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The archive consists of Domestic Science notes consisting of: housewifery notes (1912), including cut-out and pasted-in examples of household equipment with prices; and examination paper for diploma candidates on the theory of housewifery in Jul 1912; cookery theory notes (1910); and a notebook of laundry demonstration notes (1911); and biographical notes (1993) prepared by the depositor. Detailed descriptions for selected items within the notebooks are also given.

The archive consists of correspondence with, inter alia, Dr Emil Oberholzer and Dr Maude Royden, arising out of Mrs Roberts' association with the Anglican Group for the Ordination of Women and the interdenominational Society for the Ministry of Women in the Church. Papers of these organisations include memoranda for submission to Lambeth Conferences. Also included are Press cuttings re the ordination of women, and manuscript extracts in English and Latin, from theological writings on the position of women in the Early Church.

The archive consists of leaflets and press cuttings concerning the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), the Women's Freedom League and other suffrage organisations (c 1907-1918); postcard portrait of Mrs Despard (undated); WSPU postcard (undated); notebook of visit to Downing Street to present petition (1919); correspondence with the Suffragette Fellowship Reading Room (1937-1938).

The Royal Geographical Society Additional Papers relate to all aspects of the RGS's history, 1830-1945, including Council minutes; committee minutes; Prospectus of 1830; reports on the state of the RGS, 1833 and 1837; correspondence concerning special meetings; financial statements and reports; notes on the Map Room and the Library; papers relating to the RGS's awards; regulations and byelaws; lists of Council and committee members; papers of the African Exploration Committee, 1877-1881; the fire-watcher's log books, 1940-1944; papers relating to the election of women as Fellows; papers on scientific enquiries, instruments and instruction; papers relating to the Kosmos, Raleigh and Geographical Clubs; formal addresses and diplomas; papers relating to anniversaries and other events; evening meeting minute books and papers relating to the leasing and furnishing of premises for the RGS, 1837-1930, in particular the purchase of Lowther Lodge.

The archive consists of Mary Ann Rawle's working papers relating to the women's suffrage campaign and the Independent Labour Party. It includes correspondence, a prison diary describing her time in Holloway, an illuminated address and a badge awarded for bravery in prison, copy family certificates and photographs.

The archive consists of correspondence and papers relating to Rathbone's work raising the status of women in India. Her activities covered the effort to obtain the franchise for Indian women, their legal and social status, their education and especially their efforts to make illegal the practice of child marriage. Her correspondents include some of the key women activists in India in the 1920s and 1930s such as Begum Jehan Ara Shah Nawaz (1896-1976) the first woman member of the All-India Muslim League Council, and B Muthulakshmi Reddi (1886-1968) the first Indian woman doctor.

Records of charity The Ranyard Mission and Ranyard Nurses, comprising Council minutes; Finance Committee minutes; Executive Committee minutes; registers of nurses; annual reports; correspondence; booklets, pamphlets and magazines; accounts of the Mission; speeches; photographs; badges; and papers relating to Special Funds.

The archive consists of a typescript copy of 'The Women's Pilgrimage' - which was a script for a talk given by Annie Ramsay on her part in the 1913 National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) Pilgrimage from Land's End to London.

The Women's Library continues to document the development of feminism in the UK, and examples of '3rd wave' activity can be found within our Zine Collection. The Zine Collection began with a donation of 50 zines by Ladyfest London in 2002. This Collection comprises self-published magazines reflecting contemporary feminism and the attitudes and concerns of young women in the UK today. It currently includes over 150 indexed zines on topics ranging from music, feminism, art, fashion, food, politics, sexuality, gender, ethnicity, popular culture, travelling, relationships, parenting and much more. The Women's Library aims to collect and preserve women's zines from the 1970s to the present day.

The Sadd Brown Library was founded in 1939 in memory of Myra Sadd Brown, and contains books and periodicals about, and often by, women of the Commonwealth. It covers colonial pioneers to modern day freedom fighters, as well as investigations of women's political and economic advancement and their positions in other societies and religions. For example it includes conference reports of the British Commonwealth League from 1925 to 1938 which vividly reveal the feminist concerns of pre-war generation, some issues having a contemporary resonance many decades later.The Library was the tribute of her suffrage colleagues to Myra Sadd Brown and it continues to grow with support from her family and the Commonwealth Countries League. The collection includes some late nineteenth century publications, such as Olive Schreiner's Trooper Peter Halket of Mashonaland, 1897, but most of the collection dates from the twentieth century. Some examples of books and periodicals in the Sadd Brown Library include The African child by Evelyn Sharp 1931, Women living under Muslim laws newsheet, Pakistan 1992-, Onions are my husband: survival and accumulation by West African market women by Gracia Clark, 1994 and Race relations news, South Africa 1947-1955.

Over 3,000 periodical titles are held dating from 1745, some in single issues, but many in complete or representative runs. The Periodicals Collection brings together academic, popular and campaigning women's journals in one location and gives a unique insight into periodicals published about, for and by women. Titles range from commercially-produced popular magazines (Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Cosmopolitan), to academic quarterlies (Gender and History, Feminist Review), organisational journals (One Parent Families, National Association of Women Pharmacists), special interest publications (Executive Black Woman), and older titles such as the English Woman's Journal. Many of these titles are not held in other research collections. The non-commercial nature of many of these periodicals with limited self-published print runs, resulted in periodicals that were issued irregularly, on poor quality paper and often only selectively deposited with the main copyright libraries.

