The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence: the Singers were clearly vigorous letter writers and both Charles and Dorothea had an enormous number of family, friends and acquaintances. Unfortunately many of their letters were hand written and very few carbon copies survive. Very occasionally an attempt at methodical selection and arrangement is evident: on the whole correspondence had been kept in alphabetical order, and this has been retained in the arrangement of the collection. Dorothea and Charles' correspondence was fairly mixed (reflecting their working life together) with the exception of two distinct groups: correspondence about Dorothea's research on alchemical manuscripts, and later correspondence about her hearing aids.

The main part of the collection centres on the correspondence; this has been grouped together in a self-evident sequence: writings and biographical personal papers follow. Certain of Dorothea's papers remained clearly distinct and these have been kept together. Section E contains a variety of material relating to Jewish refugees, which had been placed on one side by Dorothea after the war for permanent preservation. It has not been listed in detail but sorted into three broad categories. The last section, comprising additional correspondence of the Singers with Sir Zachary Cope, Sir Arthur Salusbury MacNalty and Dr F N L Poynter, is not strictly part of the collection, but these groups of correspondence were given to the Institute to be placed alongside the Singer papers.

Papers of Norman Douglas Simpson, 1910-1974, comprising correspondence and papers regarding various topics including botany and plants, the Index ‘A Bibliographical Index of the British Flora’, expeditions and field trips, Simpson’s library and his dealings with publishers, book sellers, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, The British Museum (Natural History), societies such as the Botanical Society of the British Isles (B.S.B.I.). There are also invoices and orders for the Bibliographical Index, eleven notebooks which mostly relate to his time at Kew working on identifying specimens from the North-Western Mongolia and Chinese Dzungaria expedition, Astragalus and his time in Egypt and Sudan 1912-1929 and seven boxes of index cards which relate to his plant collecting trips abroad. There are also plant lists, book lists, drawings and some maps. These papers document many of N D Simpson’s activities throughout his life.

Papers relating to railways, 1839-1983, including reports, evidence and petitions relating to the construction of new lines and stations; papers relating to fires, 1522-1974, including papers on the provision of fire fighting equipment, the introduction of fire insurance policies and the establishment of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade; papers relating to the Great Fire of London, 1667-1966, including acts, orders and financial accounts relating to the rebuilding of the City of London including receipts from Christopher Wren, papers relating to the investigation into the cause of the Fire, financial accounts of funds to relieve those affected, descriptions and accounts of the Fire; papers relating to Royal and Municipal Commissions, 1816-1969; papers relating to war 1692-1995, including papers relating to the Corporation's activities during World War One; air raid precautions and casualties, Roll of Honour of Civilian War Dead in the City of London and papers relating to the bombing of Guildhall, World War Two and City of London salute to the task force, Falklands Campaign, 1982.

Papers relating to transport, 1663-1985, including hackney coaches and hackney carriages, carts and carmen, stage coaches, river traffic, tramways, omnibuses and buses, subways, Heathrow and Fairlop Airports, the London Underground and the Channel Tunnel terminal in London; papers relating to shipping, 1610-1989; papers relating to trades and crafts, 1510-1991, including bills, wages, regulations, acts and petitions regarding bricklayers, carpenters, carters, founders, glaziers, masons, painters, paviors, plasterers, plumbers, smiths, wireworkers, button makers, butchers, chimney sweeps, hairdressers, ironmongers, spoon makers, paper makers, tanners, tailors, rakers, midwives, engravers, clock makers and printers; papers relating to the Honourable Artillery Company, 1503-1967.

