The catalogue of the papers of Alfred Morris, Baron Morris of Manchester, Labour and Co-operative MP for Manchester Wythenshawe (1964-1997), has now been completed and is available online through the Archives catalogue|. The collection is an important resource for all those interested in the recent development of social policy, especially concerning disabled people, in the United Kingdom.
Morris' political career was bound up with tireless campaigning on behalf of people with disabilities. In 1970 he piloted the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act through Parliament and in 1974 was appointed the world's first Minister for the Disabled. In 1979 he was appointed Chair of an international committee charged with drafting a UN sponsored Charter for disabled people worldwide. Morris' campaigning continued throughout the 1980s and into the 90s. His annual introduction of a debate on the disabled became a Parliamentary tradition, whilst in 1991 he introduced the Civil Rights (Disabled Persons) Bill.
Morris was also active on behalf of ex-servicemen and women and was heavily involved with issues concerning his constituency and Manchester.
The collection includes correspondence, speeches, parliamentary papers, reports and printed material. It is predominately concerned with Morris' campaigning work for the disabled, but also includes material on more general Parliamentary business, papers relating to Wythenshawe and Manchester and also to the Labour Party. Some of the more important areas are:
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Papers relating to the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act. There is a wealth of material not only on the process of drawing up the initial Bill and its subsequent passage through Parliament, but also on steps to ensure the implementation of its regulations, subsequent amendments and events and publications concerning its 10th and 25th anniversaries. MORRIS/1/1
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Material covering the international work Morris was involved with for disabled people. This includes papers detailing the preparations surrounding the International Year of Disabled People and events which took place throughout the Year. It also includes papers relating to Morris' appointment by Rehabilitation International as Chair of the World Planning Group, charged with the task of overseeing the drafting the UN sponsored 'Charter for the 80s', a Charter for disabled people worldwide. MORRIS/1/8 and MORRIS/1/9.
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Papers relating to the workings of various Parliamentary committees and groups concerned with disablement issues, especially the All Party Disablement Group. MORRIS/1/14.
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Papers concerning the Stansted Airport Inquiries 1981-83. Morris was involved with the North of England Regional Consortium, a group which put forward a proposal for developing Manchester Airport rather than Stansted. Morris presented their case at the Inquiry. MORRIS/2/6.
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Material relating Morris' work on behalf of ex-servicemen and women and their relatives. This includes papers relating to the treatment of relatives of servicemen killed or maimed in the Falklands Islands conflict and Morris' campaigning for the better pension provision for 'war widows'. MORRIS/2/11.
The Morris papers have been catalogued as part of a project sponsored by the Foyle Foundation to list seven 20th century political archives. The next collection being catalogued as part of this project is that of Baron Finsberg| (1926-1996), politician, which will be available later this year. To find out more about the project please see our projects| page or contact us: Contact details|