The Falklands Crisis 1982 and Sanctions Against Argentina

Reference:GB 254 MS 420/1
Dates of Creation:1982-1984
Name of Creator:
Physical Description:

Scope and Content
Collection of documents and papers related to Britain's decision to go to war with Argentina. Includes: Annotated speech draught, 1982 Paper copy of article in Journal of Common Market, vol. XXII, no.4 June 1984, 'Europe and the Falkland Islands Crisis 1982' by Geoffrey Edwards, 1984 Copy of telegram for the Immediate UK representative in Brussels, c.1982 Spoof play, 'Queen Margaret, or Shakespeare goes to the Falklands' in The Economist, December 1982 News article that references Nicoll's influence on the embargo, c.1982 Collection of reports of Proceedings of the European Council, April- June, 1982 Photocopy of a puplication regarding the Falkland's Crisis, by Bull, 1982
Administrative / Biographical History
Born in Dundee, Sir William Nicoll was an only child. Growing up in a tenement, his father was a joiner. He attended Morgan Academy, then won a scholarship to University College, Dundee, which was then part of the University of St Andrews.
Nicoll passed the civil service exams and moved to London in 1949 to join the Board of Trade. Married Helen Morison in 1954, at the same time he became Editor of The Reel, a post he held in 1954 and 1955. The next year he was posted to Calcutta as trade commissioner, cutting short his editorship. Within ten years he had risen to become private secretary to Douglas Jay, the Labour heavyweight whom Harold Wilson had appointed president of the Board of Trade.
From there Nicoll was seconded to the Foreign Office and served 20 years as one of the UK's senior men in Brussels. He became familiar with the French language and had a narrow escape from an IRA letter bomb while there.
Nicoll rose to become Director General of the Council of the European Communities, and was knighted in 1992. In retirement, he lectured, edited the European Business Journal, wrote books on the European Union and advised candidate countries hoping to join it.
Sir William was a lifelong teetotaller, and keen Scottish country dancer.
Access Information
Open for consultation subject to preservation requirements. Access must also conform to the restrictions of the Data Protection Act (2018), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, 2018) and any other relevant legislation or restrictions. Clinical information is closed for 100 years.
Note
Born in Dundee, Sir William Nicoll was an only child. Growing up in a tenement, his father was a joiner. He attended Morgan Academy, then won a scholarship to University College, Dundee, which was then part of the University of St Andrews.
Nicoll passed the civil service exams and moved to London in 1949 to join the Board of Trade. Married Helen Morison in 1954, at the same time he became Editor of The Reel, a post he held in 1954 and 1955. The next year he was posted to Calcutta as trade commissioner, cutting short his editorship. Within ten years he had risen to become private secretary to Douglas Jay, the Labour heavyweight whom Harold Wilson had appointed president of the Board of Trade.
From there Nicoll was seconded to the Foreign Office and served 20 years as one of the UK's senior men in Brussels. He became familiar with the French language and had a narrow escape from an IRA letter bomb while there.
Nicoll rose to become Director General of the Council of the European Communities, and was knighted in 1992. In retirement, he lectured, edited the European Business Journal, wrote books on the European Union and advised candidate countries hoping to join it.
Sir William was a lifelong teetotaller, and keen Scottish country dancer.
Archivist's Note
Description compiled by Joy Naomi Ramsay, Archives Volunteer, 16/04/2018
Conditions Governing Use
Reproduction is available subject to preservation requirements. Charges may be made for this service, and copyright and other restrictions may apply; please check with the Duty Archivist.
Accruals
Not expected
Additional Information
Published