Papers relating to the history of London, 1565-1994, including "An exposicion of the Kinges prerogative collected out of the great abridgement of Justice Fitz-Herbert and other olde writers of the lawes of England" by Sir Anthony Fitzherbert, 1565, "Londinopolis: An Historicall Discourse or Perlustration of the City of London, The Imperial Chamber, and chief Emporium of Great Britain: Whereunto is added another of the City of Westminster, with the Courts of Justice, Antiquities, and new Buildings thereunto belonging" by James Havel, 1657, and various other antiquarian and modern books, articles and pamphlets on the history of London; papers relating to health and medicine, 1657-1994, including bills of mortality, papers relating to the outbreak of plague in London, 1665-1666, letters, reports and conference papers relating to the control of cholera; papers regarding provisions, 1607-1990, including warrant authorising the Mayor to receive venison out of the Royal Parks, 1607 and papers of committees investigating the high price of provisions, 1767-1822; papers relating to the government of the City of London and Greater London, 1849-1993; papers relating to the provision and price of gas, 1828-1918; papers relating to the supply of water to the City, 1538-1992; papers relating to the placing, erection and upkeep of statues and monuments in London, 1680-1995; papers relating to weights and measures, 1678-1997, including records of action taken against those using false weights and measures and registers of weighed goods; papers relating to seals and medals, 1285-1995, including examples of medieval seals and register of documents sealed; papers relating to insignia and plate, 1650-1993, including information on the Collar of SS, Diamond Badge or Jewel, Mace, Crystal Mace, Swords, City Purse, Mayoralty Seal, Robes and Sceptre and inventories of City plate; papers relating to the population of the City of London, 1719-1982, including "A compu tation of the increase of London and parts adjacent; with some causes thereof, and remarks thereon", 1719, population returns, 1821-1897 and population studies and articles; papers regarding tolls, 1605-1833, including Acts, bonds, exemptions and leases; papers relating to the postal service, 1741-1938, including examples of early stamps and papers relating to the Penny Post; papers relating to the carrying out of writs, 1460-1965, including writs of habeas corpus, certiorari, subpoenas and jury summons; papers relating to the textile trade, 1674-1995, including orders, rates, inventories, petitions relating to the production of textiles including cloth, lace and wool, bonds of searches and sealers of tanned leather, 1699-1804, and articles on the history of textiles.

Papers relating to probate, 1693-1786, including estate inventories, letters of administration and notes on legal customs; papers relating to the regulation of fireworks and bonfires within the City, 1673-1857; papers relating to archaeological investigations in the City of London, 1972-1989; extracts relating to archery in Finsbury Fields, 1521; reports and articles relating to the armorial bearings of the City, 1216-1973; bullion certificates, 1696-1819; licences issued for the right to use calcium carbide, 1897-1919; papers relating to convex lights, 1692-1694; papers relating to conveyancing, 1770-1948 and various other papers relating to aspects of the administration of the City of London including common soil, conservation, criminal prosecutions, city customs and liberties, the Customs House, erection of hoardings, gifts and presentations, regulation of gunpowder, income tax, the London Building Acts, licensing, lotteries, regulation and licensing of petroleum, precedent books, precepts issued by the Mayor or Common Council, bills for printing and stationery, the Olympic Games, pageantry, proclamations, brewers and public houses, the Shops Act, smoke abatement and clean air, street cleaning, theatres, the unemployed, Viewer's reports, wharves, woods and forests, newspapers and cuttings, fishing, the Festival of the City of London, coffee houses, coinage, the Bank of England and other financial institutions.

Records of the Committee for the Survey of the Old Memorials of Greater London, also known as the London Survey Committee. The collection comprises minutes, accounts, correspondence, diaries, notebooks, and photographs.

Collection of research into the local history of Friern Barnet and environs, carried out by C.O. Banks. The papers include copies of court rolls, research notes, lectures, statistics, extracts from parish records, copies and extracts of wills, legal proceedings, notes on important buildings and people, newspaper cuttings, licences, geneaological notes, sales particulars, estate agents plans, reports, photographs, articles, books and pamphlets on the local history, and maps of Friern Barnet and surrounding areas.

The Architectural Association Archives comprise of the administrative and educational records of the Architectural Association Inc. (1847-), encompassing material related to the AA's governance, legal and financial operations, property holdings and educational activities. To date, less than one quarter of all the AA's archival records have been formally catalogued, with the focus of phase one of the cataloguing having been upon basic administrative records, including Council and committee minute books and agendas, constitutional records, Registers of Directors, property leases and vital company documents. Phase two of the cataloguing process is ongoing and is focused upon the educational records of the AA school, its staff and its students.

