Papers, 1806-1878, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, including probate of will of Robert Bellemey of Highgate, victualler; probate of will of Charles Lyne of Highgate, gentleman; release of estate of Charles Lyne from monies and trusts of will of Robert Bellamy [Bellemey]; letter and accounts relating to estate of Robert Bellamy [Bellemey]; probate of will of Rosetta Horrell, wife of William Horrell of Highgate, gentleman, and conveyance by bargain and sale and trust deed of a parcel of ground in Willesden with the chapel or meeting house erected thereon to be used for religious worship by Independents.

This exceptionally interesting collection consists of the archives of a London business family, the Howards, and their relations by marriage, the Eliots. The family were based in London, with homes in the City and various places round about, but they also had property and connections in several other parts of England.

The chief interest of the collection is in its quality as the personal record of a group of prosperous manufacturing and merchant families who were members of the Society of Friends. The Eliots were merchants and their account books, which cover both business and private expenses, together with letters and memoranda, reflect a picture of "City" life in the Eighteenth century. They attended the Change, Lloyd's and Child's and Jonathan's and other Coffee Houses, and dealt with a variety of business including trade overseas in cotton and duck cloth and Cornish tin and invested in "a voyage to Lima" and other merchant shipping ventures (including that of the Tuscany, unfortunately "Taken by the French and carried into Marseilles" in 1757). (See especially numbers 905, 928, 929, 944, etc.).

There is interesting material relating to John Eliot's estates supplemented by John Eliot's letters (e.g. Numbers 988-1011), which also mention a "good season" for pilchards, the decline of the docks at Topsham, the appropriation by the Government of some sugar pans near Exeter to use for French prisoners, etc. John's sister Mariabella also purchased in 1765 Pickhurst Farm, Hayes, Kent (Nos. 376-475).

There are amongst this collection a few letters and papers of later Howards, including an interesting pocket diary in which Samuel Lloyd Howard, grandson of Luke, jotted (unfortunately rather roughly in pencil) memoranda and sketches of impressions of his visit to America in 1854 (No. 1618). At sea his ship rescued the crew of the Hannay of Whitehaven, loaded with salt and flying a distress signal-"lay to and took all off, boy, baggage, chronometer, barometers and all".

At all periods the family kept in close touch with their relations in all parts of the country, including the Hows of Aspley, Bedfordshire, the Paces of Westmorland and London, the Leathams of Yorkshire as well as with fellow Quakers. This gives the collection a national rather than a local interest-indeed the family were not primarily associated with any one locality.

A curious document amongst the collection is a receipt dated 1824 for 8. 15s from R. Smith for freeing Hamma Fie, slave to Bentoo Demba, and signed with the mark of Madeba, Alcaide of "Birkow" (No. 1617/p.12). The Society of Friends Committee for African Instruction supported some missions, and Richard Smith, a friend of Luke Howard, was in Africa in the 1820's.

Quaker marriage certificates, of which there are several examples (eg. Nos. 117, 565, 1273, 1274, etc) give full details of both parties and are signed by members of the Meeting as witnesses. Birth certificates (e.g., Nos. 1275-1286, 1390-1393) give the date of birth and name, and were signed by witnesses to the baby's birth. The Society of Friends was in advance of both the State and established Church in respect of such documentation.

Records deposited with the Clerk of the Peace for the Middlesex Quarter Sessions, comprising a parochial list of the poll for the County of Middlesex at the General Election 1802; printed in 1803 with minor handwritten additions, including the signature of Edward Knight, former owner.

Records of the Mary Westby Trust, including trustees' records, records relating to property, volumes of collected documents relating to the Trust, financial accounts, and correspondence with the Charity Commission.

Records of New Bunhill Fields Burial Ground, Islington, including burial registers, 1831-1853, one containing an order book, 1841-1846, and registers recording fees 1824-1853

Index of the register, 1669-1849, of the Hamburg Lutheran Church on the site of Holy Trinity the Less. The index was compiled by Mrs Pam Freeman and Len Metzner of the Anglo-German Family History Society.

