Records of Welch, Margetson and Company Limited, menswear manufacturers, including memorandum and articles of association; Board minutes; correspondence; annual reports and accounts; photographs of offices in Australia and of staff at work in offices, shops, factories and laundry; file on products, process and other firms; advertising; catalogues and price lists; papers relating to staff clubs; papers relating to property; and notes on the history of the company.

Letters from Thomas Laugher to the manager of his colour manufacturing business about the progress of the business in Laugher's absence.

Documents relating to the premises of the Lorival Manufacturing Company, 1840-1927, comprising conveyances, mortgages, leases for premises in Norwood, including Norwood Court; powers of attorney, agreement, release and discharge relating to the dedication of piece of land for widening Norwood Road and copies of Court Roll and conveyances for property in Heston, part of the premises of the Lorival Manufacturing Company.

Papers of John William Couchman and Harold Seymour Couchman, surveyors, agents to the lords of the manors of Tottenham and Edmonton and civil engineers, 1789-1938. The majority of the papers are those of John William Couchman who was a civil engineer (in particular, apparently, a waterworks expert) and a surveyor and valuer, but a few later ones relate to his successor, Harold Seymour Couchman.

John William Couchman acted as surveyor and agent to the lords of the manors of Tottenham and Edmonton. Most of the manorial documents are valuations for enfranchisement of copyhold property. These cover the second half of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and are arranged alphabetically under the names of the copyholders. There is also, however, a survey of Tottenham manor of circa 1830 and two rentals of quit and waste rents for Tottenham and one for Edmonton, together with correspondence with the local urban district councils over their purchase of manorial waste.

The remainder of the collection consists of documents concerning property of the Sperling family and of others for whom Couchman acted as agent; his own papers relating to various engineering projects - notably that to provide a drinking water supply for Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados, papers concerning the Tithe rent charges for Tottenham (for which he acted as valuer), various sales particulars including one of 1789 for Bruce Castle and Mount Pleasant, and two albums of photographs taken at the end of the last century which are of considerable interest.

Records of the East London Water Works Company, 1899-1903, consisting of contract drawings and a timetable of a visit made by members of Portsmouth Water Works Company to East London Water Works.

Minutes and financial records of the Coal Pool, later the Colliery Pool, an association for sharing colliery insurance claims.

Records of Harrison and Legas, ironfounders, gunfounders and ordnance contractors, comprising correspondence, accounts, inventories and an assignment of a lease.

Records of Phoenix Oil and Transport Company Limited and its subsidiaries Unirea S. A. R. de Petrol; Arbanash (Roumania) Oil Company; Orion S.A.R. de Petrol; Roumanian Consolidated Oilfields Limited and Phoenix Oil Products Limited. The records include minutes, annual reports, financial accounts, correspondence, reports, maps, photographs, papers relating to sales, and papers relating to war damage.

The records of Phoenix Oil Products Limited comprise: memorandum and articles of association, 1924, 1926 and 1947; minutes of board meetings, 1926-50 and general meetings, 1927-50; financial statements, 1927-47; directors' annual reports and accounts, 1927-46; ledgers, sales ledgers, journals and cash book, 1926-51; papers regarding the nationalisation of Roumanian industry, 1950; papers regarding liquidation, 1950-2; annual balance sheets and accounts of Runo-Everth Treibstoff und Oel A. G., 1939-49; reports on visits to offices of Runo-Everth Treibstoff und Oel A.G., 1947.

Scotch Mines Company records comprise the original charter of incorporation and a contemporary copy 1729; court minutes 1819-1861; agreements, leases and other papers 1729-1814; list of proprietors 1843; dividend book 1803-32 and 1861; journals 1755-1772 and 1812-1827; treasurer's cash and bill book 1776-1798 and ledgers 1755-1811.

Papers collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising deed to receive royalties on manufacture of bricks on land near Southall, Hayes, with plan, 1877.

Records of the Equitable Gas Light and Coke Company, including endorsement to be made on the deed of settlement, 1835; supplemental deed of settlement, 1838; certificate of formal registration of the company, 1844; reports of the Company's Directors; papers relating to legal proceedings and lawsuits; correspondence; agreements and contracts; papers relating to premises owned by the Company in Kensington, Westminster, Pimlico and Chelsea.

Records of the North Woolwich Undertaking, comprising papers relating to a messuage called "the Gallions" and 115 acres in North Woolwich, and 10 acres in the parish of Barking, 1774-1801.

