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The archive consists of minutes of annual meetings (1933-1969) and of Executive Committee Meetings (1954-1975), press cuttings (1928-1978), papers and memoranda (1932-1933).

Records of the headquarters of the Mothers' Union, Mary Sumner House, Westminster. The majority of the archive dates from when the Mothers' Union established a centralised structure in the 1890s, and contains a small number of papers from members who, although not always based at Mary Sumner House, played important roles within the MU (see MU/MSS/2). Although some files run into the 1990s, many of the series stop in the early 1980s, which coincides with a survey undertaken of the archive in Mary Sumner House (see MU/CO/1/127).

The foundation of the Mothers' Union is dated to the publication of the first membership card in 1876. The society was established by Mary Sumner, wife of the Rector of Old Alresford in the Diocese of Winchester, to defend the institution of marriage and promote Christian family life. This concern broadened over time to consider all factors affecting the morality of society, within the home and without.

Initially a network of meetings in parishes in the Diocese of Winchester, by the mid 1890s, the MU had established a centralised governing body in London, and had a number of branches overseas; from the early twentieth century, departments were established to deal with specialised tasks in the society's work. Although the society was primarily concerned with the role of the mother and the upbringing of children, married women without children and unmarried women were allowed to join as Associate Members from the outset. Throughout the twentieth century the MU addressed a variety of contemporary social issues (such as runaway children, drug dependence, venereal disease, housing conditions and birth control), but reserved particular efforts for campaigning against divorce and marriage breakdown.

Faced with a need to address a liberalisation in both society and the Church in the decades following the Second World War, the Mothers' Union revised its constitution in 1974 giving greater autonomy to the MU overseas and no longer excluding divorcées. Further reassessment took place in the early 1990s when the need to comply with charity regulations prompted a restructuring of the organisation.

The archive consists of a typescript 'The Catastrophe of Patriarchy', volume 1. Described as a 'critical study of the manner in which women under Matriarchy and men under Patriarchy have sought to solve the problems of Earth, Labour and Love', this volume forms Part I of a work whose complete scope is not indicated. In its six chapters, the 'problems' are set out in historical, biological, religious and economic contexts, with the patriarchal solutions found heavily wanting.

There is an extensive contents list and bibliography: many of the works cited are originally in German.

The archive consists of:

GB 160 AMS/A - Administrative records (1897-2006): Executive Committee minutes; Minutes of Sub-committees; Minutes of Annual General Meetings; Financial records; Constitutional and organisational papers; Correspondence; Papers relating to the Josephine Butler Collection.

GB 160 AMS/B - Enquiries and Campaigns (1824-1999): Memorial of the Contagious Diseases Acts; Canvassing Parliamentary candidates regarding solicitation laws; Ten Towns Enquiry; Solicitation (papers and publications on amending solicitation laws eg Street Offences Act 1959); Venereal diseases; Procuration; Armed Forces; Seamen in ports; Sexual morality; Women in the Colonial Office / Colonies Service Committee; Traffic in Women; Employment of Women Police; Russian Women's Hostel in Shanghai; Executive Committee Correspondence; Sexual offences and age of consent; Prostitution; Mrs Bligh Scrutton's papers; Female circumcision; Human rights (majority of papers relate to Human Rights Year 1968); Women's Action Group; Correspondence and reports of W Moody; Press cuttings

GB 160 AMS/C - International work : India (1867-1979): Acts, Regulations and Parliamentary Papers; Correspondence and papers of Henry J Wilson; 1893 Cantonments enquiry; Secretary's India files 1913-1925; Meliscent Shephard: correspondence 1928-1946; Organisation of the work in India 1929-1937; Papers relating to work in Bombay (1878-1934), Ceylon (1899-1955), Madras, Mysore, Delhi, Calcutta (1929-1939); Association for Moral and Social Hygiene in India (1943-1979)

GB 160 AMS/D - International work : other countries (1869-1970): Papers concern the international work of the Association for Moral and Social Hygiene in opposing the state regulation of prostitution (apart from India). Material consists of fact-finding (reports, enactments and press cuttings) and action (memoranda, articles and correspondence). Countries: Africa, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, British Guyana, Canada, China, Colonies, Congo, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Ireland, Ethiopia, Germany, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Mui Tsai in Hong Kong and Malaya, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel [Palestine], Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Rangoon (Burma), Romania, Seychelles, Singapore and Malaya, South Africa, Southern Rhodesia, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tangier, Turkey, Uganda, USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics), United States of America, Uruguay, West Indies

