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 Ind Coope Ltd, a subsidiary of Allied Breweries Ltd, and records of various companies acquired by Ind Coope before it was acquired by Allied. The collection contains the records of the following companies:

Ind Coope Limited
Curtis Nicholson Limited
Taylor Walker and Company Limited
Cannon Brewery Company Limited
Alperton Bottling Company Limited
Pioneer Trading Company Limited.

Each company collection contains corporate records which can include minutes of meetings, memoranda and articles of association, registers of directors and members and corporate agreements. Some companies, for example Taylor Walker and Company Limited and Cannon Brewery Company Limited, have large collections of premises records including early title deeds and mortgage agreements, schedules of properties and inventories. There are numerous items of interest including an album of Taylor Walker advertising cuttings from 1950s (LMA/4433/C/04/001) and photographs from the official opening of the Alperton Bottling plant in 1951 (LMA/4433/E/01/010).

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.

The records of Arbanash (Roumania) Oil Company comprise: memorandum and articles of association, 1912 and 1929; minutes of board and general meetings, 1928-1955; annual balance sheets and accounts, 1939-1948, final accounts for 1948 and correspondence regarding winding up, 1950; cash book and private ledger, 1939-1958.

Records of Associated Metropolitan Water Companies, comprising minutes and accounts of the Metropolitan Water Companies Meetings of Chairmen; minutes of sub committees including the Intercommunication Committee of Engineers of the Metropolitan Water Companies and the Committee for the Management of Works of Intercommunication; and correspondence.

Records of the Bateman family relating to their property in Ealing, Elbow Lane (later Little College Street) in the City of London, Tottenham; and out of London in Chesham, Buckinghamshire; and Kimberworth, Yorkshire (this latter including coal mines).

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.

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.

Records of the Chartered Gas Light and Coke Company, 1812-1949, including Director's meeting minutes; Proprietors' Meeting minutes; Committee of Accounts, Finance and Audit minutes; Committee of Works minutes; Committee of Works and Products minutes; Committee of Chemistry and Machinery minutes; Committee of Light and Experiments minutes; Committee on Machinery and Works minutes; Committee on the Provision for Wear and Tear minutes; financial accounts; map of London Gas Companies' Districts; evidence presented to various Committees including Select Committees; proceedings in Parliament relating to the gas companies; and Gas Light and Coke Company's Acts, Charter and Bye-Laws.

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.

Financial records of Chelsea Waterworks Company, including annual account books; annual reports; accounts ledgers; journals; cash books; bills books; revenue ledgers; meter accounts; and order books.

General records of the Chelsea Waterworks Company, including correspondence relating to water charges; printed circulars and forms; newspaper cuttings; and reference material.

Property records of the Chelsea Waterworks Company, comprising land purchase registers and rent books.

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.

Staff records of the Chelsea Waterworks Company, including register of employment; wages accounts and wages books.

Records of the Chelsea Waterworks Company, including papers relating to steam engines and other machinery; service records of workmen; sick pay regulations; deeds and other legal documents relating to company property; financial accounts; legal case records; Parliamentary papers; licences and historical notes.

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.

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.

Records of the City of London Gas Light and Coke Company, 1705-1881, comprising deeds of title and co-partnerships and letters, relating to premises in Water Lane, Pigs Quay Wharf and other premises between Tudor Street and Water Street; and deeds relating to premises between Whitefriars Dock, Victoria Embankment and Tudor Street, near to Dorset Street.

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

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.

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.

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'.

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 various constituent, predecessor and associated companies of Courage, Barclay and Simonds, brewers; with records relating to licensed and other premises (distinguished by the reference PH). The amount and type of papers vary from company to company, and include corporate records, accounting records, sales and production records, papers relating to premises including breweries and public houses, papers relating to staffing, personal papers of individuals and public relations department records.