Records of Shoreditch Independent Gas Light Company, comprising minutes of Directors' meetings, 1824-1827.

Records of the Wandsworth, Wimbledon, Epsom and District Gas Company, 1913-1949, comprising minutes of Proprietors and Directors meetings, agenda books, and papers relating to the Pension Trust.

Papers collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising release for a parcel of land on side of Bungeys Lane, Enfield, 1710; lease and counterpart lease of one acre of land in common field called Southberry Field, now used as brickground, in parish of Enfield, 1722.

Papers of Robert George Fenton, 1904-1960, mainly relating to printing composition and typesetting, including City and Guilds of London Institute examination results, 1909-1912; homework while at Aldenham Institute, 1912-1916; scrapbook of London School of Printing (LSP) examination results, 1922-1932; notebooks on LSP class subjects 1927-1952, homework 1947, examinations, 1947-1952; papers relating to War Office correspondence course for compositors, 1940s; selection of LSP student printing specimens, 1928; LSP Year Book, 1938-1939; A survey of LSP inception and work, 1939; plans of LSP Composing Room, 1952, 1958; LSP prospectuses, 1955-1961; photographs of Fenton with staff and students in LSP Composing Room, c1956; photograph of retirement of E E Allen, LSP Vice Principal, 1955; printing type specimen sheets and books, including H W Caslon, 1912, 1920 and 1932, Stephenson, Black and Co Ltd, 1927, and Soldans Ltd, 1936; other papers relating to composing and typesetting including, 1930s-1950s, including LSP typeface books, impositions books for printing layouts, papers on monotype and linotype machinery, stereotyping and electrotyping, photo-composition and colour charts. The collection also includes printing manuals and text books, 1910s-1920s; compositors' sticks, quion keys and metal type samples.

Letter from Thomas A Cook of Newcastle upon Tyne to H B Jordan, Esq of the Alkali Works, Bristol, 8 Dec 1845. Acknowledging Jordan's letter of 4 Dec 1845. Discussing at length the relative efficiency of stone stills [for manufacturing alkalis] used by Cook [at Walker, Newcastle], by Jordan and by Lee and Co; advising Jordan to visit Lee and Co and copy their stills exactly. Mentioning a Mr Bell's patent, the surprising cheapness of coal, and a meeting of masters [i.e. factory owners] which he was unable to attend. Noting that the returns show an increase of stock.

Autograph, with signature. A note [in Jordan's hand] on page 3 states: 'Ansd. 5 Jany'.

Letter from Sir John Coode of 35 Norfolk Square, Hyde Park, London to Mr Liddell, 30 Dec 1873. Thanking him for his congratulations and says that they are much impressed with the work of Fanny's husband. He is glad to hear that William is well occupied 'in these days when so many men are put aside and "shelved" against their wishes'. Discussing the Weymouth sewage works, nearly completed. Hopes to meet William, if he (Coode) visits Portsmouth.

Autograph, with signature.

Records of Whitbread and Company Ltd, brewers, with the papers of its subsidiary companies originally based in the London area, 1742-2000. These records will primarily be of interest to those concerned with the foundation and development of breweries or with the history of family businesses. A large collection of plans of properties, including public houses (LMA/4453/F/08), along with the Whitbread Archivist's research files (LMA/4453/G/05) will also be of interest to local historians researching specific public houses in the London area. Genealogical information about Whitbread employees is available in the Salaries Books (LMA/4453/E/01) and Pensioners Books (LMA/4453/E/04).

Corporate records include: minute books; memorandum and articles of association; partnership documents; articles, agreements, trusts and ordinary shares papers; agreements received books; contract books; Directors' fees journals; registers of seals; Sir Sydney O Neville: correspondence and papers; other correspondence and notebooks; agreements; correspondence and related papers; Royal warrants; policy files and partners' correspondence.

Financial records include: account books; balance sheets and accounts; Britannia Street statement of expenditure books; cash and accounts books; deposit ledgers; depreciation ledgers; general journals and ledgers; loan diaries and ledgers; partners ledgers; private ledgers and journals; rest books; securities ledgers; share registers; pocket books for order, rent and cash. Sales records include: beer returns; complaints books; excise books; export ledgers; sales and nominal ledgers; estate trade books; summaries and statistics and Take Home Division.

Production records include: ale brewing books; brewing process; butt books; cask ledger; cellar ledger; notebooks; F G S Baker's notebooks; fermentation books; porter brewing books; purchase ledgers and stock books; sample and sediment reports; starting books and transport and plant. Staff records include: salaries books and lists of employees; employment policy and related papers; accident books and health and pensioners books.