GB 160 AMS/E - Papers relating to the International Abolitionist Federation (1876-1999): Minutes of meetings of the International Committee and of the Executive Bureau of the International Abolitionist Federation; Reports; Papers relating to Congresses of the Federation and other related conferences; Correspondence concerning the publication of Congress proceedings; Papers relating to Constitutional reform; Publications

GB 160 AMS/F - Other organisations (1948-1997): Papers relating to: Anti-Slavery Society for the Protection of Human Rights and their relations with Minority Rights Group, Interights, Liberty, Human Rights Network; British Council of Churches; British Federation against the Venereal Diseases; British Social Biology Council and British Social Hygiene Council (both formally the National Council for Combatting Venereal Diseases); Commonwealth Countries' League; Commonwealth Secretariat; European Parliament; International Council of Women; Mothers' Union; National Council for Voluntary Organisations; National Council of Women; Status of Women Committee; United Nations including the United Nations Status of Women Commission and United Nations Association (UNA) Women's Advisory Council (WAC); Wel-Care; The Women's Council (co-operating with Women of Asia); Women's Freedom League; Women's National Commission; Papers relating to French organisations; publications

GB 160 AMS/G - Photographs (c 1850-1997): Portraits of Josephine Butler; Representations of Josephine Butler; Photographs of the Butler family; Individual portraits; Group portraits; Photographs of buildings associated with Josephine Butler

GB 160 AMS/H - Memorials and centenaries (1882-1983): Josephine Butler Centenary Memorial at Westminster Abbey in 1928; Josephine Butler Memorial Appeal and setting up the Josephine Butler Fellowship; post-centenary memorials (Chrystal MacMillan Memorial, Centenary Dinner of Association for Moral and Social Hygiene, 150th anniversary of birth of Josephine Butler in 1978); Alison Neilans's anniversary and memorials

GB 160 AMS/I - Publicity (1947-2006): Papers relating to the Josephine Butler Society publications 'Newsletter' and 'News and Views'; papers relating to articles written about the Josephine Butler Society in journals or newspapers; material concerning radio and television broadcasts about the Josephine Butler Society or film proposals about the life of Josephine Butler

GB 160 AMS/J - Josephine Butler miscellanea (1873-1993): Manuscript material by Josephine Butler; Printed material by Josephine Butler; Material relating to death of Josephine Butler; Articles about Josephine Butler; Material about the Grey Family; Representations of Josephine Butler; Play and screenplay about Josephine Butler; Audio cassette

GB 160 AMS/K-L Objects and Paintings are uncatalogued

GB 160 AMS/M - Publications (1847-1960) (Please note that publications can be found throughout this collection): Acts and statutory instruments; various pages from House of Commons Parliamentary Debates: Hansard; 3 volumes 'Social Evil Extracts'; 3 volumes of reports, press cuttings, flyers and posters

GB 160 AMS/N - Press cuttings (1950-1970) (Please note that press cuttings can be found throughout this collection): These press cuttings are uncatalogued

This catalogue includes material previously referenced as 3/AMS2 and 3/JBS/2.

This archive contains many publications. Any duplicates have been removed and can be consulted in The Women's Library Printed Collection. A note to this effect is made in the archive description.

Scrapbook of press cuttings, 1936-1938, concerning women's work in a wide variety of occupations and general employment issues such as equal pay and insurance contributions; also deals with the employment of women outside Britain.

Papers of Michael Cecil John Barnes (b 1932), including: handwritten notes and photographs taken by Barnes during War-on-Want mission to India and West Bengal shortly after the Pakistani 'crackdown', May 1971; handwritten notes and photographs taken by Barnes on a Parliamentary Delegation visit to Bangladesh, November 1973; miscellaneous papers relating to Bangladesh and Bengali politics, including newsletters, photographs of a visit by Sheikh Hasina to the United Kingdom Immigrant Advisory Service (UKIAS) and press cuttings, 1971-1989.