The constituent, predecessor and associated companies for which there are records in this collection include (for further information please consult the separate sub-fonds entry for each company):

Anchor Taverns Ltd
Arndale - Horselydown Ltd
Arthur Cooper (Wine Merchant) Ltd
Ashby's Staines Brewery Ltd
Ashford Valley Cyders Ltd
Ashton Gate Brewery Company Ltd
Barclay Perkins (Sudan) Ltd (Blue Nile Brewery)
Barclay Perkins and Co. Ltd
Basingstoke Town Properties Ltd
Bournemouth Wine Company Ltd
Bristol Brewery Georges and Co. Ltd
Bristol United Breweries Ltd
C.N. Kidd and Son Ltd
Camden Brewery Company Ltd
Camwal Ltd
Cantrell and Cochrane Ltd
Carlos and Thrale Ltd
Catering Services (Newark) Ltd
Chandlers Ltd
Charles Beasley Ltd
Charles Kinloch and Co. Ltd
Charlton Brewery Company Ltd
Clinch and Co. Ltd
Courage and Barclay Ltd
Courage and Co. Ltd (including Courage (Central) Ltd; Courage (Eastern) Ltd; Courage (Export) Ltd and Courage (Western) Ltd)
Courage Group and Courage Ltd
Courage, Barclay and Simonds Ltd
Couratown Property Developments Ltd
Crocker Brothers Ltd
Dartford Brewery Company Ltd
Farnham United Breweries Ltd
G. Hall and Co. Ltd
George Raggett and Sons Ltd
H. and G. Simonds Ltd
H. and G. Watts (1935) Ltd
Harmans Uxbridge Brewery Ltd
Herbert Stebbings and Sons Ltd
Hodgson's Kingston Brewery Company Ltd
Horselydown Property Investment Company (Developments) Ltd
Horselydown Property Investment Company Ltd
HPIC: associated companies
James Hole and Co. Ltd
John May and Co. Ltd
Kingston Brewery Property Company Ltd
Lawn and Alder Ltd
London and Provincial Shop Centres (Horselydown) Ltd
London and Provincial Shop Centres Horselydown (Slough) Ltd
McGeorge and Heppenstalls Ltd
McManus - Horsleydown Ltd
Medway Mineral Waters Ltd
Mumford Hotels Ltd
Nevile Reid and Co. Ltd
Nicholson and Sons Ltd
Noakes and Co. Ltd
Oakhill Brewery Company Ltd
Octagon Brewery Ltd
Old Brewery Property Development Company Ltd
Phillips and Sons Ltd
Plymouth Breweries Ltd
R. Halley Ltd
Reffells Bexley Brewery Ltd
Royal Brewery Brentford Ltd
Saccone and Speed Ltd
Santovin Ltd
Sheffield and District Public House Trust Company Ltd
Shepton Mallet Town Street Investments Ltd
Slough Retail Centre Ltd
South Berkshire Brewery Company Ltd
South Coast Bottling Company Ltd
Star Brewery Company Ltd
Stratford Catering Company Ltd
Style and Winch Ltd
Torquay Brewing and Trading Company Ltd
Town and City Properties Ltd
Union Breweries Ltd
Wheeler's Wycombe Breweries Ltd
Whepstead Properties Ltd
Wolton and Attwood Ltd
Yardley's London and Provincial Stores Ltd
York Mineral Water Company Ltd.

Minute books containing the minutes of various ad hoc Joint Committees:

Joint Committee of the Officers and Clerks and the Law, (Parliamentary) and City Courts Committees regarding Admiralty jurisdiction in the City of London Court, 1875; the impact of the Supreme Court of Judicature Acts of 1870 and 1875 and reforms to the practice and pleading of the Mayor's Court, 1875; reform of the Mayor's Court and City of London Court, 1880; the duties of and the pension to be awarded to City of London Court judges, 1894-1895; the nature, duties and emoluments of the Secondary and elections in Common Hall, 1897-1898.

Joint Committee of the Officers and Clerks and the Port of London Sanitary Committees regarding the salary of Harry Leach, Medical Officer of Health for the Port of London, 1875.

Joint Committee of the General Purposes and the Special Tithes Committees regarding matters relating to livings and benefices, 1875.

Joint Committee of the Coal, Corn and Finance and the Officers and Clerks Committees regarding the salary of William Payne, Chamber Principal Clerk, 1878; the nature, duties and emoluments of the Office of Chamberlain and his staff, 1892-1898; the nature, duties and emoluments of the City Solicitor and City Surveyor, 1895.

