Personal papers of Robert W Ramsey, including diaries (some with glued in event programmes, invitations and newspaper cuttings); commonplace books and household financial accounts; articles by Ramsey on historical and literary subjects; poems and sketches; Ramsey family pedigree, 1688-1904; research on the Cromwell family; and general correspondence.
Sans titreThe collection comprises diaries of William Hugh Burgess, a fifteen-year old boy from a family of Huguenot descent, who lived in Marylebone in the late eighteenth-century. They are rare examples of historical diaries written by a child.
In what became part of his daily routine from January 1788 until October 1790, William wrote about himself and his everyday life, simply recording what he did and what he saw.
Sans titreThis exceptionally interesting collection consists of the archives of a London business family, the Howards, and their relations by marriage, the Eliots. The family were based in London, with homes in the City and various places round about, but they also had property and connections in several other parts of England.
The chief interest of the collection is in its quality as the personal record of a group of prosperous manufacturing and merchant families who were members of the Society of Friends. The Eliots were merchants and their account books, which cover both business and private expenses, together with letters and memoranda, reflect a picture of "City" life in the Eighteenth century. They attended the Change, Lloyd's and Child's and Jonathan's and other Coffee Houses, and dealt with a variety of business including trade overseas in cotton and duck cloth and Cornish tin and invested in "a voyage to Lima" and other merchant shipping ventures (including that of the Tuscany, unfortunately "Taken by the French and carried into Marseilles" in 1757). (See especially numbers 905, 928, 929, 944, etc.).
There is interesting material relating to John Eliot's estates supplemented by John Eliot's letters (e.g. Numbers 988-1011), which also mention a "good season" for pilchards, the decline of the docks at Topsham, the appropriation by the Government of some sugar pans near Exeter to use for French prisoners, etc. John's sister Mariabella also purchased in 1765 Pickhurst Farm, Hayes, Kent (Nos. 376-475).
There are amongst this collection a few letters and papers of later Howards, including an interesting pocket diary in which Samuel Lloyd Howard, grandson of Luke, jotted (unfortunately rather roughly in pencil) memoranda and sketches of impressions of his visit to America in 1854 (No. 1618). At sea his ship rescued the crew of the Hannay of Whitehaven, loaded with salt and flying a distress signal-"lay to and took all off, boy, baggage, chronometer, barometers and all".
At all periods the family kept in close touch with their relations in all parts of the country, including the Hows of Aspley, Bedfordshire, the Paces of Westmorland and London, the Leathams of Yorkshire as well as with fellow Quakers. This gives the collection a national rather than a local interest-indeed the family were not primarily associated with any one locality.
A curious document amongst the collection is a receipt dated 1824 for 8. 15s from R. Smith for freeing Hamma Fie, slave to Bentoo Demba, and signed with the mark of Madeba, Alcaide of "Birkow" (No. 1617/p.12). The Society of Friends Committee for African Instruction supported some missions, and Richard Smith, a friend of Luke Howard, was in Africa in the 1820's.
Quaker marriage certificates, of which there are several examples (eg. Nos. 117, 565, 1273, 1274, etc) give full details of both parties and are signed by members of the Meeting as witnesses. Birth certificates (e.g., Nos. 1275-1286, 1390-1393) give the date of birth and name, and were signed by witnesses to the baby's birth. The Society of Friends was in advance of both the State and established Church in respect of such documentation.
Sans titreScrapbook relating to the Enfield Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society, including theatrical programmes, playbills and newspaper cuttings of reviews for performances by both the Society and other operatic and theatrical societies.
Sans titreTwo diaries of the Reverend C Wilfred Howard.
Sans titreThe monumental inscriptions and armorial bearings in the churches within the City of London, a five volume work by Arthur Jewers, compiled for the Library Committee of the City of London, 1910-1919. Includes transcripts of monumental and other inscriptions in the churches, with drawings (many coloured) of armorial bearings, and extracts from wills and other genealogical notes about the persons and families commemorated. Also correspondence with the Library Committee relating to the preparation of the work, 1910-1919, and Library Committee report, 1924.
Sans titreRecords of Arthur William Dunk, Boer War soldier in the City Imperial Volunteers, comprising official papers; letters and postcards written home during his service; notebooks providing itinerary of travels in South Africa; and menu cards and programmes for dinners of the City Imperial Volunteers Old Comrades Association.
