Records of Kleinwort Benson Group and its predecessors including Kleinwort, Sons and Company relating to the merchant bank and its clients across the world.

The collection consists of a comprehensive series of business records with archives of constituent predecessors, acquired companies and interests. They include partners' and staff papers, operational materials, accounting and financial records, client records and staff and property papers. The records relate to company origins, partners and staff, clients and business concerns across the globe since the 19th century.

Highlights include Kleinwort, Sons and Company's 'subject files' (series reference CLC/B/140/KS04/03) which contain reports and correspondence concerning business ventures, proposals and clients. They document global business concerns and provide a valuable insight to the working practices of the company. Files document issues faced by the firm and its clients in the early to mid-20th century clients including declined international business proposals, fraudulent and enemy debts arising during times of war.

Other highlights are partners' letter books which record their outgoing correspondence discussing both business and family matters. An example is a letter by Herman Anton Andreae in 1915 on his views in support of the decision to establish conscription (enforced enlistment) in the recruitment of soldiers in the First World War (CLC/B/140/KS02/03/002).

The earliest business records are those of Sharps Pixley Limited and its predecessors Sharps Wilkins and Pixley and Abell (CLC/B/140/SP01 to 06). These include monthly ledgers from 1796 (CLC/B/140/SP03/03) and other bullion dealing series (CLC/B/140/SP04/01).

Records of Legal and General Assurance Society Limited, subsidiaries, and companies which it acquired. The records include minutes, annual reports, registers, financial accounts, specimens of policies and forms, and staff registers. The papers relate to life, accident and fire insurance; investments and pensions.

Records of the British Commonwealth Insurance Company, including memorandum and articles of association; papers relating to the acquisition by Legal and General; minutes; annual reports and accounts; financial records; register of investments and specimen policy forms.

Records of the Gresham Life Assurance Society, including registers, notices, minutes, annual reports, financial accounts, valuation summaries, samples of policy forms, and papers relating to branches in Austria, Hungary, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Belgium, Canada, Egypt, South Africa, and Spain.

Also papers of the Gresham Continental Life Assurance Society, including memorandum and articles of association, minute books and letter books.

Records of the London Chamber of Commerce including records of constitution, membership, administration, finances and so on; records of sections and committees relating to places, arranged alphabetically by place; records of sections and committees relating to subjects, arranged alphabetically by subject of substance. Included in this category are 'General' and 'Special' minute books which contain minutes of sections and committees relating to both places and subjects. Ask a member of staff for an index of the sections and committees whose minutes are contained in the 'General' and 'Special' minute books.

London Wholesale Fish Trade (Billingsgate) Limited records comprise: memorandum and articles of association, 1946 (Ms 19830); minutes of directors' and general meetings, 1946-76 (Ms 19831); register of directors, 1946-7 (Ms 19832); annual accounts and balance sheets, 1947-76 (Ms 19833); and financial and operational records, 1947-76 (Ms 19834-45).

London Wholesale Fish Trade Limited records comprise: memorandum and articles of association, 1940 (Ms 19815); minutes 1940-5 (Ms 19816); and accounts 1940-1 (Ms 19817).

Records of the Longton and Fenton Permanent Benefit Building Society including ledger; journal; summaries of investors; summaries of borrowers; and financial accounts.

Records of Matthew Clark and Sons, wine and spirit brokers, comprising partnership agreements, 1887-1923; annual reports and accounts, 1948-98; correspondence and other administrative papers, 1804-1992; memoranda books, 1861-c 1930; accounts, 1810-1945; sale catalogues and price lists, 1821-1995; papers concerning operations, 1849-1995; accounts of the directors of the firm, 1888-1970; photographs; staff list; leases and histories of the company, 1847-2005.

Records of Cull and Company, private bankers, comprising minute books, financial accounts and register.

Please note that access to these records requires written permission from Morgan Grenfell and Company: details are available from a member of staff.

Records of Mullens and Company, stockbrokers and H M Government brokers, comprising: partnership deeds and related papers, 1862-1964; papers re the formation of an unlimited company, 1946-1965; operational records, c 1850-1954; financial records, 1815-1966; records relating to staff, 1916-48; property records, 1934-1951, and family papers, 1706-1922.

Information on access to records less than 40 years old is available from a member of staff.

National Provident Institution records comprise: records relating to registration and regulation, 1829-1964; annual reports, 1838-1931; minutes, 1835-1936; financial records, 1836-1948; correspondence, 1844; policy and claims registers, 1837-38; reports, 1835-1948; records relating to staff, 1836-1902; and miscellaneous papers, 1838-c 1960.

Records of the Ottoman Bank London office, including: records relating to the formation of the bank and its concession, 1875-1987; minutes, 1856-1969; annual general meetings and annual reports, 1863-1986; financial records, c 1856-1959; share records, 1856-63; internal management records, c 1860-1969; contracts and related papers, 1856-94; correspondence, agreements and related papers, 1889-1966; printed reports, 1948-71; magazines, 1918 and 1940; plans, 1890; photographs, 1892-1958; and miscellaneous items, c 1914-1968.

