Records of the Maccabi Union of Great Britain, 1943-2002. Please note written permission from the depositors is required to access these records.

This collection reflects how the Maccabi organisation functions on an international, European and national level. The hierarchy of authority is evident in the way the series of records have been organised. The Maccabi World Union, International Maccabiah Committee and European Maccabi Confederation are represented in the holdings mostly through official reports. However, although the records for the Maccabi Union of Great Britain start with the official minutes of what was to become the National Executive Committee, it is the personal correspondence from key figures in the Union, for example Eric and Beryl Rayman, which greatly enhance our understanding of this organisation.

It is apparent from the records that the Maccabi Union GB has many related parts to it. This demonstrates the level of organisation involved and fund raising necessary to run a major youth movement. The Maccabi Foundation, an independant body, has, as its main purpose, a funding function for Maccabi activities. This itself was previously linked to a company called Maccabi Stadium Limited. The Maccad Agency Limited, also no longer functioning, charged commission from companies to advertise in Maccabi Union publications. This commission was most likely ploughed back into the Union's activities.

The Maccabi Century Club took over the activities of the Sportsmen's Century Club in 1992. This club was founded by generous, wealthy men who ran one fundraising event per year at the Dorchester Hotel. The "Century" referred to the fact that this stag dinner function cost 100 pounds per head for 100 people. By 1992 the cost of the ticket had risen to 500 pounds and the number of attendees increased. Fine speakers, fine food and wine and top names in cabaret ensured a memorable evening. Over 33 years these dinners raised over 1,000,000 pounds to keep the Maccabi movement alive. The Maccabi Century Club continued this work with a slightly altered structure, that is, that the fundraising work is shared with the Maccabi Centurions. This Club is no longer operating.

By far the most comprehensive series of records is that of sports events and games. The Maccabiah is covered from the 3rd to the 16th Games. A set of photographs of the 1950 Games is of particular interest as it shows not only the opening cermonies in Israel but members of the team from Great Britain and the competitors as they take part.

The involvement of the Maccabi Union Great Britain in the Maccabiah, European and North American Games is known to us mainly through the personal papers of Ken Gradon who served the Union in many capacities. Ken Gradon was a key figure in the development of the Maccabi Union because he has served at all levels. He was, among other roles, President of the Maccabi Union Great Britain, Honorary President of the European Maccabi Games, a member of the International Maccabiah Committee on a personal basis, nominated to stand for committees of the Maccabi World Union and standing on the British Maccabiah Organising Committee.

The photographic collection includes meetings, conferences, dinners and other events held between the 1940s and 1960s with particular reference to Maccabi Association London depicting speakers, audiences and assembled groups, the Jewish Welfare Unit ambulances, and the opening of the Maccabi running track at Hendon Stadium in 1953. Among the ephemera there are football league trophies, sports caps and T-shirts, commemorative pennants, banners and plaques.

Besides the Maccabiah, individual sports are represented through the files of affiliated sports groups such as the Maccabi Southern Football League and Wingate Football Club, as well as the Union's own records of certain sports and their annual tournaments, such as table tennis, athletics and cricket.

Records of the Association of Lay Preachers. This collection consists of administrative material - constitutions and amendments; correspondence; minutes and records of attendance at meetings. There are also publications - booklets of talks and lectures on religious themes, and newsletters.

Publications of the Christian Economic and Social Research Foundation, on subjects as diverse as drink offences; theft and the victims of crime; taxation; shopping centres; violence; social problems of youths; family problems; alcohol advertising; road safety; and licensing legislation. The majority of the publications are concerned with alcohol and the control of drinking.

Records of the King's Cross Central Methodist Mission, Crestfield Street, 1933-1956 including correspondence regarding the freehold and leasehold of the Church and adjoining properties, and correspondence regarding a proposed hostel and community centre.

Records of the Dalston Methodist Church, Mayfield Road, 1943-1956, comprising correspondence and papers concerning war damage and re-building, and leaflet advertising Sunday School anniversary.

Records of the Maidstone Street Methodist Church, Haggerston, later the Harbour Light Church, Goldsmith's Row, Haggerston, including registers of baptisms, 1897-1944; papers regarding membership of the Church; minute books for Church Meetings, Leader's Meetings and other church committees; Trustees' meeting minutes, correspondence and financial accounts; papers of the Sunday School and leaflets, including a history of the church to 1946.