Sans titrePersonal papers of Reverend Charles John Todd, navy chaplain, comprising certificates of ordination as a deacon and priest, 1878-79; commission as a Navy chaplain, 1881; letters written home from Navy ships from Zanzibar, Suez, Sudan, India, Ceylon [Sri Lanka], and Japan; diaries and notebooks describing hunting expeditions in Ceylon and East Africa; diary of a diplomatic mission to King John of Abyssinia [Ethiopia], 1884; newspaper cuttings; photographs of Todd; and a description of Todd's Navy service, 1976.
Sans titrePhotocopies of the diaries of Elizabeth Tyrrell (1769-1835) and of her daughter Elizabeth (b 1802). Also photocopy of a Tyrell family pedigree spanning 1545 to the 20th century.
Sans titrePersonal papers of Joseph Baxter, teacher, including essays on 'My Future Life' written by some of his pupils; retirement certificate; and photographs of staff and pupils at unidentified schools.
Sans titreCommonplace book by Henry Holden (MS.2863), plus notes by A W J Haggis of the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum (MS.8956) summarising the volume and comprising a contents list and some transcriptions.
Sans titreLe Pharmacien accomply. Ou le Cabinet pharmaceutique. Contenant des moyens familières et facilles pour bien connoistre, distinguer et médicamenter les maladies ordinaires et extraordinaires qui peuvent arriver à l'homme, tant par préceptes astrologiques et Galénistes que par remèdes chymiques. Avec l'Antidotaire. Le tout reduict en ordre pour suppléer au véritable Médecin, et mis en pratique par F[rère] Is[aac] Q[uatroux] R[éligieux] M[édecin] or[dre] M[inime]. These MSS., now divided into two volumes, formed originally one volume. There is a pen-drawn historiated frontispiece to the 'Antidotaire': texts within black rules. The Antidotire is dated 1662, the other volume 1663.
Sans titreRecords of The Ananse Society, including minutes, correspondence, programmes, press cuttings and stationery. For detailed introductions to these series please see the individual series descriptions in the detailed catalogue.
Sans titreAcademic paper written by Wendy Ironmonger that was submitted to and won the Chartered Insurance Institute Morgan Owen Medal Competition in 1986.
Sans titreCareer papers working for Strauss, Turnbull and Company, stockbrokers and Consolidated Gold Fields PLC, Queens Road; Walthamstow redevelopment campaign correspondence and cuttings; and personal cookery recipes.
Sans titrePrinted broadsheet of the Proverbs of Poor Richard, or the Way to Wealth, by Benjamin Franklin; printed by T. Brice, in Musgrave Alley, High Street, Exeter.
Sans titreLouisa Martindale collection, 1872-1964. The collection consists of Section A: a little personal correspondence, papers, articles, speeches and lectures by Louisa Martindale, and some personal material including notes on the glaucoma which eventually blinded her, 1872-1960; and Section B: papers concerning the Medical Women's International Association (founded 1919) of which Miss Martindale was President from 1937 to 1947. As well as her own correspondence in this capacity, 1937-1946, there is one file of the correspondence of Mme Montreuil-Strauss, Secretary of the Medical Women's International Association at his period. (Louisa Martindale destroyed the vast bulk of her case records at the time of her retirement from practice around 1950, those remaining were destroyed by her executors after her death).
Sans titrePapers of Dr Edward H Cree, including volumes one to twenty-one, 1937-1961, and comprises Cree's personal journals whilst serving at sea. The text is supplemented by circa seventeen hundred watercolours and sketches. The journals account details of his sea voyages, experience whilst in foreign lands, his impressions of people and places, his recollections amongst family and friends and writings concerning his life at home and with his wife. In addition to the illustrated journals are his 'rough journals' 1841, 1847, 1849, 1851-2 and 1854, his medical journal kept 1841-1847, journal notes (1837), sketchbook (1839), newspaper cuttings, service records and certificates and invitations. An index to the journals provides useful information on the vessels served on, the places visited and the illustrations within.
Sans titrePapers of William Schaw Lindsay, including Section 1 - bundles of papers or volumes which cover the whole of Lindsay's concerns and cannot be given a particular category. Section 2, 3 and 4 cover his main areas of activity- writing, business and property matters.
Lindsay had many friends and contacts in business and politics and his correspondence included many of the foremost men of his time in the fields (LND/2,3,4,6). His interest in the maritime affairs of the USA, and the civil war of 1861-5, is reflected in the compilation of 1867 of his correspondence with leading participants in the war, particularly Confederate politicians. This together with Lindsay's notes was brought together in a single volume (LND/7).
