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Manuscript volumes collected by Richard Whitfield comprising lecture notes taken either by Whitfield or unidentified pupils including:
one volume of notes on a course of anatomy lectures by Henry Cline including lectures on pathology and physiology, 1793, delivered 1787, taken by Whitfield;
one volume of notes on anatomical lectures of Joseph Else delivered at St Thomas's Hospital, [1780], including notes on John Hunter's lectures on anatomy, 1781, taken by an unidentified pupil;
six volumes of notes on Fordyce's lectures on medicine, delivered [1788-1789], taken by Richard Whitfield, [1792], containing lectures on material medica, natural history of the human body, doctrine of diseases, doctrine of fevers, doctrine of inflammations, particular inflammations, inflammation of the mucous membrane, lues venereal, eruptive fevers, chronic diseases, spasmodic disease;
three volumes of notes on lectures on the practice of physic of James Gregory, delivered at Edinburgh, 1814, taken by an unidentified student;
one volume of notes on William Herbeden's lectures containing observations on the history, nature and cure of poisons, delivered at the College of Physicians, 1749, with copy notes made by Whitfield, 1792;
two volumes of notes on surgical lectures by John Hunter, 1786;
four volumes of notes on anatomical and surgical lectures by Alexander Monro, [1788];
1 volume of notes on Percivall Pott's surgical lectures, delivered [1787], taken down [1794];
and one volume titled Pharmacopoeia Chirurgica vel Institutiones Chirugicae.

The vast majority of these papers relate to Whiteley's life between 1923 and 1938. They cover the years when she lived in England and are also a useful source for information concerning her travels in India, although there is practically nothing relating to her visit to Rome and the period of her residence in Austria.

There is an extensive series of letters written to Whiteley whilst she was living in England. These letters (MS 949/1B) indicate the friendships and contacts that she made in England and maintained overseas. They also give information about her work and activities during this period of her life. The ephemera and other material collected by Whiteley provides supporting information about her concerns and interests during this period (MS 949/5-7). There is a large amount of photographic material in this collection, the bulk of which was created during Whiteley's travels in India during 1924 and 1925 (MS 949/8-9). As well as being a source of information about Whiteley herself and the places which she visited, the images also give information about the region of Udaipur, its people, architecture and social customs. The photographic material is supported by letters to Whiteley and papers and letters written by her whilst in India (MS 949/3).

There is also a significant amount of material written by Whiteley for her own use (MS 949/4). It is rather difficult to make sense of much of this material, although some of it clearly relates to her interests and research. However, these papers clearly give an indication of Whiteley's state of mind at this period.

Records of several generations of the Whitehouse family of Islington. The bulk of the collection comprises a range of family correspondence, including letters from family living or travelling abroad in Pennsylvania and New York, USA; Calcutta, India; Wellington, New Zealand; and France. There are also letters from members of the family serving during the Boer War and the First World War; and letters detailing everyday civilian life in London during the Second World War. Other papers include school reports of Henry Whitehouse junior; papers relating to prizes for artwork; Dramatic Society papers; papers relating to Henry Whitehouse junior acting as Special Constable in Islington; papers relating to property in Hornsey and Islington; financial records and family trees.

Records of the Whitefields Chapel, Tottenham Court Road, 1790-1939, including registers of burials, service sheets, index of speakers, financial accounts, Council and Finance Committee agenda and minutes, magazines, notices and calendars of activities, correspondence relating to financial, management and organisational arrangements and inventories.

Records include registers of baptisms, 1805-1879 and 1930-1974; registers of marriages, 1866-1882 and 1936-1965; registers of burials, 1756-1845 and 1945-1965; roll of members, 1865-1879; minute books; attendance registers; abstract of title to Burial Ground; visitors' books; 'Signal' magazines; leaflets and newsletters; historical articles; reports and correspondence.

Marriage register for Whitefield Memorial Church and Toplady Hall, Tottenham Court Road, 1943.

Interment order book for the Whitechapel Quaker Burial Ground, 1777-1781, comprising printed orders to the gravemaker, annotated with the name, address, age, date and cause of death, monthly meeting membership and date of burial of the deceased.

Records of the Whitechapel Methodist Mission, 1876-1978, comprising records of the Whitechapel Station (Circuit), 1897-1975, including quarterly meetings and accounts (Section A); records of the central administration of the social work of the Mission, 1893-1978, including records of the Trustees, Executive Committee, financial records and staff records (Section B); records of the Working Lad's Institute, 1897-1975, including records from before its take over by the Reverend Jackson in 1897, and of its later developments, Whitechapel House Tulse Hill and Whitechapel House Maple Place, including photographs (Section C); records of Brunswick Hall and the Night Shelter, 1900-1970, including some accounts of life as a homeless person in 1926 (Section D); records of the holiday homes, Southend, 1901-1954 (Section E); records of Windyridge Hostel, 1925-1977 (Section F) and records of other stations brought by Revd Jackson to Whitechapel, 1876-1974 (Section G).