Record book of the London Provincial Assembly, 1647-1660.

Records of the Huguenot Friendly Benefit Society comprising minutes, lists of members, and financial records.

Memorandum book of the English Church in Siena, including agreement concerning the Protestant cemetery (1843), abstract of receipts and payments (1841-1846), correspondence and notes.

Papers of the Devonshire Square (Particular) Baptist Church and predecessor church the Turners' Hall meeting. The records comprise memoranda and constitutional documents, minutes, records of membership and attendance, and financial material. They were catalogued by a member of Guildhall Library staff.

Records of the Protestant Dissenting Deputies, comprising three series of committee minute books and one secretary's letter book.

The records of the Scots Church before 1856 comprise constitutional documents, registers and records of the congregation, financial material, letterbooks and administrative papers, and deeds. Also papers of Dr Robert Young (1801-1813).

Records of the Society of Friends Devonshire House meetings, comprising minutes and financial records only.

Records of Trinity Presbyterian Church, Canonbury, including minute books, financial accounts, roll of members and register of baptisms, marriages and burials.

Minute book of the Bartholomew Calvinist Chapel.

Records of the Hamburg Lutheran Church, including letters patent granting the right to establish the church; registers of baptisms, confirmations, marriages and burials; consistorial act books; papers relating to the construction of the new church in Dalston; and financial accounts.

Records of the Hare Court Independent Church, Aldersgate, comprising letters relating to hiring a new minister.

Records of Jewin Street Wesleyan Chapel, comprising annual chapel trust schedules.

Records of Lime Street Independent Meeting House, comprising a church book including lists of members, minutes of meetings, and copies of letters.

Records of the Nightingale Lane Congregational Church, East Smithfield, comprising a meeting book and a list of members only.

Records of the Shacklewell Baptist Church, Stoke Newington, including meeting minutes; register of members; and financial accounts.

Interment order book for the Whitechapel Quaker Burial Ground, 1777-1781, comprising printed orders to the gravemaker, annotated with the name, address, age, date and cause of death, monthly meeting membership and date of burial of the deceased.

Collection of records relating to non-established religion in London, including papers of the Freethinking Christians, the Dutch churches in Colchester and Norwich and St Martin Orgar French Church. The record of the latter comprise minutes, lists of members and seatholders, and financial material.

Records of Sion College, a society of Anglican clergy. The majority of the collection dates from 1631, with deeds from 1611. The records include notes on the history of the College; constitution, rules and bye-laws; Court of Governor's minutes and other Committee minutes; annual reports; financial accounts; lists of Fellows and subscription books; letter books and correspondence; papers of the Secretary; legal papers; menus and invitations to events; newsletters and promotional material; press cuttings; papers relating to properties and estates owned by the College; papers relating to the library including committee minutes, inventories, lists of borrowed books and registers of rebinding; photographs of past Presidents and Fellows; and photographs of the Library and College.

Records of the Park Chapel, Hornsey, including declaration of trust and deeds; Deacons' Meeting minutes; Church Meeting minutes; Church registers of attendance; service sheets; financial records; papers relating to buildings and property; correspondence; papers relating to societies including the Sunday School and Dorcas Society; papers relating to the choir; papers relating to Hornsey British School; Church magazines and year books; plans; photographs; printed material; papers relating to the Blenheim Road Mission; papers relating to the Grove Mission and registers of marriages and baptisms at the Mount View Chapel, 1887-1913.

Preaching plans and directories for Methodist circuits including the Ealing and Acton Circuit, 1978; Enfield Circuit, 1975-1976; Finchley and Hendon Circuit, 1973; Finsbury Park Circuit, 1969; Finsbury Park and Southgate Circuit, 1977-1978; Harlesden Circuit, 1973; Harrow Circuit, 1978; Highgate Circuit, 1977-1979; Teddington Circuit, 1977-1978 and Wembley and Golders Green Circuit, 1977-1978.

