Records of the School Mistresses and Governesses Benevolent Institution. This collection contains records relating to the administration of the Institution which provide a comprehensive resource for researching the history of the Institution: its functions, buildings and achievements. For example, the records include a complete set of minutes for the Board of Management for 1843-1979, and a richly evocative set of secretary's letter books for 1846-1849.
The collection also contains records of the individuals that benefited from the accommodation, annuities and temporary assistance offered by the Institution. These records are of use to family historians or for those researching the social history of governesses, women teachers at independent schools, charities, and the care of aged women. They include, for instance, a set of candidate lists which record the personal circumstances of retired or needy governesses applying for annuities for 1924-1938.
Although based in London and Kent, the Institution assisted British governesses throughout the UK and Europe. There are a few instances where governesses stationed further afield were also assisted.
School Mistresses and Governesses Benevolent Institution x Governesses Benevolent Institution