Typescript intelligence report by Courtney entitled 'Remarks on a visit to Soviet Russia-August 1935', with notes, publications and related correspondence, 1922-1936; group photograph of Courtney and officers of the Naval Mission to the USSR [1942]; two notebooks with manuscript notes by Courtney on German and Allied ship movements, USSR [1942]; papers relating to the USSR, 1943-1978, including typescript notes by Courtney entitled 'Soviet Russia and the war', Feb 1943, article by William Laurence Burn entitled 'Anglo-Russian relations: an historical retrospect', from The nineteenth century, Jan 1946; edition of US restricted publication 'The Soviet Union', US Government Printing Office, 1947; manuscript notes on Soviet governmental personnel, 1953; typescript note on internal security in the USSR, 1978; correspondence with the Admiralty, 1949-1958, relating to pay and allowances, Courtney's civilian business matters, 1954-1958, and the Admiralty's refusal to grant permission for Courtney to travel in the USSR as a private businessman, 1953-1955; personal and business correspondence relating to the development of Windermere Island, Bahamas, 1963; correspondence, publications and texts of speeches relating to the Monday Club, 1978-1985, including typescript text of speech by Courtney entitled 'The Soviet fifth column', Jun 1978; correspondence between Cdr Geoffrey Briscoe Penn and the Ministry of Defence relating to the vetting and declassification of the Courtney papers, 1991.

Records of the Mayoralty Visits Committee, Court of Common Council, including minute book, 1969-1989; minutes and correspondence received by the Town Clerk, 1958-1965 and 1976-1979; resolutions of greetings, 1969-1979; reciprocal hospitality (state visits by the mayor), 1961-1975; mayor's overseas visits, 1952-1979 and 1982-1983. Please note that some of these records are closed.

Copy of diary covering his service as ADC to Winston Churchill at the Cairo Peace Conference and including details of meetings with Col Thomas Edward Lawrence (later known as Thomas Edward Shaw), Mar 1921; photocopy of photograph of Coote, 1917; brief account of his life and career, 1893-1946, written by his godson, Air Cdre B H Newton in 1981.

Papers of Sir Frank Cooper, 1953-1999, primarily relating to his service as Permanent Under Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office, 1973-1976, as Permanent Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence, 1976-1982, and post retirement, 1983-1999. The papers include correspondence, articles, press cuttings, press releases, reports, speeches, interviews and conference papers on a variety of topics including: the Air Ministry in the 1950s and 1960s, including the Suez War and Operation MUSKETEER, 1956; the political situation in Northern Ireland, 1973-1976; the Falklands War, 1981-1982, particularly the reaction of the Ministry of Defence and of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and the sinking of the Argentinean cruiser BELGRANO; the Civil Service, including relationships with the Government, structural reorganisations, Parliamentary Committees and policy making; the Ministry of Defence, including the Defence budget, management policy and accountability, the civilian contribution to the MoD, the relationships between defence procurement, industry and the economy; wider defence issues including the relationships between Britain, Europe, America and NATO, the importance of research and development collaboration, arms sales, the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI), the European aerospace industry, American protectionism and technology transfer; British nuclear weapons policy, nuclear deterrence and disarmament, ATBM (anti tactical ballistic missile) defences and the management of the Trident, Polaris and Chevaline projects; British and French maritime forces; and Westland Helicopters PLC, including correspondence from Cooper's time as Director (1982-1985) and parliamentary reports relating to the sale of the company.

Also papers relating to projects and study groups including the Joint Study of European Cooperative Measures for Aeronautical Research and Technology (EUROMART), 1978-1991; the EUREKA research and development programme, 1985-1986; EUROGROUP, 1982; the Foundation for International Security, 1984-1990; the British Rocketry Oral History Project, 1997-1998; the Defence Study Group of the Institute for European Defence and Strategic Studies, 1988-1990; and the Institute for Defence Procurement Studies, 1989-1990.

