Papers of the Polytechnics Council for the Education of Teachers, including minutes, circulated papers, memoranda and reports of the Council and correspondence of the Secretary, 1976-1988.

Records of the Conference of Institute Directors (CID), the Conference of Heads of University Departments of Education (CHUDE), and the Universities Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET), including minutes and committee papers, correspondence, subject files, memoranda, reports and publications, 1957-1990.

Material relating to Academic Departments of Bedford College, including papers of the German Department, 1973-1983; recollections of the Dutch Studies Department by Professor Theodore Weevers, 1985; Departmental files of the History Department, 1958-1985; papers of Professor C H Lawrence, History Department, 1970-1985; Departmental files of the Sociology Department, 1930-1984; papers relating to Nursing Studies Courses, 1896-1985, including the Public Hygiene Course; papers relating to the Bedford College Art School, 1900-1913; papers relating to the Training Department, 1902-1922, including reports, registers, correspondence relating to scholarships and Council grants, accounts and Board of Education papers; papers of the Mathematics Department, 1978-1982; papers of the Biochemistry Department, 1964-1978; papers of the Botany Department, 1908-1985, including material relating to the E N Thomas affair, 1908-1916, and papers collected by Dr Linna Bentley, 1918-1984; building plans for the Zoology Department, 1970. Papers relating to Staff Publications, 1926-[1969], including Minutes and papers of the Research and Publications Fund Committee.

Papers relating to Standing Committees of Bedford College, including Minutes, correspondence and papers of the Finance Committee, 1889-1985; Minutes of the Financial Management and Investment Sub-Committee, 1982-1985; Minutes of the Policy and Estimates Committee, 1972-1979; Minutes, correspondence and papers of the Standing Committee on Laboratory Expenditure, 1944-1985; Minutes of the Committee of Education, 1868-1909; Minutes, 1903-1907, and reports, 1937, of the Physical Education Committee; Minutes of the Professors' Meetings, 1881-1909; Minutes of the Loan Fund Committee for the Training of Teachers, 1892-1896.

Papers relating to the Building Committees of Bedford College, including Minutes and papers of the Premises Committee, 1908-1915; Minutes and papers of the South Villa Demolition Committee, 1919-1921; Minutes of the Building Fund Committee, 1908-1914; Minutes of the Building Committee, 1926-1932; Minutes of the Committee for Alterations to the Library, 1931-1932; Minutes and papers of the Reconstruction Committee, 1943-1967, and its Sub-Committee, 1947-1949; Minutes of the Buildings Committee, 1954-1978; Minutes of the House Committee, 1876-1975; Minutes and reports of the Household Management Committee, 1972-1978; Minutes of the Estate Management Committee, 1978-1983.

Papers relating to Special and Ad Hoc Committees of Bedford College, including papers of a Special Committee, 1878; papers of a Special (Treasury Grant) Committee, 1905-1906; papers of a Special Joint Committee (Acland Committee), 1901; papers of a Special Committee on Organisation and Finance, 1901-1919; and papers of a Special Committee on the Admission of Men, 1963-1964; papers of a Joint Committee of Governors and Council to Review the Charter and Statutes, 1966; papers relating to the Mallaby Report on machinery of government and the Ward-Jackson Review of Committee Structure, 1968-1969; papers of a joint Committee of the Councils of Bedford and Westfield Colleges, 1979-1982; papers of a Joint Planning Committee of King's College London and Bedford College, 1981; papers of a Joint Planning Committee of Royal Holloway and Bedford Colleges, 1982; papers of Joint Meetings of the Councils of Bedford and Royal Holloway Colleges, 1983-1985; papers and correspondence relating to the merger of Royal Holloway and Bedford Colleges, 1982-1983.

