Papers of Robert Crossman, mainly comprising material relating to local government, gays and lesbian rights, particularly regarding equal opportunities and and the teaching of homosexuality in schools, his term as Mayor of Islington and papers regarding gay organisations and events.

Papers of Anthony Edward Dyson, 1958, 1990 and 1995, comprising a file of letters sent to Dyson in response to the letter to The Times supporting the recommendation of the Wolfenden Committee for the decriminalisation of homosexuality, 1958, with a note by Dyson on the background to the Times letter, 1990; a file relating to the formation of the Homosexual Law Reform Society, 1958, including a copy of the Report of the Committee on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution (Wolfenden Report), memoranda on homosexuality by the Albany Trust and the HLRS, press cuttings relating to the Wolfenden Report, correspondence with various individuals concerning Dyson's letter to The Times, a copy of the original letter, material relating to the formation of the Honorary Committee of the HLRS, and a note by Dyson explaining the historical background, 1995.

Papers of the Gay Liberation Front (GLF), 1970-1979, comprising: Material created by the London GLF, 1970-[1976], notably Diaries, 1971-1974; accounts and financial reports, 1973-1974; notes and papers on GLF meetings, including the Steering Committee and the General Meeting, 1971-1972; copies of GLF newspapers and journals, including Come Together, 1971, Gay International News, 1970s and Gay News, 1972-1974; GLF newsletters, [1971-1974]; papers on various subjects, mainly relating to gaining gay rights through activism, 1971-[1975]; flyers and tickets for GLF events, [1971-1975], including Gay Pride, dances and discos, Christmas parties, and concerts. Papers of local Gay Liberation Front groups, 1970-1979, mainly comprising newsletters, leaflets, flyers and tickets for events, stickers, and articles on gay rights and legal reform, as well as some administrative materials such as accounts and reports on accommodation. Material created by the Gay Liberation Front Youth Group, 1974, namely a flier for a protest march against the age of consent for homosexual men. Material relating to the Festival of Light, [1971-1975], mainly concerning the disinformation campaign by the GLF. Miscellaneous GLF material, [1970-1979], including tickets for events, leaflets, details of campaigns, GLF publications, badges, photographs of GLF demonstrations and stickers.

Papers of the Greater London Council (GLC) Gay Rights Working Party, 1976-1987, notably minutes and working papers, 1981-1986, including material of the Gay London Police Monitoring Group, 1982, and the Association of Labour Authorities Lesbian and Gay Committee, 1986; papers relating to the production and publication of Changing the world: a London charter for gay and lesbian rights (1985), 1984-1985, including early drafts and administrative and financial material; files of background material on gay issues collated during the compilation of the Charter, 1976-1986, on subjects including discrimination in housing and employment, the GLC Gay Society, homosexual civil rights, gay organisations, and the GLC Women's Committee; correspondence, 1982-1986, mainly relating to the work undertaken by the working party, and its future following the dissolution of the GLC.

Papers of the Gay Monitoring and Archive Project of the Campaign for Homosexual Equality, including newsletters, indices and general papers about the work of the project, 1980-1983.

Papers of the National Colleges of Education Gay Rights Committee, 1971-1975, including newsletters and circulars, 1973-1975; Report of the Third National Meeting of NCEGRC, 1974; information sheets, 1973-1974; general correspondence, 1971-1975, notably with other gay organisations such as the Campaign for Homosexual Equality and the NUS Gay Rights Campaign; papers relating to other bodies concerned with student gay rights, 1974-1975, including the National Union of Students and the University of London Union Gay Society.

