Minutes of Church meetings, 1885-1887.

Typescript transcript of letters and extracts of letters, and some photocopies of original letters, 1818-1821, from Thomas and Abigail Beighton to family and friends, recording problems encountered on the journey from England to Madras; local customs; and missionary work in Malacca and Penang, particularly their work in education; also including much discussion of family matters and of relationships among the missionary communities.

The archive consists of a certificate of appointment as Deaconess in the Parishes of Mere with West Knoyle in the County of Wiltshire and Diocese of Salisbury, 30 Jan 1933; correspondence with the Diocesan Registry, Salisbury to Deaconess Belfield; copy of her Assent to the 39 Articles, Jan 1937; press cutting relating to Dorothea Belfield's status and office and to the debate bout the status, role and office of deaconess, as opposed to deacon, within the Church.

Records of Benledi Street School Chapel, Poplar, comprising Trust Treasurer's account book 1933-1940.

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

Latin Bible, written in the 13th century.

Manuscript volume, 14th century: Novum Testamentum Latinum (Latin New Testament).

Vulgate Bible, c1475-1500: The Psalms are omitted; and "Interpretationes nominum hebraicorum" is added at the end of the N.T.; the prologues and prefaces of St. Jerome are given. There are occasional marginal notes, partially or wholly erased.

Notes on biblical and classical subjects.

Trustees minute book, 1857-1859.

Records of Blackheath Congregational Church including deeds, 1858-1872; certificate authorizing solemnization of marriages at the church, 1855; Church meeting minute books, 1853-1969; register of baptisms, 1949-1969; Deacons' meeting minute books, 1869-1970; Sunday School teachers' meeting minute books, 1907-1935; correspondence and papers concerning pastors, 1874-1896; Church membership roll, 1967; account book, 1872-1887 and material relating to church property, 1886-1954.

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

Records of the Blackheath Methodist Church, comprising minute book.

Letter from Jean Joseph Louis Blanc of 87 Piccadilly, London, 17 Aug 1850. 'Vous me parlez de la necessite de rattacher le socialisme a  la tradition chretienne. Oui, a condition que le Christianisme ne sera pas compris a  la mania re de ceux qui, au lieu d y voir la proclamation de l'egalite et della fraternite, n y ont cherche que la consecration de la double tyrannie exprimee dan l'histoire par le mot pratre et par le mot roi.' Autograph, with signature.

Eighteenth-century copies of Jean Bodin's work: "De abditis rerum sublimium", book 6.

Service registers from the Bologna Anglican Chaplaincy, Italy.

Italian Book of Hours, c1470-1480, beginning Officium Beatae Mariae Virginis (office of the Blessed Virgin Mary). Originally 106(?) leaves, with 19th-century additions: full page colour illustrations and decorated borders, including a Crucifixion, added by Caleb W Wing.

Records of Boscombe Congregational Church, Bournemouth, Dorset, including Year book and accounts, 1881-1938 (some gaps); Visitors book, 1978-1985; Congregational magazine, 1904 and 1907; Congregation Monthly magazine, 1900 and 1936; Boscombe Congregational Church Newsletters, 1951-1957 and 1964-1967 and scrapbook containing financial statements, posters, newsletters, correspondence, newspaper cuttings and other papers relating to the Church, 1887-1969.

Papers of Francis Alphonsus Bourne as Archbishop of Westminster, [1903-1935], including material on the Holy See; Bishop's conferences; synods; religious orders; Vicars General and Chaplaincies; Papal Encyclicals; ecclesiastical and diocesan matters; moral, social and political issues; ecumenicalism; media, communications and publications; foreign countries; national and international institutions; government; embassies; hospitals; trusts, foundations and communities; lectures; homilies; patronages; personal correspondence; staff; invitations; education bills; visits; finance; St Edmund's College, Ware; missions, including in Austria, Germany and India and boy scouts and girl guides.

A manuscript Bible containing both Old and New Testaments copied out in shorthand, 1846-50. Included is a treatise on the system of shorthand used and a watercolour portrait of Thomas Bourne.

Records of the Bow Circuit (active 1861-1900), Poplar and Bow Mission (active 1900-1961) and Bow Mission (active 1961-date) including Quarterly meeting minute books, 1866-1977; Circuit Steward's account books, 1863-1961; Local Preachers' meeting minute book, 1865-1964; Circuit schedules, 1861-1892; Circuit trust schedule relating to the finance and material condition of each chapel and manse, 1941-1960; Circuit preaching plans, 1931-1966; War damage account book, 1941-1947; book of newspaper cuttings, 1933-1940; Bow and East End mission leaflets, 1887-1964; correspondence and certificates, 1828-1888.