Papers of Sir Richard Claverhouse Jebb, 1854-1884, on Greek subjects, mainly notebooks, comprising notes on classical Greek history, 1854, from Jebb's schooldays at St Columba's, chiefly from lectures of the Reverend W Tuckwell of New College, Oxford, whose principal authority was George Grote, the historian of Greece; notes and essays on Greek history, 1869, 1871; draft history of Bulgaria, 1877; diary of a tour of Greece, 1878; draft of a paper on the remains at Hissarlik read to the Hellenic Society, 1882; letter book of 'Modern Greek Correspondence', 1879-1884, containing original letters sent to Jebb, drafts of his replies, and other material including notes on the language and comments on the teaching of archaeology, relating to the foundation of a School at Athens.

Papers of Edgar Prestage, 1881-1949, largely relating to his work on the history of Portugal, 16th-19th centuries. Letters to Prestage from various correspondents, 1886-1948 and undated, relate to a variety of subjects pertaining to his work, publications and translations, sources and interpretation, and also to acquaintances and contemporaries, other publications, and some personal matters such as correspondents' health and families, and include six letters from Fortunato de Almeida, 1917-1933 and undated; 24 letters from Joao Lucio de Azevedo, 1914-1933 and undated; 13 letters from Pedro Augusto de S Bartolomeu de Azevedo, 1910-1927 and undated; six letters from Henrique de Gama Barros, 1908-1925; five letters from Carlos Roma du Bocage, 1915-1918; three letters from Sir Richard Francis Burton, 1888-1889, and 12 letters from Lady Isabel Burton, 1894-1896, relating to Sir Richard's translation of Camoens; 22 letters from Julio de Castilho, 1908-1918; nine letters from Harold Castle, 1903-1906; six letters from Fidelino de Figueiredo, 1911-1918 and undated; eight letters from James Fitzmaurice-Kelly, 1905-1919; five letters from Anselmo Braamcamp Freire, 1905-1919; two letters from Pieter Geyl, 1923, 1926; letter from William Ewart Gladstone, 1893, congratulating Prestage on Letters of a Portuguese nun; ten letters from Edward Heawood, 1922-1933; letter from Benjamin Jowett, 1887, explaining entrance examinations at Oxford; five letters from Margery Lane, 1927 and undated; six letters from Manuel de Oliveira Lima, 1910-1927; two letters, 1928, 1932, from Manuel II, King of Portugal, concerning the monarch's bibliography of early Portuguese books; eight letters from Jacinto Octavio Picon, 1911-1920; seven letters from Jacinto Inacio de Brito Rebelo, 1895-1908; eight letters from Jaime Batalha Reis, 1894-1896, 1904-1905, 1922; 12 letters from Francisco Rodrigues, 1913-1918, 1930 and undated; two letters from John Ruskin, 1886 and undated, on the study of architecture; seven letters from Antonio Maria Jose de Melo Cesar e Meneses, 5th Conde de Sabugosa, 1905-1913; five letters from Luis Teixeira de Sampayo, 1921-1928; letter from Herbert Louis Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel, 1905, congratulating Prestage on Eca de Queiroz's The sweet miracle; five letters from Georg Schurhammer, 1930-1936; five letters from Wilhelm Storck, 1894-1895; five letters from Herbert Thurston, 1905-1913; ten letters from Pedro Tovar de Lemos, 2nd Conde de Tovar, 1916-1927 and undated; 13 letters from Carolina Michaelis de Vasconcellos, 1895-1896, 1907-1922, and 11 letters from her husband, Joaquim de Vasconcellos, 1897, 1908-1925; six letters from Afonso Lopes Vieira, 1910, 1914, 1927 and undated; five letters from Tomas Maria de Almeida Manuel de Vilhena, 8th Conde de Vila Flor, 1925-1929 and undated; letter from Oscar O'Flahertie Wills Wilde, [1892], regretting he cannot send a copy of his unnamed play (perhaps Lady Windermere's Fan) as it has not yet been published. There is also a letter of 1881 from Antonio Candido Goncalves Crespo to Maria Amalia Vaz de Carvalho (father and mother of Prestage's wife). Ephemera includes signatures of Gomes Eannes Azurara, William Wordsworth, [? Isaac] Disraeli and Samuel Wilberforce; Christmas cards; the visiting card of S T P Kruger, President of the Transvaal Republic, 1903; menus, including the House of Commons Coronation luncheon in Westminster Hall, 1902; a ticket to the coronation of Edward VII, 1902; and an invitation to a party at Windsor Castle, 1912. Otherwise the collection comprises research notes and transcriptions on various subjects and sources, including Restoration period Portugal; Sousa Coutinho; Portuguese in Africa, Brazil and Asia; the War of the Spanish Succession; 17th century Portuguese history, including diplomacy; the sermons of Father Antonio Vieira SJ; Portuguese bibliographies prepared by Prestage; annotated typescripts on the Portuguese in Abyssinia down to 1543, aspects and results of Portuguese colonisation, and Portuguese reminiscences (1948); Prestage's 'The Mode of Government in Portugal during the Restoration Period'; photographs of Portuguese fortresses in Morocco; notebook on 'Analyse das "Cartas Familiares" '; copies of letters of F de Sousa, including his embassies to France and Rome; copies of letters of Sir R Southwell, English ambassador to Lisbon; material relating to relations between Spain and Portugal; pamphlets and articles of Prestage; proofs for a chapter entitled 'L'Intevention Anglaise dans la Peninsule Iberique', in an envelope addressed to Prestage and labelled 'D Fernando & the Holy See by E Perroy'.