Papers of the National Council for Civil Liberties (NCCL), 1962-1989, including material relating to the NCCL constitution and rules, 1965-1971 and 1979; Annual Reports, 1974-1980; papers of Annual General Meetings, 1962-1971 and 1978-1982; accounts, 1981-1982; minutes and papers of the Executive Committee, 1967-1982; NCCL reports, 1968-1982, mainly comprising reports by staff to the Executive Committee, and reports on human rights issues; NCCL bulletins and newsletters, 1961-1988, notably Civil liberty and Rights; minutes and papers of the NCCL Gay Rights Committee, 1976-1987; minutes and papers of the Gay Community Liaison Group, 1983-1987; minutes of the NCCL Police Committee, 1982; minutes of the Gay Policing Project Support Group, 1983; general papers, 1962-1983, notably leaflets, press cuttings and newsletters of related civil liberties groups.

Papers of Robert Palmer, 1970-1983, mainly relating to gay rights, and including correspondence created during his role as Treasurer and Chair of the Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE), 1976-1980, notably relating to the media, the administration of CHE, research and surveys into homosexuality, local groups, and publications; financial papers of CHE, 1973-1981, including general accounts and progress reports, material relating to fund raising activities, and Treasurer's papers; minutes of the CHE Executive Committee management group, 1977-1978; minutes of the Gay Rights Committee of the National Council for Civil Liberties, 1978; CHE administrative and working files, 1970-1981, on subjects including the history of CHE, the Friend counselling service, education, social services, Gays in Media, women's issues and campaigns, trade unions, law reform and legal campaigns, and discrimination cases; correspondence and newsletters relating to CHE local groups, 1976-1980; CHE conference papers, 1975-1980; CHE files on other gay organisations, 1975-1980; CHE files on anti-gay associations, 1976-1983, gathered by Palmer under a pseudonym; CHE files on international gay organisations, 1973-1980; CHE reports and articles, 1976-1980; personal papers of Palmer, 1977-1980, mainly relating to his work for CHE.

Papers of the Scottish Minorities Group and the Scottish Homosexual Rights Group, 1970-1984, notably Annual Reports and accounts, 1970-1980; minutes of the National Executive Committee, 1970-1981; minutes of Annual General Meetings, 1979-1980; newsletters and leaflets, 1971-1984, of the SMG and the SHRG, as well as other Scottish gay organisations; SMG correspondence, 1970-1974, mainly concerning Scottish homosexual law reform, notably with the Campaign for Homosexual Equality; general and working papers, 1973-1980.

Papers of Peter Tatchell, 1966-2007, including press cuttings, articles [by Tatchell] and letters to the press, 1984-[2000], on subjects including government policy on AIDS, lesbian and gay equality, ethnic minorities, green socialism, European strategies for socialism, South Africa, the Church of England, Clause 28, relations between the police and the gay community, and papers relating to Stonewall, OutRage! and Act Up; material relating to campaigns and protests, 1983-[2000], notably the Bermondsey by-election of 1983, AIDS research, lesbian and gay rights in Europe and South Africa, gays and the military, the homosexual age of consent, psychiatric treatment of lesbians, gays and bisexuals, gay marriage, Clause 28, Labour Party policy on gay rights, homophobic violence, and Tatchell's trial at Canterbury Magistrates Court following OutRage!'s Easter Sunday protest in 1998; writings, interviews, press cuttings, texts of speeches and correspondence relating to Tatchell's activism, 1971-2007, especially relating to his work for gay rights.

Minute books, account books and annual reports; correspondence (mainly of Henry Tompkins and Donald Fincham as Secretary), with members, with other Positivists, Humanists and Historians, and concerning the August Comte Memorial Trust; notes and papers by Henry Tompkins, including a short autobiography, addresses on positivist subjects, and notes on books he had read; other positivist writings, including pamphlets, reports and the text of talks; and various ephemera and pictures, including photographs of members, broadsheets and programmes, typescripts of correspondence between August Comte and George Lewes, and notes on the history of the Society.

Papers of Tony Lynes, 1957-1997, including research papers, correspondence and publications concerning various fields of social policy and administration collected by Lynes in his own research and as advisor to various organisations and individuals. Includes: material relating to research conducted as an assistant to Richard Titmuss and as an advisor to the Labour Party on social security policy; notes and papers concerning Lynes' involvement with the formulation of social security legislation; research material concerning pension schemes and policy (both domestic and international), housing, immigrants, asylum seekers, taxation, unemployment and work undertaken with his wife, Sally; papers, correspondence, reports and publications from and relating to Lynes campaigning and research into the functioning and operation of the Social Fund, 1988-1991.

