripts of AGMs,1916 onwards; directors' files including inspection papers and reports
- chair: subject files and correspondence (mostly 1920s onwards) including policy, products, districts and regions, directors and staff, departments, relations with UK and foreign banks, customers and government; amalgamations, organization, management methods, Martins merger, planning, visit reports
- general managers: subject files (mostly 1950s onwards) covering similar subjects as for chair (above)