COMMERCIALLY PUBLISHED

The Library's collection of commercially published magazines, a key resource for research into social history and popular culture, begins with the Ladies' Almanack of the 1740s and documents women's fashion and domestic concerns from runs of the Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine, The Queen, Ladies' Magazine, Ladies Monthly Magazine and Lady, Gentlewoman, in the 19th century; Home Chat, Woman's Weekly, Woman, Woman's Own, Honey,, Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire in the 20th century; Grazia, Glamour and Easy Living of more recent years. Also included are some magazines aimed at girls and young women such as The Girls' Own Paper, Petticoat, Just 17 and Jackie.

FEMINIST AND CAMPAIGNING

At the heart of the Periodical Collection are the women's campaigning journals and feminist periodicals. The collection of feminist periodicals at The Women's Library is unrivalled in its extent and breadth. It begins with the English Woman's Journal of the mid-19th century, and continues with titles such as The Young Women and includes complete runs of titles such as The Women's Penny Paper, the Woman's Herald, Victoria Magazine, the Woman's Signal, the Woman's Leader, Englishwoman's Review, Englishwoman, Freewoman, Time and Tide, Woman's Gazette, and Shafts all of which were key to the development of feminist theory and progressive ideas.

SUFFRAGE

The Library's extensive collection of suffrage periodicals is central to the study of women's rights in the 20th century, titles including Votes for Women, Common Cause, Woman's Dreadnought, The Vote, the Women's Suffrage Journal, Women's Franchise, the Suffragette Newssheet, the Independent Suffragette, Britannia, and the Suffragette as well as titles such as the Anti-Suffrage Review.

WOMEN'S LIBERATION MOVEMENT

The collection of journals documenting 'second-wave' feminism in the UK includes complete runs of titles such as Spare Rib and Trouble and Strife and near complete runs of other liberation titles such as Red Rag, Shrew, WIRES, Outwrite and the London Women's Liberation Newsletter. Regional involvement was an integral part of the movement and this is charted through a number of regional titles including Brighton and Hove Women's Liberation Group, Edinburgh Women's Liberation newsletter, Leeds Women's Liberation newsletter, Leicester Women's Liberation newsletter, Manchester Women's Liberation newsletter and Norwich Women's Centre newsletter.

CONTEMPORARY FEMINISTS

The periodical holdings continue to document the development of contemporary feminism, sometimes referred to as 'third wave', with titles including Verve and Subtext. Additional contemporary feminist publications can be found within our 'zine' collection (dating from 2002).

WOMEN'S ORGANISATIONS

Periodicals created by women's organisations, networks and campaigns. These can include weekly or monthly newsletters and magazines aimed at members, quarterly and annual journals aimed at members and a wider academic audience, and annual reports aimed at a wider audience. Given the short life of many campaigning organisations, their newsletters and bulletins often provide the main record of their activities. Few of these publications are held elsewhere, and they are only selectively deposited with national collections, organisations include: the Fawcett Society, National Council of Women, The National Federation of Women's Institutes (Home and Country), Townswomen's Guilds (The Townswoman), UK Federation of Business and Professional Women, Girls' Friendly Society, Executive Black Woman, Catholic Citizen and National Association of Women Pharmacists document women's efforts to come together to improve the quality of their lives.

SPECIALIST INTEREST

Whilst retaining the collecting focus of women's lives in the UK, there are a number of subject specialist interest areas including:

• The Arts - titles such as Feminist Arts News, Heresies: a feminist publication on art and politics, n.paradoxa: international feminist art journal, Vogue and Women's Art Magazine.

• Domestic Violence - titles such as Rights of Women Bulletin, Violence Against Women: an international interdisciplinary journal and Women at War: preventing gun violence, WAVAV - Women Against Violence Against Women.

• Education - titles such as Gender and Education, The Woman Teacher, Gen: an anti-Sexist Education Journal, British Federation of University Women, and The Parents' Review.

• Employment - titles such as Work and Leisure, Women's Union Journal, Labour Woman, Women's Trade Union Review, Equality Now: magazine of the Equal Opportunities Commission, Executive Woman, the Woman Worker, The Woman Engineer: journal of the Woman's Engineering Society and Double shift: working women's newsletter.

• Family and the home - titles such as Women's Weekly, Woman's Own, Family Planning Today and New Home economics.

• Feminist Theory - titles such as Feminist Studies, Feminist Economics, Feminist Theory, and the International Journal of Feminist Studies.

• Health - titles such as Women and Health, Top Sante, London Black Women's Health Action project newsletter and Mental Health.

• Law - titles such as ALRA newsletter: Campaigning for a Woman's Right to Choose on Abortion, Family Law, Individualist: monthly journal of personal rights, Lesbian Employment Rights, and Rights of Women Bulletin, National Abortion Campaign.

• Literature - titles such as Mslexia, Silver Moon Quarterly and Writing Women.

• Media - titles such as Feminist Media Studies, The Woman Journalist and Women's Media Action Bulletin.

• Medicine - titles such as Women in Medicine: newsletter of the Medical Women's Federation and National Association of Women Pharmacists newsletter.

• Motherhood - titles such as Home and Family: journal of the Mother's Union, Journal of Marriage and Family, Maternity Alliance, Gingerbread, One Parent Families, World Congress of Mothers News and Information.

• Sexuality - titles such as Sappho, Sex Roles: a journal of research, Journal of the history of sexuality, Chroma, Diva, Arena Three and Dykelife.

• Women and peace - titles such as Woman today, Greenham Newsletter, Peace and Freedom News: journal of the British Section of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Sellafield Women's Peace Camp Newsletter, Women for a Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific Newsletter and WoMenwith Hill: Women's Peace Camp Newsletter.

• Politics - titles such as Equal Opportunities International, Gender and Society and the NAWO e-bulletin (National Alliance of Women's Organisations).

