I've done a G****e search & picked up 33 Hits, but nothing of great interest.

Now, it's time for a real professional to show me how it should be done!

As I understand it, the BEU was formed in 1915, as an outgrowth of the
Anti-German Union and I am principally interested in the period from
its formation through to (say) 1930.

Lord Leith of Fyvie was apparently the President at some stage and the
5th Duke of Northumberland is said to have been a member in 1920 (at
least).

So, who's going to produce some more magic for me?

Dear probonopublico-ga, 
Bryan,
Thank you for allowing to post as an answer. Additional information
appears in the lower half.

I?ve ignored the 33 references on Google you mentioned.
"british empire union"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22british+empire+union%22

The Anti-Fascist Magazine has some basic information
http://www.searchlightmagazine.com/stories/century/1900-1931.htm

The British Museum Newspaper Library are running a trial with
historical newspapers on line (it?s free!). The only relevant dates
available for your purposes are 1918.
There are four entries for ?british empire union? and one for ?anti-german league?
Go to
http://www.uk.olivesoftware.com/
Click >enter. This will then take you to the search page. Entry the
search term in quotes in the search box (upper right), click ?search
in all publications?
You should get images of the relevant extracts. Articles show are that
Reginald Wilson was secretary in 1918. He was still secretary in c.
1923 (see below). They held meetings in Hyde Park. There are comments
on Lord Kitchener?s death. Viscount Grey was a founder of the
?anti-German League?.

"Sir Reginald Wilson, General Secretary of the BEU and one of the two
Directors of the Economic League, approached Hughes' main financial
sponsor, requesting him to withdraw support for Hughes"
http://members.lycos.co.uk/mere_pseud_mag_ed/History/Hope1.htm


There are articles in the New York Times database, and as a fellow
researcher has indicated, it is pay per view.
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/nytimes/advancedsearch.html?

Initial paragraphs:
1916 "An answer to the Pan-German movement, whereby Germany hoped to
gain her "place in the sun" of the commercial world, is contained in
the prospectus of the British Empire Union, now bidding for 5,000,000
members throughout the British Empire, and whose avowed object is the
abolition of German influence."

1918 "HAILS TEUTON BOYCOTT.:British Empire Union Praises Our Rejection
of German Toys."

1921 "LONDON, Oct. 28.--Amazing scenes were witnessed tonight at a
meeting of the British Empire Union, held at Central Hall,
Westminster. The Earl of Derby was announced as the principal speaker,
but he was howled down,"


Regarding your comment about the Duke of Northumberland, I presume you
saw this on the Google research.
"...One of the solutions to the postwar realities of economic cuts and
social crisis, was the establishment of private intelligence
organisations associated with patriotic middle class societies like
the British Commonwealth Union, the Middle Classes Union and the
British Empire Union [9]. By their very nature these were often
dominated by right wing views, funded by Diehards like the Duke of
Northumberland, and influenced by the antisemitic, anti labour and
obsessional anti-communist views of the grand dame of British
conspiracy theory, Nesta Webster."
[9] J Hope, 'Surveillance or Collusion? Maxwell Knight, MI5 and the
British Fascisti', Intelligence and National Security 9, 4, October
1994, pp.651-675.
http://les1.man.ac.uk/chnn/CHNN05TRM.html


These are the additional items I have found since posting my comment.

LexisNexis is a news database starting from 1986 to which I have
access. For you, articles are pay-per-view $2.50. These are some
relevant articles I?ve summarised. I?ll indicate which may be worth
looking at.
http://web.lexis.com/LNE/login_en.asp?referer_domain=LNE001

The Guardian of August 5, 1989 carried an article on anti-German
phobia during WWI it focuses on the experiences of Germans living in
the UK at that time.

"....There were more, new right-wing organisations than at any other
time in British history: the British Empire Union, the Vigilantes, the
National Party, the Women's Imperial Defence Council, the Aliens
Internment League, the Anti-German League, the League of Londoners,
and the Britain for the British Movement. All wanted expulsion of
Germans from Britain. The British Empire Union recruited more than
10,000 members while the National Party and the Vigilantes had
representatives in Parliament."

There are no other references to the Union, but you may find useful
general reading.

The International Herald Tribune of November 19, 1993 carried an
archive article from 1918 (173 words. The British Empire Union held a
meeting at the Criterium Theatre on Nov. 17 1918 to discuss the
question of punishing the persons responsible for the brutal treatment
of British prisoners in Germany. The chairman was Lord Norris, former
Prime Minister of Newfoundland. Not worth reading - I?ve summarised
it.


The Canadian Journal of History, April, 2000, 15387 words, has an
article titled ?The battle of Cory Hall, November 1916: patriots meet
dissenters in wartime?. This is the meeting referred to in this PRO
reference.
http://www.pro.gov.uk/pathways/firstworldwar/transcripts/spotlights/patriotic_citizens.htm
In the article there is one reference to the British Empire Union.
Captain Atherley Jones was described as the Organising Secretary later
Chairman . You will note his name appears on the PRO document. You may
find useful general reading


I hope this answers your question. If it does not, or the answer is
unclear, then please ask for clarification of this research before
rating the answer. I shall respond to the clarification request as
soon as I receive it.
Thank you
answerfinder

P.S. By ?Times on line?, I meant Palmer?s index, but of course that
only goes up to 1905. Universities and libraries have access.


search strategy
"british empire union" on various search engines and relevant names.

Absolutely great, Answerfinder.

I particularly liked the PRO reference, as I shall be going there
tomorrow - weather permitting.

You know, I am aiming to apply for membership of your elite group by
2100 - and then maybe we can chat on the mysterious Forum ...