Records of Bow Common Wesleyan Methodist Church, Devons Road, comprising minute book of meetings of Trustees, 1904-1936; minute book of meetings of Trustees of Bow Common School, Tidey Street, 1935-1971 and Government Air-Craft Insurance for Devons Road Wesleyan Chapel, Bow Common, 1915.

Minutes, accounts, schedules and registers of Bow Methodist Mission Circuit and chapels within that Circuit, 1858-1940, including Elizabeth Street Church, Bow Common Church, Millwall Church, Old Ford Church, Old Mahogany Bar Church, Saint George's Methodist Church, Cable Street, Stratford Conference Hall, Tredegar Road Church, Bruce Road Church, Shirley Street Church, London Fields Church, Benledi Street School Chapel, Chrisp Street Church, Custom House Church, Driffield Road Church, Manchester Road Church, Maria Street Church, Mary Street Church and Plaistow Marsh Church.

Records of Bow Road Wesleyan Methodist Church, including register of marriages, 1866-1916; registers of baptisms, 1862-1955; Trustees meetings minute books, 1888-1976; financial accounts, 1865-1965; Leader's meetings minute books, 1868-1970; Management Committee minutes, 1922-1931; collection journals, 1956-1972; Government Air-Craft Insurance for Merchant Street Wesleyan Chapel, Bow Road, 1915; Wesley Guild minute books, 1929-1957; church magazines, 1946-1969; box containing booklets and newspapers (1863-1865) found under the memorial stone of Bow Road Chapel, after its destruction in 1941; newspaper cuttings, 1937-1970; photographs, 1960-1970 and papers and correspondence (1914-1965) regarding the centenary of Bow Road gathered in preparation for Leslie Farmer's history of Bow Mission, includes photographs.

Records of Boston Road Presbyterian Church, Albany Congregational Chapel and the Brentford Congregational Church, Boston Road; including volume containing baptisms, burials, membership and minutes of Church Meetings, 1693-1867; volume containing documents regarding finance, purchase of chapel site and construction of chapel and minutes of meetings, 1731-1840; minutes of deacon's meetings, 1883-1891; volume containing minutes of various Church meetings, membership rolls and correspondence, 1925-1941; volume from Albany Chapel containing history of chapel, minutes of Church meetings, baptisms and collections, 1853-1875; documents relating to property, 1709-1825; and papers concerning the reopening of the Church after damage by enemy action, 1954-1955.

Registers of marriages, 1934-1960.

Circuit plan for Brentford Methodist Circuit, 1924-1925.

Archives of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brentwood comprising:

papers relating to the foundation of the Diocese including correspondence files concerning foundation, February-November 1917; Canon Burton's notes on the history of individual parishes in the diocese, 1917; general files relating to diocesan history, 1917-2003; files relating to Causes of Martyrs (beatification and canonization of local martyrs), 1917-2003;

Diocesan administrative papers relating to the Holy See, arranged by Vatican 'departments' including Propaganda Fide, Secretariat of State, Holy Office (Doctrine of the Faith), Congregation of the Council, Apostolic Penitentiary, Seminaries and Education, Bishops, Clergy, Religious, Liturgy (Rites), Sacraments, Saints, Varia (non-Christians, Christian unity, migrants, congresses/jubilees, communications, laity, miscellaneous) , and printed Papal documents, Apostolic Delegate/Nuncio (from 1938-), Bishops' Roman Agency/Dataria, Papal blessings, and Ad Limina Visits (regular visits of the Diocesan Bishop to Rome), 1917-2003;

general correspondence of the Bishops of Brentwood, and some biographical information, including Bernard Nicholas Ward, Apostolic Administrator 1917, Bishop 1917-1920; Arthur Doubleday, 1920-1951; George Andrew Beck, Coadjutor, 1948-1951, Bishop, 1951-1955 includes papers relating his work on Catholic education; Bernard Patrick Wall, Bishop 1956-1969, includes material relating to Vatican II; Patrick J Casey, Bishop 1970-1980; and Thomas McMahon, Bishop 1980-present;

