The Secrets list of Sir Timothy Daunt

When I carry out archival work into Manx constitutional issues at the National Archives in Kew, I normally have a fair idea what I might find. In my latest visit, there was a surprise waiting for me.

PRO 85/2426, which was opened in May 2024, is described in the National Archives catalog as “Records administration policy: relations with outside bodies and persons, United Kingdom; Isle of Man Public Records Office”. Given the dates of the file, I was anticipating some reflection on how the Public Records Act 1999, then at a draft stage, would interact with the UK Public Records Office. There was some discussion of this, but the file began with Lieutenant Governor Sir Timothy Daunt reaching out to the PRO with some concerns, in a letter dated 19/11/1997. This resulted in irritation by the Home Office, who did not appreciate the Lieutenant-Governor dealing directly with other parts of the UK administration, and eventually some reflections on the Bill.

What was a surprise, however. was a list that Sir Timothy had attached to his letter to the PRO. One of his concerns at the Manx Bill was that documents in his keeping might thereby enter the public domain. He sought guidance from the PRO on this, and to help them think through the issues attached a list of “potentially sensitive papers” held in Government House. The complete list is:

• Home Office War Book.
• Report on the Operation of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1993 by JJ Rowe QC. [I would note that this appears to be in relation to the UK level Prevention of Terrorism reviews carried out annually, some of which were carried out by JJ Rowe. His name does not appear in Tynwald Hansard.]
• Correspondence with the Home Office on arrangements for positive vetting.
• Notes fo the Chief Officers of Police on Personnel Security, issued by the Home Office in 1986.
• Home Office briefs for visits by Home Office Ministers to the Isle of Man.
• Correspondence 1986-1988 between the Home Secretary and the Lieutenant-Governor about particular intercepts [under what I assume to be the UK Interception of Communications Act 1985, .as the Manx equivalent (which gave the main role to the Chief Minister) was not passed until 1988].
• Correspondence between the Home Office and the Lieutenant-Governor on “nationalist” issues. Sir Timothy gives as an example, “Anthems”., with a Home Office reference of CIM/881/1/1 of 14 August 1995).
• Correspondence (some manuscript) 1982-1990 on the liquidation of the Savings and Investment Bank Ltd and appointment of a Commission of inquiry. Sir Timothy notes “some evidently not also in IOM Government Dept papers”.
• Correspondence on the Royal Warrant, May 1981 (with a Home Office reference of CIM 415/2/1). [My assumption is that this is discussion of the Royal Warrant of Appointment, granted as a mark of recognition of people or companies who have regularly supplied goods or services to the Royal Household].
• Correspondence on the exercise of the prerogative of mercy, January to April 1983 (with a Home Office reference of CIM/81 430/15/1). [Stephen Moore was convicted of murder and sentenced to death on 1st December 1982, and had his appeal dismissed on 18th February 1983, so it would seem likely the correspondence concerned his case].
• Correspondence on fisheries jurisdiction from 1983 (e.g. Home Office reference CIM/82 451/1/6), of which Sir Timothy notes “much but not all passed on to Executive Council”.
• Correspondence on payment of costs of an anti-PIRA operation between July and October 1988. [This was a period of substantial PIRA activity in both Northern Ireland and Britain, but I was unaware of any Manx operation]
• Correspondence including the Lieutenant-Governor’s views on politics and personalities. Sir Timothy gives as an example a letter from Sir Laurence New to the Secretary of State, 25 July 1990.
• Reports and recommendations on constitutional and political matters. He cites as an example his own letter of 30 July 1997.
• Correspondence concerning honors and awards which included “recommendations, confidential assessments (some negative”).
• Correspondence concerning “possible liability (and reputations) of Parliamentarians and officials in the collapse of the Savings and Investment Bank Limited”.

Although not his intention, Sir Timothy has provided a number of leads for future research. If you may be interested in carrying out Master’s level research on any of these, please drop me a line.