Letter from Sarah Smith of 17 The Grove, Clapham Common to Mr Pattison, 16 Apr [1886]. Thanking him for his offer of help. 'We like our new house very much, especially the quiet of its surroundings, as we have gardens and fields before us, and the Common within three minutes' walk ... These are very stirring times. I cannot see how Home Rule can be refused to Ireland by any real Liberal; the people have spoken so plainly. I never was a Gladstonite, but you know I am thoroughly a Radical, even a Republican; and I am often sorry that Cromwell's scheme of United States of Europe had not been founded by him ... We have drafted a bill for the Protection of Children ... The last time I was at the Shelter we had ten children in it ... I have no doubt the Society [for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children] is doing good; and I hope it will do more. We now have a night officer, who patrols the streets; but what is one man in London!'

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from Sir James Robert George Graham of Grosvenor Place, [London] to an unidentified recipient, 18 Mar 1839. 'The [Morning] Chronicle now reports much better than the other morning papers; but none of them are able to report, as you can. I am greatly obliged by your anxiety to give a good report of my speech on the Corn Laws [delivered in the House of Commons, 14 Mar 1839] ... Not one word was committed to paper beforehand, except the concluding passage which I send in confidence for your use, begging you will destroy it when you have used it ...'.

Autograph, with signature. Marked: 'Private'.

Letter from John Lee of the Traffic Manager's Office, Leeds and Liverpool Canal Company, Old Hall Street, Liverpool to E Hailstone of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Office, Leeds, 17 Jan 1877. Thanking him for the loan of the Bridgewater Canal Acts 'which I have perused in conjunction with our Leigh Branch Act'. Discusses the matter of tolls leviable by the Bridgewater Canal Company: 'In the case of one of our boats they have charge a much higher rate of toll than I feel disposed to pay, and before settling with them I am desirous to know what their powers really are'.

Written in another hand and signed by Lee.

Letter from W G Burns of Derby to Colonel [Thomas Perronet] Thompson, 23 Feb 1846. 'As I think it [a] pity you should be ignorant [of] the nature of the arguments [u]rged against free trade principles I send you a specimen of [w]hat a clerical opponent can [d]o ...'

Autograph, with signature. Written on the dorse of the title page and the end fly leaf of a pamphlet [by Henry Robert Crewe] The repeal of the Corn Laws (1846).

Letter from George Rose of Old Palace Green to John Baker Holroyd, 1st Earl of Sheffield, 11 May 1814. Covering letter accompanying a printed copy of a speech delivered by Rose in the House of Commons on 5 May 1814, in favour of the status quo with respect to Corn Laws. He states: 'I am for a full and fair protecting price to the grower'.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from H Jones of 54 Dorset Street, Fleet Street, London to Colonel [Charles Richard] Fox, 24 Jun 1841. Covering letter (written on behalf of the Property Tax Association) to a printed copy of Joshua Scholefield's speech, (made in the House of Commons on 23 Mar 1841) proposing that a property tax be substituted for the existing customs and excise taxes. Jones forecasts that the proposed property tax 'is likely to become a populat topic at the [forthcoming] elections' and expresses the hope that Fox would be elected MP for Tower Hamlets.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from Richard Cobden to R C Chawner, Esq of Wall, near Lichfield, [Staffordshire], 9 Apr [1844]. Asking him to give a 'free trade address from the boards of Covent Garden.'

Autograph, with signature. With the original envelope, bearing the seal of the National Anti-Corn Law League.

16 letters with envelopes plus contract letters from Iris Murdoch to the publisher Rolando Pieracinni, regarding his publication of the book 'Something Special' featuring Murdoch's poems.

Records of the Greater London Area War Risk Study (GLAWARS) comprising:

GLAWARS/1 - Home Office: records from the Home Office regarding emergency planning and civil defence in local authorities, 1975-1987

GLAWARS/2 - Greater London Council (GLC): GLC records regarding civil defence, emergency planning, the GLAWARS and the Civil Defence Regulations 1983, 1975-1985

GLAWARS/3 - Research Materials: records regarding civil defence, emergency planning and local and global effects of nuclear war or attacks, 1967-1987

GLAWARS/4 - Background, Terms of Reference and Research Task Outlines: outlines and outcomes for 11 of the 12 tasks required by the GLAWARS. Task Eight is not included, c.1984-1986

GLAWARS/5 - Newsletters, Progress Reports, Home Office and Consultants' Meetings, 1984-1985

GLAWARS/6 - Commissioners: records concerning the seven GLAWARS commissioners, their roles, memorandum and meeting minutes, 1984-1986

GLAWARS/7 - Presscuttings regarding the GLAWARS and the publishing of 'London Under Attack', 1984-1986

