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Two volumes of a manuscript diary, 1858-1859, recording the daily activities of James Patterson, a master at the Deaf and Dumb Institution, Manchester, run by his uncle. As well as the daily routine of teaching, Patterson describes his own studies at the School of Art, his interest in athletics and sports, communication with his family in Cornwall and a visit to London over Christmas 1858 (in which he walks about the city, visits the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Crystal Palace at Sydenham and another establishment of that name at Great Portland Street, and witnesses some mesmeric experiments).

Minutes, 1875-1958; Chairman's papers, 1928-1929; Committee papers, 1926-1938; rule book, 1936; annual reports, 1878-1957; correspondence with the Ministry of Health, 1920-1957; correspondence with the Board of Education, 1921-1947; correspondence with Kent County Education Committee, 1920-1937; case papers, 1929-1946; orders for goods placed by the Army Ordnance Department, the Blind Employment Factory, the Port of London Authority and the Office of Works, 1915-1928; correspondence with Banstead, Holborn and Hackney Poor Law Unions, 1926-1928; advertising handout, 1930; legal papers, 1890-1892; sales particulars, including catalogues, inventories and agreements, 1891-1935; papers regarding the centralization of collections for the blind in London, 1923; correspondence with the Charity Commissioners, 1900s; financial accounts, 1925-1960.

Papers of Samuel Crompton, 1841-1845, comprising a volume containing detailed lists of the blind people in the Manchester, Salford, and Chorlton Union Workhouses, 1841. Including a copy of a report by Crompton, sent to Dr Lyon Mayfair, 10 Dec 1843; and correspondence relating to blindness.

The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence: the Singers were clearly vigorous letter writers and both Charles and Dorothea had an enormous number of family, friends and acquaintances. Unfortunately many of their letters were hand written and very few carbon copies survive. Very occasionally an attempt at methodical selection and arrangement is evident: on the whole correspondence had been kept in alphabetical order, and this has been retained in the arrangement of the collection. Dorothea and Charles' correspondence was fairly mixed (reflecting their working life together) with the exception of two distinct groups: correspondence about Dorothea's research on alchemical manuscripts, and later correspondence about her hearing aids.

The main part of the collection centres on the correspondence; this has been grouped together in a self-evident sequence: writings and biographical personal papers follow. Certain of Dorothea's papers remained clearly distinct and these have been kept together. Section E contains a variety of material relating to Jewish refugees, which had been placed on one side by Dorothea after the war for permanent preservation. It has not been listed in detail but sorted into three broad categories. The last section, comprising additional correspondence of the Singers with Sir Zachary Cope, Sir Arthur Salusbury MacNalty and Dr F N L Poynter, is not strictly part of the collection, but these groups of correspondence were given to the Institute to be placed alongside the Singer papers.

The initial deposit, sections A-K, consists mainly of correspondence and associated papers (leaflets, memoranda, extracts from minutes, etc.). There are two main series of correspondence: 'People' and 'General' and some other distinct smaller series such as 'Branches and other Societies'. The internal arrangement of these files is normally chronological, with a few exceptions (usually an alphabetical arrangement). There are also lecturers' report sheets, publications, slides, posters, charts, and photographs, mainly but not exclusively in Section G: Propaganda and Publicity. There is a set of Annual Reports and related material 1908-1979 (Section A). Under the will of Dr. Marie Stopes the Eugenics Society was left her birth control clinic, books from her library and certain emoluments. Three boxes of her correspondence and some miscellanea, were assigned to section K. In 1988 minute books and the Society's extensive collection of press cuttings plus some financial records were added as GB0120 SA/EUG/L-N.

Records of the Royal Association for Deaf People. The collection contains a wealth of information relating to the development of work with Deaf people over the 19th and 20th centuries in London and south-east England, including relief of the necessitous poor in the 19th century, the establishment of Deaf church communities from the 1880s and the early promotion of Sign Language as a recognised form of communication in the 1850s by Reverend Samuel Smith.

The records include:

Corporate records (LMA/4172/A) in relation to the Association's Trustee Committee, Standing Subcommittee, Executive Committee, Building Committee, Spiritual Subcommittee, Personnel Committee, Property and Personnel Sub-Committee, Finance and Fund Raising Committee, Public Relations Subcommittee, secretary's correspondence, annual reports, agreements, permanent year end papers, annual general meetings, Board of Trustees papers, and Essex Deaf Council.

