Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1979-1987 / (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
0.972 cubic metres (127 boxes).
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Keith Lander Best (born 10 June 1949) was Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Anglesey from 1979 (when he gained the seat from Labour) to 1983, and for (the renamed) Ynys Mon from 1983 to 1987. He was personal assistant to Nicholas Edwards, the Secretary of State for Wales, from 1981 to 1984. Best was born in Brighton and educated at Keble College, Oxford, before becoming a barrister in 1973. He served in the Territorial Army 1967-87 and as a Brighton Borough councillor 1976-80. After his election to Parliament, Best's reputation began to suffer when he was involved in a road accident in which his personal assistant was killed, although he was cleared of responsibility for the crash. He eventually stood down after admitting share-cheating. He was sentenced to four months' imprisonment for this in October 1987, although this sentence was quashed after he had served five days. His successor as MP for Ynys Mon was Plaid Cymru candidate Ieuan Wyn Jones. In 2000, Best failed in a bid for re-selection by the Conservative Party in Anglesey. He was director of Prisoners Abroad 1989-93. In 1993, he became chief executive of the Immigration Advisory Service. In 2003, he was named by The Guardian as one of the 100 most influential people in public services in the UK.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Keith Best; Donation; 1987
Rhys Evans; Cardiff; Donation; Nov. 2002; 0200213507.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The collection comprises: correspondence and papers on specific subjects (files 1-83); and correspondence received from constituents (files 84-271).
A letter, 1980, writen by Keith Best to the Secretary of State for Wales, Nicholas Edwards, was donated by Rhys Evans, Cardiff, in 2002.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Action: All records have been retained..
Accruals
Accruals are not expected.
System of arrangement
Arranged as follows: correspondence and papers on specific subjects; constituency correspondence.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Files 84-271 are under embargo for 75 years (Data Protection Act exemption s.40). Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to abide by the conditions noted on the 'Modern papers - data protection' form issued with their Readers' Tickets.
Conditions governing reproduction
Usual copyright regulations apply.
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
English.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
A hard copy of the catalogue is available at the National Library of Wales. The catalogue can also be accessed online.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Title supplied from contents of fonds.
Alternative identifier(s)
Virtua system control number
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Welsh Conservatives (Political party) -- Archives (Subject)
- Best, Keith -- Archives. (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Description follows NLW guidelines based on ISAD(G) 2nd ed.; AACR2; and LCSH
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
September 2006.
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
Compiled by J. Graham Jones for the ANW project. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: NLW, List of the Keith Best Papers; Wikipedia, consulted 18 September 2006;