The archive consists of a certificate of appointment as Deaconess in the Parishes of Mere with West Knoyle in the County of Wiltshire and Diocese of Salisbury, 30 Jan 1933; correspondence with the Diocesan Registry, Salisbury to Deaconess Belfield; copy of her Assent to the 39 Articles, Jan 1937; press cutting relating to Dorothea Belfield's status and office and to the debate bout the status, role and office of deaconess, as opposed to deacon, within the Church.

3 letters from Mrs Bentham of Ryde, [Isle of Wight], 3 letters to Richard Wilson, Esq, of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, 1816-1818. Enquiring about payments of money to her as she has very little, and her rheumatism is the cause of heavy expenditure on doctors' bills; the doctor had charged 10s 6d a visit and had advised her to move to Bath rather than risk another winter on the Isle of Wight. She had received a quarterly payment of £25 from a Charles Bacon, withdrawn for the year 1817-1818. Enquiring about payment from Mr Bentham [?her husband], to be arranged through Sir James Graham, and about money owing to her from 3 shilling stock, for which she has apparently waited 10 years. Autograph, with signature.

The archive consists of two parts.

Part 1 consists of records collated during Billington-Grieg's membership of a large number of international women's organisations, associated correspondence, drafts of papers presented at conferences, as well as publications received from the organisations. In addition there are papers related to her unpublished biography of Charlotte Despard.

Billington Grieg was a keen suffrage historian, and her historical writings on suffrage (as well as papers reflecting her own suffrage activism) are represented in her archive.

Subjects covered include: women's suffrage, post-suffrage campaign period, status of women, equal pay, women workers, women's education, war and peace, sex and prostitution, international women's activism.

Formats include: correspondence, drafts and notes of speeches and articles, photographs and printed material (press cuttings, newspapers, leaflets, pamphlets, journals and books).

Part 2 contains leaflets, circulars, election papers and reports of meetings of the Central Women's Electoral Committee established by the Women's Freedom League (1937-1939); papers of the Women's Freedom League itself including incomplete executive committee minutes (1937-1941), papers of conferences (1937, 1938, 1952, 1953, 1955), publications and circulars; files, publications, committee papers and other official papers of the Women for Westminster group and Teresa Billington Greig's notes and related correspondence (1938-1950); minutes, related correspondence and official papers of the Married Women's Association (1937-1961); publications of the Fawcett Society (1937-1961); publications, notices of meetings and agendas of the Women's Council (1948-1959); publications and papers of the Six Point Group (1959-1961); the Women's Publicity Planning Association (1942-1949); the International Alliance of Women (1946-1961); the British Commonwealth League (1947-1961), periodicals, invitations and news sheets (1950-1960); minutes, conference agendas, correspondence and papers of the National Women Citizen's Association (1939-1961); notes and quotations for articles, miscellaneous leaflets, pamphlets and government publications (1905-1961); notes and press cuttings related to the Commonwealth and the 'Third World' (1949-1961); and materials collected by Teresa Billington Greig for articles and a biography of Charlotte Despard including notes, a draft memoir and essays, list of interview questions and replies, pamphlets by Despard, correspondence and photographs.

The archive consists of Annual Reports (1875-1880), Executive Committee (1887-1888) and British Committee (1890-1915) minutes with British Committee Chairperson's Book and Log (1897-1903), circulars (1909), pamphlet (1896), indexes to pamphlets (1874-1909) and indexes to Henry J Wilson files, an 'inwards' letter-book including an envelope containing copies of correspondence with government (1893), a letter-book of correspondence from India and a report compiled by Dr Kate Bushell and Mrs Andrews during a visit there (1891-1896).

The archive consists of records, mostly originating from the General Secretary, of the British Vigilance Association, 1923-1971. These include campaign and resource files (prostitution, immoral earnings, and conditions of employment for au pair girls), correspondence with individuals and organisations, fragments of other administrative series and files relating to the final winding up of the British Vigilance Association (BVA), International Bureau for the Suppression of Traffic in Persons (IBS) and their associated organisations in 1971.

The minutes of the British Vigilance Association, including those of the Sub-Committee on the Welfare of Irish Girls in England (renamed the Irish Girls' & Related Problems Sub-Committee) are also held by the Women's Library but within the National Vigilance Association Archive (see 4NVA).