Financial and Staff records (LMA/4172/B) consisting of accounts, legacies, salaries and expenses, and Staff meetings Minutes, and administration.

Records of Saint Faith's Home (LMA/4172/C) consisting of minutes of the Management Committee, accounts, and registration.

Branch and Mission Church records (LMA/4172/D) in relation to Croydon Branch, Saint Barnabus Church in Lerwisham, Saint Matthews Mission and Saint Paul's Hall in Walworth, Woolwich Deaf and Dumb Mission in Beresford Square, Saint Bedes in Lambeth, All Saints in Croydon, Saint Saviours Chapel on Oxford Street, Saint John of Beverely on Green Lane, All Saints in West Ham, and Saint Cedd in Romford.

Printed Material and photographs (LMA/4172/E) consisting of press cuttings, magazines and newsletters, events material and talks, photographs, posters/leaflets and advertising material, staff resources, and historical notes.

Audio-visual records (LMA/4172/F) consisting of videos and audio cassettes.

Electronic records (LMA/4172/G) consisting of documents saved on a CD.

Property records (LMA/4172/H) in relation to 120 Selhurst Road in Croydon, 26 Harold Road in Essex, and 4 The Drive in Middlesex.

Archives of the Action for Blind People / London Association for the Blind (LAB), comprising:

minutes of LAB Directors' and Annual General Meetings, 1944-1972;

minutes of LAB Homes and Hostels / Buildings Sub-committee, 1928-1932; Buildings and Estates / General Purposes and Buildings Committee, 1932-1942; General Purposes and Trading subcommittee 1942-1946 and Building and Estates Sub committee, 1946-1948;

minutes of LAB Finance sub-committee, 1928-1930; 1930-1938; Finance and general purposes subcommittee, 1938-1952;

minutes of the LAB Ladies Committee of the Association, 1911-1917; and Sales sub-committee of the Ladies Committee, 1920;

LAB Memoranda and Articles of Association, 1910, 1962, 1978, 1985; List of officers and patrons of the Association, 1857-1965;

LAB Analysis of Balance sheets, 1857-1956; Audit notebook, 1924-1926; Annual statements of accounts 1931, 1934-1939; Account book (of donations?) 1961-1981; Bought ledger and Blind average books, 1928-1945; Managers (weekly) reports, 1886-1887;

scrap book containing press cuttings relating to the Association, 1937-1965; Scrap book containing Association publicity material including flyers for events and fundraising circulars, 1928-1954;

LAB Visitors Book, 1954-1978;

printed matter including Annual Reports 1876-77; 1879-1987; The Blind Record, 1914-1924, 1937-1938; News for LAB, Numbers 5, 7, 8 [1960s-1970s]; Re:Action 2001-2003;

printed catalogues [1920s-1930s]; 'Plastic mouldings by the Blind'; Brochures and leaflets relating to LAB Hostels, Cooper Lodge postcards; opening of Swail House, Epsom, 1952;

files relating to moulding shop development Reports and notes, 1954-1955; Welding lesson notes, 1988; correspondence relating to bequests, 1972-1983; papers and letters relating to the opening of the Russell Hotel, Bognor Regis, by Princes Alexandra, Jul 1968;

photographs 1920s-2003;

Hearth and Home, 1936, (renamed Alphega (Sportswear) Ltd, then Lafega) Hearth and Home share certificates, 1910-1926; Lafega Register of members, directors, managers, transfers and mortgages and charges, 1910-1971; Minutes of H& Board of directors of the Company, including register of shareholders, 1910-1926; minutes of H&H/ Lafega annual meetings and directors' meetings, 1925-1944; Lafega Annual statements of accounts, 1936-1972 (incomplete);

Wheyo Tool Company Ltd
minutes of Directors, 1964-1970; Register of shares, and company directors etc, 1949-1971; minutes of AGM 1971; Annual statement of accounts, 1964-1971;

Archives of the Barclay institutions comprising minutes of the Committee of the Barclay Institutions for the Blind, 1919-1931; Barclay Workshop reference book, [1905-1943]; minutes of Barclay Workshops (for Blind Women), 1905-1912; 1912-1926; 1926-1942; Barclay Home Reports, 1893-1942; Barclay Workshop Reports, 1906-1943.