Records relating to premises include: deeds of title: Chiswell Street Brewery; deeds of title: public houses, beer houses and off-licences; deeds received and receipts for deeds books; property ledgers, land valuation and plan drawings of properties; rent ledgers; repairs ledgers; Northern Brewery Project; plans and charts; Chiswell Street Redevelopment and correspondence.

Records relating to advertising and the history of Whitbread include: advertisement albums; newspaper cuttings; photograph albums; histories and articles; archivists' research files and letters in response to advertising campaigns.

Records of subsidiary companies including: Whitbread Properties Limited
Whitbread (London) Limited
Whitbread International Limited
F S Stowells Limited
Ealing Welwyn Restaurants Limited
Forest Hill Brewing Company Limited
Improved Public House Limited
R White and Son Limited
Central Catering Limited
Manor Park Gripper Brothers Limited: Bell Brewery, Tottenham (later Tottenham Depot)
Railway Tavern Limited
Goodhews Limited
H and V Nicholl Limited, The Anchor Brewery, Lewisham
Theydon Hall Farm (later Threshers and Company Limited)
Jude Hanbury and Company Limited
Frederick Leney and Sons Limited
Mackeson and Company Limited Dale Brewery
Top Star Taverns Limited
Amey's Brewery Limited Chelsea Brewery
Douglas Ritchie Limited

Papers of Lamont and Warne, coal merchants, including contracts, correspondence and notes of sale for orders with a number of collieries in Great Britain, and gas and other companies supplied with coal.

History of the London Bridge Waterworks, 1780.

Papers of the Nassau Phosphate of Lime Company relating to a proposed sale of phosphate works, and of rights of boring for and carrying away phosphate, on land at Edelsberg and Freienfels, near Weilburg in Nassau, Germany, including descriptive records of inspections of the phosphate deposits and the mining property.

Laboratory notebook possibly compiled in laboratories at Crossness Pumping Station, Belvedere Road, Abbey Wood, SE2; containing wide range of analyses including: water quality, gas testing, Thames mud, sand, sewage, cow shed water, asbestos, petroleum, and so on. Several entries concern a Thames Pollution enquiry. The volume also contained 'Oxygen Sag Curve' analyses of the Thames. It is probable that the work was carried out for the Metropolitan Board of Works.

Records of the Albion Iron and Wire Works Company Limited, 1889-1971. The majority of the records concern the everyday running of the Company and one of its associated companies, Myerson Kilby Limited, and comprise ledgers, journals, cash books and estimate and invoice books. Unfortunately no minute books have been deposited. There is a substantial run of order books which give a good account of the range of goods manufactured and the variety of customers served by the company. There are also some records relating to property owned by the Company.

Records of Thames Water predecessor companies (water supply) and local authorities (waste water management including sewer network), comprising the following:

ACC/2558/CH: Chelsea Waterworks Company

ACC/2558/DV: Darenth Valley Main Sewerage Board

ACC/2558/EL: East London Waterworks Company

ACC/2558/GJ: Grand Junction Waterworks Company

ACC/2558/KE: Kent Waterworks Company

ACC/2558/LA: Lambeth Waterworks Company

ACC/2558/LC: Lee Conservancy Catchment Board

ACC/2558/LL: London Local Authorities, Metropolitan Board of Works, London County Council and Greater London Council

ACC/2558/MW: Metropolitan Water Board

ACC/2558/NR: New River Company

ACC/2558/S: Shadwell Waterworks Company

ACC/2558/SR: Staines Reservoir Joint Committee

ACC/2558/SV: Southwark and Vauxhall Water Company

ACC/2558/TW: Thames Water Authority

ACC/2558/WK: West Kent Main Sewerage Board

ACC/2558/WM: West Middlesex Waterworks Company

The records include corporate records and minutes, staff records, clerk's papers, records relating to water supply and distribution, technical reports, purchase records, property records, legal papers, plans, substantial series of photographs, glass plate negatives and lanterns slides (especially clean water: under ACC/2558/MW/PH, ACC/2558/MW/GP and ACC/2558/MW/L and sewer and waste water: under ACC/2558/LL/PH) and financial accounts and ledgers.

Cataloguing of this collection has been funded by Thames Water. For more information about the cataloguing project which was completed September 2019, please see 'The Thames Water Treasure Trove' in 'Source' magazine, July 2016 (library reference: 24.217 THA). London Metropolitan Archives would like to thank Thames Water for funding the cataloguing of this collection.