• Prostitution - titles such as The Shield: to promote the repeal of Contagious Diseases Act, Network: news from the English Collective of Prostitutes and WHISPER: Women hurt in systems of prostitution engaged in revolt.

• Ethnicity - titles such as Pride, Race Today and Manushi.

• Religion - titles such as Church Militant, Jewish Women's Review, Catholic Citizen, Newsheet/Women Living Under Muslim Laws International Solidarity Network, and Movement for the Ordination of Women.

• Science and Technology are The Woman Engineer, Science for People, Women Chemists Newsletter and Forum: Journal of the Association for Women in Science and Engineering.

• Sport - titles such as Poise: the Health and beauty magazine, Ladies' Alpine Club, The Dyke: Lesbian Walkers' Magazine, Women in Sport: the Voice of Women's Sport and Outdoor Women.

The catalogued Pamphlet Collection comprises over 12,000 titles dating from approximately 1830 to the present. The Pamphlet Collection consists of printed material less than 60 pages in length and includes government policies, reports, annual reports and campaigning material, primary law, including Bills and Acts. The subject material of the collection reflects and enriches the wide range of topics held elsewhere in the Women's Library.The topics covered include: English fiction, children's stories, poetry, women's organisations, feminism, role of women in society - UK and abroad, nursing, sex discrimination law, divorce law, employment, occupations, careers, equal opportunities, labour law, pension law, social security, taxation, housing, health, pregnancy, abortion, birth control, domestic violence, mothers, one-parent families, children, family life, housekeeping, religion, ordination, arts, costume, suffrage. Organisations include Equal Opportunities Commission, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital, National Union of Suffragettes, National Society for Women's Suffrage, US Women's Bureau, American National Red Cross, Union of Jewish Women, National Union of Townswomen's Guilds, National Federation of Women's Institutes, Fawcett Society, National Council for the Unmarried Mother and Her Child, British Federation of University Women, Association of University Women Teachers, Divorce Law Reform Union. Most of the material is in English, but there are also pamphlets in other languages, such as Italian, German and French.The pamphlets are arranged in two sections - one for standard sized pamphlets and one for oversized pamphlets.

The 'UDC Pamphlet Collection' [Universal Dewey Decimal Classification]: In addition to the main Pamphlet Collection is the 'UDC Pamphlet Collection.' The UDC collection was the first pamphlet collection created by the Library and consists of approximately 10,000 pamphlets dating from mid nineteenth to mid twentieth centuries, covering all subjects. As the collection was gradually acquired during the Library's first 20 years of life, it was arranged by subject, using the Universal Decimal Classification system. The pamphlets were primarily deposited by organisations and individuals, although some purchases were made. There is a finding aid kept with the collection but the collection was never catalogued and therefore remained a hidden resource within the Library for more than 80 years. Unsurprisingly other libraries did not collect most of these pamphlets. In 2007 as part of a cataloguing funding bid preliminary sampling of the collection against Copac (the merged online catalogues of 24 university research libraries in the UK, plus the British Library and the National Library of Scotland) found that over 60% of the UDC pamphlets were not listed in these major research collections. This is a very significant level of unique printed material.Cataloguing of the UDC collection started in 2007 and as the pamphlets are catatogued, they are transferred to the main pamphlet collection described above. As at 2009 the collection was partially catalogued and The Library was seeking additional funds to complete the project.

The Josephine Butler Society Library is an unrivalled resource for the study of sexuality and public morality from the late nineteenth to the mid twentieth century. This unique collection of books, pamphlets, periodicals, leaflets and, campaigning documents, covers subjects ranging from the regulation of prostitution, venereal disease, social purity, sexuality and public health to criminology, penology, eugenics and population control. Although a small number of individual items continue to be added to the collection by the Josephine Butler Society, the bulk of the printed materials date from the late nineteenth and early to mid twentieth centuries.

The Josephine Butler Society Library is particularly important because it brings together the Library of the organisation alongside its campaigning literature and business papers. In addition to sources for the study of prostitution and attitudes to sexuality in Britain the collection includes significant amounts of material on slavery, procuring, public health and the armed forces in India. It contains late nineteenth century works on sexology by Havelock Ellis, Bloch, Forel and Krafft-Ebing and psychology by Freud, Jung and Ellis, as well as works on marriage, the family and sex education. Although most material in the collection is in English there are small but significant numbers of works in European languages. The geographic scope of the collection extends beyond Britain and the Commonwealth; papers of the International Bureau for the Suppression of Traffic in Persons 1899-1968, for example, relate to the Bureau's work with the League of Nations.

The Cavendish-Bentinck Library contains many pre-1850 books, pamphlets and periodicals. There are many seventeenth and eighteenth century classic publications, such as Richard Brathwaite's The English gentlewoman: drawne out to the full body and Look ere you leap: or, A history of the lives and intrigues of leud women; first editions of publications by Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary Shelley, the Brontes, Fanny Burney, Maria Edgeworth, George Eliot, Virginia Woolf and many others. The periodical holdings include The Lady's magazine 1760-1839 and The Englishwoman's domestic magazine 1852-1879. Cookery and household management books include Hannah Wolley's The Queen-like closet, 1675, and Mrs Beeton's Book of household management, 1861. The collection is also strong on material relating to the suffrage campaigns, including many rare pamphlets. Newly acquired material was added to the collection until the 1950s - hence this collection houses most of the The Women's Library's printed holdings dating from 1600 to 1850. The Cavendish-Bentinck collection is catalogued on The Women's Library's online catalogue and volumes can be ordered by completing a Collections order slip and consulted in the Reading Room. Due to the age and fragility of most of the material in the Cavendish-Bentinck collection no photocopying is permitted.