Joint Committee of the Law and City Courts and the Local Government and Taxation Committees regarding taking action against the Toll Bridges/River Thames Bill which aimed to free the toll bridges, 1876-1877; and the Supreme Court of Judicature, 1883.

Joint Committee of the Gas and Water and the Local Government and Taxation Committees regarding the progress of the Metropolis Waterworks Purchase Bill, 1880.

Joint Committee of the City Lands and the Law and City Courts Committees regarding finding accommodation for the hearing of special jury cases, 1891

Joint Committee of the City Lands and the Coal, Corn and Finance Committees regarding finding a site for the construction of a new British School of Art (Tate Gallery), 1891.

Joint Committee of the Coal, Corn and Finance and the Billingsgate and Leadenhall Markets Committees regarding reduction of tolls on fish brought to Billingsgate market, 1894.

Joint Committee of the Officers and Clerks and the and the Improvements and Finance Committees regarding the retirement of Principal Clerk of the Public Health Department, 1899.

Joint Committee of the City Lands and the Improvements and Finance Committees regarding cooperation with the London County Council to preserve the historic building at 17 Fleet Street (Prince Henry's Room, part of an inn that was one of the few buildings to survive the Great Fire of London), 1899-1900.

Joint Committee of Coal and Corn and Finance and Officers and Clerks Committees, ordered to enquire into the nature, duties and emoluments of the office of Chamberlain, to reconsider the terms and conditions of the appointment and to recommend any necessary reform, Sept 1943-Feb 1945.

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 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.

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.

Corporate records of the East London Waterworks Company, including Court of Director's minute books; legal papers; Committee papers; title deeds; correspondence and letter books; papers relating to stocks, shares and debentures; Parliamentary papers; papers relating to royal commissions on water supply; Secretary's files; press cuttings; and plans.

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.

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

Papers of the East London Waterworks Company relating to water supply and distribution, including Engineers' reports; Engineers' correspondence; volumes of accepted tenders; water supply agreements; Collectors' and Inspectors' letter books; indexes to the locations of meters; rating volumes; accounts; plans and diagrams.

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.

Notebook entitled 'Glass Furnace Notebook. Royal Institution' in Michael Faraday's hand.

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

This series contains correspondence, memoranda and extracts from minutes concerning current supplies for railways, modifications to Lots Road Power Station, the construction and improvement of substations, the installation of apparatus and electrical interference with broadcasting.

This series contains correspondence, memoranda, reports and minutes concerning the design and construction of power stations and substations including details of costs, equipment, repairs and maintenance, current supplies and complaints regarding the emission of grit and fumes. Also includes details of the Kearny Station, New Jersey and the power station of the Ohio River Edison Company.

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.

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.

Financial records of the Grand Junction Waterworks Company, including half-yearly accounts; ledgers; journals; cash books; liabilities; balance books; revenue ledgers; office rate books; Collectors' recoveries and meter collections.

Records of the Grand Junction Waterworks Company, including Court of Directors' papers; legal papers; parliamentary papers; investments records; plans; engine and coal accounts; contracts; staff records and property records.

Corporate records of the Grand Junction Waterworks Company, including Court of Directors minute books; Committee books; Court record books; General Assembly minute books; Directors' reports; correspondence and letter books; registers of shareholders; stock ledgers; mortgage records; and contracts records.

General records of the Grand Junction Waterworks Company, including examples of forms printed and distributed by the company; general index of drawings; papers relating to rate assessment appeals; valuation of tools and working plant; and papers relating to Parliamentary Acts and Royal Commissions.

Purchase records of the Grand Junction Waterworks Company, comprising stock books.

Staff records of the Grand Junction Waterworks Company, comprising staff wages books.

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.

Records of the Great Central Gas Consumers Company, 1846-1870, including certificate of formal registration of the company; reports of the Company's Directors; bills of costs in various legal transactions and suits; correspondence agreements; contracts for lighting various parishes; deeds and plans for various premises.

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