Lindsay's writings on maritime matters are represented by a working manuscript of the 'History of Merchant Shipping' (LND/12), printed proofs of the first two parts of the work (LND/13) and various notes and correspondence relating to it and other works on the navigation laws (LND/8,9,10,11). Lindsay also turned his hand to poetry (LND/18), biography (LND/19) and autobiography (LND/16).
Activities on Lindsay's estates at Shepperton and elsewhere are also reflected in various papers LND/2 23-32).
Sans titreNotebook containing a record of a trip to Petra in 1944, typescript and handwritten accounts of trips in Syria, Mesopotamia and Amman and a poster for an exhibition of Anthony Kersting's photographs.
Sans titreDiaries recording William Halle's daily life, working as an artist and at the Telephone Exchange. He writes about trying to sell paintings to galleries, organising exhibitions and records his worries over money, his health and his sister, who lived in South Africa. The diaries also record his thoughts on various friendships and sexual relationships.
Sans titreA collection of material relating to Harry Cusden Ltd. The collection includes business diaries kept by Harry Cusden, 1919-1943, papers relating to the running of the business including numerous documents relating to war damage repairs, the purchase of the properties, leases, etc. The series also contains personal papers, share certificates and customer correspondence. There is a large collection of photographs including photographs of the exterior of the shops, window displays, staff and staff outings, as well as a large collection of miscellaneous photographs showing family, friends, holidays, events etc. Many of these photographs are unidentified and undated. There is also a series of various price lists and advertisements for the business, trade cards, ephemera relating to Harry Cusden's role as Councillor, newspaper cuttings and other pieces of ephemera.
Sans titreTheresienstadt poems collection, 1938, comprise typescript poems written by inmates of Theresienstadt, including Leo Strauss, Myra Strauss Gruhenberg, Mara, Otto Pam, Koppel and Fritz Pollak.
Sans titrePapers of Ordinary German women, [1938-1944], comprise copies of diary entries praising the Führer and written by a German woman whilst expecting her child and after his birth, at and near Bielefeld, Westfalia, 1938-1939, and a manuscript collection of essays in praise of Hitler and the German Volk by Frau E Hennig, [1944].
Sans titrePapers of Iris Murdoch, 1960s-1990s, comprising informal letters to her friend Barbara Dorf spanning a thirty-year friendship. The collection also contains letters from John Bayley to Dorf, written presumably when Murdoch was too ill to do so herself or following her death, thanking Dorf for being a special friend to Iris; a letter from Dorf to Dr Rowe at Kingston University discussing the Iris Murdoch collection and providing biographical information concerning Murdoch. The collection also includes a photocopy of an oil painting of Iris Murdoch by Barbara Dorf.
Sans titrePapers of Alexandre Embiricos, 1943, comprise a letter to André Prudhommeaux, concerning Prudhommeaux's poetry.
Sans titrePapers of Annie Hoek-Wallach, c 1943, 1987, notably include an illustrated book entitled Ha-ha, Ja ja written and illustrated by Annie Hoek-Wallach, dedicated to her husband, Dr. Henri Hoek, c 1943; notes documenting the lives of Annie and Henri Hoek, placing the illustrated book Ha ha Ja ja in context, undated, and a possibly incomplete, taped interview with Annie Hoek-Wallach, 1987.
Sans titrePapers of Felix Langer, 1933-1941, comprise three volumes of diaries plus enclosures. The diaries contain mostly sparse notes often barely legible. A large part of the content relates to books.
Sans titreTranscript of the diaries (originally in six volumes) of Louis Löwenthal, 9 Jan 1874-12 Jan 1881. The first part of the diary is written whilst he resides in the Jewish Hospital, recovering from an unspecified operation. The remainder of the diaries deal with day to day life at his family home in Sophienthal, Berlin, Leipzig, and other locations.
Sans titreCopies of transcriptions of speeches made by Baldur von Schirach, dealing mainly with youth in Nazi Germany, 19 Apr 1940-20 Dec 1944. Each speech was subsequently checked and edited by Mia Thiel Hansen in the employ of the BBC, 19 Nov 1945. An original certificate of authentication signed by Mia Thiel Hansen is enclosed with each speech. Speeches include speech on behalf of the Hitler Youth congratulating Hitler, 19 Apr 1940; speech in which Schirach replies to President Franklin D Roosevelt and attacks him, particularly on youth employment, education and health, 4 Sep 1942; speech in which Schirach replies to Roosevelt, claiming to be partly of American descent, including a strong personal attack on Roosevelt and eulogies on Hitler, 5 Sep 1942; speech attacking Roosevelt for the Visits Foundation of European Youth League in Vienna, hosted by Italy and Germany, 14 Sep 1942; address to volunteers of the Tank Grenade Division in which he exhorts 'the traitors shall fall and the nation shall conquer' (after the July 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler), 7 Aug 1944 and broadcasts on the evacuation of children, 20 Dec 1944.