Records of the Whitechapel and Bow Railway, comprising Board meeting minutes; General meeting minutes; minutes of the London, Tilbury and Southend and Metropolitan District Railways Whitechapel and Bow Railway Joint Committee; and minutes of the Midland and Metropolitan District Railways Whitechapel and Bow Joint Committee.

Records of the White family including letter from William White to Miss Sophia Horwood proposing marriage, 1881; marriage certificate of William White and Sophia Horwood, 1882; copy birth certificate of Sophia Horwood, born 29 May 1847, daughter of Edward and Sophia Horwood of Westminster, 1911 and copy marriage certificate of James Snell of Stamford Brook, bachelor, and Sophia Lily White of Stambrook, spinster [daughter of William and Sophia White], 1920.

Records of Thomas Whitby, comprising commonplace books, [1804-1844]; scrapbook containing autographs, mostly of people connected with the Corporation of London, [1830-1835]; and catalogue of Whitby's library, 1834-1836.

Records of Whitbread Properties Limited, a subsidiary of Whitbread and Company Limited, brewers, including corporate registers, accounts and estate ledgers.

Records of Whitbread (London) Limited comprising plans and photographs of public houses from the 1960s and 1970s that came under the jurisdiction of Whitbread (London) Limited.

Records of Whitbread International Limited, a subsidiary company of Whibread and Company Limited, brewers. Records include ledgers detailing Whitbread exports and ship stocks from the 1920s through to the 1970s along with advertising from the launch of various Whitbread products abroad most notably that of Mackeson Stout and Whitbread Premium Draught Beer.

Records of Whitbread and Company Ltd, brewers, with the papers of its subsidiary companies originally based in the London area, 1742-2000. These records will primarily be of interest to those concerned with the foundation and development of breweries or with the history of family businesses. A large collection of plans of properties, including public houses (LMA/4453/F/08), along with the Whitbread Archivist's research files (LMA/4453/G/05) will also be of interest to local historians researching specific public houses in the London area. Genealogical information about Whitbread employees is available in the Salaries Books (LMA/4453/E/01) and Pensioners Books (LMA/4453/E/04).

Corporate records include: minute books; memorandum and articles of association; partnership documents; articles, agreements, trusts and ordinary shares papers; agreements received books; contract books; Directors' fees journals; registers of seals; Sir Sydney O Neville: correspondence and papers; other correspondence and notebooks; agreements; correspondence and related papers; Royal warrants; policy files and partners' correspondence.

Financial records include: account books; balance sheets and accounts; Britannia Street statement of expenditure books; cash and accounts books; deposit ledgers; depreciation ledgers; general journals and ledgers; loan diaries and ledgers; partners ledgers; private ledgers and journals; rest books; securities ledgers; share registers; pocket books for order, rent and cash. Sales records include: beer returns; complaints books; excise books; export ledgers; sales and nominal ledgers; estate trade books; summaries and statistics and Take Home Division.

Production records include: ale brewing books; brewing process; butt books; cask ledger; cellar ledger; notebooks; F G S Baker's notebooks; fermentation books; porter brewing books; purchase ledgers and stock books; sample and sediment reports; starting books and transport and plant. Staff records include: salaries books and lists of employees; employment policy and related papers; accident books and health and pensioners books.

Records relating to premises include: deeds of title: Chiswell Street Brewery; deeds of title: public houses, beer houses and off-licences; deeds received and receipts for deeds books; property ledgers, land valuation and plan drawings of properties; rent ledgers; repairs ledgers; Northern Brewery Project; plans and charts; Chiswell Street Redevelopment and correspondence.

Records relating to advertising and the history of Whitbread include: advertisement albums; newspaper cuttings; photograph albums; histories and articles; archivists' research files and letters in response to advertising campaigns.