Papers relating to Lord Merlyn-Rees' political career, 1949-2002, concerning his role as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Among the papers are: transcripts of Merlyn Rees' taped diary, 1972-1976. These are a very useful insight into Rees' contemporary views on politics and events in Northern Ireland. Included are accounts of: the Ulster Workers' Strike; the collapse of the power sharing executive; the Constitutional Convention; meetings with politicians; parliamentary proceedings; and, security matters such as internment and special category status for paramilitary prisoners. The diaries also contain comments on UK politics generally (MERLYN-REES/1); articles, lectures and speeches by Lord Merlyn-Rees, 1965-2002, including speeches made while he was Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Home Secretary (MERLYN-REES/2); drafts of 'Northern Ireland: a personal perspective' (MERLYN-REES/3); correspondence, timetables and other papers regarding visits to Northern Ireland by Merlyn Rees and Colleen Rees, mainly 1972-1976 (MERLYN-REES/4); official papers, mainly 1974-1976 (MERLYN-REES/5); Northern Ireland Office press notices, 1974-1976 (MERLYN-REES/6); correspondence files, 1971-1997 (MERLYN-REES/7); subject files relating to Northern Ireland, including correspondence, official memoranda (including memos from Roger Darlington, political adviser/researcher), articles, press cuttings and other papers. These have been arranged by the archivist in a number of series: legislation (MERLYN-REES/8); media (MERLYN-REES/9); political (MERLYN-REES/10); religion, culture and parades (MERLYN-REES/11); security (MERLYN-REES/12); social and economic (MERLYN-REES/13); organisations (MERLYN-REES/14); people (MERLYN-REES/15); general (MERLYN-REES/16); papers regarding the campaign for the release of the Guildford Four and Maguire Seven, and papers regarding the Birmingham Six case (MERLYN-REES/17); papers regarding allegations of a 'dirty tricks' campaign by elements of the security forces during the 1970s. Merlyn Rees was one of the people who was smeared during the campaign (MERLYN-REES/18); subject files (except Northern Ireland), including papers on crime, the Falklands War, media, the miners' strike and policing (MERLYN-REES/19); photographs (MERLYN-REES/20).

This collection is divided into two sections. Section one contains material on capital punishment and the death penalty, against which Hewitt campaigned. Section two covers material concerned with obscene publications and other forms of media, including censorship, Obscene Publications Acts and other allied topics. The papers contain many printed examples of C H Rolph's articles and materials by organisation such as the Howard League for Penal Reform and the National League for the Abolition of the Death Penalty. Infamous legal cases such as the obscenity trials in the 1960s relating to 'Oz' magazine and Hubert Selby's novel 'Last Exit to Brooklyn' are discussed.

Microfiche copy of the archive, 1910-1961, of the International Missionary Council, including records relating to early history and committees; staff and officers' correspondence; Committee on the Church and the Jewish People; papers on mission field subjects, industrial and social questions, war and missions, orphaned missions, intermission aid, missions and governments, alien missionaries, religious liberty, religious education, and Christian literature; finance papers; papers relating to the International Review of Missions; records of the Research Department, Department of Missionary Studies, and Study Centres; country files on Europe, Asia, East Asian Christian Conference, Burma, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Near and Middle East, Africa, North America, Latin America, Australia and the Pacific; records of the IMC assemblies at Jerusalem, 1928, Tambaram, 1938, Whitby, 1947, Willingen, 1952, and Ghana, 1957-1958; records of the Joint Committee relating to the integration of the IMC into the World Council of Churches; Commission on World Mission and Evangelism conferences at New Delhi, 1961, Mexico City, 1964, Bangkok, 1972-1973, and Melbourne, 1980; questionnaires and responses in preparation for the World Missionary Conference (Edinburgh, 1910).

