The surviving records of the Isleworth Brewery Company Limited consist mainly of an interesting series of account books and ledgers, covering the period 1796-1949, reports and annual balance sheets, 1886-1914, and a number of bundles of title deeds relating to the licensed houses acquired by the firm. One splendid item, worthy of greater comment, is the general ledger, 1796-1810. This volume in its worn vellum laced binding, records the sale of ale, porter, hock and other liquors to innkeepers in Isleworth, Hounslow, Ealing, Heston, Brentford and other places in south west Middlesex and Northern Surrey. In addition to this are recorded direct sales to such eminent persons as the Duke of Northumberland, the Duke of Marlborough, the Earl of Jersey and many members of Regency society living at Twickenham. At the other end of the scale the dairy maids at Osterley regularly purchased large quantities of ale as did anonymous haymakers working in the fields of aristocratic landowners just mentioned! As well as these more formal business transactions the ledger includes accounts of family and household expenses. Of the 20th century accounting records, a wages book, 1914-1949 is of considerable interest. Detailed lists are given of the workers employed by the brewery at Isleworth, including coopers, engineers, maltsters, draymen, stablemen and office cleaners, together with the wages paid to each individual over a long run of years.

The bulk of the records relating to Sich and Company are deeds of title relating to licensed premises in Chiswick, Kew, Hammersmith, Chelsea and Brentford. Unfortunately for this company, unlike the Isleworth Brewery, no accounting records have survived to indicate the extent of its business. On the other hand, a considerable amount of correspondence between the company and its solicitors exists for the period 1830-1880. This deals with such matters as purchasing, leasing and selling of property, and the solving of disputes arising between the company, as landlord, and its tenants. A more personal note is introduced by a small bundle of letters and legal papers concerning the separation of John Sich's daughter from her erring husband in 1850. Only a few title deeds and the wages book mentioned above go beyond the take-over date by Messrs. Watney, Combe, Reid and Company.

The only other coherent group of brewing records held here are those of Fuller, Smith and Turner of Chiswick. The nature of the records of the two companies concerned is such that they in great measure complement one another, enabling a relatively comprehensive picture to be created of the small beginnings of part of what is today an enormous commercial structure.

This is a collection of forty one letters from Lady Mary Clarke and one letter from her daughter Anne to their legal adviser Samuel Joynes, and four draft letters from Joynes to Lady Clarke.

Records of Patrick Colquhoun, police magistrate, comprising letter to Henry Dundas, Home Secretary, relating to a salary dispute, 1793; letter to Richard Ford, magistrate, relating to apprehension of a criminal, 1797; letter to William Wickham, Under-secretary of State for the Home Department, relating to the river police, 1798; letter regarding the Wapping riots, 1798; letters relating to expenditure, 1799.

Also autobiographical notes giving an account of 'family and public services', including a detailed chronological account of his public services, beginning with his early career in Glasgow, where he was Chief Magistrate. He accepted the position of a police magistrate in London "not so much on account of the salary which was small; but from a strong impression on his mind that by great attention to the duty he had undertaken to perform he would be able after a time to suggest measures for the improvement of a System(?), than which nothing could be worse." His various activities have included regulating public houses, and establishing the river police office, soup kitchens and a public school in Westminster. He has published treatises on these and other subjects which have been read widely, and many of his suggestions have been implemented. In many connections he has been styled a "public benefactor".

This document appears to have been composed with a view to publication. In 1818 Colquhoun's son-in-law contributed to the European Magazine "an exhaustive account of his useful and disinterested labours," (Dictionary of National Biography, Vol IV, p.860), and it is possible that this was written for that article. However, as the account of his services ends at 1814 (although he was a police magistrate until 1818), and the watermark is 1814, the earlier date seems the more probable.

Records relating to the Paddington to Wapping Canal, comprising letters applying for stock, 1802; 27 sheets recording a canvass of persons affected asking them whether they were for or against a canal or a canal and railway; and bills of expenses in connexion with the above.