Research and political papers of Sir (William) Keith Hancock, 1896-1978: comprising papers relating to Hancock's chairmanship of the Buganda Constitutional Committee, 1954, including official correspondence, papers of seminar on constitutional issues in Uganda, background notes by Hancock, correspondence with Sir Andrew Cohen, Governor of Uganda, minutes and papers of the Buganda Constitutional Committee and Steering Committee, minutes of the Namiremba Conference, papers on the Uganda Development Corporation, the Uganda National Congress, notes of discussions in Ankole, Toro, Bunyoro and Kitara, and press cuttings; correspondence and press cuttings on Hancock's books British War Economy and Problems of Social Policy (History of the Second Word War UK Civil Series Vols 1 and 2), 1949-1950; press cuttings on the Liberal summer school, July 1955; papers collected and generated during Hancock's work on the biography and selected papers of Jan Christiaan Smuts (1870-1950); correspondence regarding, and black and white photograph of bust of Hancock by Alan Jervis (1952); tapes of radio broadcasts by Hancock on ABC, mainly autobiographical, also comments on arms control and the atomic bomb, Australia's defence treaties and relations with the USA, undated (c.1978).

Articles, 1941-1968, mainly by Helen Maud Cam on historical topics, also including biographical articles and obituaries; report on 'The objections of the University of London Graduates Association to the scheme proposed by the Royal Commission on University education in London', Dec 1913, with notes by Cam on a meeting held by the students, 12 Nov 1913; items found in the Cam book bequest, 1918-1959, notably correspondence on literature, newspaper cuttings, especially relating to George Bernard Shaw, handwritten notes, and invitations; photographs, [1906-1918], mainly of groups of students at Royal Holloway College, including performances of College plays, and of Bryn Mawr College, USA.

Personal correspondence, 1921-1929, with Rev Canon Claude Jenkins, Professor of Ecclesiastical History at King's College, University of London, notably on Johnstone's application for the post of Head of History at Royal Holloway College and Jenkins' work with the Church of England. Visitors' book, 1913-1961, and autograph books, [1944], belonging to Johnstone. Presentation address from Royal Holloway College, given upon her retirement in 1942. Copy of 'Who's Who in relation to war trade', 1918, used by Johnstone in her work at the Board of Trade. Family papers, 1860-1916, including teaching certificates, 1860-1881, for Herbert and Sarah Anne Johnstone (Johnstone's mother and father); ledger, 1889-1910, containing a diary entry by Sarah Anne Johnstone describing Johnstone's exposure to scarlet fever; and a copy of 'Exile song', 10 Jan 1916, written by F H Johnstone (brother of Johnstone) and William Stephens. Photographs, [1890-1942], of Johnstone, her family, and students at Royal Holloway College.