Corporate records of the Chelsea Waterworks Company, including Court of Directors minute books; General Board minute books; Committee of Accounts and Works minute books; Finance and Audit Committee minute books; Parliamentary Committee minutes; Secretary's report books; agenda books; correspondence; letter books; legal papers; register of stock and share holders; stock and share ledgers and other records; dividend books; registers of wills; bond records; contracts and specifications.

Water supply and distribution records of the Chelsea Waterworks Company, including engineer's reports; meter inspection reports; storekeeper's reports; water supply aggreements and applications; supply records; meter registers; district water services records; collector's rate books; special supplies records; parish assessments and rates; statistical records; stopcock registers; pipelaying and works records; cartage books; meterological data and water analysis records.

Purchase records of the Chelsea Waterworks Company, including works day books; day books; Pipe Yard day book; stock books; and records relating to the delivery and consumption of coal.

Financial records of the East London Waterworks Company, including general ledgers; journals and cash books; Collectors' accounts volumes; analyses of expenditure volumes; minor financial volumes and rating files.

Staff records of the East London Waterworks Company, including Officers' guarantees; papers relating to salaries annual holidays and sickness; and staff lists.

Property records of the East London Waterworks Company, including rental ledgers; particulars of land purchases; notices and plans of intended purchase and schedule of deeds.

Records of the Grand Junction Waterworks Company relating to water supply and distribution, including water supply agreements; laying on books; meter agreements; meter readings; fire report books; water rentals books; pipes records; examination of mains books; papers relating to alterations to pipes and fittings; meter charges; supply and engineering records.

Financial records of Kent Waterworks Company, including statements of account; ledgers; journals; cash books; revenue ledgers; allocation of expenditure books; receipts books and collector's accounts.

Purchase records of the Kent Waterworks Company including stock books, store book meters, and weigh bridge books (containing descriptions of goods and their weights).

Financial records of the Lambeth Waterworks Company, including ledgers; journals; cash books and day books; Collector's rent and revenue records; water charges records; road watering and meter account books.

Financial records of the London Bridge Waterworks Company, including cash books; Treasurer's accounts; monthly balances; Collector's accounts; arrears books; papers relating to rents; water rents lost by collectors and receipt books.

Staff records of the London Bridge Waterworks Company, comprising servants weekly wages book.

Financial records of the New River Company, including abstracts of accounts; balance sheets; ledgers; collectors ledgers; journals; disbursement books; cash books; revenue account books; audit books; bill book; bill cheque books; taxes and rates ledgers and accounts; landed estate accounts and meter rent books.

Records of the New River Company relating to water supply and distribution, including pipe order books; papers relating to works carried out; Engineer's papers; materials and fittings; papers relating to water supply; standpipe books; papers relating to Collectors; water rent account books and water rent rates; river and water gauges; pipe order books; river and water gauges; statistical returns and reports.

Property records of the New River Company, including rent and arrears books; rents payable registers; rent and acknowledgements books; ground rents registers; building estate insurances; fire insurances and leases.

Records of the Staines Reservoir Joint Committee, comprising progress reports from the Engineer.

Papers of the Anglo-Maikop Group, oil mining company, and subsidiaries as follows:
Anglo-Maikop Corporation Ltd. (Mss 24054-62);
Kuban Black Sea Oilfields Ltd. (Mss 24063-8);
Kuban Refining Co. Ltd. (Mss 24069-74);
Black Sea Amalgamated Oilfields Ltd. (Mss 24075-7);
Levanovskoe Petroleum Co.Ltd. (Mss 24078-83);
Maikop Combine Ltd. (Mss 24084-90);
Maikop Midland Oilfields Ltd. (Mss 24091-6);
Maikop Pipeline and Transport Co. Ltd. (Mss 24097-103);
Maikop Refineries Ltd. (Mss 24104-9);
Maikop Valley Oil Co. Ltd. (Mss 24110-15).

The records include memoranda and articles of association; minutes; financial records and accounts; agreements; and reports.

Records of the Chinese Engineering and Mining Company Limited, comprising minutes of the board of directors; cash books; share ledgers; mining ledgers and shipping ledgers.