This archive consists of letters primarily by Josephine Butler, but also by key members of her family (such as her husband) and by colleagues and friends (such as Henry Wilson). Josephine Butler was a Victorian social reformer who campaigned against prostitution and the Contagious Diseases Acts (1864,1866 and 1869). In addition to the original letters held by The Women's Library, this archive includes photocopies of correspondence held at the University of Liverpool Special Collections.

At some point (probably in the 1960s) the correspondence held at The Women's Library was placed in chronological order. Prior to the collection being copied to microfiche (possibly in the 1980s), the photocopies from Liverpool were interleaved. Also interleaved and copied to microfiches were abstracts and administrative history notes made by Miss Burton, a member of the Fawcett Library.

The online catalogue includes the index of who the letters were to and from; the date of the letter; abstracts of each individual letter; and the administrative history and biographical notes made by Miss Burton.

The catalogue supercedes the original finding aid, a card index of correspondents that was available in The Women's Library Reading Room. The collection is available on microfiche in the Reading Room.

Henry J Wilson was Honorary Secretary of the Northern Counties Electoral League For The Repeal Of The Contagious Diseases Acts. There are a number of letters in the Josephine Butler Letters Collection which relate to the Northern Counties Electoral League. These letters bear Henry J Wilson's usual stamp for those files and his reference numbers (marked in blue pencil). At some stage his copies of letters were removed from his personal archive and placed in the Josephine Butler Letters Collection. Readers should also look at 3HJW for further records re the Northern Counties League.

Some of the copy letters are very faint, both on the microfiche and in the original. These are primarily letters that were copied using a 'wet' process. A thin sheet of tissue paper was damped and blotted over the original letter. This took a pale, often fuzzy copy of the letter, which was read 'through' the tissue. As well as being very faint these copies are very fragile.

ABBREVIATIONS:

CD / CDA Contagious Diseases Act

'RR' in the notes refers to 'Rough Record' a copy of which is available in the library, [search Printed Collections Catalogue for 'Keyword' for 'Rough Record'.]

The archive consists of minutes, financial records, campaign files, policy files, press cuttings, petitions and correspondence, 1985-1997.

Letter from Thomas Cooper of 10 Devonshire Place, Stoke Newington Green, Middlesex to Edward Smith, 30 Jan 1855. 'I can do no more than sympathise with you - for I am sometimes at my wits end to know how the week's bread is to [be] purchased.'

Autograph, with signature.

Papers concerning the personal archive of Anna Coote (1954-1983), including: notes about a reappraisal of a case of a woman's dismissal from work and the industrial tribunal hearing; the labour situation; papers concerning various cases of dismissial of female employees from various employers, including testimonials; articles on a range of topics, including industry and the law, women at work, outside work schemes, the duties of a Personnel Officer; transcripts of interviews with various secretaries and employers, as well as letters describing personal experience of being a secretary; and typescripts of chapters from a proposed book on secretaries (1954-975). Also included are government publications and documents that relate to the personal archives (1971-1983), including: material relating to a decision of industrial tribunals and court cases; documents relating to the Sex Discrimination Act 1975; copies of parliamentary debates on the Sex Equality Bill, 1983; Social Security Pensions Act 1975; second review of the Race Relations Act 1976; documents relating to the Abortion Act 1967, and the Abortion (Amendment) Bill 1975; "How M.P.s vote on abortion"; Abortion, 1976; Domicile and Matrimonial Proceedings Bill; Matrimonial Causes Act 1973; Equal Pay Act 1970; Anti-Discrimination Bill 1971; Employment Protection Bill 1975; Children Bill 1975; report on the circumstances of families 1967; survey of women's employment 1968; proposals for a tax-credit system, 1972; proposals for a new pensions scheme 1974; government proposals on employment and training, 1973; equality for women, 1974; the select committee on violence in marriage, 1975; select committee on the Anti-Discrimination (No 2) Bill, 1972-1973; sixth report from the expenditure committee on the employment of women, 1972-1973; and the report of the committee on one-parent families, 1974.

These scrapbooks consist of press cuttings and ephemera.

One volume relates to Maud Crofts' education and legal career, including press cuttings and ephemera.

The other volume of press cuttings relates to reviews of Women under English Law by Maud I. Crofts published by the National Council of Women of Great Britain in 1925; and a few articles about the general position of women under the law.