Papers of Ruth Deech, Principal, St Anne's College Oxford and a member of the Inquiry team, relating to the Committee of Inquiry into Equal Opportunities at the Inns of Court School of Law, chaired by Dame Jocelyn Barrow (Barrow Inquiry), 1989-1994. The records do not comprise the official papers of the Inquiry, which are held elsewhere, and do not form a complete set, but they do include the bulk of the material. Most secondary source material collected during the Inquiry, such as information comparing the BVC with other jurisdictions, is not included in the papers but is listed in the Final Report of the Committee. The records consist of terms of reference and background to Inquiry, 1993-1994; direct observations of teaching and assessment, 1993; background information collected by the Inquiry, 1992-1993; information on admissions policy and procedures, 1991-1994; student questionnaire, 1993; information on assessment and review, 1990-1993; information on course content, 1990-1992; documents relating to staff training, 1992-1993; documents relating to student welfare, 1989-1994; collection and analysis of teaching materials, such as course outlines, practical training exercises, instructors' teaching packs, ICSL manuals, and printed material, 1990-1993; consideration of complaints of individual students, 1993; Interim Report of the Committee of Inquiry, 1993; CLE/ICSL response to the Interim Report, [1993]; Final Report of the Committee of Inquiry, 1994.

Records, 1960-1986, of Sidney Webb College and its successor, including minutes and related papers, comprising Advisory Committee and Governing Body minutes, 1960-1970; Governing Body agendas, minutes and papers, 1971-1975, including published HMSO and ILEA reports on education and teacher training, 1972-1973; Staff and Academic Board minutes, 1961-1967; Staff Meeting agendas, minutes and papers, 1967-1968; Academic Board agendas, minutes and papers, 1968-1975; Library Committee minutes and other papers, 1961-1977; Staff Appointments and Promotions Committee agendas, minutes and papers, 1969-1975; Appeals Committee papers, 1973. Other administrative papers comprise papers relating to the early years of the College, including premises, 1961-1970; letters from students, 1964; papers on non-academic staffing matters, including issues relating to the merger with the Polytechnic of Central London, 1969-1977; papers on staffing and re-structuring with relation to amalgamation with the Polytechnic of Central London, 1971-1975; papers of the Joint Working Party on the Future Role of the College, 1972-1973; papers, including minutes of meetings, on the future of the College, including proposed transfer of departments to Battersea College, 1973-1974; Principal's papers, including correspondence, reports and minutes, on the merger with the Polytechnic of Central London, 1973-1976; financial estimates, 1974-1975; Bachelor of Education degree submission to the CNAA, 1975-1976; papers relating to valedictory meeting at final closure, 1980. Various student records, 1961-1980, include exam results. Publications comprise prospectuses, 1961-1975; College magazines, 1965-1968 and undated; Students' Union constitution and standing orders, undated; LCC publications on training colleges, 1964; ILEA publication on colleges of education, 1973; article on the College, 1978. Papers of the Central School comprise memorandum and new articles of association, 1947; papers, including correspondence and notes of meetings, 1970-1976; notes of an ILEA meeting on a link between Sidney Webb College and the Central School, 1971; exam results, 1974-1980; and other papers, 1983-1986.

Papers, 1846-1950s, of Elizabeth Lomas, comprising certificates and testimonials for her education and teaching posts in England, 1888-1918; postcards of England; typescript and manuscript notes, addresses, stories, poems, etc, from her life in Madagascar [1919-1939]; diaries and notebooks including notes on personal and domestic matters, poetry, and press cuttings, 1920s-1930s; photographs of individuals, groups and places in Madagascar [1919-1939]; typescript circulars relating to missionary work in Madagascar, 1947-1950; various letters received, 1890s-1950s; various personal papers, 1900s-1950s; papers relating to Lomas family affairs, 1846-1916, including documents relating to probate and property and various certificates; photographs of her family and ancestors [19th-20th century].

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.

Papers, c1932-1977, of Leonard John Barnes, comprising books, articles, unpublished manuscripts, reports, travel notebooks and some correspondence. The majority of papers in the collection relate to his interests in Africa, though there are also some papers relating to his educational work.