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Records of the Worshipful Company of Gardeners. The archives date from 1605, however, the early membership records are patchy, and the court minutes do not begin until the second half of the 18th century. The archive is not large, but it is notable for a series of scrapbooks recording the history of the company since 1345, begun by the company in 1934 and continuing to the present day.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING ACCESS: These records are stored at the Guildhall Library site rather than the LMA Clerkenwell site. Researchers wishing to access these records should do so at the Guildhall Library Rare Books table. The Library is open Monday to Saturday, 9:30 to 16:45. Researchers will need to have an Archives History Card or a Library Readers Card. An archivist will be available at Guildhall Library on Thursday mornings to answer any queries.

Records of Worshipful Company of Fruiterers, 1606-2000. The records include registers of freedom admissions; apprentice bindings from 1749; charters; Court minute books; papers of Richard Sherwin Gothard (Master 1982-3), the Company's Hon. Archivist; quarterage books; papers concerning the Company's Ridley Medal, awarded every three years, for outstanding services to fruit culture; financial accounts; letter books and photographs. No membership records are available before 1748.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING ACCESS: These records are stored at the Guildhall Library site rather than the LMA Clerkenwell site. Researchers wishing to access these records should do so at the Guildhall Library Rare Books table. The Library is open Monday to Saturday, 9:30 to 16:45. Researchers will need to have an Archives History Card or a Library Readers Card. An archivist will be available at Guildhall Library on Thursday mornings to answer any queries.

The archive consists of the extensive correspondence with the University of London and other bodies, conducted by Margaret Judith Smieton's mother between 1919-1922 and reflects the then prevailing uncertainties regarding available types and scope of horticultural degree courses, qualifications for grants, terms of admission etc.

The collection is made up of minute books, a register of attendance, and a register of prizewinners at the annual flower shows. There is also a run of Monthly Bulletings produced by the society and a run of show schedules.

The archive comprises two volumes relating to work carried out at Gravetye Manor, 227 letters written to William Robinson and his nurse, Mary Gilpin, and a small number of papers collected by William Robinson. The letters reflect Robinson's wide network of friends and acquaintances, and topics represent many aspects of 19th- and early 20th-century society. His correspondents include fellow horticulturalists (E.A. Bowles, Gertrude Jekyll, Frank Crisp, Mrs C.W. Earle, Frances Wolseley, Arthur Bulley, Samuel Reynolds Hole, Robert Marnock, Ellen Willmott, Augustine Henry), botanists (J.D. Hooker, Reginald Farrer, Frederick Hanbury, Arthur Hill, J.T. Boswell, George Maw, Henry Vilmorin), scientists (Charles Darwin, Richard Owen, Oliver Lodge), social reformers (Edwin Chadwick, John Hanham), figures from the art world (Edward Burne-Jones, Frank Miles, John Ruskin, Carolus-Duran, Alfred Parsons), writers and poets (Oliver Wendell Holmes, Francis Newman, Henry Avray Tipping, E.V. Lucas, Alfred Austin, Charles Reade) and other well-known individuals such as Joseph Chamberlain, Viscount Esher, Lord Ronald Gower, Lady Constance Lytton, Heinrich Schliemann, Émile Faguet, William Tegetmeier and Vernon Lushington. While much of the correspondence focuses on gardening and horticultural matters, the letters also reflect Robinson's interest in the promotion of cremation, his protests against new taxes and the Government of the day, and include descriptions of individuals' experiences during the Franco-Prussian War and the Frist World War, and visits to Gravetye Manor, East Grinstead, where Robinson lived from 1883.

Three volumes constituting a journal of a tour through Wales and England. Parnell visited country seats and commented on design, making notes and drawings. The fourth volume is an account book detailing personal expenses, expenses of building his house in Ireland plus an account of the building progress.

Personal papers of Allan Victor Batley (1887-1970), relating to his career as a horticulturalist, with particular references to his time as the superintendent of the Parks and Cemeteries Department of the Borough of Dagenham, including letters of reference, written by his previous employers at Broke Hall Gardens, Ipswich, the Gardens at Leyswood, Groombridge, Waddesdon Manor Gardens, Aylesbury and Ashorne Hill Gardens, Leamington, as well as further correspondence, concerning his examination with the Royal Horticultural Society and his involvement with the Beacontree Heath Allotment Holders Association (30 March 1907-19 December 1934), together with photographs, showing him and family members, his private garden and the parks that he tended, such as Valence Park, Dagenham. Also accompanied by newspaper cuttings and printed certificates, awarded to him for participating in competitions involving vegetables and floral displays at the Dagenham Town Show (August 1950 and September 1951). Also accompanied by his birth, marriage and death certificates and a communion book.