Records of subsidiary companies including: Whitbread Properties Limited
Whitbread (London) Limited
Whitbread International Limited
F S Stowells Limited
Ealing Welwyn Restaurants Limited
Forest Hill Brewing Company Limited
Improved Public House Limited
R White and Son Limited
Central Catering Limited
Manor Park Gripper Brothers Limited: Bell Brewery, Tottenham (later Tottenham Depot)
Railway Tavern Limited
Goodhews Limited
H and V Nicholl Limited, The Anchor Brewery, Lewisham
Theydon Hall Farm (later Threshers and Company Limited)
Jude Hanbury and Company Limited
Frederick Leney and Sons Limited
Mackeson and Company Limited Dale Brewery
Top Star Taverns Limited
Amey's Brewery Limited Chelsea Brewery
Douglas Ritchie Limited

Records consist of farm accounts (1920-1937) and stud book listing the pedigree of mares from Theydon Hall Farm.

Staff records of Whitbread and Company Limited, including salary books and ledgers giving information on weekly and monthly salaries over a range of time periods along with details of annuities, pensions and superannuation funds. There are also lists of employees from as early as 1841 (some of which are organised according to occupation), attendance books and information on ex-servicemen employed after the First World War along with sick pay and accident report books, and papers from the 1960s and 1970s detailing company employment policy.

Sales records of Whitbread and Company Limited, brewers, including beer returns (1903-1959), complaints books (1925-1952), excise books (1935-1976), export ledgers (1953-1957), sales and nominal ledgers (1790-1821), estate trade books (1889-1979, these include both public and private trade along with records of the bottling stores), off-licenses and Company interests arranged by region. Also includes summaries, estimates and other sales statistics from across the Company together with papers from the Take Home division.

Production records for Whitbread and Company Limited, brewers, including papers covering all aspects of the production process such as brewing books for ale (1834-1969) and porter (1804-1976), brewing manuals from the 1960s, Head Brewer's reports, butt books (1925-1937) and fermentation books (1802- 1839). Also included are purchase ledgers and stock books for raw materials (1746-1971), sample and sediment reports (1913-1920) and papers relating to transportation and maintenance of the plants including a horse book (1881-1950) along with documentation on general production statistics.

Furthermore a complete series of notebooks belonging to F.G.S Baker are available running unbroken from 1899 to 1925.

Premises records for Whitbread and Company Limited, brewers, including various title deeds and documentation for property owned by Whitbread and Company, ledgers detailing property, rents, repairs and valuations, papers relating to the North Brewery Project and plans of Company premises organised by region.

Corporate records of Whitbread and Company Limited, brewers, including minutes of various corporate meetings (1889-1977), articles of association, partnership documents covering all major partnership agreements including the original agreement between Mr. Whitbread and Mr. Sewell dated 1761, documents relating to the establishment of the limited company including reports and property valuations, papers regarding Company shares, trusts, agreements and patents, contract books, directors' fees journals, registers of seals (1890-1979), royal warrants (1927-1973), policy documents and Company correspondence.

Also included are a substantial collection of managing director Sir Sydney Nevile's papers covering not only all aspects of his work at Whitbread but also his other commitments such as the Institute of Brewing and the Brewing Advisory Committee.

Records of Whitbread and Company Limited, brewers, relating to advertising, memorabilia and personal records, including substantial albums and guard books with Whitbread and Company advertising and labelling from 1935 through to 1980, newscuttings book of adverts commissioned (1921-1996), photographs of premises (1930-1979) and correspondence relating to advertising campaigns. Also included are published histories of the Company from both the nineteenth and twentieth century. This collection also includes the Whitbread Archivist's research files on public houses in the London area, subsidary companies and individuals associated with Whitbread and Company.

Accounts records of Whitbread and Company Limited, brewers, including Company accounts books (1815-1959) together with the annual copies of accounts and balance sheets issued to the director from 1890 through to 1952, statement of expenditure books from Britannia Street (1913-1922), cash books (1770-1959), deposit and depreciation ledgers (1916-1949 and 1938-1951 respectively), loan diaries and applications (1885-1919), securities ledgers and shares registers along with an unbroken series of rest books from 1799 through to 1918 with an additional series of rest books from 1941 to 1956.

Also included are accounts, cash and rent books from some of public houses owned by Whitbread and Company plus a variety of ledgers and journals regarding corporate finances both general and private.

Papers of Daniel Whistler, including commonplace books of prescriptions, diagnoses, exercises in metaphysics and logic, philology, definitions of terms, notes on heraldry and extracts from Aristotle and Hippocrates (in Greek) and from Mercurialis, Fernelius, Sennentus, and others (in Latin); extracts from Tacitus, Caesar, Suetonius, Plutarch, Strabo, Pliny, Quintilian, Aeschylus and Valerius Maximus, in the hand of Whistler; In Aristotelis lib.3 Physicorum Commentarius Analyticus in the hand of Whistler; cash book, pharmacopoeia and medical aphorisms.