administrative papers relating to Hierarchies, (national and international) including the Synods of Bishops; English and Welsh Bishops, 1917- present; other Bishops, 1917- present; military ordinary and chaplains, 1917-present; Hierarchy meetings (includes some printed minutes from 1867, but is mainly 1917-present); Hierarchy Commissions and Committees; Jubilees and celebrations; National Pastoral Congress, 1980; Papal visit, 1982;

papers relating to the Episcopal and Curial administration, including finance and property, Trust funds, Episcopal Registers/Bishop's House/Diocesan Offices, Chancery and Vicar General, Ad Clerum and circulars, 1917-present; Pastoral letters to clergy and peoples, 1917-present; Diocesan Synods, 1950s, and Synods of other Dioceses; Council of Priests and National Conference of Priests, 1960s-present; Diocesan Pastoral councils, 1980s-present; Deanery Conferences (including some minutes) 1980s-present; Diocesan publications including Brentwood Diocesan Magazine, 1920-1921, Diocesan Newsletters, 1970s-1980s; Diocesan Newspapers, 1980s-present; Diocesan Year Book, 1952-present; press cuttings, 1910-present;

files relating to clergy serving within the Diocese Pre-1917 Clergy; Diocesan Clergy: General; and Diocesan Clergy - deceased; non-Diocesan Clergy, on loan, Chaplaincies, temporary faculties and applications refused; Clergy Funds and Associations; [1875]-present; among the priests of the diocese were John Carmel Heenan (Bishop of Leeds 1951-1957, Archbishop of Liverpool 1957-1963, Archbishop of Westminster 1963-1975, Cardinal 1965), John Petit (Bishop of Menevia 1947-1972), Brian Foley (Bishop of Lancaster 1962-1985), and Alfred Gilby (1901-1998) (Catholic Chaplain to Cambridge University, 1932-1965);

papers relating to the Chapter of Canons, advisors to the Bishop, 1917-1984;

files relating to individual parishes within the Diocese including official documents such as reports and visitation returns, [1910]-present; general parish files; and history and correspondence, 1917-present;

administrative papers relating to other Diocesan Officials and Commissions including Diocesan Travelling Mission (to remote areas) and Private Chapels, 1952-1969; justice and peace, 1970s-present; ecumenism, 1970s-present; liturgy and music, 1970s-present; art and architecture/Historic Churches Commissions; pilgrimages, 1950s-present; Pastoral, Social Welfare and Youth, 1970s-present;

administrative papers relating to Roman Catholic education including the Director of Vocations, Ecclesiastical Education Fund; and students files for Students for the priesthood, 1917-present; dimissorials (non-diocesan subjects); Senior Seminaries, 1917-present; Junior Seminaries 1917-present; other institutions, 1917-present; administrative papers of the Schools Commission / Director of Education, 1930s-present; papers relating to primary, secondary and independent schools in London Boroughs and Essex, mainly 1917-present; and administration of the Brentwood Religious Education Services (BRES) and catechetics, 1974-present;

papers relating to Catholic societies, non-Catholic societies and social issues such as the Society of St Vincent de Paul, Catholic Women's League, Knights of St Columba, Legion of Mary etc, 1917-present;

papers relating to Religious orders within the Diocese, and their members, including men religious and women religious; secular institutes, religious: general, and abortive foundations;

papers relating to Diocesan buildings and architecture, including general files; files relating to the Cathedral; and files relating to war damage, 1940s-1950s;

maps and plans, mainly of the local area and diocesan buildings, [1900]-present;

photographs, 19th and 20th century, including portraits of clergy, and church and chapel buildings interior and exteriors;

video and audio recordings of ceremonies and events;

miscellaneous papers including manuscript writings of William Joseph Petre (1847-1893), 13th Baron Petre (Monsignor Lord Petre), priest, peer and educationalist;

published works including Catholic Directory, 1850s-present; Brentwood Diocesan Directory, 1952-present; Catholic Who's Who, 1915-1952; and copies of published histories of parishes of the diocese; and volumes from the libraries of the Bishops of Brentwood;

some material deposited with the Diocese by parishes includes of Harwich Roman Catholic Parish registers of Baptisms, 1864-1955; Confirmations, 1881-1947; Marriages, 1865-1952; deaths, 1864-1879; and parish notice books; Thorndon Park Roman Catholic Parish, (closed in 1946) registers including baptisms, 1791-1816, 1856-1882; and church marriages, 1857-1941; Witham Roman Catholic Parish register including baptisms, 1839-1957 and church marriages, 1841.