Also the archive of the World Alliance for Promoting International Friendship through the Churches, 1906-1948.

Joint archive, largely dating from 1910-1945, of the International Missionary Council and Conference of British Missionary Societies, relating to co-operative missionary endeavours in Africa (chiefly British Africa, but also including areas under Belgian, Portuguese and French control).

General files on Africa include records on missionary work and related issues including land rights, colonial administration, diet, co-operative organizations, customs including polygamy, initiation, and witchcraft, medical work, and alcohol traffic; the IMC and its relation to African mission councils; International Institute of African Languages and Cultures; population and health in Africa; Africa Education Group, relating to educational policy, provision and finance, including women's education, training of educational missionaries, African marriage customs and their relation to Christian practice, adult education, and missionary work in rural areas; High Leigh (Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire) Conference (1924) on educational missionary work in Africa; Le Zoute Conference (1926) on missionary work in Africa; educational policy; Advisory Committee on Education in the Colonies, relating to Colonial Office policy (including British colonies outside Africa), the topics including women's education, use of the vernacular and bilingualism, teacher training, language teaching, social and economic development, finance, indigenous art, biology, superannuation, English examinations, and higher education teaching materials, with sections relating to particular African colonies.

Files on East Africa include general records on British colonial policy and administration, agriculture, and Swahili; and education in East Africa. Files on Kenya include records on the Kenya Missionary Council and Christian Council of Kenya; the political situation and land question; indigenous labour and slavery; Indian population; and educational policy, practice, finance, the conscience clause in religious education, women's education, and educational advisor; and correspondence on missionary work and related issues. Files on Tanganyika include records on the Tanganyika Missionary Council, relations between different missionary societies, indigenous life, colonial administration, German and other missions; Tanganyika Mission Property Trust; and education in Tanganyika. Files on Uganda include records on land tenure, education, including women's education, and Swahili; and missionary societies in Ruanda-Urundi. Files on Abyssinia comprise records on missionary work and religious freedom, including the Italian occupation.

Files on West Africa include general records on education, including the Phelps Stokes Commission. Files on the Gold Coast include records on education, colonial administration, the Basel Mission, the Bremen Mission and other missionary societies, the Christian Council of the Gold Coast, medical and educational missionary work. Files on Sierra Leone include records on education. Files on Nigeria include records on the Christian Council of Nigeria and other Christian and missionary organisations and on education. Files on the Cameroons include records on various missionary societies. Files on French Africa include records on education.

Files on French West & Equatorial Africa include records on missionary activity and education. Files on the Congo include records on the Congo Protestant Council, missionary activity and conferences, religious freedom and interdenominational relations including Roman Catholicism; Belgian government policy regarding missions and the Brussels Bureau representing Belgian missions; education; and missionary work of various nations.

Files on Portuguese Africa include records on missionary work, including medical work, and interdenominational relations; religious liberty, Portuguese government policy, and the Lisbon Centre for liaison. Files on Portuguese West Africa include records on the Angola Evangelical Alliance, Portuguese colonial administration, and various missionary societies. Files on Portuguese East Africa include records on the Portuguese East Africa Evangelical Missionary Association, work of various missionary societies, religious liberty and Portuguese government policy.

Files on Central Africa and Nyasaland include records on colonial administration, work of missionary societies, land tenure, indigenous labour and slavery, and on colonial educational policy in Nyasaland. Files on Northern Rhodesia include records on the General Missionary Conference of Northern Rhodesia, colonial administration, mining, and education; and on the United Missions in the Copperbelt, including its foundation, policy, annual reports, finance, miners' unrest, property, education policy, women's work, social welfare, literature and literacy, British Committee, correspondence with other societies, reorganisation, Team/Field Committee, and personnel. Files on Southern Rhodesia include records on the South Rhodesia Missionary Conference, indigenous affairs including land tenure, education, indigenous preachers, and colonial administration. Files on South Africa include records on the General Missionary Conference of South Africa and the Christian Council of South Africa, missionary work, indigenous affairs including land tenure, interethnic relations, and education. Files on South and South West Africa includes records on German missions and indigenous affairs. Files on the protectorates of Swaziland, Basutoland and Bechuanaland include records on education and the transfer of the protectorates to South Africa.