Records of Whiffen and Son Ltd, manufacturing chemists, 1752-1972, including history of the company; articles of partnership and other contracts and agreements; legal documents relating to property; correspondence; circulars; financial accounts; papers relating to shares and shareholders; stock records; newspaper cuttings; photographs; staff wages books and pensions papers; records relating to staff associations and sports clubs including minute books; reports on chemical manufacture, laboratory notebooks and chemical analyses; papers relating to sales; papers relating to imports and foreign suppliers; advertisements; registers of product labels; samples of packaging; rules, regulations and legislation regarding factories and safety measures; papers regarding the Second World War including war damage to factories and papers relating to staff on active duty.

Also records of Saint Amand Manufacturing Company Limited including ledgers, letter books and journals.

Papers of architect Robert Phillips Whellock, comprising architectural sketchbooks including details of St Paul's Cathedral, 1858-83; and religious, family and autobiographical writings, 1818-84.

Copies of pocket diaries covering his service in Italy, Jun 1944-Apr 1945. Two photographs of Wheeler, [1939-1945].

Papers, 1926-1933, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, relating to 101 High Street, Plumstead, including leases, assignment, plan and sales catalogue.

Papers of Thomas Wharton comprising his letterbook 1672-1673 and George Wharton's 'Calendarium Carolinum' annotated by Thomas Wharton with records of his medical cases, prescriptions, notes on treatment, copies of letters, receipts and expenditures and notes on current events 1663-[1666].

The letterbook is entitled 'Autographs chiefly of my Literary Friends'. As this indicates, the letters were mostly retained for the signatures and many letters have had the text removed, leaving only the signature and perhaps the address. Other letters are incomplete, usually retaining just the last sheet. Most of the letters are written to Weymouth himself, but some are in the form of testimonials for him.

Records of the Wetherall family relating to their Castlebar and Castle Hill estates in Ealing, including leases, conveyances, abstracts of title, agreements, plans of the estate, and papers relating to a Chancery case regarding part of the estate.

Records of the Justices of the Peace for the Westminster Quarter Sessions of the Peace, 1687-1887. WJP/C contains the original Commissions of the Peace issued to the Justices of the Peace; WJP/L are lists of the justices in those commissions; WJP/D contains names of justices who had paid subscriptions for dinners held at the Sessions House; WJP/O contains a record of oaths taken by justices upon their appointment to the commission; and WJP/R is a record of the qualifications needed by justices in order to be eligible for appointment

Note on the Quarter Sessions records: Although Westminster has fewer surviving records than Middlesex, the City's sessions would have produced similar records to those of the County, but they would have been smaller in quantity, and have included less administrative material. Also, as with all Quarter Sessions records, "seeing that the Custos Rotulorum was a private gentleman or nobleman and the Clerk of the Peace an attorney with a private practice it is likely that many county records were (if not lost or destroyed) handed down to their families or their professional successors" and many may still remain to be found in private hands (Emmison and Gray, County Records, 1987). Those records that have survived are often difficult to read or understand because of the handwriting, use of Latin (until 1733), or legal jargon and abbreviations; although standardised legal formats were used and printed pro formas introduced by the nineteenth century.

For the Middlesex and Westminster records there may also be confusion over the records' arrangement resulting from the attempts at classification by previous generations of archivists which have left many records split up into unnatural groupings. Originally they would not have been sorted into any cohesive arrangement. These were records that were "kept for administrative convenience rather than as sources for future generations" (G. Jones, Quarter Sessions records in the Leicestershire Record Office).

Because of this overlapping between many classes of record, any study of the Westminster records should include consultation of those for Middlesex. There was in any case a lot of co-operation between the two courts during the period covered by the records. Judicial (Gaol Delivery Sessions for example) and administrative functions were shared, as were court personnel (including justices). Westminster prisoners could elect to be tried at the Middlesex sessions, as these were held more frequently than their own.

The sessions records are a very useful source for family history, studying trends in law and order, and the life of the City and its inhabitants over a relatively long period of time. The capital was an area with high levels of crime, the natural place for riot and conspiracy, and attracted a wide variety of people from the whole country and abroad. The main record of proceedings at the sessions will be found in the sessions rolls (MJ/SR and the uncatalogued WJ/SR - index in WJ/CB); the (partially uncatalogued) sessions books (WJ/SB, MJ/SB); and the (partially uncatalogued) sessions papers (WJ/SP, MJ/SP). City administrative work is in the records of the County Day sessions (WJ/O), and for one particular type, in the records of the street surveyors (WJ/SS). Records of judicial procedure are in the records of court fines (WJ/E), writs to summon juries (WJ/W), and the trial process (WJ/Y); Lists of prisoners made at various times during the trial process are in WJ/CC and WJ/CP.