Letter from Richard Frankland, Overseer of the Poor, of Hawes, [North Riding of Yorkshire] to the Overseer of the Poor in Darlington. Stating the cost of maintaining Isabella Scafe for 20 weeks at 3s per week and Elizabeth Harrison for 23 weeks as 1s 6d per week; asking for an extra shilling per weeks for Isabella, who 'still continues very poorly and is confined too [sic] her bed ... she has a very bad cough and is not likely for getting better ... please send the money as soon as possible'.

Autograph, with signature. A note written in another hand beside the figure of £4 14s 6d reads 'Amt sent p[er] T. Craddock' (18 October 1810).

The archive consists of manuscript drafts of hymns written by John Ellerton (1867-1876) and the papers of Mr Hamer, a Welsh Congregational Minister, comprising notes for sermons, speeches and articles relating to social issues including women's suffrage and temperance (1891-1919).

The archive consists of minutes of the Bureau (1899-1940, 1942-1953), annual reports (1952-1966), conference papers, publications printed and received, League of Nations files and documents related to other advisory committees, country files containing correspondence and official materials, files of the general secretary containing similar files covering the post-war period and correspondence.

Abbreviations include:

ACISJF - Association Catholique Internationale Services de la Jeunesse Feminine: International Catholic Society for Girls.

AMSH - Association for Moral and Social Hygiene.

ASHA - American Social Health Association.

BNC - International Bureau for the Suppression of Traffic in Persons: British National Committee.

BVA - British Vigilance Association.

FAI - Fédération Abolitionniste Internationale.

IAF - International Abolitionist Federation.

IB - International Bureau.

IBS - International Bureau for the Suppression of Traffic in Persons (also known as IBSTP).

IBSTWC - International Bureau for the Suppression of Traffic in Women and Children.

NGO -Non-Governmental Organisation.

NVA - National Vigilance Association.

TAS -Travellers' Aid Society

UN - United Nations.

UNESCO - United Nations Economic and Social Organisation

USSR - Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

VD - Venereal Disease

CD - Contagious Diseases

CDA - Contagious Disease Acts

Records of the British National Committee for the Suppression of the White Slave Trade (BNC), comprising:
Minutes of the committee (1928-1953) and subcommittee to review the constitution (1948); draft minutes and papers for the 1936 annual meeting; files comprising rules (1931, 1933), invitations to lecture conferences (1943) and International Bureau for the Suppression of Traffic in Persons: British National Committee (BNC) subcommittee minutes; notes and minutes of meetings (1936-1950), International Bureau papers on procedures at congresses, resolutions transmitted, committee membership and correspondence including that of general secretary (1947-1951), report on the work of the International Bureau since 1947 (1948), Rachael Crowdy's suggestions re: Article VI of draft United Nations (UN) convention.

The archive consists of papers regarding the presentation of the Women's Testimonial to James Stansfeld (1895); draft and final deed of trust (1895-6); minutes of trustees meetings with list of recipients of book (1896-1934), address books, financial papers including ledgers (1896-1934), cashbook (1896-1934) and bankbook (1896-1934), conference papers and related correspondence (1917); lists, manuscripts and press cuttings of lecture series (1921-1925); papers related to the publication of the book on James Stansfeld (1928-1934); papers on women's suffrage (1907-8); scrutineers reports (1896-1902, 1904-1915); annual reports (1896-1915); obituary of GW Johnson.

The archive consists of seven volumes of minutes of the Executive Committee (1875-1880) including 2 copies of loose minutes of a meeting at Bristol 1875 and one in 1879; loose leaves of minute books, printed report of conference of Committee and branch representatives (1907), press cuttings, minutes of the conference on amalgamation with the British Branch and joint meeting of their subscribers (1915); 1 volume of Special Sub-committee minute book (1912, 1915), minutes of the council of the London branch (1883-1895).

The archive consists of minutes of the Manchester and District Association committee and executive committee meetings (1894-1921), of the Lancashire and Cheshire Association executive committee (1923-1939) and rough minutes and accounts of joint committee meetings with the Manchester Vigilance Association (1915-1917); accounts including audited annual accounts (1928, 1930), cashbook (1923-1939), receipt book (1931-1939) and receipted accounts (1923-1932); annual reports of the Manchester and District Association (1898-1920) and the Cheshire and Lancashire Association (1924-1931), copies of circular letters on the revival of the latter in 1923 and manuscript notes on the history the Manchester and District Association (1893-1913); membership papers (1900; 1930-1932); correspondence (1926, 1938); publications (1901-1930); list of records (1941).