Photographs of the Chiefs of Staff Committee in session, 1965-1977 and the Falklands War, 1982, including Royal Marines progressing through Port Stanley, surrendering Argentinean soldiers and piles of surrendered Argentinean weapons. Prints Ulster Impressions by Joan Wanklyn, 1974, RAF Aldergrove by Ken Howard, 1975 and The Great White Whale by Ronald Dean, depicting the SS CANBERRA, 1982.

Carbon copy of an account of the British Military Mission to Bulgaria, 1944-1947, written in 1974 for the Defence Attaché at the British Embassy in Bulgaria.

Commonplace book, [1590-1620], containing contemporary transcripts of various notes, treatises and sermons. The first part of the volume comprises notes in Latin, Greek and English of a theological nature, initially organised under alphabetical headings. Among these notes is a transcript of instructions for secret agents in France, drawn up by Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, for three different agents in the period 1595-1596. The copyist has copied three separate documents to form a single continuous document. The first part of the transcript is composed of the directions given by the Earl to Dr Henry Hawkyns, who was sent to Venice late in 1595 to perforn espionage and quasi-diplomatic functions for Essex and Queen Elizabeth I. The second part of the document consists of the instructions to [Anthony] Ersfield or Eversfield, who was sent to Paris to gather intelligence for Essex at the end of 1595. The third and final part of the document comprises the directions drawn up by Essex for Robert Naunton, whom the Earl sent to study under Antonio Perez in France in early 1596. Other notes from the first part of the volume include 'Of artillery' and notes on ships headed 'On shipping', the latter comprising details of the Queen's charges for maintaining large ships. There is an index to this section which omits the theological notes. The second part of the volume includes transcripts of sermons delivered on 10 Mar 1588 at Greenwich before the Queen, on 'Queene's daye', 1588, and on Christmas day 1588 and 1589; notes on what to observe when travelling abroad; notes on minerals; notes on heraldry; notes taken 'out of an ould Cronicle in Waverly Abbey'; 'The copye of the Great Turkes stile which he commonly useth'; and 'The copye of the Emperor of Russia or Muscovy his stile', taken from a letter to King Edward VI in 1553. There is a table of contents to this section.

Correspondence relating to Collier's work as Air Attaché in Moscow, 1934-1937, and as Head of the Air Section of the British Military Mission to Moscow, 1941, with particular reference to the role of Brig Gen Philip R Faymonville, United States Army, Military Attaché and later Lend-Lease Administrator in Moscow, 1934-1943, in relations between the USA and the USSR during the period 1918-1943, consisting of photocopies of letters to Collier from Lt Col Thomas A Julian, Associate Professor of History at the USAF Academy and carbon copies of Collier's replies, dated 1968-1969.

Typescript edited and unedited versions of memoirs of Lt Col John Alfred Codrington, [1947] entitled 'Gathering moss', 1898-1944, including account of service with British Mission Allied Armies of the Orient, Smyrna, Turkey, 1920, and as British Liaison Officer to French forces in Syria, 1926-1929. Photographs and papers, including notebook with manuscript notes on Regimental history of the Coldstream Guards, military training and preparations for deployment to France, 1917, eight watercolour paintings of churches in French towns, 1918, and photograph of Gen Sir George Wentworth Alexander Higginson at the unveiling of the Guards Memorial, St James's Park, London, 1926.

Papers, c1940-1990, created and accumulated by P D Coates as part of the research for his book The China Consuls. They include correspondence with former consular staff, notes taken whilst researching materials in the Public Record Office and notes from printed and non-printed sources (1841-1938). A list of the China Consuls 1843-1939 is also included.

Letter book containing letters and telegrams received and sent by Clive as head of British missions, General HQ, France, 1917-1918, including letters concerning the movement of troops and administration, supplies of artillery and equipment, French infantry resources and liaison between French and British High Commands; letter from [Maj Gen Frederick Barton] Maurice, War Office, 18 Aug 1917, concerning move to establish Allied General Staff in Paris and possible transfer of troops from British front to Italy. Diaries, 1914-1918, containing detailed descriptions of daily events at General HQ, France, 1914-1918.