Records of the Pudney family of Sunbury including notes on notes on crops, yields, dates of work done on Manor Farm, Sunbury; valuations; leases of farmland at Ashford and Hersham; receipts; poor rate assessment book for the parish of Sunbury, 1857 and copy of accounts of surveyors of highways, 1875-1876, for the parish of Sunbury, 1876.

Papers of Aylott and Mannion, plasterers, comprising correspondence between themselves and G.C. Fan, solicitor, concerning a legal claim against R.J. Ayers of West Ealing.

Records of John Barton relating to the trust of Thomas Woodrouffe Smith. Apart from property in Essex, Surrey, Norfolk and the City of London, T. W. Smith was the owner and lord of the Manor of Teddington, and the bulk of the material in this deposit relates to that manor, including a series of court rolls. Throughout the Middle Ages the manor was the property of Westminster Abbey, being granted to Henry VIII in exchange for other lands in 1536, who then made it part of the Honour of Hampton Court. In 1603 it was granted to John Hill {1246/019} and its subsequent ownership can be seen from the deeds in this deposit {1246/019-082}. Between 1802 and 1863 John Barton's trustees sold the manor and demesne lands off in parcels, which heralded the beginning of Teddington's urbanisation. This and a previous deposit of manor court books {see ACC/0363} came from the solicitors who had acted for the trustees in the 1860's.

Papers, 1779-1880, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising deeds and legal documents relating to properties in Edmonton and Enfield, including lease and releases, probate of will and agreements.

Records of the New River Company, comprising lease of a watercourse from main water pipe at back side of Saint Clement Danes to the private dwelling house of Thomas Dows, gentleman, 1697.

Records of the East Surrey Traction Company, 1911-1957, consisting of minute and agenda books, agreements, register of members, newspaper cuttings books, memorandum and articles of association, annual reports, correspondence relating to the purchase by London General Omnibus Company Limited and menu of first annual staff dinner.

Papers, 1706-1906, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising deeds and legal documents relating to land and premises in Staines, Stanwell, Enfield and Tottenham, including mortgages, bonds, conveyances, wills, leases and releases, copies of court rolls from the manor of Staines and insurance policies.

Papers, 1638-1932, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising deeds and legal documents relating to properties in Hendon, Manor of Isleworth Syon, Stoke Newington, Hornsey, Tottenham and Enfield, including wills, fines, conveyances, exemplifications of common recovery, mortgages, bonds, bargain and sales and lease and releases.

Papers, 1744-1924, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising deeds and legal documents relating to properties in Edgware and Little Stanmore, including copies of court rolls, copies of probates of wills, sales particulars, mortgages, papers relating to land tax, assignments of lease and plans.

Papers, 1870-1950, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising deeds and legal documents relating to properties in Willesden, Edmonton and Southgate, and Friern Barnet, including leases, mortgages, insurance policies, coveyances and correspondence.

Records of Topsfield Manor, Crouch End, Hornsey, including court book, 1683-1885, including tenants names and steward's notes; plan of the manor house, gardens, out buildings, demesne lands and fields, 1781; conveyance of the manor and lordship of Topsfield Hall, 1855 and particulars of sale for the Harringay Arms and other premises in Crouch Hill and Crouch End Broadway.

Records of Watney Mann Ltd, 1712-1968, comprising deeds and other legal documents relating to public houses owned by the company, including The Railway Hotel and "The Stag", Acton; "The Angel Hotel", Edmonton; The Park Hotel, Hanwell; "The Waggon and Horses", Tottenham, the Wheatsheaf Brewery, Twickenham and "The Case is Altered", "The Spotted Dog", the Stonebridge Park Hotel and "The Victoria", Willesden.

Records of George Clement relating to property in Teddington.