The archive consists of one file relating to the dissolution of the League of Church Militant, including some information about its history, 1928.

The archive consists of Minutes of the Executive Committee (1871-1890) and letterbook (1883-1886).

The archive consists of minutes (including those of the British Vigilance Association (BVA)), annual reports, and publications. Correspondence and campaigning files on issues of public morality, sexual morality, traffic in women, the armed forces, obscenity, prostitution, entertainment and employment. Case files (including some individuals) including regional cases from Wales and North-East England. Administration in connection with British National Council, International Bureau, Travellers' Aid Society (TAS); also the Public Morality Council; and miscellaneous papers including campaign, resource and administrative files about various issues connected with social morality and public morality.

Two scrapbooks of presscuttings and printed ephemera documenting Miss Nettlefold's legal career and the campaigns relating to women's entry into the legal profession. It also includes legal documents relating to Bebb v. The Law Society, a ms paper [by Miss Nettlefold] entitled, 'Women and the Legal Profession'; and a ts paper entitled, 'History of the efforts to open the legal profession to women in England and Scotland', Mar 1920. Also included are articles on women lawyers in Britain and abroad and cuttings relating to the barrister Helena Normanton.

This archive consists of annual reports (1926-1938, 1941, 1947-1956, 1959, 1961, 1963-5); agendas and resolutions of Annual Meetings (1948-1963); memoranda (1929-1957); printed leaflets and pamphlets (1926-c.1947)

Abbreviations used include:

Cmd - Command Paper;

ILO - International Labour Organisation (United Nations);

ODC - Open Door Council;

ODI - Open Door International;

UNESCO - United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

This archive consists of minutes of board meetings (1947-1973), reports and conference resolutions (1929-1966), conference papers (1952-1957), constitutions and charters (1929-1970), correspondence files of president and honorary secretary (1947-1974); incomplete series of the publication Open Door (1929-1938), circular letters (1949-1959), leaflets and pamphlets (1929-1964), headed stationery, reports and publications of other organisations including United Nations commissions and International Labour Organisation. Most of the papers originate from the organisation's Honorary Secretaries.

The archive consists of manuscripts and typescripts of books and articles written by Amelia Scott including:

• Periodicals relating to the women's suffrage campaign and other women's issues - inc. Family Welfare Association (Passing of a Great Dread was serialised in three volumes of this periodical), 4 volumes Liberal Woman's Review.

Pamphlets and Ephemera - inc. National Union of Women Workers, inc Soldiers' Central Laundry and photographs thereof, National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies, National Council of Women, Woman's Leader and Common Cause

• Minute books - Committee meetings of Working Girls Club (including reports of the Leisure Hour Club), Christian Social Union, and Christian Social Crusade.

• Speeches - for election campaigns, on women's suffrage

• Papers relating to her work in Tunbridge Wells including material relating standing for election in Tunbridge Wells and election as a guardian for Tonbridge Union, and papers concerning a number of welfare projects she was involved in including the establishment of a Maternity Home and various housing projects.

• Personal and family papers including publications belonging to Amelia Scott, inc. her father's will, general papers and family photographs.

• Correspondence - approximately 150 letters to Amelia Scott; including photocopies of some originals from well-known individuals which were auctioned for charity, correspondents include Eleanor Rathbone and Beatrice Webb. Also letters to Amelia's sister Louise.

• Objects consist of a decoration and presentation book concerning her work during the First World War and the assisting of Belgian refugees and a bag with Kentish Pilgrims Way and red, white and green ribbons sewn on.

This scrapbook consists of press cuttings on the subject of prostitution from national and regional newspapers, for the years 1929-2001 (only five cuttings dated before the 1970s).

