Records of the parish of Saint Mary, Staines, including registers of baptisms, banns, marriages and burials; registers of church services; notes for sermons and talks; papers relating to tithes and endowments; offertory bank books; papers of the Churchwardens including financial accounts, rates, funds, correspondence, papers relating to the maintenance of church buildings, insurance, visitations and regulations.

Vestry meeting minutes, agendas, notices and papers of the Vestry clerk; minutes of the Parochial Church Council and Finance Committee; records of the Overseers of the Poor including financial accounts, rates, requests for poor relief, papers regarding settlement, maintenance and apprenticeship, the workhouse, and the almshouses; papers of the Surveyors of the Highway including accounts, rates and correspondence; papers of the Beadle and Constable; papers relating to parish charities.

Papers relating to parish schools including the National Boy's School, Staines School Board, Bridge Street School, London Road School and the Sunday School; papers of the Trustees for Building a New Church, including minutes, accounts and correspondence.

Also papers of church societies including the Coal and Clothing Club, Provident Sick Club, Mothers' Meeting, Friendly Socieities and Church Travellers' Club; notes on the history of St Mary's Church and monuments; church magazines and year books.

Records of the Parish of All Saints, Laleham, including registers of baptisms, marriages, burials, banns of marriage and church services; papers relating to glebe lands, benefices and tithes; Churchwarden's accounts; faculties and other papers relating to the maintenance of the church building, fittings and churchyard; Vestry minute books; Parochial Church Council cash books; papers relating to parish charities; papers relating to Laleham School; financial accounts of the Overseers of the Poor; enclosure awards and maps; and some correspondence.

Records of the parish of St Mary the Virgin, Stanwell, including registers of baptisms, marriages, burials, banns of marriage and services; papers relating to parish boundaries; papers relating to the benefice, glebe lands and tithes; papers of the Churchwardens relating to accounts, visitation, and the maintenance of the church fabric and the churchyard; Vestry minutes and papers; Parochial Church Council minutes and papers; papers of the Overseers of the Poor relating to rates, financial accounts, the workhouse, settlement and poor relief; financial accounts of the Surveyor of the Highways; notices of the Constable; and papers of parish charities, the Church of England School and church societies.

Records of the parish of Saint Mary, Hayes, including registers of baptisms, marriages, burials, banns of marriage, confirmations and church services; papers relating to fees, tithes and endowments; Churchwardens' papers regarding the maintenance of the church fabric and church finances; Parochial Church Council minutes; papers of parish charities; papers of the church bell ringers and maps.

Records of the parish of Saint Mary, Northolt, including registers of baptisms, marriages, burials, banns of marriage, confirmations and church services; papers relating to tithes and glebe lands; faculties relating to the maintenance of church buildings and fittings; Parochial Church Council minutes; records of the Overseers of the Poor including papers regarding the workhouse; historical notes; parish magazines and photographs.

Records of the parish of Christ Church, Barnet, including registers of baptisms, marriages, banns of marriage, and confirmations; registers of church services; working papers of the incumbent; Vestry and Parochial Church Council minutes; financial records; papers of the Sunday School; magazines, publications, newspaper cuttings, historical notes and photographs; papers relating to tithes, glebes and terriers; papers relating to the maintenance of church buildings and fittings, including faculties, correspondence, plans, specifications and architect's reports; and plans of the churchyard.

Subject files of committees of the Association of County Councils. The subjects are diverse and cover various aspects of the work and policies of local government. The committees from which files were retained were:
Agriculture 1936-1992;
Community Services 1977-1990;
Education 1941-1990;
Fire Service and Emergency Planning 1947-1992;
Highways 1969-1991;
Housing 1985-1992;
Local Government Finance 1976-1991;
Local Government Reorganisation 1971-1986;
National Parks 1973-1977;
Planning 1949-1992;
Police 1923-1990;
Policy 1976-1989;
Press and Public Relations 1985-1990;
Social Service 1968-1992.

Also some papers of the Association of County Chief Executives.

A letter from Reverend William Aubrey Phelp to James Wilson of Sneaton, Yorkshire concerning the payment of parish rates.

Records of the Land Tax Commissioners, comprising land tax assessments and redemptions for properties in the London Boroughs of Lambeth, Greenwich, Wandsworth, Westminster, Bexley, Barnet, Islington, Haringey, City of London, and Southwark.

Records of the Amalgamated Engineering Union. The collection has large gaps in the records. However, most of the material contains valuable details on engineers who were members of the union, and on those receiving benefits, for reasons including illness, accidents and deaths.