Thirteenth-century manuscript volume. The back bears the inscription: Fragment of 13th century lectionary. The volume comprises fragments of two different manuscripts: Breviarium (breviary, ff 1-18), written for Franciscan use and including hagiographical texts; Missale (missal, ff 19-27v). Very fine miniature depicting the Crucifixion on folio 19r, missing the left hand figure.

Manuscript volume, 15th century: Breviarum Ad Usum Fratrum Minorum (Breviary for the use of Friars Minor).

Records of the British Chapel, Moscow, comprising registers of baptisms, marriages and burials.

Records of the British Church of Saint Andrew, Moscow, Russia; including registers of baptisms, marriages and burials; minute book of meetings of the subscribers; articles defining the position of the church; and cash book.

Records of the British Church of Saint James, Oporto, Portugal comprising registers of baptisms, marriages and burials. They were catalogued in 1964 and 1990 by members of Guildhall Library staff.

Records of the British Church at Riga, Latvia, comprising registers of baptisms, marriages and burials, minutes and accounts of the British Poor Fund, and a volume containing historical records of the church. They were catalogued in 1963-4 by members of Guildhall Library staff.

Banns book for the British Church in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Records of the British Protestant Church of Saint George, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal; comprising register of baptisms, 1827-1902 (Ms 23643), register of marriages, 1827-62 and 1945 (Ms 23644), register of burials, 1827-1955 (Ms 23645), and interment certificates, 1905-6 and civil registrations of death, 1911-42 (Ms 23645A). They were catalogued in 1988 by a member of Guildhall Library staff.

Readers are requested to use the photocopies of the registers (Ms 23643/1A, 23644/1A, 23644/1A) rather than the originals.

Papers, 1815-1894, of and relating to Samuel Broadbent, comprising his ordination certificate, 1815; notes for a sermon preached in Greetland before leaving for Ceylon, 1815; family letters, 1818-1872; printed Encyclopaedia of Knowledge [before 1826] belonging to Broadbent, vestige of his possessions destroyed at Maquassie in 1826, with a manuscript note by him [after 1826] concerning its history; volume containing manuscript English-Bechuana vocabulary and Lord's Prayer, undated, and other loose Bechuana texts; South African scalping knife; account [after 1832] of the life of Louisa Frances Broadbent; notes of Broadbent's journey to southern Ireland on missionary deputation with the Rev W Toase, 1833; printed article by Broadbent on agriculture in South Africa, 'Incidental results of Christian Missions', 1850; printed map of south-eastern Africa, 1857; various manuscript reminiscences by Broadbent, undated; photograph of Samuel Broadbent, unframed, and another, framed (with copy negative), both undated; manuscript copies [19th century] from letters of Miss Broadbent concerning the last hours of Samuel Broadbent, 1867; the Rev T A Chalker's 'The Story of an African Mission', from the Methodist Record (1894), mentioning Broadbent; undated photograph of the gravestone of Samuel and Sarah Broadbent; manuscript transcript [19th century] of the epitaph on the gravestone of Louisa Frances Broadbent.

Records of Broadway Congregational Church including minutes and other records of the Sick Benefit Society, later known as the Broadway Congregational Church Friendly Society.

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

Records of Brondesbury Park Congregational Church, Wrentham Avenue, Brondesbury (formerly Craven Hill Chapel, Lancaster Gate, Bayswater), including composite register containing baptisms, 1950-1971 and marriages, 1950-1970; Church Meeting minute book, 1861-1915 and 1952-1959; Church Meeting minutes and elections of deacons, 1914-1933; Deacons' Meeting minute books, 1935-1967.

Photocopy of a typescript transcript of the diary, 1839-1842, 1845, 1855-1859 (some gaps), of the Rev Robert Brooking, describing his missionary work, experiences, and local customs in west Africa and Canada, including transcript of a letter from T B Freeman, Cape Coast (west Africa), to Robert Brooking, 1855, describing the work of the mission there. With an article [1980s] by Helen Allen on the life of Robert Brooking.