The archive consists of minutes of the Executive Committee (1935-1937, 1939-1980), Annual General Meeting papers and reports (1931-1979), papers and correspondence files of the treasurer, honorary secretaries, chairs and vice-chairs (1932-1977), papers of the Hampshire (1964-7) and Northwest (1973-7) Branches, administration papers including publicity material, financial items and correspondence regarding the dissolution of the group, correspondence, printed materials and papers related to various campaigns (1937-1976), weekend conference materials (1948-65) and meetings papers (1943-1979), leaflets of and correspondence with other organisations (1938-1979), newsletters and circulars (1941-1979), issues of Time and Tide (1921-1929) and press cuttings (1920s-1970s), correspondence of the Honorary Secretary (1950-1981)

The archive consists of:

• Administrative papers (1964-2004)

• minutes of Annual General Meetings and related papers (1977-2004)

• minutes of Executive Committee meetings (1938-2000)

• Financial papers (1982-2004)

• Papers relating to the Ecumenical Network of Women's Ministries (2003-2004)

• Publications (1966-2004)

The collection contains 30 letters written between 1885 and 1924. Correspondents include William Thomas Stead, Frances Power Cobbe, Millicent Garrett Fawcett, Herbert Stead, the Governor of Holloway Prison, Mrs Stead, Mr W Shaen, Miss Kensington the Secretary of Girton College, Mrs Frederic Whyte; the materials also include W T Stead's 'Holloway' New Year Cards, 1885. The letters discuss the Criminal Law Amendment controversy, speeches, his term in jail and emotional state, theology, Leslie Stephens, Edmund Garrett Fawcett, women's suffrage and education, the Royal Commission of 1871, trips for working women and the loan of Millicent Garrett Fawcett's Stead letter collection to a biographer.

Letter from Magnús Stephensen of Copenhagen to His Excellency the Rt Hon Sir Joseph Banks, 17 Oct 1807. Referring to Banks's visit to Iceland and complaining of the severe effects of war [i.e the Napoleonic Wars] on the trade of that country. 'For it is altogether unavoidable for this Island to escape hunger if it is only to hold out one single winter without being supplied with provisions.'

Written in another hand and signed by Stephensen.

The collection contains correspondence, mostly concerned with the activities of the British Women's Temperance Association.

Forged letter pertaining to be from William Makepeace Thackery to an unknown recipient, [1850]. 'When I said that I could do no more for you for the present I meant it literally: I never once said it as a simple excuse... When I find that your views on hard work are different I may perhaps have something to say to you. Believe me a lazy life is a curse to any man.

Written and signed in an unknown hand, as if by Thackeray.

Letter from Sir Benjamin Thompson of Munich to Lord Sheffield [John Baker Holroyd, 1st Earl of Sheffield], 18 Nov 1791. Describing the condition and people of Bavaria. Speaking of the Elector's troops: '... I know of no Troops that are so well and so comfortably clothed as ours, both for Summer and Winter ...'. Giving details of the crops, minerals and commerce of Bavaria. 'It would be difficult,'he writes, 'to convey to your Lordship an adequate idea of the Ignorance, Superstition and corruption which pervade and darken every part of this neglected Country.' Says that the clergy and nobility hold a monopoly of the beer in Bavaria: '... which is the great source of their riches, and on that account Drunkenness must be encouraged.'

Autograph, with signature.

The archive consists of files related to the following themes: Northern Counties Electoral League for the Repeal of the Contagious Diseases Acts, state regulation of vice, the British, Continental and General Federation for the Abolition of Government Regulation of Prostitution, personal papers, and the Contagious Disease Acts in India. These files contain reports, circular letters, statements of evidence, correspondence, press cuttings, annual reports, notices of meetings, memoranda, printed copies of speeches, leaflets, handbills, petition forms, notes, draft petitions, statistical reports.

Mr Wilson was Honorary Secretary of the 'Northern Counties Electoral League For The Repeal Of The Contagious Diseases Acts' throughout its existence. These papers were mainly accumulated by him in his official capacity as the Northern Counties League Secretary. However, there are also papers Wilson created through his personal involvement with the movement. Wilson constructed the files and gave them the titles given here, and numbered the items throughout the file series, consecutively in bold blue pencil numbers. The files were further organised by theme c. 1909-c.1922 and were 'weeded' at some point.

Unfortunately, soon after the files were deposited in the Fawcett Library, the then Librarian extracted letters from prominent persons in the Contagious Diseases movement and to place them in an artificial 'Josephine Butler Letter Collection' (ref 3JBL). Items taken from Wilson's personal archive can be recognised from Henry J Wilson's usual stamp for those files and the blue pencil numeration on them. The original files can be reconstituted from that numeration. Wilson letters located in 3JBL include the period Jul 1871-Dec1874, plus three letters found in the Autograph Letter Collection (ref. 9/).