Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1933-1998 / (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
0.090 cubic metres (10 boxes)
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Cliff Bere (Clifford Ifan Bere) was born of Welsh parents in Burnley, Lancashire 1915. He studied law at University College, Swansea, but his education was disrupted by the War; he served in the army in North Africa. During his military service, he became politically active as a Welsh nationalist and republican. After the War, he worked as a graphic artist for the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff. Bere was one of the founders of the Welsh Republican Movement, a small group of left-wing militants, including Harri Web (1920-1988), mostly ex-servicemen and intellectuals, who enlivened the political scene in Wales during the 1950s, following a more radical agenda than Plaid Cymru at the time. Bere was one of the most single-minded of the Republicans, writing a pamphlet, The Welsh Republican (1947) and the Welsh Republican Movement's Manifesto (1950), and taking part in flag-burning protests. The main activity of the Movement after 1954 was the publication and distribution of a bi-monthly newspaper, The Welsh Republican, of which Bere was editor, covering Welsh current affairs, focusing on the economy of South Wales, especially the future of the coal and steel industries and the plight of Cardiff Docks. After the demise of the Movement in 1957, Bere became one of Plaid Cymru's most committed members. He married Eluned Rhys Evans in 1949. He was arrested during the second homes arson campaign in the early 1980s. Bere died in Barry, Glamorgan on 16th September 1997.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Donated by Mr Cliff Bere, Barry, in May 1997, and by his widow, Mrs Eluned Bere, in January 1998 and August 1998.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Welsh Republican Movement and Plaid Cymru papers collected by Cliff Bere, 1940-1973, including correspondence, [c. 1947]-1965; membership forms and subscriptions, [c. 1948]-1957; constitution, meetings and reports, 1949-1952; newspaper cuttings, 1949-1991; political and personal correspondence, 1933-1997; papers relating to Plaid Cymru, [c. 1949]-1996, including the Parliament for Wales Campaign, Cymdeithas yr Iaith (Welsh Language Society) campaign for bilingual road signs, 1971; 'Cofiwn', the National Commemoration Association, 1976-1987; the Welsh Socialist Republican Movement (Mudiad Gweriniaethol Sosialaidd Cymru) 1975-1985; Cymdeithas Cyfamod y Cymry Rhydd (the Society of the Covenant of the Free Welsh) 1986-1994; Cardiff City Planning Department, 1965-1982; Harri Webb papers, 1949-1996; Eurig ap Gwilym [d. 1988], 1976-1988; papers relating to holiday homes arson campaign and Bere's arrest, 1980-1982; Yr Undeb Celtaidd /The Celtic League, 1988-1993; the Free Wales Army, 1993-1998; unpublished drafts of articles, 1934-1996; various journals and pamphlets, [c. 1946]-1976; newspapers cuttings, 1946-1997; undated translations of pamphlets published by the National Museum of Wales; papers, 1984-1998, relating to his publications, and other printed ephemera, 1935-1956.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Action: All records donated to the National Library of Wales have been retained..
Accruals
Accruals are not expected.
System of arrangement
Arranged in the following groups: Welsh Republican Movement; political and personal papers; printed material; miscellanea; personal correspondence; political papers.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to sign the 'Modern papers - data protection' form.
Conditions governing reproduction
Usual copyright regulations apply.
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Welsh, English.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
A hard copy of the catalogue is available at the National Library of Wales.
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
Project identifier
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Welsh Republican Movement -- Archives. (Subject)
- Celtic League. (Subject)
- National Commemoration Association. (Subject)
- Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg. (Subject)
- Welsh Republican Movement. (Subject)
- Plaid Cymru (Subject)
- Free Wales Army. (Subject)
- Cymdeithas Cyfamod y Cymry Rhydd. (Subject)
- Bere, Cliff, 1915-1997 -- Archives. (Subject)
- Eurig ap Gwilym, d. 1988. (Subject)
- Webb, Harri, 1920- (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Description follows ANW guidelines based on ISAD(G) 2nd ed.; AACR2; and LCSH
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
May 2003.
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
Compiled by Seri Crawley for the ANW project. The following sources were consulted in the compilation of this description: NLW, Minor Lists and Summaries 1998; NLW Obituaries Cumulated Index (1992-1997);