Letters from Sir Robert Moray to his friend Alexander Bruce, Earl of Kincardine, also known as 'The Kincardine Papers'. Bruce was sick of the ague in Bremen for part of this time, and the letters were written to alleviate the tedium of of Bruce's illness, hence ranging over topics which might not otherwise have been the subjects of correspondence. They include accounts of chemical experiments in his laboratory, his interest in magnetism, medicine in all its aspects, horticulture, fuel, whale fishing, its risks and profits, coal mining, water wheels and tide mills, stone quarrying and the various qualities of different stones, the pumping works needed for undersea coal mines at Bruce's home at Culross in Fifeshire, even to the trees whose wood was best for pipelines, and the diameter of the bore best suited to the purpose. Familiarity is shown with mathematical and surveying instruments, with music, and all sorts of mechanical devices and especially clocks and watches, more particularly the taking out of a patent in respect of a clock for use at sea for finding longitude. Bruce is advised on the choice of books over a wide range of subjects. Moray includes anecdotes to amuse his ailing correspondent; he describes his quiet life and is enthusiastic about many of his chemical experiments. Notable at the end of the letters Moray added what he described as his Masonic signature - a pentagram which also occurs in his crest.

Letters from Sir Robert Moray to his friend Alexander Bruce, Earl of Kincardine, 1657-1673. Also known as 'The Kincardine Papers'. Bruce was sick of the ague in Bremen for part of this time, and the letters were written to alleviate the tedium of his illness, hence ranging over topics which might not otherwise have been the subjects of correspondence. They include accounts of chemical experiments in his laboratory, his interest in magnetism, medicine in all its aspects, horticulture, fuel, whale fishing, its risks and profits, coal mining, water wheels and tide mills, stone quarrying and the various qualities of different stones, the pumping works needed for undersea coal mines at Bruce's home at Culross in Fifeshire, even to the trees whose wood was best for pipelines, and the diameter of the bore best suited to the purpose. Familiarity is shown with mathematical and surveying instruments, with music, and all sorts of mechanical devices and especially clocks and watches, more particularly the taking out of a patent in respect of a clock for use at sea for finding longitude. Bruce is advised on the choice of books over a wide range of subjects. Moray includes anecdotes to amuse his ailing correspondent; he describes his quiet life and is enthusiastic about many of his chemical experiments. Notable at the end of the letters Moray added what he described as his Masonic signature - a pentagram which also occurs in his crest.

Correspondence of and papers relating to Sir Bernard Augustus Keen, 1931-1982, comprising correspondence between Keen and Sir (Alfred) Daniel Hall, 1931, then Director of the John Innes Horticultural Institution, relating to the setting up of the Agricultural Research Council and the offer to Keen of the position of Secretary, also including a letter from Hall commenting on Keen's report on Indian agriculture; letters of farewell to and from Keen and press cutting on his retirement from East Africa and return to Britain, 1954; letters from Sir (Edward) John Russell, 1962-1963, relating mainly to Russell's history of agricultural science in Britain, but also recalling Keen's appointment at Rothamsted in 1913 and [Ernest?] Rutherford's praise of his book The Physical Properties of the Soil (1931); letters from G D H Bell on Keen's retirement as Editor, Journal of Agricultural Science, 1965; letter of condolence from Royal Meteorological Society on Keen's death, 1981; Sir (Herbert) Charles Pereira's memoir of Keen for Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, vol xxviii (1982), with related correspondence of Pereira, 1982.

Charter of the Horticultural Society of London.

Programmes, schedules and certificates from various horticultural shows, 1974-1983; including Middlesex County Shows, local horticultural and allotment society shows, local garden guild shows and the City of London Flower Show.

Records of Harrisons Nursery Garden in Kensington, 1755-1839. The most interesting are the records of the nursery and seed business begun by Henry Hewitt in 1775 or earlier and carried on by his nephews John and Samuel Harrison. These include account books and stock books which list a wide variety of seeds of vegetables and flowers, bulbs bought from Holland, and seedlings of various ornamental trees, shrubs and fruit trees. Some were grown at the nursery but the majority were grown by country farmers on contract. The business was run with some success and had regular clients in all parts of England including many titled families. It was the practice for one of the partners to travel round the country to collect payment for outstanding accounts and probably orders (for the expenses for these trips include many gratuities to gardeners). In spite of this and an apparent high turnover, however, clients were bad at paying bills and the business was sometimes in difficulties. New partners brought fresh capital from time to time. The last partner was William Bristowe who joined in 1819 with, a fourth share, the firm then being described as Harrison and Bristowe. In 1833, however, Samuel Harrison was described as a bankrupt.