Records, 1877-1960, of the Fernhead Road Methodist Church (minute books and notices); the Harrow Road Methodist Church (insurance policies); the Sutherland Avenue Methodist Church (papers regarding property and trusteeship, financial accounts, minute books, pulpit notices books, attendance registers, Sunday School papers); and the London Methodist Mission (North West) Circuit (financial accounts).

Trust schedules (providing details regarding church properties, 1924-1933, such as the date and cost of the building, the tenure and the custody of the deeds) of United Methodist Churches in the following Circuits: Lee, Forest Hill, Bermondsey, Willesden, Limehouse, Brixton, Fulham, Thornton Heath, Hackney, Walthamstow, Forest Gate, Lambeth.

Circuit plan for Brentford Methodist Circuit, 1924-1925.

Records of the Whitefields Chapel, Tottenham Court Road, 1790-1939, including registers of burials, service sheets, index of speakers, financial accounts, Council and Finance Committee agenda and minutes, magazines, notices and calendars of activities, correspondence relating to financial, management and organisational arrangements and inventories.

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 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.

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 Millwall Church, including Leaders' meeting minute book, 1954-1965; collection journal, 1959-1968; account book, 1941-1968 and tenancy agreements, 1869.

Papers relating to Old Ford Methodist Church, including correspondence relating to the construction of the church and the appointment of trustees, 1870-1920; deeds, 1868-1910; insurance policies, 1880-1896; register of baptisms, 1871-1925 and minute books of meetings of Trustees, 1871-1976.

Papers relating to Old Mahogany Bar Methodist Church, Graces Alley, Wellclose Square, comprising publicity material including annual reports and anniversary programmes, 1929-1956, including pamphlet entitled "Sixty Eight Glorious Years for Christ. The Story of the Old Mahogany Bar (East End Mission)" by the Reverend Lesley E Day, 1956.

Certificate registering Stratford Conference Hall, West Ham Lane, West Ham for the solemnization of marriages, 1896.

Wesleyan School Chapel Tredegar Road Trust Treasurer's account book, 1866-1874.

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

Records of the Shirley Street Methodist Church, Canning Town, comprising minutes of meetings of Trustees 1873-1957.

Records relating to London Fields Methodist Mission, Hackney, comprising list of trustees, 1901 and correspondence concerning the sale of London Fields Mission premises to the London County Council, 1935.

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

Papers relating to Chrisp Street Methodist Church comprising correspondence relating to the closure and sale of church and school premises by the trustees, 1934-1935.

Records relating to the Custom House Methodist Church, Frederick Street, comprising correspondence concerning repairs and renovations and a loan from the White Loan Fund, 1931-1932; list of rules of the Men's Club, 1931, and an invitation to the first meeting, 9 Jan 1931; and memorandum of appointment of new trustees for the Custom House Church and premises, 3 Sept 1931.

Records relating to the Driffield Road Methodist Church, Bow, comprising application to the District Building committee to sanction the appointment of new trustees for the Chapel and school room at Driffield Road, 1933; lists of trustees for Methodist churches in the area including Charles Street Plaistow, 1883, Chrisp Street, 1913, Benledi Street, 1892, Mary Street, 1894, Smeed Road, 1915, Glengall Road, 1924 and London Fields 1901; and correspondence concerning the sale of Driffield Road property to the London Diocesan Fund on behalf of St. Paul (CE) Church, Old Ford, 1933.

Manchester Road (Cubitt Town) Methodist Church Trust Treasurer's account book, 1879-1938.

Memorandum of appointment of new trustees for the Methodist Chapel and School, Maria Street, 1917.

Records of Mary Street Methodist Church, Canning Town, including registers of baptism, 1861-1940; request for a piece of land next to Mary Street Chapel to be registered as a place of worship, 18 Feb 1884 and collection journal and Society Stewards's record, 1930-1940.

Mortgage agreement between the Trustees of the Primitive Methodist Connexion at Plaistow Marsh and Charles White, 12 Colet Place, Commercial Road, 1858.

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.