The correspondence in this collection is largely concerned with domestic and personal details of the lives of the Macaulay and Booth families. There are some letters, particularly between Charles and Alfred Booth that relate to the business of their Company. The covering dates of the papers are 1799 to 1967. Most of the Macaulay papers fall within the years 1800-1850 and most of the Booth papers fall within 1860-1916.
The collection contains items of correspondence from 359 identified people. The letters were sent by and sent to members of the Macaulay (mainly between 1800 and 1850) and Booth (mainly between 1860 and 1916) families and cover a multitude of different subjects.
The miscellaneous papers comprising the second part of the collection includes family deeds, indentures, genealogical information, newspaper cuttings, and fragments and copies of further correspondence. The papers also include: a retrospectively compiled diary of Hester Emily Booth (Charles Booth's sister), dated 1842-1905; notes and drafts of essays by Charles Booth relating to religious questions, political economy, social welfare, Irish land laws and Home Rule, and Life and Labour; obituaries of Charles Booth; drafts of essays and novels by Mary Catherine Booth; papers relating to the Thringstone Trust, founded by Charles Booth in 1911; travel diaries by Charles Booth, 1862; and sketches and drawings made by Charles Booth, 1852-1884. There are also fourteen family photographs and negatives. The collection also contains seven volumes of a family magazine, The Colony, that aimed to represent high-standards of social conscience and discussed issues such as universal suffrage and religion, 1866-1871.
Booth , Charles , 1840-1916 , shipowner and sociologistBooth , Mary Catherine , 1847-1939 , nee Macaulay , writer