Sans titrePapers concerning American theatre and opera scrapbooks, 1875-1892, comprise to scrapbooks containing programmes of plays, concerts and operas performed in the USA, with particular reference to New York and the Metropolitan Opera House, from 1875 to 1892. MS1088/2 includes postcards of members of singers performing in the Metropolitan Opera 1890 to 1891 season, posing in some of their operatic roles. The volumes contained two loose inserts, which have now become MS1088/3 and MS1088/4.
Sans titreThese papers relate primarily to Robin Tanner's work in education and not to his activities as an artist and etcher. They include lectures, addresses and conference papers together with photographs of accompanying displays, 1950s-1980s; a small group of papers relating to individual schools, 1930s-1980s; some publications; a little correspondence, mainly from the 1960s-1980s; slides of works by young people taught by Tanner in the 1930s; and personalia, including poetry and prose anthologies, some neckties and a cassette recording of a talk by Heather Tanner and Dietrich Hanff on 'Life in the Tanner Household'.
Sans titreDiary of actor John Pritt Harley, 1858.
Sans titreRecords of the Union Society of London, debating society. They comprise: regulations, 1877-1938 (Ms 22403-4); minutes, 1844-1947 (Ms 22405-6); report re treasurer's account, 1904 (Ms 22407); records concerning members, 1876-ca. 1959 (Ms 22408-10); accounts, 1862-1962 (Ms 22411-16); instructions regarding procedures, undated (Ms 22417); papers regarding the history of the Society, 1885-ca. 1924 (Ms 22418-19); and papers regarding debates, speeches and annual dinners, 1921-58 (Ms 22420-3). Although the Society appears to have ceased meeting formally in 1957 or 1958 (notices of debates last appear in the Law Journal for 1957), two of its members continued to pay subscriptions until 1961/2 (Ms 22413). Records catalogued by a member of Guildhall Library staff in 1987.
Sans titreThe records comprise transcripts by Frederick Teague Cansick of monumental inscriptions in churchyards and burial grounds in Saint Andrew Holborn, Saint Giles in the Fields, All Hallows Bread Street, All Hallows London Wall, Christchurch Newgate Street, Saint Benet Paul's Wharf, Saint Botolph Aldersgate, Saint Mary Aldermary, Saint Mary Woolnoth, Saint Mary Magdalen Old Fish Street, Saint Mary Queenhithe, Saint Sepulchre, Saint James Pentonville Road, All Saints Edmonton and All Hallows Tottenham.
Sans titreRecords 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.
Sans titreWatercolour drawings of the grave monuments of 'celebrated persons' in London, Middlesex, Surrey and Kent, by Thomas Gosden.
Sans titreRecords of Major Sir William Henry Champness, comprising journals recording his years as undersheriff and sheriff of the City of London, 1928-1938, autobiographical notes, 1873-1925 and personal diaries, 1926-1938.
Sans titreRecords of Customs and Excise, comprising 'poundage and premium' ledgers relating to pensions arrangements for Customs and Excise staff, 1867-1868. Also letters to Customs and Excise from authors whose books had been counterfeited, 1905-08.
Sans titreLondon 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.
Sans titreCollection of material relating to the singer and civil rights activist Paul Robeson, including a large number of recordings on tape and vinyl of Paul Robesons' wide repertoire of songs and a series of reel-to-reel tapes including interviews and radio programmes made with Robeson; and letters and photographs and a series of scrapbooks (put together by Ken Goodland) of newspaper cuttings charting the life and career of Paul Robeson.
Sans titrePapers relating to the Claire Rayner novels The Performers, a twelve book series about London which traces a family from the 1800s. The series contains draft manuscripts of each volume along with research, time lines and notes on political events, dress, religion, travel, medicine, foreign affairs, industry and agriculture covering the period during which the novels are set.
Sans titreBotanices Institutiones juxta Turnefortii methodum: two volumes of notes of lectures by Pietro Moliterni, given at Naples University, 1738-1739.
Sans titrePapers on alchemy by Albert Poisson, including correspondence, translations, essays, notes on chemistry, John Dee, the occult, extracts from books on alchemy, 1885-1904.