Records enrolled or filed with the Clerk of the Westminster Quarter Sessions of the Peace, 1552-1885. The records classified as WR/A are concerned with the registration of foreigners; WR/B are records produced by Building Surveyors; WR/F are returns of those eligible to serve on juries; WR/L/P covers the licensing of printing presses; WR/LV relate to Licensed Victuallers; WR/ML are concerned with Militia and Lieutenancy; WR/O are Oaths of Office; WR/P are papers concerning Parliamentary Elections; WR/PLT Land Tax; WR/R contains the records produced from the control and recording of all non-conformists; WR/S contains records concerned with Societies; and WR/U records deposited with the court concerning Public Undertakings.

Note on the Quarter Sessions records: Although Westminster has fewer surviving records than Middlesex, the City's sessions would have produced similar records to those of the County, but they would have been smaller in quantity, and have included less administrative material. Also, as with all Quarter Sessions records, "seeing that the Custos Rotulorum was a private gentleman or nobleman and the Clerk of the Peace an attorney with a private practice it is likely that many county records were (if not lost or destroyed) handed down to their families or their professional successors" and many may still remain to be found in private hands (Emmison and Gray, County Records, 1987). Those records that have survived are often difficult to read or understand because of the handwriting, use of Latin (until 1733), or legal jargon and abbreviations; although standardised legal formats were used and printed pro formas introduced by the nineteenth century.

For the Middlesex and Westminster records there may also be confusion over the records' arrangement resulting from the attempts at classification by previous generations of archivists which have left many records split up into unnatural groupings. Originally they would not have been sorted into any cohesive arrangement. These were records that were "kept for administrative convenience rather than as sources for future generations" (G. Jones, Quarter Sessions records in the Leicestershire Record Office).

Because of this overlapping between many classes of record, any study of the Westminster records should include consultation of those for Middlesex. There was in any case a lot of co-operation between the two courts during the period covered by the records. Judicial (Gaol Delivery Sessions for example) and administrative functions were shared, as were court personnel (including justices). Westminster prisoners could elect to be tried at the Middlesex sessions, as these were held more frequently than their own.

The sessions records are a very useful source for family history, studying trends in law and order, and the life of the City and its inhabitants over a relatively long period of time. The capital was an area with high levels of crime, the natural place for riot and conspiracy, and attracted a wide variety of people from the whole country and abroad. The main record of proceedings at the sessions will be found in the sessions rolls (MJ/SR and the uncatalogued WJ/SR - index in WJ/CB); the (partially uncatalogued) sessions books (WJ/SB, MJ/SB); and the (partially uncatalogued) sessions papers (WJ/SP, MJ/SP). City administrative work is in the records of the County Day sessions (WJ/O), and for one particular type, in the records of the street surveyors (WJ/SS). Records of judicial procedure are in the records of court fines (WJ/E), writs to summon juries (WJ/W), and the trial process (WJ/Y); Lists of prisoners made at various times during the trial process are in WJ/CC and WJ/CP.

Records of the Westminster Quarter Sessions of the Peace, 1619-1860, including lists of prisoners awaiting trial; lists of prisoners already tried; lists and rolls of fines; court minutes; lists and registers of charges; sessions papers; sessions rolls; writs of venire facias and trial process records.

Note on the Quarter Sessions records: Although Westminster has fewer surviving records than Middlesex, the City's sessions would have produced similar records to those of the County, but they would have been smaller in quantity, and have included less administrative material. Also, as with all Quarter Sessions records, "seeing that the Custos Rotulorum was a private gentleman or nobleman and the Clerk of the Peace an attorney with a private practice it is likely that many county records were (if not lost or destroyed) handed down to their families or their professional successors" and many may still remain to be found in private hands (Emmison and Gray, County Records, 1987). Those records that have survived are often difficult to read or understand because of the handwriting, use of Latin (until 1733), or legal jargon and abbreviations; although standardised legal formats were used and printed pro formas introduced by the nineteenth century.

For the Middlesex and Westminster records there may also be confusion over the records' arrangement resulting from the attempts at classification by previous generations of archivists which have left many records split up into unnatural groupings. Originally they would not have been sorted into any cohesive arrangement. These were records that were "kept for administrative convenience rather than as sources for future generations" (G. Jones, Quarter Sessions records in the Leicestershire Record Office).