Manuscript diaries, 1939-1946, notably covering his command of 2 Corps, BEF, France and Belgium, 1939-1940, his service as Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces, 1940-1941, and as Chief of the Imperial General Staff, 1941-1946, with detailed accounts of meetings and conversations, and comments on personalities. Detailed unpublished memoirs, 1883-1946, written in [1946-1960]. Personal files, 1940-1946, principally comprising copies of official and semi-official correspondence with FM Sir Bernard Law Montgomery, 1942-1945, relating to his commands of 8 Army, Middle East, 1942-1943, and 21 Army Group, North West Europe, 1944-1945; with FM Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Viscount of Cyrenaica and of Winchester, 1940-1945, relating to his commands in the Middle East, 1940-1941, and India, 1941-1945; with FM Sir (Henry) Maitland Wilson, 1943-1945, relating to his commands in the Middle East, 1943-1944, and as head of British Joint Staff Mission, Washington, 1944-1945; with FM Hon Sir Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander, 1942-1945, relating to his commands in the Middle East, 1942-1943, and Italy, 1943-1944, and the Mediterranean, 1944-1945; with Lt Gen Sir Kenneth Arthur Noel Anderson, 1942-1945, relating to his commands in North Africa, 1942-1944, and East Africa, 1945; with Adm Lord Louis (Francis Arthur Victor Nicholas) Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander, South East Asia, 1943-1945; with FM Sir John Greer Dill, head of British Joint Staff Mission, Washington, 1941-1944; with Lt Gen Frederick Arthur Montagu Browning, Chief of Staff, South East Asia Command, 1944-1945; with Lt Gen Herbert Lumsden, South West Pacific Area, 1944; with Lt Gen Sir Frank Noel Mason-Macfarlane, Governor and Commander-in-Chief, Gibraltar, 1942; and with Gen Wladyslaw Sikorski, Polish Forces, 1941-1943. Papers relating to his role as Chief of the Imperial General Staff, 1941-1946, dated 1940-1951, notably including conference papers for Combined Chiefs of Staff meetings, 1943-1945; semi-official correspondence with Lt Gen Sir Claude John Eyre Auchinleck, 1940-1945, relating to Auchinleck's commands in Norway, India and the Middle East, 1940-1945. Other papers relating to his life and career, 1897-1963, dated 1897-1966, 1992-1993, including letters to his mother, 1906-1920, notably covering his service in India, 1906-1914 and France and Belgium, 1914-1918; texts of his lectures on artillery given at Staff College, Camberley, 1923-[1926]; papers relating to his post-war activities, notably his role as Chancellor of Queen's University, Belfast, 1949-1963, dated 1949-1968; papers relating to ornithology, 1950-1963; published and unpublished articles collected by Alanbrooke and his wife, 1929-1967; texts of his speeches and broadcasts, 1944-1962; photographs, [1902-1963], 1978, 1992, mainly official photographs of Alanbrooke as Chief of Imperial General Staff, 1941-1942. Papers collected by Mrs M C Long in preparation for the writing of Alanbrooke's biography, dated 1954-1958, notably including texts of interviews with friends and colleagues, 1954-1958. Correspondence relating to Alanbrooke's papers and Sir Arthur Wynne Morgan Bryant's books Turn of the tide (Collins, London, 1957) and Triumph in the West (Collins, London, 1959) (both based on Alanbrooke's diaries), dated 1951-1968. Correspondence of FM (Richard) Michael (Power) Carver, Baron Carver, relating to erection of Alanbrooke statue in Whitehall in 1993, dated 1991-1993

Papers of Sir Charles Boyles comprising an out-letterbook, 1810 to 1811, and copies of letters to the Sicilian court, 1811.

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.

Scrapbook of Frederick Bernal, includes American Civil ephemera, together with a number of commissions.