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.

The records of Unirea S.A.R. de Petrol comprise: memorandum and articles of association, 1921 and trust deed, 1940; annual balance sheets and accounts, 1937-8 and notes on accounts of 1939; petroleum and crude oil stock valuation, 1939; reports on company organisation and methods, 1932-3; reports on internal and external sales departments, 1940-4; papers of Major E. Boaden including correspondence and reports, 1942-8; maps and plans of oilfields, 1919-38 and photograph of royal warrant of appointment, 1930.

Records of the Plywood Chest Association including minutes; agreements; memoranda; correspondence; sales ledgers; financial accounts; monthly returns of shipments; price lists and lists of members' agents.

Records of Richard Ellis and Son, surveyors and estate agents, relating chiefly to individual sales of property and building projects and dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Records of merchants John Richards and John Rooke, comprising invoice and account of sales books.

Records of David Robinson and Company Limited, timber and plywood importers, comprising board minutes and agendas; correspondence with Sabah Timber Company; and financial accounts.

London Committee minutes of the Central Insurance Company, formerly the Birmingham Mutual Fire and General Insurance Association.

Records of the Law Life Assurance Society comprise: policy registers 1823-1912; minutes 1823-1911; accounts 1823-91; papers relating to the transfer of business to Phoenix Assurance 1909-10; and papers concerning directors of the company 1910-33.

Records of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Fire and Life Assurance Company, comprising minutes and instructions to agents.

Correspondence of the Sun Insurance Office Limited, including letter books, correspondence and cable log books of Managers and Secretaries; correspondence with branches in Argentina, Canada, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lebanon, Libya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Romania, Denmark, Uruguay, and the USA; correspondence with the Leeds branch; correspondence with the Patriotic Assurance Company, Dublin; and correspondence with the Lancashire Cotton Corporation Limited.

THESE RECORDS ARE SUBJECT TO A 50 YEAR CLOSURE PERIOD. LIFE POLICY REGISTERS, CLAIMS REGISTERS AND EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY POLICY REGISTERS ARE CLOSED FOR 75 YEARS.

Papers of the Sun Insurance Office Limited relating to policies; including policy registers; endorsement books; registers of losses by fire; papers relating to claims; and photo album of fire and tornado damage.

The 'Place in the Sun' project, funded originally by Heritage Lottery Fund and led by London Archive Users Forum in partnership with the City of London Corporation, is an on-going project to index a run of policy registers (Ms 11936). So far (August 2010) the years 1792-1839 have been indexed. For further details please see LMA's website.

THESE RECORDS ARE SUBJECT TO A 50 YEAR CLOSURE PERIOD. LIFE POLICY REGISTERS, CLAIMS REGISTERS AND EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY POLICY REGISTERS ARE CLOSED FOR 75 YEARS.

Records of the Russia Company, including:

• Copies of charters, 1554-1628;
• Court minute books, 1666-1999;
• Financial records, 1699-1995;
• Correspondence, 1879-1943;
• Correspondence and other papers, 1711-1888, 1885-c.1908, 1916-1919, 2005;
• Annual reports, 1905-1953;
• Stamp duty book, 1896-1947;
• Administrative records, 1877-1946;
• Papers relating to the Anglican chaplaincies in Russia, 1894-1917, 1993-7;
• Records of the Council for British Repatriated from Russia, 1919-1932;
• Records of the British Factory, St. Petersburg, 1774-1875.

Records of Sissons, Bersey, Gain, Vincent and Company, chartered accountants, comprising articles of partnership and related deeds and papers, 1895-1953, a balance sheet, 1934, menus for staff dinners and other occasions, 1919-70, and correspondence to do with the accountancy careers of Joseph Walter Vincent, 1895-1902.

Records of the Edmonton Methodist Church, 1841-1966, including register of baptisms, papers relating to Edmonton Central Hall building work (including blueprints and printing blocks), register of membership, Junior Society class book, minutes, financial records, obituaries, pulpit notice books, circuit preaching plans and directories and tenancy agreements.

Registers of marriages, 1914-1971.

Registers of marraiges, 1905-1931.

Register of marriages, 1970.

Registers of marriage, 1931-1962.

Registers of marriage, 1943-1973.

Registers of marriages, Bath Road Methodist Church, 1960-1971.

London County Council register of tramway track lengths, recording description and lengths of route, street length, track length and remarks, such as "conversion to trolleybus", "abandoned" and so on, [1912-1952], with enclosures: photocopy of map of tramways in the London County Council area, revised to 1931; and diagrams of track lengths in Leyton and Hammersmith.

Records, 1877-1960, of the Fernhead Road Methodist Church (minute books and notices); the Harrow Road Methodist Church (insurance policies); the Sutherland Avenue Methodist Church (papers regarding property and trusteeship, financial accounts, minute books, pulpit notices books, attendance registers, Sunday School papers); and the London Methodist Mission (North West) Circuit (financial accounts).