The archive consists of a typescript autobiography entitled 'This World's Festival' (incomplete) and biographical notes by Catherine Thackray.

The archive consists of an illustrated typescript autobiography of Mollie Prendergast spanning the greater part of the twentieth century. Includes accounts of her family history and background; her rural childhood and her time in service; the education and working lives of herself and of other family members; her life in London, including during the Blitz; her work as a civil servant; holidays and trips abroad; and her involvement with left wing political and social action.

Telecommunications minuted papers relating to Post Office telegraph and telephone services. Minuted papers were those papers which had been submitted to the Postmaster General for a decision, and then been retained in the Post Office registry.

At first, the papers minuted tended only to be the particular case submitted to the Postmaster General but, as time went on, registry staff followed a practice of continuing to add physically to an existing minuted case all other cases on that subject which came to hand. As a result, the minuted papers frequently consist of quite large bundles of files on a common subject spanning many years. The date range of the files is consequently often much earlier or much later than the date suggested by the Former Reference used by the registry staff.

POST 30 records concern telecommunications issues in England and Wales, 1792-1952; POST 31 concern Ireland, 1841-1960; and POST 32 concern Scotland, 1864-1966. On its introduction in 1921, POST 33 superseded these sequences and is concerned with telecommunications issues across all these geographies 1921-51, as does its successor in 1949, with POST 102 covering years 1936-76.

The subject of individual files among the minuted papers can be wide-ranging, from the mundane administrative minutiae to policy decisions on developments of critical importance. The diversity and depth of these files can be seen by such examples as the introduction of Bell's telephones to the Post Office (POST 30/330), signalling systems for Belfast and County Down Railway Company (POST 31/74) , arrangements for female telephonists working late duties (POST 32/254D), development of Rugby Radio station (POST 33/1079B), design of telephone kiosks by Giles Gilbert Scott (POST 33/1448), voice recording service for British and Allied armed forces (POST 102/6), telecommunication scheme plans in case of wartime invasion (POST 121/360), and the London to Birmingham television cable linke (POST 122/471).

The archive consists of typescript and manuscript lectures by Nina Popplewell, correspondence and papers relating to her work as secretary of the National Council of Women (mainly about women's employment and pensions), and a letter from the former suffragette Lilian Lenton describing her experience of being force-fed in Holloway.

The archive consists of a typescript autobiography, covering the years 1886-1975. The typescript is a transcript of a tape recording dictated by Dorothy Foster Place to her four children. The autobiography includes accounts of her early life and education in New Brighton; her studies in Chemistry at the University of Liverpool and King's College, London; her studies in Agriculture at Studley Agricultural College, Warwickshire; her agricultural work during the First World War and eventually work on her own farm in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire. It covers her interest and activities in the suffrage movement; her marriage; the birth of her children and her extensive holiday travels in Europe and North Africa.

Papers of Rachel Pinney on the technique of Creative Listening, correspondence, transcript of an article, press cuttings concerning her court appearance on a kidnap charge.

The archive consists of lecture material, including notes, schedules and lists of lecturers (1891-1919), printed material, including newspapers, pamphlets and posters (1891-1924) and general papers, which include leaflets and correspondence (1860-1896).

The archive consists of minutes and working papers for the organisations in which Pierotti was involved, namely the National Union of Women Teachers (1924-1964), the Joint Standing Parliamentary Committee of Women's Organisations (1942-1950) and the Status of Women Committee (1945-1978) including details of its establishment; Suffrage material relating to the movement in general, her membership of the Women's Freedom League (1919-1928). There is also material related to the Pethick Lawrences and Charlotte Despard; various press cuttings, pamphlets, photographs, postcards and objects. The pamphlets include material on equal pay and equal rights.

The papers of Frederick Parkes Weber, 1886-1962, consist of case notes from his Harley Street and German Hospital practices, some very fine annotated clinical photographs, and (the bulk of the collection) a large number of volumes and bundles dealing with a vast array of diseases and medical conditions, usually accreted around an original paper by Parkes Weber himself. He described how these 'small collections and bundles around kernels of my earliest writings on the subject' evolved in a letter to the Librarian, Wellcome Historical Medical Museum, 27 Feb 1958: "I was in the habit of surrounding my own writings with manuscript and printed correspondence, and all kinds of cuttings and small articles bearing on the subject. Many interesting autograph letters and small essays have in this way become buried and practically altogether lost." These had become 'gradually very extensive, and many of them have become dislocated and unmanageable'. On examination they have been found to include reprints and cuttings of articles, case notes, notes and annotations, correspondence, and photographs. There is also material on more general philosophical questions, and relating to his book Aspects of Death and other publications, and a little personalia and correspondence. Diaries apparently received with the papers were returned to Parkes Weber late in 1958 to assist in the preparation of the notes published as Miscellaneous Notes (see PP/FPW/D.11) and seem never to have been returned to the Wellcome Library (Parkes Weber to Dr Poynter, Wellcome Historical Medical Library, 24 Dec 1958 and 11 Feb 1959). This is a collection of major importance for the medical historian.

Parkes Weber had a very active life during a period of unprecedented developments in medicine. He produced well over 1000 articles, and was particularly interested in rare diseases and conditions: conditions with which he is eponymously associated are Rendu-Osler-Weber disease (familial telangiectasis), Weber's diseases (localised epidermolysis bullosa), Weber-Klippel syndrome (haemangiectatic hypertrophy of limbs), Weber-Christian disease (relapsing febrile nodular non-suppurative panniculitis) and Sturge-Weber-Kalischer disease (angioma of brain revealed by radiography). His papers also include much on more common ailments and phenomena, on balneological and climatological treatment, healthy life-style and the promotion of longevity, social medicine, etc. His associates and colleagues included many of the great names in medicine of his day.