Records of Bartlett and Hobbs Limited, wine merchants, comprising register of directors and secretaries; register of members; share certificates and annual return.

Records of Castle and Company Limited, wine merchants, including minute books of board meetings, directors' meetings and annual general meetings; register of members; memorandum and articles of association; papers relating to shares and share transfers.

Mortgage and lease for Paradise Terrace, Milton Road, Hornsey, 1853 and 1855; leases for property in Shepperton; copies of court roll for Isleworth Syon Manor relating to parcel of land in Grosvenor Road, Twickenham with two messuages, stables, coach houses and buildings known as Grosvenor House and Grosvenor Cottage; and deed of composition and release releasing Joseph Blake of Harrow, linen draper, from his debts.

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.

Papers of Parnel Seaton, including letters, receipts for payments, assessments for tax on houses, servants, carriages, horses, dogs, hair powder and armorial bearnings, and certificates of assessments for property in Twickenham.

Records of Edgware and Little Stanmore Lighting Committee, 1895-1928, including account book, letter books and maps.

Records of Edgware Parish Council, 1888-1928, including valuation list, letter book, account book and councillor's declarations.

Records of Little Stanmore Parish Council, 1894-1931, including minute books, valuation lists and member's declarations on taking office.

Solicitors' correspondence relating to Hampton Wick Roman Catholic Church, dealing with a mortgage on the property and with Land Value Duties, 1909-1912, including three letters from the Right Reverend Monsignor Maurice E. Carton de Wiart, Treasurer to the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster.

Records of the Battersea Bridge Company, 1771-1882, including deeds and other legal documents; minutes of meetings; financial accounts and correspondence.

Records of the Fulham Bridge Company, 1739-1770, comprising minutes of meetings.

Records of the Joint Committee of the Corporation of the City of London and the Metropolitan Board of Works for freeing Kew and other bridges from toll, 1864-1889, comprising minutes of meetings and reports.

Records of the Staines Bridge Commissioners, 1828-1870, comprising account of bonds. Records of the Vauxhall Bridge Company, comprising plans and sections of the bridge, its approaches and the riverbed, 1878-1880. Records of the Strand Bridge Company, 1809-1814, comprising share and annuities certificates.

Corporate records of the reconstituted British Crown Assurance Corporation Limited including certificates of incorporation, memorandum and articles of association, insurance agreements, board of directors' and shareholders' meeting agendas and minutes including annual general meetings, directors' attendance book, annual reports and accounts and related correspondence, registers of directors and secretaries, and seal books.

Business records of British Crown Assurance Corporation Limited specimen policy and proposal form; contingency policy with premium receipts; board of trade exemption order; agency application; Agency in Belgium and France: government deposit certificate, accounts, cheque books, agreements and papers; Agency in Australia: agreements and papers.

Records of the British Northwestern Fire Insurance Company including collected bye-laws, audited and published accounts, and auditors' schedules.

Records of the City of London Insurance Company Limited comprising board of directors' minute book, annual reports and statements of account and correspondence regarding sale of shares.

Business records of Cattle Traders' Insurance Company Limited comprising specimen policies.

Shares records of Eagle Insurance Company including returns of shareholders and assignees of shares; receipts for shares; Fenn and Crosthwaite monthly list; and statutory returns.

Premises records of Eagle Insurance Company including notes and advert relating to 79 Pall Mall; subscription book for prints of portraits; draft notes relating to properties in London and sale particulars for property in Middlesex.

Staff records of Eagle Insurance Company including working papers of Charles Jellicoe, Henry Porter Smith and Francis Ernest Colenso.

Premises records of Eagle Star Insurance Company, including papers, correspondence, plans and photographs relating to office premises, branches in England and Scotland, and property investments.

Financial and accounting records of English and Scottish Law Life Assurance Association Limited including ledger, schedule of assets, actuary's and directors' committee's reports.

Business records of English and Scottish Law Life Assurance Association Limited including policy registers, individual policies and related papers, prospectuses and related papers, rate book and tables, fund accounts, letter book and reports, fire policy, report on the desirability of undertaking employers' liability business, calendars and diary, agents' commission rates, overseas reports, Life Offices Association annual reports, papers relating to position of life offices and income tax, papers relating to London United Tramways Limited, general manager's cutting and documents for information.

Corporate records of Fred Haigh and Company Limited comprising memorandum and articles of association, board of directors' minute book.

Corporate records of Fred Haigh and Company Limited comprising register of members, with transfers.

Corporate records of Liverpool Reversionary Company Limited including board of directors' draft and signed minutes, audited accounts, register of directors and secretaries, and file relating to corporate exemption under Moneylenders Act.

