THE THATCHER PAPERS

The previously unseen archive includes Margaret Thatcher’s personally signed nomination papers from both election ballots and undisclosed correspondence from Conservative Party leader Edward Heath, Prime Minister of the day Harold Wilson and from Margaret Thatcher herself. Remarkably, the archive also contains the momentious document “Election of a Leader of the Conservative Party”, dated 11 February 1975, carrying the signatures of the 1922 Committee scrutineers, confirming the election of Margaret Thatcher to the leadership of the Conservative Party.

Provenance: The Right Honourable Sir Edward du Cann KBE (1924-2017) who was Chairman of the 1922 Committee at the time of the leadership election in 1975.

A complete inventory appears below:

PRELIMINARIES:

1. A4 handwritten letter by Edward Heath (EH) 6/11/74 to Edward du Cann (EduC) regarding Conservative Party leadership election procedure.

2. Photocopies of two letters, 12/11/74 & 15/11/74, sent by EduC to EH. A4 Original letter 19/11/74 in reply from EH to EduC.

3. A5 Original letter and copy of same from EH to EduC 19/11/74 with accompanying four A4 page notes on ‘Procedure for the Selection of Leader of the Conservative Party.’

4. A4 5 page 'Secret 3rd Re-draft’ of the ‘Procedure for the Selection of Leader of the Conservative Party.’ 10/12/74

5. A4 Original letter 19?/12/74 to EduC from multiple signatories asking EduC to stand as a candidate in the Conservative Party leadership election. Accompanying A5 original letter from Sir Nigel Fisher (NF) about the support for EduC. Copy of 20/12/74 reply from EduC to NF.

6. A5 letter 27/12/74 from Airey Neave (AN) to EduC.

7. A5 original letter from EduC to all Conservative MPs with accompanying A4 ‘1975 Leadership Election’ timetable.

8. A5 original letter from AN to EduC explaining the consequences of his role as Margaret Thatcher’s (MT) ‘principal organiser’. A5 copy of EduC’s reply.

9. A4 letter 31/1/75 from EH to EduC concerning election procedure.

FIRST BALLOT:

10. MT original A5 signed election nomination paper. 27/1/75

11. EH original A4 signed election nomination paper. 29/1/75

12. Hugh Fraser (HF) original A5 signed election nomination paper.

13. A5 original letter from MT’s representative, William Shelton, about numerical aspects of the election process. 29/1/75

14. EduC’s A5 original signed acknowledgement of the three candidates for the First Ballot. 30/1/75

15. A5 EH letter of thanks to EduC. 30/1/75

16. A5 copy of letter from EduC to EH, HF and MT regarding First Ballot timings. 31/1/75

17. A5 First Ballot paper with voting options, two copies.

18. A5 handwritten by EduC First Ballot vote count.

19. A5 MT letter of thanks to EduC (erroneously dated) 3/2/74.

20. A5 handwritten list by EduC of names of ‘Postal Votes’ in the First Ballot.

21. A5 handwritten list by EduC of names of postal voters and their chosen candidates by initials.

22. A4 original letter posted in Chief Whip’s office, signed by EduC and Scrutineers, of the First Ballot result. 4/2/75

23. ‘Not used’ A4 First Ballot result letter.

SECOND BALLOT:

24. A5 original letter from John ? MP, urging EduC to stand in the Second Ballot.

25. A5 handwritten by EduC ‘Digest of Consultations’ pre-Second Ballot.

26. A5 William Whitelaw original signed election nomination paper. 5/2/75

27. A4 Geoffrey Howe (GH) original signed election nomination paper. 6/2/75

28. A4 John Peyton original signed election nomination paper.

29. A5 Jim Prior original signed election nomination paper.

30. A5 MT original signed election nomination paper. 5/2/75

31. EduC’s A5 original signed acknowledgement of the five candidates for the Second Ballot (erroneously dated) 6/2/65.

32. A5 original letter from GH to EduC in reply to a copy of A5 EduC letter to GH, both 10/2/75.

33. A5 Second Ballot paper with voting options.

34. A5 ballot paper with record of postal votes received.

35. A5 handwritten list by EduC of names of ‘Postal Votes’ in the Second Ballot.

36. A5 handwritten list by EduC of names of postal voters and their chosen candidates by name.

37. A5 handwritten list of Second Ballot candidates and their representatives for messages.

38. A5 handwritten by EduC Second Ballot vote count.

39. Two copies of A4 drafts of announcement of a Third Ballot with handwritten notes by EduC and request to ‘E’ (Secretary Elizabeth Ward) to ‘type and make 12 copies’.

40. A4 unsigned announcement of Second Ballot result with reference to a Third Ballot.

41. A5 handwritten by EduC notes on the Third Ballot.

42. A4 announcement, signed by EduC and Scrutineers, of the election of MT to the leadership of the Conservative Party following the Second Ballot 11/2/75.

43. A5 original letter 19/2/75 from Prime Minister Harold Wilson in reply to EduC and a copy of EduC’s 7/2/75 letter to HW.

44. A5 original letter 24/2/75 from EH to EduC.

MARGARET THATCHER LEADERSHIP NOMINATIONS:

45. 3/12/75 A5 MT original signed leadership nomination paper. A5 copy of letter from EduC. to MT. A5 declaration, signed by EduC, of MT’s re-election to leadership of Conservative Party. Attached Foolscap ‘Procedure’ notes.

46. A5 MT original signed nomination paper (1976?).

47. A5 MT original signed nomination paper (1977) and a Humphrey Atkins ‘with compliments’ slip.

48. A5 MT original signed nomination paper (1978).

49. A5 MT original signed nomination paper (1979) with envelope.

50. A4 MT original signed nomination paper (1982).

51. A4 MT copy of signed nomination paper (1983).

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