The archive consists of articles and essays by Sylvia Pankhurst, her prison discharge notice of 1914, and her correspondence relating to the International Ethiopian Council. The archive also includes articles by her son, Richard Pankhurst, and the correspondence of her daughter-in-law, Rita Pankhurst, relating to Sylvia Pankhurst.

The collection consists of 205 interviews available in digital audio file format and one folder of contextual material relating to the interviews, including essays and reports by Brian Harrison. The digital files are copies of the original oral history interview recordings that are held on reel-to-reel cassette.

Sound recordings and papers relating to the radio series 'India: A People Partitioned', 1997. Cassette tapes of interviews (83 tapes) and partial transcripts concern the social history of partition between India and Pakistan (1947) and its effect on people in south Asia. Interviewees included some prominent political and cultural figures, but also 'ordinary' people whose lives were affected by the events surrounding independence, including the large number of refugees created. The subjects discussed include Communism, politicians including Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Muslim League, Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus. Cassette tapes of the five broadcast programmes (3 tapes) are also included: 'The Gathering of the Storm', on the context of partition, disturbances in 1946, and Gandhi's attempts to broker peace; 'The Killing Fields of Punjab', examining partition violence; ' Tearing the Veil', on women's experiences, including abduction; 'Comers and Goers', concerning the experiences of Muslims in India and their dilemma as to whether to migrate to Pakistan or remain in India; 'Unfinished Business', on the Kashmir dispute and the continuing legacy of partition in regional politics, culture and diplomacy. The partial transcripts were made for working purposes and are an indication rather than a definitive record of the contents of the tapes. Appended to the transcripts are copies of an occasional series of articles written by Andrew Whitehead for the Indian Express based on the material he gathered. An additional deposit comprises a cassette tape of the revised programme, 'Unfinished Business', 2000, and six further interview tapes, the interviewees including key participants in India-Pakistan relations, with notes on the contents of the interviews compiled for working purposes.

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.

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.

The archive consists of press cuttings concerning marriage in the UK (1961-1968); correspondence, press cuttings, articles and official publications on marriage law and the status of women in various countries (1938-1967); correspondence, parliamentary papers and press cuttings on divorce law reform (1960-1969); copy of report on Homosexual Offences and prostitution (1957).

Collection of pamphlets, journals and papers relating to nursing. Includes: Guild of Nurses Quarterly Review, 1940s; Recruitment of Nurses and Midwives to Training Institutions, 1945; The Association of Nurses, 1937; The Jewish Nurse in Palestine, 1947; Nurses Salaries Committee, 1940s; Government publications; International Labour Office Publications relating to employment and conditions; Queen's Nursing Institute annual reports. Also material relating to the Royal College of Nursing.

Archives of the North London Collegiate School (NLCS) comprising:

records of governance including rough Governors Meeting minutes 1898-1919; signed minutes of the Governors of North London Collegiate School and Camden School for Girls (Frances Mary Buss Foundation), 1870-1992; Governors meeting attendance book 1910-1940; Governors meetings and Finance Committee attendance book, 1949-1958, 1975-1994; NLCS Trustees attendance book 1871-1875; record of Appointment of Governors 1875-1910, 1958-1977; Governors agenda book 1873-1875, also containing Reception Committee minutes 1879; Governors agenda books 1910-1914, 1927-1959; Governors agenda book 1910-1913 also containing Finance and General Purposes Committee agendas 1958-1959; Finance and General Purposes Committee minutes, 1970-1982; Finance Reports NLCS and CSFG 1875-1890, 1921-1933; Treasurers meetings minutes 1895-1910; Schools Committee minutes 1910-1913; Schools Committee attendance book, 1910-1914; Memorial Committee minutes 1871; Building Committee minutes 1875; minutes of the Trustees of the Frances Mary Buss Memorial Scholarship Fund, 1897-1937; minutes of the Frances Mary Buss Memorial Travelling Scholarship 1964-1965 and 1969;

NLCS correspondence 1871-1883; NLCS Secretary's reports 1871-1875; Headmistresses report to Governors, 1871-1920;

administrative records including inventory of equipment and furniture Sep 1875-1904; NLCS Dates of Terms, 1877-1939; Timetable analysis 1947-1966; Billetting addresses in Luton; Secretary's information notebook; NLCS Visitors books 1884-1917, 1949-1965; Examiners reports 1891-1903;

records relating to school staff including Staff Meetings minutes 1885-1894, 1912-1986; Staff meetings attendance book 1874-1913; Staff register 1883-1927; Staff register of appointments 1893-1932; Register of mistresses and administrative staff 1909-1938; Teachers agreement book; Staff attendance register 1882-1886, 1933-1958; Staff address books, 1917-1956; Staff Dramatic Club minutes, [1965]-1970; Staff log book (scrap book) 1937-1955; rough notes of lectures on English composition 1860-1876; Camden School for Girls (staff) salaries book 1909-1914;

student records including admission books, 1850-1911; Admission register index 1925-1938, with index 1935-1938; Admissions application forms, 1871-present; Register of applications 1874-1942; Register of pupils 1875-1878; New entrants to school, 1942-1978; Withdrawal books 1871-1906; Camden and NLCS register of [withdrawn] pupils, 1871-1878; Leaving lists 1939-1979;

scholarships register 1894-1941; Scholarships, exhibitions and prizes register 1873-1918; Register of London County Council Scholars at NLCS 1910-1930;

medical record register 1882-1884; Miss Buss Gymnasium medical notes 1882-1886; Gymnasium medical reports 1885; Mrs Hoggan's private (medical) notes 1882-1885; Mrs Hoggan's medical notes to Miss Buss 1882-1885;