The records chart the transfer of property within the family through the generations, beginning with a copy of the manorial court roll showing the acquisition of a cottage in Pinner Street, Harrow, by Mary Bodymaid {sic} in 1699 {ACC/0945/001}. In 1710 William Bodymead acquired cottages on Clay Hill, in the Manor of Bushey; which by his will of 1738 were divided between his three youngest sons {ACC/0945/003}. The rest of the estate passed to William's widow and to his eldest son, also called William. This William Bodimead was contemplating a partnership with his eldest John in 1767, which gave rise to the 'Rest Book or Inventory' {ACC/0945/014}, which is quite extensively detailed. Also worth noting is the inventory from 1789, covering the goods and chattels of the deceased Ann Bodymeade, who was presumably the widow and mother of the aforementioned William and John. The latest records are two letters from 1966 from Philip Blackwell to Miss A.M. Pollard (reference librarian in the London Borough of Harrow at that time) offering background on these papers which had belonged to his grandfather.

London related material from the Bryson Collection of Business Archives and Ephemera, 1760-1951:

• Records of Morgan Crucible Co Ltd comprising working instructions for Morgan's Coke Fired Tilting Furnace type "CCA" 400 lbs capacity, with drawings of furnace, 1942.
  • Lease for 18 years from William Scott to Walker Norwood, mealman, of Twelve Acre Close (now 2 closes) in Hampton Wick, endorsed with agreement to let barn and rickyard, 1782 Mar - 1784 Apr.
  • Duckham's Digest "Links", Vol X, No 2, published by Alexander Duckham and Co Ltd, with Festival of Britain guide, 1951.
  • Probate copy of will of Samuel Myers of Golden Lane, colourman, proved in Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1777 Aug.
  • Marriage settlement between Sir Matthew Blakiston and Annabella Bayly relating to mansion at East Hill and other houses and lands in Wandsworth and Battersea, 1760 Mar.
  • Deed poll by Charles Robert Edward Bell, match manufacturer of Albert House, Wandsworth, changing his surname from Grubb to Bell, with extract from The Times attached, 1880 Dec.

Photographs of boiler installations at various London offices and gas works.

Records of the London Gas Light and Coke Company, 1833-1883, comprising Directors' meetings signed minutes; Shareholders' meetings signed minutes; Committee of Works, Estimates, Contracts and Buildings signed minutes; Committee of Finance signed minutes; and Committees of Works, Finance and Inspection, and General Board signed minutes.

Records of the Commercial Gas Light and Coke Company, including half yearly report and accounts submitted by the Directors of the Commercial Gas Company to the Proprietors; reports of proceedings of ordinary half yearly meetings; register of stockholders attending ordinary annual meetings of the Commercial Gas Company; original prospectus of the company; bye laws of the company; letters about Robert Jones and copies of articles by and about him; petition presented on behalf of stokers and gas workers; statement of average rates of wages paid during the year to various grades; photograph of the centenary dinner of the company, and two letters from the Rt. Hon. Hugh Gaitskell, M.P., Ministry of Fuel and Power; deed of trust and settlement of the Commercial Gas Light and Coke Company; alphabetical list of shareholders recording their receipt of the first dividend; agreement with other companies as to sphere of influence of the Commercial Gas Light and Coke Company, and indemnity and map; minutes of evidence before committee of inquiry into the company's proposed bill; Act for incorporating the Commercial Gas Light and Coke Company; Act to convert stock of the Commercial Gas Company and insurance policy on the company's works at Jonsons Fields, Stepney.

General records relating to the supply of gas, 1825-1948, collected by the North Thames Gas Board and predecessor companies. Includes draft Parliamentary reports leading up to the Act for better regulating the supply of gas to the metropolis, 1860; minutes of weekly meetings of a Committee of Chairmen of the Metropolitan Gas Companies in connection with the Parliamentary Committee inquiring into the Metropolis Gas Act, 1860; Bill and relevant papers concerning the proposed amalgamation of all or some of the metropolitan gas companies; drafts, petitions and briefs concerning the London Corporation Gas Bill; report from the Board of Trade on the current Railway, Tramway, Gas and Water Bills, 1870; Gas and Water Facilities Bill, 1870; press cuttings; statistical information about gas companies, 1865.

Also papers relating to individual gas companies including Bill to establish a company for illuminating London and Westminster with oil gas (the London and Westminster Oil Gas Company), 1825; minutes of evidence before the House of Lords' select committee on the Phoenix Gas Bill, 1864; half yearly reports and accounts submitted by the Directors of the Phoenix Gas Light and Coke Co. to the Proprietors; Bills and Acts affecting the powers of the South Metropolitan Gas Light and Coke Company; Bill amending powers of the Surrey Consumers' Gas Light and Coke Association; annual reports and accounts submitted by the Directors of the Surrey Consumers' Gas Company to the Shareholders.