This paper explores the institutional and intellectual background of a significant archive of Yugoslav material transferred from the University of Bradford Library to the British Library in 2012. It argues that this acquisition preserves a critical resource for Cold War and Yugoslav studies, directly linking back to Bradford’s unique history in the field. The paper is structured in three parts: the foundational role of Fred Singleton, the subsequent trajectory of Yugoslav studies at Bradford, and the vital history of the acquired Joint Translation Service collection.
The initial section provides an overview of Fred Singleton (1926-1988), a founding figure in Bradford’s international studies programs. After his service in the Royal Navy and completing his studies at Leeds University, Singleton joined the Bradford Institute of Technology in 1962 (which became Bradford University in 1966), becoming Reader in Yugoslav Studies in 1977. As Chairman of the Research Unit in Yugoslav Studies from 1965, he was a prolific author on Yugoslavia, Finland and Eastern Europe exemplified by works like
Twentieth Century Yugoslavia (1976). His academic career established the institutional foundation for the research area, creating a legacy honoured by the University’s 1987 honorary doctorate.
The second section examines the evolution of Yugoslav studies at Bradford University covering the period from 1979 to 1997. This era saw the publication of
Bradford Studies on Yugoslavia (1979-1990) and later
Bradford Studies on South East Europe (1994-1997), reflecting the Unit’s continued focus on diverse topics, including ethnic relations, economic reform, and the history of the Yugoslav People’s Army. This period of sustained output cemented Bradford’s status as a key UK centre for scholarship on the region, underscoring the intellectual environment that had both acquired and utilised the unique research collections housed in the university library.
The final and main section focuses on the Joint Translation Service collection, a sole-hold UK archive of a quarter of a million pages of translated Yugoslav press from 1953 to 1989. The paper recounts the urgent 2012 transfer of this 28-metre shelf-run from the University of Bradford to the BL’s Boston Spa site, driven by Bradford’s critical refurbishment deadline and the material’s unique status as a valuable, unresearched resource for political and diplomatic history, economy, culture and internal Yugoslav affairs. By tracing its history from the initial pleas to prevent its disposal to its ultimate integration and subsequent cataloguing process at the British Library, the paper highlights the collaborative effort that preserved this vital documentary witness to the Cold War history of socialist Yugoslavia.