Register of baptisms for Penton Hall Methodist Church (later Twyford Hall Methodist Church), 1866-1890.

Records of Putney United Reformed Church including baptism and marriage registers, 1907-1992; minutes of the Session, later the Elders Meeting; minutes of the Board of Managers, later the Deacon's Court, later the Church Meeting; minutes of the Stewards' Meeting; minutes of other church committees; Communicant Books which were attested by order of the Session; papers relating to rebuilding work following World War Two bomb damage; newsletters, reports and other publications of the Church, including Church Notes which provides selected sermons given at the Church; war memorials; a file of press cuttings and photographs relating to special events; order of service sheets; histories of the Putney Church and photographs of centenary celebrations.

Records of constituent churches of the United Reformed Church Southern Province Trust, 1808-1991, including: Battersea Bridge Road United Reformed Church baptism registers 1846-1991 and Church Meeting minute books; Plumstead United Reformed Church baptism registers, 1924-1977; Clapham Congregational Church committee meetings minute book; George Street Chapel, Croydon, committee meetings minute book; Camberwell Green United Reformed Church property trust papers and Hither Green Mission property trust papers.

Register of marriages for Feltham United Reformed Church, 1972-1973.

Registers of marriages for Bexley Congregational Church, 1966-1975.

Records of 'The Bourne', Southgate Methodist Church, 1890-1979, including Trustees meeting minute books and account books; Leader's meeting minutes; Society Steward account books; Missionary Committee meetings; pulpit notices; Sunday School minute book; Quarterly Circuit meeting minutes and other Circuit administrative papers including correspondence; collection journals; Finsbury Park and Southgate Circuit plans and directories and issues of Church newsletter 'Bourne Tidings'.

Marriage registers for Finsbury Park Congregational Church, Seven Sisters Road, Finsbury Park, 1922-1939.

Marriage registers for East Ham Presbyterian Church, East Avenue, Manor Park, East Ham, 1929-1969.

Marriage registers for Plaistow Congregational Church, Balaam Street, 1925-1943.

Marriage registers for Ray Lodge Congregational Church, Snakes Lane East, Woodford Green, 1919-1980.

Marriage registers for East Ham Congregational Church, Wakefield Street, East Ham, 1910-1940.

Marriage registers for Barking Congregational Church, Upney Lane, 1965-1973.

Marriage registers for Poplar Presbyterian Church, Plimsoll Street, East India Dock Road, 1901-1913.

Marriage registers for Bromley-By-Bow Congregational Church, Bruce Road, 1935-1941.

Marriage register for Algernon Road Congregational Church, Loampit Vale, Lewisham, 1969-1981.

Marriage registers for Blackheath Congregational Church, Independents Road, 1899-1973.

Marriage registers for Acton Congregational Church, Churchfield Road, 1927-1976.

Marriage registers for Lewisham High Road Congregational Church, Brockley, 1899-1966.

Marriage registers for Cricklewood Presbyterian Church, Rondu Road, 1927-1940.

Marriage register for Park Chapel, Arlington Road, Camden, 1911-1939.

Marriage registers for Upper Clapton Congregational Church, Upper Clapton Road, 1958-1973.

Marriage registers for Harlesden Congregational Church, Church Road, 1902-1984.

Marriage registers for the Providence Congregational Church, Uxbridge, 1924-1961.

Marriage registers for Oaklands Congregational Church, Uxbridge Road, Shepherd's Bush, 1925-1970.

Marriage registers for Middleton Road Congregational Church, Dalston, 1916-1975.

Marriage registers for Haggerston Congregational Church, Pownall Road, Haggerston, 1908-1947.

Marriage registers for New Road Presbyterian Church, Woolwich, 1906-1964.

Records of Plumstead Congregational Church, including licence, plans and materials specifications for a wood and iron church, 1899; legal papers relating to Church property; correspondence relating to sale of church real estate and scheme regarding the appointment of trustees.

Records of Saint John's Presbyterian Church including Court of Session minute books, 1865-1939; Church Manager's minute book, 1867-1875; Deacon's Court minute books, 1876-1939; Communicants' roll book, 1863-1938 and register of baptisms, 1868-1938.