Records of Charles Johnston, businessman, including property transactions, probates and administrations; papers relating to Johnston's marriage settlement; correspondence; financial accounts; sales catalogues; papers relating to charities in Cheshunt; papers regarding Johnston's insanity and his financial affairs; letters to Johnston in his capacity as the chairman of the English, Scottish and Australian Chartered Bank; papers of the New Granada Company including annual reports, prospectus, correspondence, shares and papers relating to liquidation.

Also papers of Edmund Johnston including property transactions, financial records and papers relating to his estate.

Papers relating to the estate of Daniel Phillips of Bedfont, 1892-1929, including title deeds, solicitors' bills, trustees papers and bank books; and to the estate of his niece, Mary Elizabeth Phillips of Tottenham, {1792}-1925, including title deeds, letters, inland revenue forms, annual accounts, bank books and household accounts.

Deed relating to Brentford Market: exemplification of an inspeximus of letters patent, in which King James VI and I grants rights to hold a market every Tuesday and an annual fair on eve and day of Feast of Saint Laurence and four days following in West Brentford, with right to hold court of pie-powder and to levy tolls and dues, 1610.

An 'inspeximus' is a charter in which the person granting the charter avouches to have inspected an earlier charter which he repeats and confirms.

Papers of predecessor companies of London Transport. More information regarding each company can be found in the separate sub-fonds entry for that company.

Companies:

Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway

Baker Street And Waterloo Railway

Central London Railway Minutes

Central London Railway Correspondence, Contracts, Reports, Etc.

City And South London Railway

City And South London Railway

Charing Cross, Euston And Hampstead Railway

Earls Court Grounds Limited

Edgware And Hampstead Railway

Great Northern And City Railway

Great Northern Piccadilly And Brompton Railway

Hammersmith And City Railway

Hounslow And Metropolitan Railway

Harrow And Uxbridge Railway

Hammersmith And City Railway

Kingston And London Railway

London Electric Railway

London General Country Services (Buses)

London General Omnibus Company

Lots Road Power House

London Passenger Transport Board

London And Suburban Traction Company (Tramways)

London Transport Board Reports And Accounts

London Transport Executive Files

London United Tramways

Metropolitan And Metropolitan District Joint Railways

Metropolitan And District Electric Traction Company

Metropolitan District Railway

Metropolitan Electric Tramway

Metropolitan And Great Central Joint Railways

Morden Station Garage

Metropolitan And St Johns Wood Railway Company

Metropolitan Tower Construction Company

North Metropolitan Tramways

Railway Equipment And Construction Company

South Metropolitan Electric Tramways

Tramways M.E.T. Omnibus Company

Underground Electric Railways

Union Construction Company

Union Surplus Lands Company

Whitechapel And Bow Railway

Watford Joint Railway Committee - Metropolitan And London North Eastern Railways

Watford And Edgware Railway

Wembley Park Estate Company

Also bus companies comprising:

A1 Bus Company

Acme Pullman Services (Buses)

Alberta Omnibus

Amersham And District Motor Bus And Haulage Company

Associated Omnibus Company

Atlas Omnibus Company

C W Batten And Company Limited (Buses)

Bracklin And Vandy Limited (Buses)

Britannia Traction Company

Brixton Motor Omnibus Company

Bucks Expresses (Buses)

Cambrian Coaching And Goods Transport Limited

Cambrian Landray Coaching Limited

Celtic Omnibus Company

Central Omnibus Company

Chesham And District Bus Company

Cosgrove Omnibus Company

Criterion Omnibus Company

Dangerfield Limited (Buses)

Direct Omnibus Company

District Omnibus Company

Dominion Omnibus Company

East Ham Omnibus Company

Empress Omnibus Company

Fleet Omnibus Company

Florence Omnibus Company

Gearless Motor Omnibus Company

Grafton Omnibus Company

Grangewood Omnibus Company

Green Line Coaches Limited

Haywood And Nowell Limited (Buses)

Horseshoe Traction Company

Invicta Traction Company (Buses)