The collection contains correspondence; lecture notes on history; newspaper cuttings; papers of other members of the family, including an undated letter of Danton which belonged to A H Beesly; printed reports; pamphlets containing articles by or about Beesly; other pamphlets and reviews; other printed works; and an autographed photograph of Karl Marx. The correspondence is rather slight and only isolated letters from individual correspondents are preserved. There are sets of Beesly's own letters to Henry Crompton and to Frederic Harrison which were probably returned to the family after his death. There are also a few letters to Beesly's brother A H Beesly and to Alfred Beesly, E S Beesly's son.

The collection consists of chapters, drafts, notes and correspondence of Ralph Davis on published works (1971-1979); tables and statistics concerning overseas trade, exports and imports in the 18th and 19th centuries; teaching materials, course notes, etc (1964-1975); correspondence (1965-1978).

Correspondence and working papers, 1944-1977 and undated, of John Morris, including notes, proofs, manuscript and typescript drafts, comprising material on Roman sources and history, Christianity, Saxon, Celtic and Arthurian sources and history, including Nennius and Gildas; photographs of Anglo-Saxon archaeology, particularly a site at Mitcham, Surrey; typescript of Morris' Londinium: London in the Roman Empire; correspondence and papers relating to Past and Present including articles submitted to Morris for publication and related correspondence; academic correspondence with correspondents in the UK and abroad; papers and correspondence relating to Morris' visit to India, including academic matters and Indian politics and papers relating to Morris' political interests and activities, particularly the Institute for Workers' Control, including printed material.

Letters to David Hannay from various correspondents.

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.

Journals of Humphrey Fisher, 1973-1978, describing in detail trips to Liberia, Sierra Leone, Gambia, and Ghana, on study leave, as visiting lecturer at Cuttington College (Liberia), or as external examiner to Fourah Bay College (Sierra Leone), with appendices of relevant documents and source material, including transcripts of correspondence between or concerning the Ahmadiyya movement and the Muslim League in India (1938-1946).

Correspondence, publications and press cuttings, 1959-1987, collected by Roger Virgoe, relating largely to the University of Khartoum and the political situation in the Sudan in the 1960s. Letters from colleagues and staff at the University describe the lead up to and events of the demonstrations in 1964. Publications include copies of the University of Khartoum Bulletin (1961-1964), reports on educational policy and reform (from 1959), and material relating to Sudanese history and antiquities (including a publication by A. J. Arkell).

Correspondence and research papers, 1889-1979, of Daniel George Edward Hall. Correspondence includes that between Hall and his publishers; friends and colleagues in Burma and Britain (1926-1970); the School of Oriental and African Studies and University of London (1934-1968); the British Broadcasting Corporation, including notes for broadcasts on the subject of Burma (1960-1961); and Professor Gordon Luce (1924-1978). Hall's research work includes material relating to Major Henry Burney, for his work Henry Burney: A Political Biography (1974), and material relating to Burma's relations with Britain. Also included are a number of photographs.

Papers, 1917-1961, of John Sydenham Furnivall, comprising correspondence (1948-1956), mostly with C W Dunn (co-editor of the Burmese-English Dictionary); draft annotated chapters of Reconstruction in Burma; statistics and other research material gathered for the above work; Furnivall's lecture notes, scripts of his talks, articles and manuscript research notes.

Papers, 1926-1986, of Ifor Ball Powell, largely comprising the Philippine reference material collected by him, together with his correspondence and personal papers. The reference material covers topics such as the Philippine legislature; Philippine administration; political parties, elections and election statistics; US Philippine agreements and relations; Philippine Islands during World War II; and the City of Manila. Also included are photographs taken during Powell's field trips in Southeast and East Asia, particularly in the Philippines, and an extensive collection of press cuttings.