Records of the Whitefields Chapel, Tottenham Court Road, 1790-1939, including registers of burials, service sheets, index of speakers, financial accounts, Council and Finance Committee agenda and minutes, magazines, notices and calendars of activities, correspondence relating to financial, management and organisational arrangements and inventories.

Records of the Staines and Feltham Methodist Circuit, and of three constituent churches, Wendover Road Church, Egham; Virginia Water Church, Cabrera Avenue; and Victoria Street Church, Englefield Green, 1942-1977.

Staines and Feltham Methodist Circuit records include meeting minute books, trustees papers, financial accounts and registers of deeds. Wendover Road Church, Egham records include marriage registers, meeting minute book, financial accounts and a collection journal. Virginia Water Church, Cabrera Avenue records include minute books, correspondence, press cuttings, financial accounts, baptism certificate counterfoils and a collection journal. Victoria Street Church, Englefield Green records include minute books, financial accounts and collection journals.

Records of Southfields Methodist Church, Wandsworth, 1902-1982, including register of baptisms; register of marriages; Leaders meetings minutes; Church Council minutes and correspondence; Society meetings minutes; minutes of Finance Committee; collection journals; Sunday School minutes and correspondence; youth work minutes and related papers; Sisterhood Committee minutes; correspondence relating to the building; deeds; plans; programmes; newsletters; pulpit notices; press cuttings and photographs.

Marriage register of the Salvation Army Citadel, Adelaide Road, Southall, 1982-1985.

Marriage registers for Saint Cuthbert's United Reformed Church, West Norwood, Lambeth, 1979-1987.

Marriage register for Angel Baptist Church, Chadwell Street, 1958-1985.

Notices of marriage for Edmonton Registration District giving name of church or chapel in which marriage is to be solemnized, 1837-1868.

Records of the Harrow Methodist Circuit and churches in the circuit, 1896-1999: Harrow Church, Bessborough Road; Pinner Church, Cannon Lane; Eastcote Church; Harrow Weald Church; Ruislip Church, Ickenham Road; Kenton Church; North Harrow Church; Northwood Church, Oaklands Gate; Ruislip Common Church; Ruislip Manor Church; South Harrow Church; South Ruislip Church; Harrow Church, Welldon Crescent and Wealdstone Church.

The majority of these records were accumulated by the circuit archivist of the Harrow Methodist Circuit, and include minutes of meetings of Church Trustees, Church Leaders and various Church societies and groups, registers of baptisms, papers relating to construction of new buildings, correspondence, newsletters and magazines, orders of service, leaflets, programmes, circulars and newspaper cuttings, financial accounts, membership rolls, annual reports and photographs.

Marriage registers for Kingdom Hall, Balvernie Grove, Wandsworth, 1957-1991.

Records of Willesden Poor Law Union, 1896-1930, including minutes of meetings of the Board of Guardians; standing orders, rules and regulations; orders for removal to and from the Union; apprenticeship indentures; financial accounts; correspondence, tenders, contracts and agreements for construction work and provision of utilities; orders of the Local Government Board; legal correspondence; building plans including Willesden Parish Infirmary and Park Royal Hospital; maps of Willesden Urban District showing boundaries.

Records of the Brentwood School District, 1877-1886, including signed mintues of the Board; claims upon the Metropolitan Common Poor Fund; letters and orders of the Local Government Board; creed registers from the Brentwood Industrial School; admission and discharge register of Harold Court School, Harold Wood; list of officers and servants and papers relating to the appointment of staff.

Bridge House Estates papers including bridgemasters' accounts rolls, 1381-1398; bridgemaster's annual accounts and rentals, 1404-1850; weekly payments, 1404-1445 and 1505-1849; bill books, 1745-1789 and 1815-1889; receipt books, 1598-1851; cash books, 1602-1784; fair cash books, 1713-1851; rough cash books, 1713-1810, miscellaneous ledgers and cash books, 1787-1819; materials sold, 1614-1682; corn and granary books, 1568-1714; rent and arrears books, 1707-1941; papers relating to individual properties owned by the Trust, particularly leases and grants, and administrative papers.

Records of the Irish Society, 1613-1983, including Court minute books, Court and Committee minutes, rough minutes, records of the committee to consider purchasing estates in Ireland, 1849, letter books, 1664-1913, letter books (secretary duplicates), letter books (general agent), letter books (miscellaneous), letter books (solicitor), declaration books, charters, records concerning history, constitution and powers, appointments, solicitor's papers, case papers, estate management papers, plans and financial accounts.

Papers of Dorothea (or Dorothy) Crompton, pupil at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, 1913-1924. The collection, consisting of concert programmes, advertising posters, professors' reports and correspondence, had been found at the School and had been used in an exhibition there. The exhibition, entitled "Who was Dorothea Crompton?", had been mounted to try to establish some details about Crompton as nothing was known about her. As far as can be gathered, no information about Dorothea Crompton was produced as a result of the exhibition.

Papers of Madeline Payne (1879-1962), concert pianist and former student of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, including correspondence, photographs, programmes, articles and newspaper cuttings, 1893-1957.