Because of this overlapping between many classes of record, any study of the Westminster records should include consultation of those for Middlesex. There was in any case a lot of co-operation between the two courts during the period covered by the records. Judicial (Gaol Delivery Sessions for example) and administrative functions were shared, as were court personnel (including justices). Westminster prisoners could elect to be tried at the Middlesex sessions, as these were held more frequently than their own.

The sessions records are a very useful source for family history, studying trends in law and order, and the life of the City and its inhabitants over a relatively long period of time. The capital was an area with high levels of crime, the natural place for riot and conspiracy, and attracted a wide variety of people from the whole country and abroad. The main record of proceedings at the sessions will be found in the sessions rolls (MJ/SR and the uncatalogued WJ/SR - index in WJ/CB); the (partially uncatalogued) sessions books (WJ/SB, MJ/SB); and the (partially uncatalogued) sessions papers (WJ/SP, MJ/SP). City administrative work is in the records of the County Day sessions (WJ/O), and for one particular type, in the records of the street surveyors (WJ/SS). Records of judicial procedure are in the records of court fines (WJ/E), writs to summon juries (WJ/W), and the trial process (WJ/Y); Lists of prisoners made at various times during the trial process are in WJ/CC and WJ/CP.

Records of the Clerk of the Peace for the Westminster Quarter Sessions of the Peace, 1665-1807. Records comprise one volume containing the following: copies of orders of Privy Council to the Justices of the Peace of Middlesex and Westminster as to measures to be taken to prevent the spread of plague - including an order to erect a pest house; copies of resultant orders of the Justices to high constables, Churchwardens, etc including orders for removal of lay stalls and repair of an offensive lane; lists of suspected papists and instructions from the Privy Council and others to the Justices of the Peace in connection with them; lists (indexed) of persons who have taken oaths of allegiance and supremacy and subscribed the declaration under Act of 1 Wm and Mary, or who have refused to do so; lists (indexed) of persons convicted of profane cursing and swearing according to the Act of 627 Wm III, 1665-1708.

Also one volume containing the following: register of the names of persons who have been granted Game Certificates at the Westminster Sessions; Commissioners' Certificates under the Property Act, filed at Westminster Sessions; register of certificates of Freemans Lodges, filed at Westminster Sessions; register of the names of persons who carry on the trade of Press and Type Makers, and who have given notice to Westminster Sessions; register of names of persons who carry on the trade of Printer, and who have given notice to Westminster Sessions; register of Surveyors Certificates files at Westminster Sessions; 1799-1807.

Also a booklet containing standing orders, with appendix, 1840.

Note on the Quarter Sessions records: Although Westminster has fewer surviving records than Middlesex, the City's sessions would have produced similar records to those of the County, but they would have been smaller in quantity, and have included less administrative material. Also, as with all Quarter Sessions records, "seeing that the Custos Rotulorum was a private gentleman or nobleman and the Clerk of the Peace an attorney with a private practice it is likely that many county records were (if not lost or destroyed) handed down to their families or their professional successors" and many may still remain to be found in private hands (Emmison and Gray, County Records, 1987). Those records that have survived are often difficult to read or understand because of the handwriting, use of Latin (until 1733), or legal jargon and abbreviations; although standardised legal formats were used and printed pro formas introduced by the nineteenth century.

For the Middlesex and Westminster records there may also be confusion over the records' arrangement resulting from the attempts at classification by previous generations of archivists which have left many records split up into unnatural groupings. Originally they would not have been sorted into any cohesive arrangement. These were records that were "kept for administrative convenience rather than as sources for future generations" (G. Jones, Quarter Sessions records in the Leicestershire Record Office).

Because of this overlapping between many classes of record, any study of the Westminster records should include consultation of those for Middlesex. There was in any case a lot of co-operation between the two courts during the period covered by the records. Judicial (Gaol Delivery Sessions for example) and administrative functions were shared, as were court personnel (including justices). Westminster prisoners could elect to be tried at the Middlesex sessions, as these were held more frequently than their own.

The sessions records are a very useful source for family history, studying trends in law and order, and the life of the City and its inhabitants over a relatively long period of time. The capital was an area with high levels of crime, the natural place for riot and conspiracy, and attracted a wide variety of people from the whole country and abroad. The main record of proceedings at the sessions will be found in the sessions rolls (MJ/SR and the uncatalogued WJ/SR - index in WJ/CB); the (partially uncatalogued) sessions books (WJ/SB, MJ/SB); and the (partially uncatalogued) sessions papers (WJ/SP, MJ/SP). City administrative work is in the records of the County Day sessions (WJ/O), and for one particular type, in the records of the street surveyors (WJ/SS). Records of judicial procedure are in the records of court fines (WJ/E), writs to summon juries (WJ/W), and the trial process (WJ/Y); Lists of prisoners made at various times during the trial process are in WJ/CC and WJ/CP.