Records of Trinity Presbyterian Church, Stratford, including Court of Session minute book, 1936-1940; Deacons' Court minute book, 1938-1942 and Church magazines, 1884-1906, including records of baptisms, marriages and deaths, as the original records were destroyed by enemy action in 1941.

Records of the Vine Congregational Church comprising annual reports, 1898-1930 and registers of baptisms, 1906-1940.

Records of Trinity Presbyterian Church, Norwich, Norfolk, comprising Deacons' Court minute book, 1866-1867, detailing subscriptions and the setting up of the church.

Records of Trinity Presbyterian Church, Notting Hill, including Court of Session minute books, 1873-1919; Deacons' Court minute books, 1873-1895; annual reports, 1874-1915 and book of tickets allocating the areas the elders are to serve at communion, including communion service cards.

Records of Marylebone Presbyterian Church, including Court of Session minute books for predecessor Swallow Street Church, 1734-1806, including a brief history of Swallow Street Meeting House; Court of Session minute books, 1843-1958, including a history; Deacon's Court minute books, 1847-1958; Women's Missionary Association minute book, 1919-1958; House Committee minute book, 1899-1900; Bell Street Mission minute book, 1886-1892; Building Committee minute book, 1844-1847; Finance and Collections Committee minute book, 1922-1933; Teachers' minute book for Lisson Street Sunday School, 1899-1938; Reports of the Four Commissions, special minute book, 1919; Scrapbook containing annual reports, 1847-1873; annual reports for 1912, 1913, 1923 and 1925; Communicants' roll book, 1856-1929; register of baptisms, 1884-1958; list of subscribers to the scheme for raising a sum of money by way of debenture for defraying the expenses of building The Presbyterian Church, Upper George Street, Marylebone, 1846; printed booklet containing lists of elders, members and seatholders, 1934; financial accounts, 1844-1958; Lease arrangement and papers relating to the purchase of a premises on Upper George Street, 1853-1879; monthly journals, 1947-1958 and photograph of W.J.Blunden, former treasurer and elder of the church who died in 1946.

Records of Hither Green Presbyterian Church including Communicants' roll book, 1912-1934; Court of Session minute book, 1905-1934; register of baptisms, 1906-1933 and Treasurer's account book, 1924-1934.

Register of baptisms, for the Presbyterian Church, Prospect Place, Southwark, 1825-1830.

Records of Camberwell Presbyterian Church, including Court of Session minute books, 1867-1936; Deacons' Court minute books, 1866-1936; minute book of the Presbytery of London South on Camberwell, 1927; Communicants' roll book, 1868-1877; Communicants' roll book 1860-1935 and register of baptisms, 1867-1935.

Records of Wandsworth Presbyterian Church including Court of session minute books, 1904-1945; Deacons' Court minute books, 1871-1945; Sunday School teachers' minute book, 1902-1925; Communicants' roll books, 1874-1936 and register of baptisms, 1872-1944.

Account of proceedings [log book], 1798-1818.

Minutes of Quarterly Meetings, 1877-1891; minutes of the Chapel Trusts Liquidation Fund Committee, 1876-1877; minutes of the Circuit Committee for the Renovation of the Chapels in the Hoxton Circuit, 1882-1883; minutes of Local Preachers meetings, 1865-1892; Circuit Account Book, 1865-1890 and Circuit Schedule Book, 1874-1885.

Log Book for the Girls School, 1863-1836.

Register of baptisms, 1838-1880; register of marriages, 1843-1880 and 1902-1906; minutes of Sunday School Teachers' Meetings, 1875-1902; collection journal, 1931-1955; financial accounts, 1863-1881; subscription book for a Lying-In Charity, 1854-1905 and Hackney Road Branch of Wesleyan Missionary Society cash book, 1888-1910.

Mission Fund collections book, 1899-1931 and alphabetical index to names of scholars admitted into the Sunday School, 1902.

Minute books containing Trustees' meetings and Chapel Management Committee meetings, 1878-1922; Treasurer's account book of receipt and expenditure, 1907-1911; subscription list for Debt Reduction Effort, 1918; souvenir programme of "Alice in Wonderland" bazaar, 1912; programme of "Prims" Concert Party, 1917.