Shares records of Liverpool Reversionary Company Limited including share ledgers and registers of members and share certificates.

Corporate records of Navigators and General Insurance Company Limited including indemnity agreement with Navigators' and Engineer Officers' Union; minutes of the board of directors' and joint managing directors' meetings; investment committee minutes; minute books of shareholders' meetings and annual general meetings with annual reports and accounts, and related correspondence; annual reports and accounts; registers of directors and secretaries, board of directors' correspondence; and seal book.

Shares records of Navigators and General Insurance Company Limited including register of members and share ledgers; register of transfers; share transactions; share certificates book; register of directors' shareholdings; notice and letter relating to EGM.

Business records of Navigators and General Insurance Company Limited including proposal forms and flyer, specimen policies and related papers, policies issued, printed books and booklets, agency appointment, notes for brokers and agents, posters, advertisements, showcard and exhibition flyer, photograph illustrating salvage operations, and brochure about a boatyard near Ely.

Business records of Palladium Life Assurance Society including propectuses; life instruction book; proposals; re-registrations of judgements on Irish cases; contents of 'Box 1299, including stamped letters, prospectuses, proposal forms, receipts, copies of Post Magazine, letter books and other papers; newspaper reports and papers relating to 'Box 1299'; and advertisement.

Financial records of Publishers and General Insurance Company Limited including general ledger, and preparation of annual accounts.

Business records of Publishers and General Insurance Company Limited comprising specimen policies.

Shares records of Philatelic Insurances Limited including register of members and directors, with transfers; share transactions; share certificate counterfoils; and register of directors' shareholdings.

Corporate records of Premier Motor Policies Limited including board of directors' minute books and agenda papers; auditors' final accounts and reports to directors; audited accounts, with annual reports; photographs, and motor show dinner programme.

Shares records of Premier Motor Policies Limited including combined register, directors, secretaries and members; and directors' shareholdings.

Corporate records of Sceptre Life Association Limited including board of directors minutes, reports of proceedings at annual general meetings, and annual reports and accounts.

Corporate records of Star Life Assurance Society Limited including deeds of settlement; acts of parliament; Board of directors: minutes and agendas, resolutions and presented papers; annual general meeting minutes; annual reports and quinquennial valuations; lists of directors, trustees and secretary; death and burial certificates; notes on memorials related to the Chubb family; statutory declaration and related papers; deed and conveyance of assets; key register for strongroom and seal keys; and papers relating to amalgamation.

Records of Star Life Assurance Society Limited relating to acquisitions and mergers including papers and press cuttings relating to proposed mergers; and prospectuses and proposals of other companies.

Corporate records of Star Assurance Society Limited including memorandum and articles of association, signed agreements with related correspondence, and register of sealed documents.

Business records of Star Assurance Society Limited comprising specimen policy: Fine Arts.

Corporate records of Theatres Mutual Insurance Company Limited including memorandum and articles of association; board of directors' minute and agenda books; historical note regarding company; annual reports and statements of account; extraordinary general meeting correspondence and notices; registers of directors, members and secretaries; candidature of Emile Littler; papers relating to anniversary lunch arrangements; seal books; and papers relating to amalgamation.

Financial records of Theatres Mutual Insurance Company Limited including papers relating to war bonds and cash book.

Records of the Coal, Corn and Finance Committee, Court of Common Council, including journals, 1833-1858; minutes, 1835-1968; committee papers, 1835-1957; rough minutes, 1787-1815; report books, 1905-1936; corn returns, 1787-1852; papers relating to the Manor of Allerds and Burnham Beeches, 1881-1943; petitions for appointments as deputy corn meters, deputy sea coal meters, labouring land coal meters, inspector of coal ships and inspector of coal traffic, 1787-1866; securities, 1886, 1901, 1918-1919 and 1943; standing orders affecting the Committee, 1835-1840; papers regarding the Coal and Line Dues continuance, 1883-1892; papers regarding the City of London Parochial Charities, 1881-1891; papers relating to various open spaces including Highgate Woods, Shiplake Island, St Paul's Churchyard, Queen's Park, Kilburn, Postmen's Park (St Botolph Aldersgate Churchyard) and Farthing Down, Croydon, 1880-1954; papers regarding the utilisation and disposal of metropolitan sewage, 1864-1865; historical notes on the Coal Exchange, 1950; income tax on Corporation funds, 1946-1954; papers on the rebuilding of St. Lawrence Jewry, 1954-1957 and Tower Hill improvements, 1934-1944.