records of pupils' examinations including NLCS external examinations results 1873 - 1890; NLCS Special Examinations results 1874-1887, containing copies of some question papers; Register of external examinations results 1890-1930; University of London examinations results including general school examination, higher school examinations, Oxford and Cambridge examinations, general certificate of education, and O levels, 1931-1979; Record of GCSE certificates sent to girls who have left, 1952-1970; Register of honours gained chiefly by old pupils, 1911-1936; Class reports 1874-1876; Summary of old pupil reports 1884-1914; Holiday work reports 1882-1919; Results of school sports competitions 1890-1920, 1926-1938; Prize day reports and lists, 1850-1909; Printed prize lists 1874-1909; Upper V examination totals 1931-1976;

records of pupils meetings and societies including Prefects and monitors meetings minutes, 1880-1970 (incomplete); Form minute books including third to sixth forms 1948-1957; Lower Fifth form imposition book 1937-1939; Upper Fifth form after-school fixture book; Botanical Club minutes 1885-1891; Debating Society minutes 1887-1913; Sunshine League minutes 1904-1920; Science Club notes and queries 1909-1930, Science Club Committee minutes 1931-1937, Science Club General Meeting minutes 1932-1936, Science Club Photographic section and General meeting minutes 1961-1970; Classical Society minutes 1914-1927; Sketch Club minutes 1928-1936; Current Affairs Club news cuttings, 1942-1947;

certificates of NLCS students 1882-1914, 1936-1946;

examples of pupils work including Log book of Bromley Camp 1927, 1928, 1934, 1929; Writing book 1955-1956; Housewifery notes, with sewing samples, 1904; geography project, 1921, Dame Kitty's book - 1966 contains copies of poems by junior students; Cookery notes, (with recipes) 1904; compositions 1899; The Searchlight, manuscript magazine Vol 1 - 1912, Vol 2 1913, Vol 3, mss, 1914; photographs 1920s in student workbook titled Hygiene; displays 1947, 2000, 2002; journal of exchange visit 1967;

personal papers including Miriam Shillito's (English teacher) letters and papers 1935-1949, and photograph album 1919-1935; Monkhouse sketch books, [1935-1937]; Hill family - Gladys, Kathleen and Lucy - NLCS, student exercise books, notebooks, photos, letters, 1905-1919 (1 box);

personal papers of Dame Kitty Anderson (1903-1979), Headmistress from 1944 - 1965, comprising Founders Day address (undated), certificates to 1924-1971, greeting cards 1956; log book, 1943-1944 and Bath High School photos, 1973; thesis 'The treatment of vagrancy and the relief of the poor and destitute in the Tudor period, based upon the local records of London to 1552 and then to 1576', Submitted for PhD, University London, 1933; letters of congratulation on her DBE award; and related papers;

material relating to Madeleine McLauchlan, Headmistress from 1965-1985, comprising photographs, mainly speeches, invitations, and school files, [1965-1985]; and papers of Joan Clanchy, Headmistress from 1986-1997, comprising photographs, news cuttings, letters and school files [1985-1997];

records relating to the Association of former pupils of NLCS including reports of the Old Pupils Association, 1874-1901; minutes of Old Girls Association general meetings 1916-1939; Old Girls Association attendance book (with addresses) 1916-1953; minutes of Old North Londoners Association Committee 1916-1956; minutes of Old North Londoners Association Annual Business meetings 1941-1979;

records of the Parents Guild including minutes of the Parents Guild Committee 1928-1973, Parents Guild cash book 1928-1940;

financial records of the school including Registration fees, 1963-1972; Fees ledgers 1879, 1939-1943, 1945-1956; Fee books 1872-1976 (incomplete); Ledgers, 1854-1858, 1872-1907, 1910-1982; Day book 1872-1875; Cash books 1872-1907, 1924-1926, 1938-1986; Cash journal 1910-1952; Cash payments 1952-1964; Petty cash books 1921-1926, 1930-1941, 1963-1974; Cash book (House) 1905-1910, 1910-1924; House Keeping petty cash book 1911-1915; Botany and Chemistry cash book, 1914-1961; Physics petty cash book 1917-1975; Staff Committee accounts 1937-1968; Staff salaries books 1875-1923, 1932-1950; NLCS superannuation book 1922-1950; Vouchers II (bills) 1899-1912 ; House receipts 1895-1915; and printed copies of audited accounts;

scrap books and news cuttings collections including scrapbook titled 'Edinburgh Schools' containing pamphlets and notes on schools in Edinburgh, [1871-1872]; newspaper cuttings 1871-1892 relating to NLCS, Camden School, and women's education; general newspaper cuttings 1883-1892; news cutting relating to the School, 1899-1900; news cuttings relating to Frances Mary Buss, 1894-1900; Scrap book of printed critiques of 'Our Magazine, 1883-1893; and two albums containing pamphlets and press cuttings 1850-1876, 1877-1914; Elizabeth II Coronation cuttings; press cuttings relating to former pupils (undated);