Sans titrePapers of Capt John Archer, 1889-1938, including: diaries, 1889-1896, 1901, 1908-1910, 1919, 1921-1922, 1925 and 1938; correspondence with family, friends and colleagues detailing his military experiences, 1893-1913; papers relating to Archer's career, including notebook containing details of service record, examinations passed, certificates gained and financial accounts, 1889-1894; list of warrant and non-commissioned officers at School of Musketry, Hythe, Oct 1895; printed map of Mashonaland, 1896; issues of The Rhodesia Herald, 1896, concerning the Mashonaland Uprising; general instructions for non-commissioned officers, 1897; timetable for movement of Archer's unit from Omdurman, 1898; poem 'The Night Attack on Surprise Hill', by Pte J Gibbons, 1899; sketch map of Lydenburg and the surrounding countryside, South Africa, by R Verney, 2 Lieutenant, Rifle Brigade, [1899]; lithograph map of Cairo, War Office, 1901; special orders announcing proclamation of peace, June 1902; Intelligence summaries, Jan and April 1902; order of service for Military Thanksgiving Service for the Restoration of Peace, Pretoria, Jun 8 1902; order of service for Coronation Day, 26 Jun 1902; parade service for visit of the Amir of Afghanistan to Agra, Jan 1907, with map showing locations of troop billets and plan of organisation of troop review; papers relating to Archer's time as POW, Germany and Holland, 1914-1918, and press cuttings, correspondence and reports relating to Archer's job as Superintendent of Prisons, Nyasaland, 1920-1936.
Rifle and athletic meeting programmes, with press cuttings recording Archer's successes, 1898-1914. Photograph album showing manoeuvres, Malta, 1897; Crete, 1898; punitive raids on Transvaal farms, including taking Boer women into concentration camps, 1901; Middleburg and Groot Oliphant Camps, 1901-1902; views of Egypt including parades, inspections, sports and camps, 1902-1905; photographs of groups of POWs, Merseburg Camp and examples of paper money used in the Merseburg Camp, 1914-1919. Also copy of A Fine Chest of Medals: The Life of Jack Archer, Colin Baker (Mpemba Books: Cardiff, 2003).
Sans titrePapers of Alfred Wiliam Alcock, 1906-1920s, comprise autobiographical notes on his life and correspondence on the status of zoology in India and the unsatisfactory condition of the Indian Museum, Calcutta.
Sans titreUnpublished autobiography of Charles Wilcocks: 'A Tropical Doctor in Africa and London' with some associated biographical material. Contents: Chapter 1 The First World War Page 1; Chapter 2 Demobilization Page 33; Chapter 3 First Tour in Tanganyika, 1927-30 Page 41; Chapter 4 Second Tour in Tanganyika, 1927-30 Page 73; Chapter 5 Tuberculosis research Page 85; Chapter 6 Third Tour in Tanganyika, 1934-37 Page 99; Chapter 7 At the Bureau of Hygiene... Page 133; Chapter 8 Retirement from the Bureau, 1961 Page 190; Chapter 9 Interlude on greatness Page 201; Chapter 10 Personalities Page 215; Chapter 11 Conclusions Page 232; Epilogue Page 267; Bibliography Page 272.
Sans titreLecture notes, miscellaneous correspondence and "memoirs" (short stories, often with an autobiographical element) covering his career, 1909-1976. The collection comprises 7 series: 1: file on career, 1920s-1976; 2: 'memoirs' - short stories, composed at various times during Hartridge's life which he intended to publish on his retirement, 1909-1976. His daughter selected those stories which had an autobiographical element in them; 3: Notes, 1947-1953; 4: Corrrespondence, 1928-1951; 5: Lectures, 1920s-1950s; 6: Publications, 1949-1950; 7: Photograph and painting, 1920s-1970s.
Sans titrePapers of Iris Murdoch, 1984-1996, comprising photocopies of correspondence from Murdoch to Janine Canan, discussing arrangements for meeting, thanking her for various gifts, asking after Canan's poetry writing, reflecting upon the death of Murdoch's mother and remarking on Canan's work as a poet and essayist.
Sans titrePapers of Iris Murdoch, 1993, comprising a letter of thanks to Ana Olos for her suggestion that Murdoch write her biography but turning her down: 'Alas I have very little time left and to tell your story well would take a lot of time, I am very sorry. I have little time to write my own work'. The collection also contains a copy of Ana Olos' (Psycho)analytical approach to a case of reading therapy, Hungarian Journal of English and American Studies 4.1-2 1998.
Sans titre