Jockey Omnibus Company

Lea Valley Omnibus Company

Legion Omnibus Company

London Road Car Company

Lonsdale Omnibus Company

Loveland Omnibus Company

Mcmahon Omnibus Company

Marathon Omnibus Company

Mason Omnibus Company

Metropolitan Steam Omnibus Company

New Central Omnibus Company

Northern Omnibus Company

Nulli Secundus Omnibus Company

Olympic Traction Company

Omnibus Proprietors Limited

Overground Limited (Buses)

Edward Paul Limited (Buses)

Pc Omnibus Company

Priest Brothers (Buses)

Primrose Omnibus Company

Ra Motor Services

Charles Randall Limited (Buses)

Reburn's Motor Services

Shamrock Traction Company

Skylark Motor Coach Company

Silver Star Omnibus Company

Superbus Limited

T And W Omnibus Company

Tottenham Hotspur Omnibus Company

Tower Carriers Limited

Unique Omnibus Company

Victoria Road Car Company

Vivid Omnibus Company

W And P Omnibus Company

Watford Omnibus Company

Wellington Omnibus Company

Western Omnibus Company

White Star Omnibus Company

London And South Coast Transport Limited

National Omnibus And Transport Company

Records of the Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway Company, comprising Directors' Meetings minutes; Proprietors' meetings minutes; Wotton Tramway Committee minutes; and Contract Plan and Sections for the Aylesbury - Verney Railway.

Records of the Baker Street and Waterloo Railway, including minutes of Board Meetings, Committee Minutes and Shareholders Meetings; indexes to minutes.

Records of 73 bus companies which became part of London Transport. The records vary from company to company but generally include minutes of Board and Shareholder meetings and financial records such as ledgers, journals and cash books.

Records of the Central London Railway comprising Board Meetings minutes; General Meetings minutes and Assented Stockholders Meetings minutes; correspondence; reports; contracts; handbills; maps and other administrative papers.

Records of the City and South London Railway (formerly the City of London and Southwark Subway Company), comprising Board meetings minutes and General meetings minutes; volume of monthly reports giving Operating Statistics of the City and South London and Central London Railway Companies and volume of monthly reports relating to the generating stations at Stockwell (City and South London Railway) and Shepherds Bush (City London Railway).

Records of the Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway, comprising Board meeting minutes and General meetings minutes.

Records of the Edgware and Hampstead Railway Company, comprising minutes of Board meetings.

Records of the Great Northern and City railway, comprising Board meeting minutes and General meeting minutes.

Records of the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway, comprising minutes of Board meetings and contract drawings for the line between West Kensington and Barons Court.

Records of the Hammersmith and City Railway, including Board meeting minutes; General meeting minutes; Board of Trade inspection reports; agreements, tenders and contracts; list of staff; financial accounts and petitions from inhabitants of Westbourne Park for a station between Notting Hill and Bishops Road.

Records of the Hounslow and Metropolitan Railway, comprising Finance Committee minutes; Board Meeting minutes; and General Meeting minutes.

Records of the Harrow and Uxbridge Railway, comprising Board and General meetings minutes.

Records of the Kingston and London Railway Company, comprising Joint Committee Minutes.

Records of the London Electric Railway Company, comprising minutes of Board Meetings; minutes of General Meetings; volumes of monthly reports and operating statistics.

Records of London General County Services (Buses), comprising Board and General meetings minutes; and financial records including private journal; salaries ledger; cash payments books; journals; and joint services ledger.

Records of the London General Omnibus Company, including minutes of Managers Committee meetings, General Board meetings, and the Conseil de Surveillance; reports to Shareholders; Guard Books containing newspaper cuttings relating to early omnibus services and particularly to the last horsedrawn service, photographs, Omnibus and Tramway Guides from 1878, lists of company's stables and premises, time-keepers' books, rules and regulations of the LGOC, checkers' rules prior to 1891, sample tickets and so on; press cuttings; London General Omnibus Company rules and regulations; photographs; list of premises; timekeepers' books; volume containing manuscript copies in French and English of the Deed of Constitution, Statutes and so on of the company, together with prospectus of the Compagnie Generale des Omnibus de Londres; monthly reports relating to Coach Factories and Traffic; Traffic Circulars and financial records including ledgers, journals, and cash books.