records relating to Frances Mary Buss House (FMBH), Bromley-by-Bow, including FMBH Society (executive) committee minutes 1919-1931; Society minutes 1927-1936; general meetings minutes 1924-1968; attendance at Annual General Meetings, 1932-1970; bank book 1932-1944; receipt books 1968-1978; cash books 1925-1929, 1937-1941; FMBH Thrift Club ledgers 1953-1969-1979; FMBH log book of evacuation to Oxford,1940-1942; photographs and drawings including drawings of Sandall Rd buildings, 1939; photographs of school exterior, 1982; albums depicting school life [1900-2000]; NLCS Senior Dramatic Club albums, 1910-1938; evacuation to Luton 1939; school photograph albums, 1877, 1892, 1895 1896, 1900; staff holiday album, 1897; collection of forms, sports, events and staff photographs [1920-1950]; glass plate slides, including images of staff members and pupils, also relating to missionary work (approx 75 slides); photographs of Dame Alice Owen and Dame Kitty Anderson. 1949; photographs of staff and pupil groups, [1850-2003]; various maps and plans relating to the school premises; copy of typescript essay 'Pioneers of women's education in Victorian Britain, a study of the problems found in the education of middle class women in Victorian Britain and the work of the women who solved them', Valerie McAlister, 1992; copies of thesis 'Common threads, curriculum relationship between mathematics and needlework in the history of education', Mary Harris;

publications including Our Magazine, 1875-2000; Camden Magazines 1948-1956, 1958-1959, 1961-1967; NLCS Final year/Sixth form year book 1992-2002; Omnibuss Magazine (Junior School), 1996-present; Online Magazine (publication of the Old North Londoners), 1995-present;

boxes of papers relating to School Advisory Council; Applications for Headmistress 1917, 1940; Fees, free places, scholarships and subsidies by local councils 1920s-1930s; 1990-1992; National Curriculum Council; FMB House, Bromley; Canons Month, 1960s and Vice Versa, 1980s; Done family; Camden School; Head Mistress's Conference 1964; London County Council Minutes and Reports 1901-1911, 1912, 1920, 1921; Education Bills 1869-1901 and departmental memoranda; Centenary letters; Association of Head Mistresses 1887-1977; Direct Grant; Centenary Press;

Audio visual material including video about Kitty Anderson 1965-1979, and audio cassette recording of Open University Program on Frances Mary Buss and Dorothea Beale, NLCS Handel Concert [1985], Women's House, 2000, NLCS Founders Day, Memorial Service for student, 2002;

audio visual material relating to the history of NLCS and Canons, includes 'Everyone Matters', BBC, 1965 featuring Dame Kitty Anderson, and scenes of school life; and 'Story of Canons: nine centuries of building at Canons', 1997.

Records of the North Hackney Central School for Girls comprising one volume of "The Outlook" school magazine (numbers 16-18), 1933 December-1934 July.

The archive consists of:

• papers relating to Helena Normanton's career and legal work

• papers relating to matrimonial law reform

• publications and articles by Helena Normanton

• correspondence with editors of publications

• papers relating to Helena Normanton's other interests in history and to other organisations that she was involved with eg Union of Women Voters

• photographs

• press cuttings (eg Helena Normanton's career, articles and reviews, matrimonial law reform)

• Barristers robe, barristers bands, badges

There are no personal papers.

The archive consists of Priscilla Norman's personal collection of pamphlets, publications and propaganda material relating to the suffrage campaigns. There was a strong tradition of Liberal support in Lady Norman's family, and some of the material is concerned with their activities. The archive includes circular letters and memoranda from the Workers' Suffrage Federation, the National League for Opposing Woman Suffrage and the Men's Liberal Suffrage Union. Also included are pamphlets dating from the late 1870s, a series of annual reports of the Edinburgh National Society for Women's Suffrage (1875-1883), and some anti-suffrage material sent to Sir Henry Norman as a Member of Parliament.

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.

The archive consists of correspondence, campaigning material, photographs, posters, postcards and badges. It mainly relates to the Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp, but also covers international peace campaigns. It includes the manuscript of a book on the menopause.

Records of the National Women Citizens Association including agendas, papers and minutes of the Executive Committee (1949-1974), the Council (1968-1970), organisational working party (1962-1965) and Parliamentary (1949-1955, 1959, 1964-1973), development (1968-1971) and local government (1943-1959) subcommittees; Administrative papers including constitutions (1950-70), executive committee, branch secretary and speaker lists, agendas (1947-1974), minutes, files, correspondence and papers (1937-1974) of AGMs; annual reports (1934, 1938, 1946-1973); financial papers (1951-1974); conference papers, correspondence and files (1947-1974); general correspondence with other groups and branches (1948-1973); publications and leaflets (c.1920-1973); papers of Southern and North Western federations (1949-1974) including minutes of executive committees and AGMs, reports and general files and similar papers of their local branches (1913-1974), with scrapbooks, financial papers and administrative correspondence. The majority of the papers date from 1945-1974.

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.

The archive consists of National Union of Societies for Equal Citizenship (NUSEC) Minutes: Executive (1920-1928), programme and co-ordination (1920), publicity (1920), equal moral standing (1919-1921) and general purposes (1924) committees; minutes of the widows' pensions and equal guardianship (1919-1921), status of wives and mothers (1921-1924), equal franchise (1926), economic independence of women (1920-1921), married women's drafting (1924) and parliamentary (1925-1931) sub-committees; annual council agendas and report (1927-1931); annual reports (1919-1932); programmes; correspondence; leaflets; booklets. National Council for Equal Citizenship (NCEC) Annual reports (1932-1939); programmes; meetings papers; addresses; pamphlets.

The archive consists of reading copies of tapes, summaries and transcriptions of fourteen individual interviews. The National Life Stories (formerly National Life Story Collection (NLSC)) was established at the British Library in 1987 to 'record first-hand experiences of as wide a cross-section of present-day society as possible'. This small collection focuses on the lives of pioneering career women, each of whom made their mark in traditionally male-dominated areas such as politics, the law and medicine. The project was supported by the Women's Library and the Friends of The Women's Library (formerly known as the Fawcett Society Library).

