Records of Samuel Battersby Chief Censor for the North West of England during the Second World War

The first series of the collection consists of almost 300 photographs which were received by the Censorship office throughout the course of the Second World War. Some of these contain additional information explaining the censorship decision or are edited to inform the press what to include or censor. The second series consists of papers collected by S.J.I. Battersby and include correspondence, newspaper cuttings, photographs and drafts of speeches as well as some personal documents such as a copy of Mr Battersby's identification card and a Christmas card.

The Manchester Office of War Censorship was established in February 1941 at 3 Cross Street. The North Western Regional Censorship Unit was the first of its kind in the provinces. Prior to that date the whole of Press Censorship was controlled from London. Mr S. J. I. Battersby, a Chartered Secretary and Fellow of the Royal Economic Society, managed the office until the end of the war. During this time the Manchester Office of War Censorship handled more than 37,000 stories and 6,000 pictures. After the war Battersby was appointed as the Public Relations representative of the Board of Trade for the North West Region.

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