Also included are the records of Lane and Prideaux, solicitors, 1775-1839, concerning the settlement of the estate of Samuel Harrison, a bankrupt, and the estate of his uncle Henry Hewitt, d.1790 and other relatives and friends for whom the Harrison family acted as executors, and the payment of annuities under Henry Hewitt's will.

Licence from Evelyn Estate enabling Grove Street School, Deptford to use adjacent land in Sayes Court for instruction of pupils in the cultivation of flowers.

Records of the Greater London Council, 1810-1988. Papers of the Architect's Department including the Building Regulations Division, Street Naming Section, District Surveyors, Education Division, Maintenance Division, Engineering Division, Structural Engineer, Historic Buildings Division, Housing and Town Development Branch, Technical Publications, Photograph Library, Plan Registry, Special Works Branch and Technical Policy Division; and papers of the GLC London Community Builders.

Papers of the Director-General's Department, including papers of the Administration Division, Finance Division, Personnel Division, Registry and Dispatch Division, Record Office and Library, Director-General's Board, Public Health and Safety Programme Board, Ceremonial Office, Entertainments Licensing Group, Ethnic Minorities Unit, Housing and Technical Services Committees, Industry and Employment Branch, Intelligence Unit and Policy Study Groups, Judicial Services Section, Majority Party Secretariat, Member's Support Unit, Minority Party Secretariat, Police Committee Support Unit, Professional and General Services Committee, Programme Office, Policy and Resources Group, Public Relations Branch, Public Services and Fire Brigade Department, Planning Transport and Industry Group, Scrutiny Committee, Secretariat, Scientific Services Branch, Town Development Committee and Women's Committee Support Unit. Also Committee agendas, minutes and papers, periodicals, and publications of the Council.

Papers of the London Fire Brigade administrative branch. Papers of the Public Health Engineering Department, including the Rivers Branch and the Solid Waste Management Branch. Papers of the Housing Department, including the Controller of Housing and Technical Services, the Directors of Housing, the Development Branch, Management Branch, Professional Services Branch, Renewals Branch and Thamesmead Branch. Papers of the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Department including the Design and Technical Policy Branch and the Maintenance Branch.

Papers of the Medical Adviser's Department including the School Health Division, Health and Housing Division, Inspectorate, Mental Deficiency case files and Slum Clearance case files. Papers of the Recreation and Arts Department including papers of the Director of Development and Controller of Operational Services, papers of the General Landscaping Division, Housing Landscaping Division, Thamesmead Landscaping Division, Planning and Strategy Division, Architectural Design and Construction Division, General Practice Surveying Division, Entertainments and Fairs Division, Information and Publicity Division, Sports Division, Grants Branch, Open Space and Recreation Branch, Horticulture Division, Open Air Entertainments Division and Parks Department.

Papers of the Supply Department. Papers of the Transportation and Development Department, including papers of the Controller of Transportation and Development, papers of the Construction Branch, Statutory Division, Local Plans Division, Land Use Section, Programme Management and Resources Branch, Cycling Project Team, Chief Traffic Engineer, Traffic Control Division, Plan Registry, Traffic Management Section, Transport Planning Branch, Environmental Management Division, and Policy and Projects Division. Also Greater London Development Plan files, photographs, technical publications, and Greater London traffic surveys.

Also papers of individual members of the GLC including Ken Livingstone, GLC Leader 1981-1986; Paul Boateng, Chairman of GLC Police Committee, 1981-1986; Sir Horace Cutler, GLC Leader, 1977-1981; papers of staff clubs and societies and non-GLC publications concerning the Council and its work.

Records of Enfield and District Carnation Society, 1952-1980, namely administrative and financial records, comprising minutes and reports of annual general meetings, 1953-1977; certificate of affiliation to the Royal Horticultural Society, 1952; lists of members, 1966-1969; committee meetings, 1946-1977; financial records, 1953-1977; correspondence, 1957-1980; records of shows, 1949-1977; printed material, 1957-1974, comprising tickets and membership cards, 1968-1973; newsletters and publicity, 1957-1974; information and promotional material, undated.

Papers of Henry John Elwes, 1865-1920, comprising notes and notebooks; photographs of trees and furniture and assorted press cuttings and additional papers.

Records of the Ealing Horticultural Society, comprising financial accounts, correspondence, annual reports, and registers of awards and prizes.

Records of the Barbican Horticultural Society, mainly comprising correspondence files, but also including a copy of the constitution of the Society, members' returns, and leaflets. They were catalogued by a member of Guildhall Library staff in 1992.

THE RECORDS ARE SUBJECT TO A 30 YEAR CLOSURE PERIOD. Access to records less than 30 years old should be sought from the Society (contact details may be obtained from staff).