Manchester Regional Committee for Adult Education in H.M. Forces

The papers include signed minutes (not complete) of the MRC and its sub-committees (DEM/3/1). There are a number of administrative files, mainly those of the secretary of the Committee, dealing with various aspects of the programme, including courses, staffing arrangements and administrative and financial arrangements with the Central Committee (DEM/3/2). A small collection of course syllabuses and notices from the latter part of the War can be found in DEM/3/3.

In 1939 a Central Advisory Council on Adult Education in H.M. Forces was established to coordinate educational activities for serving members of the armed forces. During the Second World War the Council had responsibility for providing educational courses for British, U.S. and Allied troops based in the U.K.

The Council oversaw twenty three regional committees, responsible for areas which corresponded to a considerable extent to those administered by the universities for existing extra-mural work. The Manchester Regional Committee worked closely with the University of Manchester Extra-Mural Department; the latter undertaking much of the administrative support for the Committee.

The Manchester Regional Committee provided thousands of lectures and talks during the War. Lecturers came from a variety of backgrounds including schools and universities, as well as musicians and artists. Some of the lectures were formal and academic in nature, but most were more popular or vocational in orientation.

The Regional Committee continued to provide education for the Armed Forces in the post-war period for the large numbers of National Service personnel. In 1949 a new body with the same title had been formed. The Manchester Regional Committee was dissolved on 31 March 1959.

• DEM/3/1 - Minutes of Committees
• DEM/3/2 - Administrative files
• DEM/3/3 - Course Syllabuses
• DEM/3/4 - Other documents