# Piece 207/182: Prof W Stockley (1922)

> military intelligence file for Prof W. Stockley

**Wikidata**: [Q101192896](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q101192896)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/piece-207-182-prof-w-stockley-1922

## Summary
Piece 207/182: Prof W Stockley (1922) is a four-page military intelligence file authored by the British Army in 1922. The document, written in English, focuses on Professor William Stockley and is preserved as a PDF on Wikimedia Commons, serving as a primary source record of early 20th-century military surveillance activity.

## Key Facts
- **Title:** Piece 207/182: Prof W Stockley (1922)
- **Author:** British Army
- **Document Type:** Military intelligence file
- **Main Subject:** William Stockley
- **Page Count:** 4 pages
- **Publication Date:** 1922
- **Language:** English
- **Digital Location:** Available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Piece_207-182;_Prof_W_Stockley_(1922).pdf
- **Instance Of:** Document

## FAQs
**What exactly is Piece 207/182?**
Piece 207/182 is a military intelligence file created by the British Army in 1922 that documents information about Professor William Stockley. It represents a formal military record from the interwar period, preserved as a four-page document.

**Who created this file and why?**
The British Army authored this intelligence file as part of their military record-keeping and surveillance operations in 1922. The specific operational context for monitoring Professor Stockley is not detailed in the available metadata.

**How can I access the original document?**
The complete four-page file is publicly accessible as a PDF on Wikimedia Commons at the dedicated URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Piece_207-182;_Prof_W_Stockley_(1922).pdf

**What makes this document historically significant?**
As a 1922 military intelligence file, it provides direct primary source evidence of British Army surveillance practices during the early interwar period, offering researchers insight into how military intelligence documented and monitored individuals.

**Is this document available in languages other than English?**
No, the source material specifies that the document's language of work is English, and no translations are referenced in the available metadata.

## Why It Matters
This intelligence file matters because it constitutes a rare surviving example of British military surveillance documentation from 1922, a period when intelligence services were formalizing their operations following World War I. The document's existence on Wikimedia Commons democratizes access to primary source materials that would otherwise remain locked in military archives, enabling historians, researchers, and the public to examine firsthand the methods and targets of early 20th-century British intelligence gathering. Its four-page structure suggests a concise, focused investigation typical of military record-keeping efficiency, while its specific designation "Piece 207/182" indicates it belongs to a larger organized filing system, providing clues about the scale and systematic nature of intelligence operations during this era. The file on Professor William Stockley specifically illuminates how academic figures could become subjects of military interest, revealing intersections between academia, military suspicion, and state monitoring that resonate with broader themes of surveillance history.

## Notable For
- **Precise Archival Designation:** Identified by the specific piece number "207/182," indicating systematic organization within a larger military intelligence filing system
- **British Army Authorship:** Created directly by the British Army rather than a civilian agency, representing pure military intelligence activity
- **Interwar Period Origin:** Dates specifically to 1922, placing it in the immediate post-WWI era when military intelligence structures were being redefined
- **Academic Subject Focus:** Centers on Professor William Stockley, suggesting military monitoring of academic personnel during peacetime
- **Concise Length:** Contains exactly four pages, reflecting the succinct documentation style characteristic of military intelligence briefs
- **Public Accessibility:** Available on Wikimedia Commons, making a formerly restricted military document openly accessible to global researchers
- **Digital Preservation:** Maintained as a PDF file, ensuring the original 1922 document's content remains viewable in its complete form

## Body

### Identification and Classification
Piece 207/182: Prof W Stockley (1922) is formally classified as a document instance with a precise archival title that follows military record-keeping conventions. The designation "Piece 207/182" functions as a unique identifier within what was evidently a comprehensive filing system, suggesting the British Army maintained sequential records with dual-numeric organization. The document's Wikidata description explicitly identifies it as a "military intelligence file for Prof W. Stockley," establishing its primary function as surveillance and information gathering. The file is catalogued under the main subject heading of William Stockley, focusing the entire content on this individual. Its instance as a document places it within the broader category of structured information resources, though the available metadata emphasizes its specific military provenance over general document characteristics.

### Content and Physical Characteristics
The file consists of exactly four pages, a deliberate constraint that suggests the intelligence gathered was either limited in scope or summarized for brevity. The language of composition is English, consistent with British Army internal documentation practices of the period. The document's creation date of 1922 anchors it firmly in the early interwar period, when the British military was transitioning from wartime intelligence operations to peacetime surveillance activities. The British Army's role as author indicates official military sanction and origin, distinguishing it from police or civilian intelligence agency records. No co-authors or contributing agencies are referenced in the metadata, implying a single-source military production.

### Historical Context and Significance
The year 1922 represents a critical juncture in British intelligence history, occurring just four years after the Armistice and during the Irish War of Independence, a period of heightened domestic security concerns. Military intelligence files from this era reveal institutional priorities and methodologies as the British Army adapted to post-war threats. The monitoring of Professor William Stockley, an academic figure, suggests the scope of military interest extended beyond conventional military targets to include civilian professionals, possibly due to political affiliations, research activities, or foreign connections. The document's survival and public availability provide a tangible connection to these covert operations, offering evidence that complements broader historical narratives about state surveillance in early 20th-century Britain.

### Digital Preservation and Access
The file is preserved and accessible through Wikimedia Commons at a dedicated permanent URL, representing a significant shift from classified archive to public heritage resource. This digital preservation ensures the document's content remains available for historical research, educational purposes, and public scrutiny. The PDF format maintains the document's original pagination and structure, allowing viewers to experience the file as originally compiled. The availability of this military intelligence document on an open-access platform exemplifies modern efforts to democratize historical records that were once restricted to authorized personnel, transforming a tool of state security into a resource for public knowledge and academic study.