Warmest regards

Bryan

No magic from me this time. That is why it is a comment. I?ve ignored
the 33 references on Google.
"british empire union"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22british+empire+union%22

The Anti-Fascist Magazine has some basic information
http://www.searchlightmagazine.com/stories/century/1900-1931.htm

The British Museum Newspaper Library are running a trial with
historical newspapers on line (it?s free!). The only relevant dates
available for your purposes are 1918.
There are four entries for ?british empire union? and one for ?anti-german league?
Go to
http://www.uk.olivesoftware.com/
Click >enter. This will then take you to the search page. Entry the
search term in quotes in the search box (upper right), click ?search
in all publications?
You should get images of the relevant extracts. Articles show are that
Reginald Wilson was secretary in 1918. He was still secretary in c.
1923 (see below). They held meetings in Hyde Park. There are comments
on Lord Kitchener?s death. Viscount Grey was a founder of the
?anti-German League?.

"Sir Reginald Wilson, General Secretary of the BEU and one of the two
Directors of the Economic League, approached Hughes' main financial
sponsor, requesting him to withdraw support for Hughes"
http://members.lycos.co.uk/mere_pseud_mag_ed/History/Hope1.htm


There are articles in the New York Times database, and as a fellow
researcher has indicated, it is pay per view.
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/nytimes/advancedsearch.html?

Initial paragraphs:
1916 "An answer to the Pan-German movement, whereby Germany hoped to
gain her "place in the sun" of the commercial world, is contained in
the prospectus of the British Empire Union, now bidding for 5,000,000
members throughout the British Empire, and whose avowed object is the
abolition of German influence."

1918 "HAILS TEUTON BOYCOTT.:British Empire Union Praises Our Rejection
of German Toys."

1921 "LONDON, Oct. 28.--Amazing scenes were witnessed tonight at a
meeting of the British Empire Union, held at Central Hall,
Westminster. The Earl of Derby was announced as the principal speaker,
but he was howled down,"


Regarding your comment about the Duke of Northumberland , I presume
you saw this on the Google research.
"....One of the solutions to the postwar realities of economic cuts
and social crisis, was the establishment of private intelligence
organisations associated with patriotic middle class societies like
the British Commonwealth Union, the Middle Classes Union and the
British Empire Union [9]. By their very nature these were often
dominated by right wing views, funded by Diehards like the Duke of
Northumberland, and influenced by the antisemitic, anti labour and
obsessional anti-communist views of the grand dame of British
conspiracy theory, Nesta Webster."
[9] J Hope, 'Surveillance or Collusion? Maxwell Knight, MI5 and the
British Fascisti', Intelligence and National Security 9, 4, October
1994, pp.651-675.
http://les1.man.ac.uk/chnn/CHNN05TRM.html

What I would give for access to the Times on line database.

answerfinder-ga

Hi, Answerfinder

You are too modest (like me?).

The leads you have provided are exciting and who knows where they might lead?

(Thanks to Leli, I've just received an absolute bonanza!)

What does it take to access the Times On-Line Database?

Please go for an answer but any extra goodies would be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Bryan

Tch, tch.  You haven't signed up to the NY Times *yet*?

There's probably another database you should get access to (by
subscription).  It is the Questia library (of books, journals, etc) at
www.questia.com, and it has a heavy emphasis on academics, history,
and social sciences.

A questia search on "British Empire Union" turns up 10 books with
information on the BUE, including:

The Enemy in Our Midst: Germans in Britain during the First World War
Book by Panikos Panayi; Berg Publishers Ltd., 1991, with an entire
Chapter 7 on:  "Anti-German Manifestations: Witch-Hunts, Boycotts and
Movements" that devotes about a dozen pages to the BEU.

Other books listed include:

-- British Policy and the Weimar Republic, 1918-1919  
 
--The Selling of the Empire: British and French Imperialist Propaganda, 1890-1940 

--Great Britain (dated 1929)

--Policing Western Europe: Politics, Professionalism, and Public Order, 1850-1940 

--Anti-Semitism in British Society, 1876-1939 

You get the drift, I'm sure.  This is an excellent resource for
someone in your line of work -- whatever the heck your line of work
*is*.

Hi, Paf

Many thanks for your inputs ...

Re The Times database, I thought that Answerfinder was referring to
THE Times (of London) but maybe not!

Yes, I'm on the NY Times and I'm now picking up on stuff there.

I shall also have a go at the Questia one, now I know it's there. (Why
am I always the last to know?)

'Whatever the heck your line of work *is*' sounds like a question to me.

Well, since we are old friends, I will tell you ...

I'm training to become a GA Researcher.

So now you know.

Warmest regards

Bryan

I hope we can welcome you to the club, one of these days.

I forgot to mention, you can run searches on Questia for free, without
registering.  It's a good way to play around with the site, and get a
feel for what they offer.

Of course, if you want FULL access to the documents you uncover, then
registration (and a credit card) is a must.

Bryan --

Many public libraries in the U.S. have the NY Times available online
at no charge.  You might check your favorite U.K. libraries to see if
a similar service is available; Proquest is the company that typically
offers it -- and the NY Times archive may actually be available under
Proquest Magazines or Proquest Newspaper service for you.

Or you could establish a pied-a-terre here in the colonies at some
location where the local library service offers the service.  My
recommendation: Coupeville, WA and the Sno-Isle Regional Library
District.

Best regards,

Omnivorous-GA

Many thanks, Paf & Omni

Great comments ...

As for a pied-a-terre ... 

I've already got a Pied Eyed Terrier ... She's called Daisy.

And one's quite enough, thank you.

Bryan

Bryan,
Thank you for your generous tip. 
I can't wait to read the fruits of all your labours.
answerfinder-ga