Alphabetical Black Papers correspondence files

This subseries contains a sequence of alphabetical correspondence files relating principally to Fight for Education and Black Paper Two, although a small amount of the correspondence also relates to Black Paper Three. Incoming letters are addressed principally to Brian Cox or A.E. Dyson, although some were also sent to Angus Maude and a small number to other contributors. All the letters ultimately found their way into Cox's custody. Correspondents represented in the files include: prospective contributors to the Black Papers, and a small number of actual contributors; interested members of the public; schoolteachers from various disciplines; head teachers at primary and secondary level; parents' groups; academics; local authority education officers; newspaper editors; and various societies and organizations. There are many single incoming letters, sometimes with copy replies from Cox, and there are also bundles of more prolonged correspondence.

Topics covered in the correspondence include: responses to 'Back to Education', the initial circular sent out to all secondary schools soliciting contributions to the first Black Paper; preparations and plans for the first two Black Papers, and a small quantity of material relating to the preparation of Black Paper Three; responses to invitations to contribute to the Black Papers; general responses to the first two Black Papers, and to newspaper articles or correspondence written by Cox or Dyson; teachers' descriptions of their own experiences, teaching methods, or educational changes imposed on them (these are often detailed, and some of them were extracted for use as quotes in subsequent Black Papers); invitations to the Black Paper editors and contributors to speak at meetings and conferences; protests and petitions against the introduction of comprehensive education in certain areas; and reports on local authority education reorganization. The files include a number of essays or articles sent to Cox either for interest or for consideration as contributions to future Black Papers. Where files contain material relating to any other significant topics this is indicated at item level.

It is clear that Brian Cox kept this correspondence in an alphabetical sequence, although he may have bundled the material together into six bulky files at a later date when it was no longer current. At the beginning of COX1/1/2 (the 'E-G' file) there was originally a small bundle of material in no apparent order which was also out of place in the alphabetical sequence. This has now been reintegrated into the alphabetical series.