Papers of the Westminster Quarter Sessions of the Peace relating to administration, 1713-1883. Records relate to the House of Correction, Tothill Fields (also known as Westminster Bridewell and the Westminster House of Correction), including reports, letter book and minute books of the Visiting Justices; papers relating to the Governor of the House of Correction and other staff, including bonds, financial accounts and petitions; bills for maintenance and repair works; inventories; reports; returns of the number of prisoners; lists of prisoners; regulations; warrants and orders; correspondence and plans of the building.

Also minute book of the Committee of Accounts for City and Liberty of Westminster, 1839-1844.

Note on the Quarter Sessions records: Although Westminster has fewer surviving records than Middlesex, the City's sessions would have produced similar records to those of the County, but they would have been smaller in quantity, and have included less administrative material. Also, as with all Quarter Sessions records, "seeing that the Custos Rotulorum was a private gentleman or nobleman and the Clerk of the Peace an attorney with a private practice it is likely that many county records were (if not lost or destroyed) handed down to their families or their professional successors" and many may still remain to be found in private hands (Emmison and Gray, County Records, 1987). Those records that have survived are often difficult to read or understand because of the handwriting, use of Latin (until 1733), or legal jargon and abbreviations; although standardised legal formats were used and printed pro formas introduced by the nineteenth century.

For the Middlesex and Westminster records there may also be confusion over the records' arrangement resulting from the attempts at classification by previous generations of archivists which have left many records split up into unnatural groupings. Originally they would not have been sorted into any cohesive arrangement. These were records that were "kept for administrative convenience rather than as sources for future generations" (G. Jones, Quarter Sessions records in the Leicestershire Record Office).

Because of this overlapping between many classes of record, any study of the Westminster records should include consultation of those for Middlesex. There was in any case a lot of co-operation between the two courts during the period covered by the records. Judicial (Gaol Delivery Sessions for example) and administrative functions were shared, as were court personnel (including justices). Westminster prisoners could elect to be tried at the Middlesex sessions, as these were held more frequently than their own.

The sessions records are a very useful source for family history, studying trends in law and order, and the life of the City and its inhabitants over a relatively long period of time. The capital was an area with high levels of crime, the natural place for riot and conspiracy, and attracted a wide variety of people from the whole country and abroad. The main record of proceedings at the sessions will be found in the sessions rolls (MJ/SR and the uncatalogued WJ/SR - index in WJ/CB); the (partially uncatalogued) sessions books (WJ/SB, MJ/SB); and the (partially uncatalogued) sessions papers (WJ/SP, MJ/SP). City administrative work is in the records of the County Day sessions (WJ/O), and for one particular type, in the records of the street surveyors (WJ/SS). Records of judicial procedure are in the records of court fines (WJ/E), writs to summon juries (WJ/W), and the trial process (WJ/Y); Lists of prisoners made at various times during the trial process are in WJ/CC and WJ/CP.

Letter from Charles, 2nd Viscount Townsend, to Lord Delaware, chairman of the sessions of the peace for Westminster, announcing the decision that the Treasury Solicitor will in future defend all constables and other peace officers of Westminster in actions brought against them 'for searching houses where Felons and other disorderly Persons resort' by warrant of the justices. Dated 26 October 1728.

Document relating to a plea heard at Westminster, 1807: Crichton Horne and Edward Finch, (plaintiffs) v John Moore.

Records of Westminster Magistrates Court, 1896-1943, including court registers; rates registers; means enquiry summonses; summonses indexes; Married Women Act orders; bastardy complaints and letter book.

Court registers record the date of the hearing, the name of the informant or complainant (often the police), the name of the defendant, a brief note of the offence and the decision of the magistrate. Court minute books or notebooks are rough notes of the proceedings recording the gist of the evidence given.

Domestic proceedings: A married woman under the provisions of the Summary Jurisdiction (Married Women) Act 1895 and subsequent Acts could go to a magistrates' court and apply for orders which in certain circumstances would enable her to separate from her husband, have custody of any children and receive maintenance from him. Under the Poor Law Amendment Act 1844 a mother expecting a bastard child or who had given birth to one could obtain a maintenance order against the putative father.

Papers of Westminster Hospital, 1802-1818, comprising a volume by an unknown author, containing lists of male and female patient records and observations.

Documents relating to the Westminster Bridge inquisitions, 1739-1746. The documents relate to the acquisition of land in Westminster. For each case there is a precept for summoning a jury, a list of jurymen and their resulting inquisition. The list records the general location of the property and the owner or leaseholder concerned.