'The National Institute of Houseworkers was set up in 1946 with the primary aim of raising the status of domestic employment. thus attracting more workers into this essential occupation, and establishing, by means of training and by examination of those already possessing the necessary qualifications, a recognised standard of skill for employment under agreed working conditions.' Introduction to The Houseworker - The Journal of The Institute of Houseworkers, March 1951. Address of headquarters 53, Mount Street, London. Collection includes: copies of the journal The Houseworker 1948-1956; Annual Reports 1949-1965 and Conference Reports 1954-1955. Copy of 'A Training Scheme for Houseworkers' not dated.

Collection includes: The position of women after the war: report of the Standing Joint Committee, 1916; A comparison between the rates under certain trade boards for women, 1921; Women in the trade union movement, 1955; The Woman Worker - Journal 1907-1921; agenda of biennial conference; annual reports.

Records of the National Council of Women of Great Britain, formerly the National Union of Women Workers. The records cover a wide variety of material. Minutes from many of the committees created by the NCW including the Executive Committee minutes from 1904, and Annual Reports from 1947 to 1993 can be found along with material relating to property and premises belonging to the NCW. There is a large series of information files which cover topics from Slavery and Prostitution to Animal Welfare and fireworks, as well as a series of publications by the NCW. The largest series is that of the Branch and Regional records which consist of minutes, accounts, reports and papers from many of the branches and regions.

Records of the National Council of One Parent Families including proof of status and policy documents; minutes of committees and working parties, 1918-1995; annual reports, 1918-1989, ledgers and associated accounts; case books and related papers, 1918-1947; fundraising and appeals, 1925-1993; correspondence, including with government and associated bodies (1918-1995); publications, draft bills, acts and legislation, details of Friends and Members.

The archive consists of minutes of the Executive Committee (1931-1959) including officers meetings (1938-1940, 1953-1959), subcommittees (1931-59), of the Finance Committee (1952-1959) with monthly financial statements (1938-1941, 1955-1959), subcommittees (1935-1936) and annual delegates conference (1932-42, 1948-59); papers of Whitley Councils (1952-1955) and arbitration awards (1925-1940); correspondence files (1932-1945); miscellaneous papers (1948-1959); pamphlets, publicity materials and publications (1914-1950s) including newsletters (1936 [incomplete], 1939-43, 1944-1952), monthly letters to branch secretaries (1933-40) and Opportunity (1935-40); papers of constituent bodies including Association of Post Office Women Clerks (1901-1932), the Association of Women Clerks and Secretaries (1919-1935); correspondence regarding typing grades (1914-1949), branches (1936-7, 1950-2), general secretary (1933-1935), organising secretary (1943-1944) and with other bodies (1938, 1945-50); membership records (1955-1958) and personal case files 1949-1958); papers related to equal pay campaigns (1918-1948) and the establishment of temporary staff (1919-50), evacuation (1940-1946) and reconstruction (1942-1946); papers related to the dissolution of the group (1958-1961).

ABBREVIATIONS

NAWCS National Association of Women Civil Servants.

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

The archive consists of minutes and papers of the Executive Committee, the Advisory Committee, the Employment Committee and the Annual General Meeting; annual reports and reports of the Women's service Bureau; Financial Committee minutes, papers and accounts; Advisory Department agendas and reports; correspondence; circular letters.

Pamphlets, leaflets, manifestos, conference reports, histories, speeches, appeals, letters and newsletters, 1976 onwards, issued by Afrikaans-Duitse Kultuurunie (Namibia), the Campaign Against the Namibian Uranium Contracts, Interessengemeinschaft Deutschsprachiger Südwester, the Namibia Support Committee, the South West Africa Volunteer Enterprise, the SWA/Namibia Information Service and the SWAPO Women's Solidarity Campaign.

As at Jan 2009, The Women's Library held approximately 1050 posters in the Museum Collection, with c 100 posters identified in the archives.

The earliest posters held result from suffrage activities and can be divided into three main groups; advertisements for meetings and events, illustrated propaganda posters arguing why women should get the vote, and thirdly newspaper bills bearing suffrage related headlines, used to promote paper sales.

All other posters are arranged by subject and date from the 1970s to the present day. The collection represents a mixture of women's campaigning, campaigning by organisations to promote gender equality, and posters produced to advertise women-focused events and publications. There are a small number of posters that portray women's issues and campaign work internationally. The work of The Equal Opportunities Commission in England and Ireland is particularly well represented as a result of a large donation of their obsolete posters during the 1990s. Also well represented with almost 80 posters is the work of See Red Women's Workshop, a women's liberation screen-printing collective (1974-1984).

As at Jan 2009, The Women's Library held approximately 1,144 postcards in the Museum Collection, with 211 postcards identified in the archives.

The earliest postcards held result from suffrage campaigning and include: documentary photographs of suffrage activities and events, and portraits of activists produced by the Women's Social and Political Union, the Women's Freedom League, and illustrated propaganda cards produced by the Artists' Suffrage League and the Suffrage Atelier. The collection also includes a significant number of anti-suffrage comic cards produced by commercial printers. There is a range of cards illustrating the campaigns for women's enfranchisement in Holland, Sweden, France and USA amongst other countries. Women's contribution to the First World War is documented in a number of postcards that represent the Scottish Women's Hospitals and other hospitals.

In addition, the collection contains contemporary postcards dating from the late 1970s to the present day. It includes a selection of satirical cartoons concerned with female characteristics and roles, a range of cards produced by women's organisations and campaign groups, particularly peace groups, cards representing campaigning on issues internationally.

Most postcards in the collection are blank on the reverse side. There are a number, such as those sent by women on the suffrage caravan tours and during the First World War, which were sent and the text may be useful for research.