Records of the Lots Road Power House, comprising minutes of Joint Committee Meetings; minutes of the Metropolitan District and London Electric Railway Companies Power House Working Committee; minutes of meetings of Trustees; and monthly reports.

Records of the London Passenger Transport Board, including minutes of Meetings of the Board; reports to the Board; album of photographs illustrating the catering facilities afforded by the LPTB to shelterers in the London Tubes during the air raids on London; minutes of Accounts Advisory Committee; plans and sections; tenders, specifications and contracts; Traffic Circulars (Central Buses); papers relating to the Passenger Pooling Scheme; diaries; official booklets, pamphlets and leaflets; and appointment books, issued annually (those filed herewith have had the calendar leaves extracted but the interesting photographs which interspersed them are left in position. They give a true contemporary picture of the life of London and its surroundings, including its building and transport).

Records of the London and Suburban Traction Company, including minutes of Board Meetings; minutes of General Meetings; minutes of Stockholder meetings; and traffic reports.

Records of the London Transport Board, comprising reports and financial accounts.

Records of the London Transport Executive, including scheme of delegation of functions to the London Transport Executive by the British Transport Commission; traffic circulars for buses and railways; annual reports 1953-1962; and publicity materials including brochures and pamphlets.

Records of London United Tramways, comprising minutes of Board meetings and General meetings.

Records of the Metropolitan and Metropolitan District Joint Railway, including Joint Working Committee minutes and indexes; minutes of the Joint Committee (City Lines and Extensions), with reports and statements; minutes of the Electric Traction Joint Committee; minutes of the Joint Committee for working the District Railway, minutes of the Joint Consultative Committee; minutes of the City Lines and Extension to East London Railway Joint Committee; notes of meetings of Board of Works, Corporation of London, Commissioners of Sewers; and guard book of plans (44 feet to one inch) of Whitechapel, Cannon Street, Mansion House, King William Street (now Bank) and Trinity Square (now Tower Hill) Stations.

Records of the Metropolitan and District Electric Traction Company, comprising minutes of Board Meetings and General Meetings.

Records of the Metropolitan District Railway, including minutes of Board Meetings, General Meetings, the Traffic, Way and Works Committee, the Law, Parliamentary and Lands Committee, Stock Holders Meetings, Executive Officers Meetings and Standing Joint Committee; guard books containing copies of agreements with other railway companies and non-railway companies; volumes of statistics; financial ledgers; volumes of monthly reports; notices issued jointly with Piccadilly Line of London Electric Railway, concerning track and signal alterations and the bringing into use of new lines in connection with the extension of Piccadilly Line trains to Hounslow, South Harrow and Enfield West and Shareholders' Association circulars, newspaper cuttings and so on.

Records of the Metropolitan Electric Tramway Company, including minutes of Board meetings; minutes of General meetings; minutes of the Directors' Committee; and reports.

Records of the Metropolitan Railway Company, including minutes of Board meetings; General meetings; Finance Committee meetings; Electric Traction Committee meetings; Law and Lands Committee; Parliamentary, Law and Lands Committee meetings; Stores Committee meetings; Traffic Committee meetings; Officer's Monthly Conferences; reports; agreements; registers of accidents and special occurrences; guard books of circulars; books of diagrams; instructions to signalmen; petitions from users of the line; papers of the General Manager relating to various matters including construction of stations and line improvements, daily operations and personnel management; and publications.

Records of the Metropolitan and Great Central Joint Railways, including minutes of the Joint Committee; minutes of Officers' Conferences; reports and papers of the Oxford and Aylesbury Tramroad Company; plans of the line between Harrow and Verney Junction; and financial records including ledgers, journals and cash books.

Records of Morden Station Garage, comprising minutes of Board and General meetings and financial accounts.