There are also files on the Egypt Mission Property Trust.

Microfiche copy of the joint archive of the International Missionary Council and Conference of British Missionary Societies, largely dating from 1910-1945 with some material dating from 1902-1963, relating to co-operative missionary endeavours in India, and comprising minutes and papers of the National Missionary Council (NMC) and its successor the National Christian Council (NCC), 1912-1963, and of provincial mission councils (including Burma and Ceylon), 1913-1947; NMC correspondence and papers, 1912-1922, including some relating to the NMC survey, 1914-1920; NCC correspondence and papers, 1922-1951, on missionary work and related issues; papers on the NCC and the Christian Medical Association of India, medical work and medical education, 1928-1943; NCC Review, 1926-1950; papers on Christian literature, 1918-1943, and statistics for Indian Christians, 1922-1945; papers on NCC surveys on conditions in rural and industrial work and post-war economic reconstruction, 1927-1948; NCC mass movement and evangelism, 1929-1941; comity between different missions, 1917-1945; devolution of mission property, 1937-1947; the Jacobite (Syrian) Church (Orthodox), Travancore, 1929-1942; Benares City Mission, 1928-1949; interdenominational Church Union in South India, 1928-1947; various printed material, 1919-1957; papers on Indian government, constitutional reform, political affairs and independence, including implications for the Christian minority, 1915-1950; general educational provision and educational policy in India, 1911-1925, 1940; the 'conscience cause' in education, 1902-1925; Village Education Commission (which reported in 1920), 1904-1922, and related subjects, 1924-1949; the '4 1/2 Colleges Appeal' for women's education, 1926-1930; the Lindsay Commission on Higher (Christian) Education, 1929-1931, and the resulting Central Board of Christian Higher Education, 1931-1948, British Advisory Committee on Christian Higher Education, 1931-1939, and American Advisory Committee on Christian Higher Education, 1931-1938; papers on the Indian Christian Colleges Appeal, 1928-1948; High Schools Survey and related subjects, 1916-1935; theological education, including individual colleges, 1919-1948; women's education, including medical education and missionary training, 1916-1949; various Colleges, 1920-1951; various printed papers on Indian education, 1938-1946. Some material relates to Pakistan, the Punjab, and Bengal, as well as to India as demarcated in the modern period.

Papers, 1946-1974, of Mary Benson, comprising drafts, research notes and transcripts for interviews she used for her publication The African Patriots: The Story of the African National Congress of South Africa (London, Faber & Faber, 1963). Also includes articles on famous African leaders written by Z K Matthews, and newspaper cuttings and pamphlets concerning political protest in South Africa.

Correspondence, newsletters, press cuttings and notes, 1959-1973, of Reginald Frederick George Pearce, relating mainly to civil rights issues in South Africa.

Papers, 1928-1991, of Dr Robert Benjamin Ageh Wellesley Cole, including private correspondence; papers relating to his professional career in Newcastle and Nottingham, including letters from his patients; papers relating to his work with the Colonial Office; papers relating to his work in Nigeria and Sierra Leone; scholarly work, including manuscripts, articles and speeches; and financial papers.

Records, 1902-1977 and undated, of and accumulated by the Restatement of African Law Project (RALP), School of Oriental and African Studies, comprising papers of RALP relating to administration, including minutes; and research material, such as notes, publications, theses, and other collected papers, on tribes and places including Basutoland (Lesotho), Cameroon, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Nigeria, Northern Rhodesia and Zambia, Sierra Leone, the Sudan, Tanganyika, Zanzibar and Tanzania, and Uganda, relating to customs, aspects of law including succession, slavery, marriage and divorce, land tenure, legal systems, including customary law, legislation, courts, and particular legal cases.