Records of Westminster Bridge Commissioners, comprising volume of draft contracts and papers relating to the Bridge, including 'Act for building a Bridge cross the River Thames, from the New Palace Yard in the City of Westminster, to the opposite Shore, in the County of Surry' and articles of agreement and contracts for various aspects of building the bridge and provision of materials.

The volume is a later re-binding, possibly of the 19th century. The contracts had been paginated, and so, presumably, bound together at an earlier date. The pagination runs from 153 to 261, the right hand (odd) pages only being numbered; the surviving items thus appear to be part only of an earlier compilation. From the note made and signed by Taylor White on p.207, and the endorsements on pp [194] and [208], it appears likely that the papers were among the working papers of the Commissioners themselves.

Records of the City of Westminster Poor Law Union, 1889-1936, including minutes of meetings of the Board of Guardians; minutes and papers of Committees including the Buckingham Palace Road Workhouse Committee, Edmonton Workhouse Committee, Hospital Committee, Visiting Committee and Settlement and Revision Committee; correspondence and standing orders; registers for the Belmont Workhouse, Chelsea Workhouse, Edmonton Workhouse and Fulham Road Workhouse; registers of children sent into service; financial accounts and personnel files.

Records of the Saint Margaret and Saint John Poor Law Union, 1864-1870, including minutes of the Board of Guardians; minutes of Committees including the Kensington Workhouse Visiting Committee; correspondence; orders of removal to other Unions and financial accounts.

Records of Saint George's Hanover Square Poor Law Union, 1836-1924, including minutes of the Board of Guardians; minutes of Committees including the Buckingham Palace Road Workhouse Committee, the Fulham Road Workhouse Committee, the Kensington Workhouse Visiting Committee, the Mount Street Workhouse Committee, the Petty France Workhouse Committee, and the Milman Street Receiving Home for Children Committee; orders of removal to and from other Unions; registers of lunatics; registers from the Buckingham Palace Road Workhouse, Fulham Road Workhouse and Mount Street Workhouse; registers of children in care including indentures of apprenticeship, registers of children on the Exmouth Training Ship and registers of children at the Milman Street Receiving Home for Children; financial accounts and staff records.

Records of the Saint Martin in the Fields Poor Law Union, 1824-1870, including minutes of the Board of Guardians; correspondence; relief order books; settlement examinations; registers for the Castle Street Workhouse; registers for the Norwood Schools and financial accounts.

Records of the Strand Poor Law Union, 1802-1928, including minutes of the Board of Guardians; minutes of Committees including the Edmonton Workhouse Committee and the Sheffield Street Workhouse Committee; correspondence; settlement examinations; orders of removal to and from other Unions; registers of the Cleveland Street Workhouse, the Edmonton Workhouse, the Saint Giles Workhouse and the Sheffield Street Workhouse; registers of Edmonton Schools; financial accounts and staff records.

Records of the Westminster Poor Law Union, 1833-1914, including minutes of the Board of Guardians; Committee minutes; correspondence with government departments; settlement examinations; Relieving Officer's reports; orders of removal to and from other Unions; registers of the Westminster Union Workhouse; indentures of apprenticeships; registers of Westminster Union Schools, Tooting; financial accounts and staff records.

Papers collected by the bank in the course of their work, comprising recovery relating to 1/3 part of 10 messuages, 1 court, and ½ acre in Saint Marylebone and Saint Pancras, with seal and portrait of George IV, 1828; and counterpart lease for premises on Tottenham Court Road, 1859.

Board minute books of Westminster and Kensington Freeholds Limited.

Minutes of the Westminster and General Insurance Company Limited.

Receipts issued to Thomas Strafield for payment of rates to the Westminster Commission of Sewers for the Kings Scholars Pond, and to the parish of Saint James's, Westminster for the care of the poor, 1777-1778.

Records of the Western Synagogue, Marylebone, consisting of registers of kethubot [marriage contracts].

PLEASE NOTE: Records can only be accessed with the written permission of the depositor. Contact the Chief Executive, United Synagogue.

Western Manuscripts, c 1250-19th century, including receipt books (domestic medical remedies and culinary recipes), illuminated psalters and prayer books, case notes and prescription books. highlights include: the Wilton Psalter, c 1250; a 15th century copy of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales; medical receipt and prescription books from the 17th century.

Records of the Western Gas Light Company, 1821-1860, including deed of settlement, Acts of Parliament relating to the Company, licences, papers relating to property, legal case papers, minutes of Directors' meetings and minutes of Shareholders' meetings.