Papers, 1776-1991 (including some copies), some undated, collected by Anthony James Broomhall for his work on the China Inland Mission, Hudson Taylor and China's Open Century, comprising manuscript, typescript and printed notes and sources, largely undated, on Chinese and missionary history, on James Hudson Taylor, including his letters and personal papers, the chronology of his life, and his forebears, and on Frederick Howard Taylor; photocopies of drawings and photographs, including James Hudson Taylor and also Chinese buildings, cities, boats and rivers, and other scenes, copies of documents associated with Taylor, including his Bible and marriage certificate, and a photograph of his grave; maps of China and other parts of Asia, some including China Inland Mission stations; Broomhall's correspondence relating to his research, 1939-1991.

Notes, papers, drawings and slides, mainly c1956-c1977, concerning medieval manuscripts with particular reference to the Lindisfarne Gospels.

Papers, 1861-1890s, of William Thomas Brown, including observations on Spain and religious matters, and comprising a journal, presumed to be Brown's, 1861-1863; journal with copies of letters sent and received, 1869-1870; manuscripts on 'Contributions towards a History of Methodist Schools in Spain', 1869-1873, and 'Glimpses of a Mission in Spain', including copies of letters, 1880s-1890s.

Notebook compiled by Bertha Browne, 1839-1840, containing miscellaneous extracts and themes for religious contemplation, including notes taken from a lecture course delivered by Hugh James Rose, Principal of King's College London, on 'The evidence of Christianity' in the session 1836-1837.

The archive spans Browne's career from school onwards, but the core series of records focus on his work as a medical missionary at the BMS hospital in Yakusu, Belgian Congo (now the Democratic Republic of Congo). Section B comprises records for the period 1938-1958, including registers of leprosy sufferers, case records and photograph albums documenting various symptoms. Section K contains further photographs (mainly clinical) for the period 1938-1977, the most important series of which dates from Browne's time at the Baptist Mission Hospital and comprises over 900 negatives and prints together with supporting documentation, 1954-1958.

Section C contains a small number of files compiled by Browne during his research into leprosy, yaws, onchocerciasis and ainhum, 1946-1983. Particularly notable are the files on the anti-leprosy drug B663 (now known as clofazimine), into the use of which Browne conducted pioneering studies whilst director of the Leprosy Research Unit, Uzuakoli, Eastern Nigeria, 1959-1966.The remaining records comprise personal and biographical material, 1923-1985 (section A); general subject files containing correspondence, reprints etc. on a wide variety of topics, 1948-1986 (section D); writings by Browne, 1935-1985 (section E); records of Browne's involvement with the International Leprosy Association, 1909-1985 (section F) and various other organisations, 1959-1986 (section G); records on foreign visits, 1965-1985 (section H); and a few files on religious matters, 1959-1984 (section J).

Baptism registers for Bruce Road Central Hall, 1833-1940.

Records of the Brunswick Chapel, Stepney comprising correspondence relating to leases of Nos. 192, 194 Whitechapel Road and negotiations with London School Board concerning adaptation of Brunswick Chapel premises as special school, 1899-1900.

Records of Sion Chapel, Stepney, comprising minute book of Trustees of Sion Chapel, 1883-1892.

Deeds relating to the Chapel, 1825-1906; Trustees minute book, 1863-1922 and Treasurer's account book, 1905-1922.

Register of baptisms of Brunswick Chapel, Limehouse, 1909- 1954; baptism certificate stubs, 1947-1963; register of names in Brunswick Chapel burial ground and vaults, 1831-1853; minute book of trustees' meetings, 1847-1965; minute book of meetings of the trustees of Mitre Schools, 1878-1933; booklet of the Limehouse Wesleyan Sunday School of the Seamen's Mission at Brunswick Chapel, 1913; minute book of meetings of the Wesley Guild Executive, 1922-1940; Collection book of the Wesleyan Foreign Missionary Society, Limehouse based at Brunswick Chapel, 1891-1913; schedule of deeds and documents relating to Limehouse Chapel, 1723-1899, compiled 1899; general correspondence, 1901-1902 and 1940; agreement regarding the improvement and alteration of the Mitre Schools, 1819; Memorandum of Choice and Appointment of new Trustees of the Wesleyan Methodist Sunday School and Trust Property at Mitre Buildings, Limehouse, 1899 and 1911; Fire Insurance Policy of the Wesleyan Methodist Trust Assurance Company Limited, 1884; Conveyance in Trust for vacant ground lying on south side of and near to the Works of the Blackwall Railway Company in street leading from Church Lane to Three Colt Street called Mitre Buildings, Limehouse, 1842; schedule of deeds and other documents relating to Brunswick Chapel and the Mitre Schools, Limehouse, 1934.