Papers collected by Alan Hart and David McLean, including material relating to the following organisations: AIDS AHEAD (AIDS Health Education and Advice for the Deaf): correspondence and papers, newsletters, press cuttings, c 1987-1990; Campaign for Homosexual Equality, c 1979-1985, including conference papers, reports and newsletters of Croydon, Lewisham, Hampstead and Islington and Haringey CHE groups; Frontliners, a self-help group for people with AIDS or ARC, 1988-1992, including annual reports and accounts, financial records, correspondence, minutes and issues of Frontiers, the Frontliners magazine; Gays and Lesbians in Accountancy (GALIA), 1995-1996: newsletters and circulars; Albany Society, 1983, and London Lesbian and Gay Centre, 1983; Gay Community Organisation and GCO Distribution Services, 1980-1984, including papers relating to the foundation of GCO, minutes of meetings, correspondence, financial accounts, grant applications; Greater London Council (GLC) Gay Working Party, Haringey and Islington Councils Lesbian and Gay Working Groups, 1984-1986: minutes, correspondence and other papers; Open University Gay Society/Open University Lesbian and Gay Society, 1975-1985, including correspondence, newsletters; Terrence Higgins Trust, 1985-1987: newsletters, reports, circulars. Also includes: World Health Organisation papers relating to AIDS, including papers of WHO 'First International Conference on the Global Impact of AIDS', London, March 1988, newsletters and other publications, 1987-1990; publications, leaflets and press cuttings, [1974-1995], mainly regarding AIDS (including AIDS and the deaf), gay rights, gay parenting and sex education; gay fiction and photo magazines (including Gay Confessions, Kurt), brochures issued by travel agents specialising in gay holidays, gay and lesbian guides to London and other ephemera, 1970-1995; publications isssued by Inner London Education Authority and other education-related organisations re racial and sexual equality, c 1985-1987; letters to Alan Hart and David McLean, 1994-1999, mainly from MPs and politicians re debates on age of homosexual consent and Section 28; two Thethil Gay News cartoons by Peter Wicker, 1974; badges.

Papers of Ian Townson, including: Bill Thornycroft: letters, 1976-1990; Brixton Faeries and other theatre groups: including play scripts, song sheets, programmes and flyers; Brixton Housing Co-operative: minutes, newsletters and other papers, 1980-1986; Communist Party Gay Rights Committee: includes statements and letters from Bill Thornycroft, 1976-1979; Gay Activists' Alliance: minutes and campaign papers, 1978-1979; Gay Pride: includes minutes of meetings, flyers and correspondence, 1978-1996; History of the Gay Community in Brixton, 1972-1982: interviews, correspondence and other papers regarding a proposed book, 1970s-1990s; Icebreakers: correspondence, leaflets, press cuttings, notes and other papers, 1970s-1995; International Gay Rights Congress: poster and papers, 1974; Lambeth Council: includes papers of a Working Party on Police and Community Relations in Lambeth and Working Party on services and employment for gays and lesbians, mainly 1984-86; National Council for Civil Liberties: papers on gay issues, 1975-1982; 'Nighthawks': papers regarding the film, 1979; papers regarding squatting and gay squats, 1970s; photographs, including gay activists, Brixton riots, demonstrations, Gay Pride marches, squats, squatters and plays; photographs of friends and colleagues of Ian Townson: including Colm Clifford, Julian Hows, Ken Livingstone (in 1976), Bill Thornycroft and many others; South London Gay Liberation Front: minutes, agendas and other papers, 1980-1986; various papers regarding gay events (including discos, dances, Pride), issues and groups (including Gay Liberation Front and Campaign for Homosexual Equality), especially in Brixton/South London: badges, flyers, leaflets, magazines, newsletters, posters, programmes and stickers; gay publications and press cuttings.