State papers - Definition

The term State papers is used in the British and Irish contexts to refer exclusively to government archives and records. Such papers used to be kept separate from non-governmental papers, with state papers kept in the State Paper Office and general public records kept in the Public Records Office.

In Ireland in 1921, the IRA, not knowing the difference, blew up the Public Records Office in Dublin, destroying one thousand years of archives, including priceless church records, deeds, private archives and other documents. The IRA thought the archives contained government records.

The Irish State Paper Office contained papers from the offices of

• President of Ireland
• Taoiseach
• Dáil Éireann & Seanad Éireann
• all government departments since 1922, and past offices of state, including
• King of Ireland
• Monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland relating to Ireland
• Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
• Chief Secretary for Ireland
• Under Secretary for Ireland
• Irish House of Commons & Irish House of Lords
• House of Commons of Southern Ireland
• Attorney-General for Ireland
• Governor-General of the Irish Free State

The Irish State Paper Office was located in Dublin Castle, while the Irish Public Records Office was located at the Four Courts. In the late 1980s the distinction was abolished and both archives merged and located in a new National Archives of Ireland in Bishop St. in Dublin City Centre.

The British National Archives is located in Kew near London. The Royal Archives are kept separately at Windsor Castle.

See also

• Thirty Year Rule