Papers, of Col Oliver Charles Berger, 1934-1983, comprising:
Papers relating to Berger's education and early career, including: notes and essays on the history of political thought, 1934; Wilton Park Training Centre lecture notes and leaflets for German POWs 1946; correspondence relating to Berger's appointments and awards, 1946-1958; standing orders, memoranda and notes relating to A Sqn, Royal Scots Greys, Lopshorn Training Camp, Germany, Jul-Aug 1948; annual confidential reports on Berger, 1951-1953 and 1955-1957.
Papers relating to diplomatic service and international relations, 1954-1980, including: reports, correspondence, guest lists and notes relating to Berger's service as Military Attache, British Embassy, Rangoon, Burma, 1954-1957, with notes on visits to London by senior Burmese military personnel, 1956. General background information, 1956-1983, including: US government publication, `Mutual inspection for peace', [1956], relating to the role of aerial reconnaissance and photographic interpretation in US-USSR mutual inspection and peace-keeping; press cuttings, 1961-1980, chiefly relating to the Middle East, Africa, USSR, South East Asia and British nuclear policy; speeches made by Sir Alec Douglas-Home as Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, 1970-1971.

Papers relating to the Japanese and British capture of the German possession of Tsingtao, North China, during World War One, and a subsequent visit to Japan, 1914; papers created during command of 39 Div, 1915-1916; papers relating to post as Chief of British Military Mission to Portugal, including personal diaries, and correspondence relating to discussions held by Barnardiston on Belgian neutrality in 1906, 1916-1919.

Letter from Percy Mordaunt Barnard of 10 Dudley Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent to [Herbert Somerton] Foxwell, 15 May 1911. Covering note to the 'treaty of Oct. 7 1413', a diplomatic agreement between England and Flanders, and giving details of its provenance. Autograph, unsigned.

This collection consists predominantly of correspondence. This includes letters to Sir Colville Barclay's parents, and letters relating to embassy life and events that occurred during Sir Colville Barclay's various postings. Some folders include photographs. There are also official reports and papers, including Foreign Office confidential circulars concerning peace negotiations, 1918; draft speeches; press releases; notes of condolence collected at the British Embassy in Paris on the death of Queen Victoria; newspaper cuttings; Swedish periodicals; French satirical magazines; and memorabilia, including photographs of official visits from Sweden, Bulgaria and Hungary; magazines and newspapers containing features on King Edward VII's visit to Paris, May 1903; photographs and ephemera relating to Barclay's career in the diplomatic service, particularly his time in Washington, USA.

91 copies of photographs relating to Lewis Arnott's service with Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA), North West Frontier, India, 1917-1919, including: captioned images of the Afghan delegation to peace talks with Britain, 1919; British forces in camp and on marches (including one dated 3 Nov 1915); views of Peshawar; fortifications; ammunition; artillery; motor cars; pack animals; gardens; daily life for soldiers and local people. Also 69 copies of informal snapshot photographs relating to the service of John Henry Cooper Arnott (brother) with Royal Engineers, Plymouth, World War One, including groups of unidentified soldiers and views of coastline.

Manuscript copy of a response by Henry Howard, 12th Earl of Suffolk and 5th Earl of Berkshire, to the representations of the Dutch envoy, the Comte de Welderen, and entitled 'Réponse de Mylord Suffolk, par ordre du Roi, aux représentations du Comte de Welderen, Envoyé Extraordinaire de Leurs Hautes Puis[san]ces, les Etats-Généraux des Provinces-Unies'. Dated at St. James, 19 Oct 1778'.

Papers, 1845-1898, of Sir Chaloner Alabaster, including nine diaries, 1854-1875, which give accounts of his time in China. The later diaries are incomplete and contain far less detail than earlier volumes. Additional material, 1868-1898, includes papers and correspondence detailing his military service, accounts, obituaries and copies of 'A Chapter from the Chinese Gospel', by Alabaster, from Occasional Papers on Chinese Philosophy.

Papers, 1914-1983, of Sir John Mansfield Addis, comprising correspondence relating to Addis's education at Rugby and Oxford (1925-1936); correspondence, including that with his sister Robina Addis, diaries and research material relating to his diplomatic career (1933-1974); and material relating to his retirement years (1975-1982) including reports of South East Asian Tours, lecture notes, research and scholarly work. Also includes personal items (1914-1983) and photographs (1933-1974).

'A discourse of the estate of Spaine' written by Sir Charles Cornwallis, 1607.