GLAWARS/8 - 'London Under Attack': publicity and publishing records for the GLAWARS findings published in a book entitled 'London Under Attack', 1985-1986

Records of the West Ham College of Technology and its predecessors, 1898-1970, comprising:

Minutes of the Board of Governors, 1959-1965; Minutes of the Board of Studies, 1924-1960; Minutes of the Academic Board, 1964-1969; minutes and report of the University Board, 1933-1958; Board of Education circulars, 1911-1919;

Correspondence and general administration, 1911-1970, notably the establishment of the new Polytechnic, 1968-1970;Annual Report, 1966-1967;

Day student lists (incomplete),1914-1961; Sessional reports for evening and part-time courses (incomplete), 1905-1957; Fee Registers, 1949-1955; Exam results (incomplete), [1914]-1957;

Exam papers, 1951-1956; Prospectuses and Course Handbooks (incomplete), 1899-1970;

Records of the Engineering Department, 1904-1962; Financial records (incomplete), 1948-1970; Records of the Students' Union and its Clubs (incomplete), 1930-1970; Staff and student publications, 1963-1970; Student Laboratory Reports, 1955-1964;

Minutes of the Technical Instruction Committee of the County Borough of West Ham, 1898-1918; Minutes of Council and Reports of Committees of the County Borough of West Ham, 1946-1964; Minutes of Education Committee of the County Borough of West Ham, 1954-1963.

Chelsea College of Science and Technology, and Chelsea College Charters, Statutes and Acts, 1958-1971, including schemes relating to Chelsea College of Science and Technology (Ref: C/CSA 1, C/CSA 2); and Chelsea College University of London charter and statutes (Ref: C/CSA 3).

Papers of Cohn, 1944-1975, mainly comprising legal opinions and affidavits of Cohn as a Barrister-at-Law, Lincoln's Inn, mainly in regard to cases and clients touching the law of the Federal Republic of Germany, 1952-1975. With the German basic handbook, containing Part two, Administration, Apr 1944, and Part three, Nazi occupied Europe, Oct 1944; Manual of the Allied High Commission for Germany, 1952; annotated typescript entitled 'Comparative jurisprudence and legal reform', (PhD thesis, University of London); file of correspondence in regard to legal matters with Doris Beghahn of Hamburg, 1956; appointment diary, 1952; correspondence of Cohn as Visiting Professor of European Laws, Centre for European Legal Studies, Faculty of Laws, King's College London, 1974-1975; offprints of legal articles by Cohn, 1959-1972.

Papers of and relating to Evelyn Underhill, 1874-1997 and undated, comprising personal correspondence of and concerning Underhill, 1888-1969 and undated, the correspondents including Baron Friedrich von Hugel (three letters, 1911-1916), Underhill's husband Hubert Stuart Moore (117 letters from Underhill to Moore, 1890-1912 and undated, and 30 letters from Moore to Underhill, 1898-1906 and undated), Rabindranath Tagore (typed transcripts of 10 letters from Underhill to Tagore, 1913-1914), and members of the Underhill family, the subjects ranging from Catholicism, travels in Italy, Switzerland and France, publications and lectures, spiritual matters and advice, mysticism, health, and World War Two; correspondence, 1907-[1954], with various publishers concerning Underhill's publications (some posthumous) and broadcasts, including copyright, costs, sales and royalties; manuscripts and typescripts containing proposed holiday itineraries and recording Underhill's impressions while travelling in Italy, Switzerland and France, 1898-1899, 1901-1907; poetry, 1917-1923 and undated, including some work which was published; a speech at King's College London on being elected a Fellow, 1927; an article on 'The Fountain of Life: an iconographical study', published in 1910; material relating to spiritual development, 1921-1939, mainly under the guidance of Baron Friedrich Von Hugel and including transcripts of his letters, 1921-1924, and other items on spiritual advice, confessions, goals and progress; papers relating to retreats and religious writings, 1924-1932 and undated, including notebooks and texts of addresses; printed material by and concerning Underhill, 1926-1941, 1990, including some of her publications; press cuttings, 1891-1949, mainly reviews of Underhill's work but also including early published pieces; sketchbooks and drawings, 1892-1911 and undated, including sketches and watercolours of marine scenes in Britain, ecclesiastical subjects, and Italian and French architecture; photographs, c1925-c1930s and undated, including a photograph and negatives of Underhill (one at Pleshey), a portrait of Baron Von Hugel, marine views, and views of French and Italian castles and towns; material relating to the Underhill family, 1874-1940, including the marriage certificate of Evelyn Underhill's parents, 1874, a family tree, c1891, a copy of Evelyn Underhill's will, 1940, and details of books in Dr Williams's Library, London, which originated from Underhill's library; obituaries of and articles about Underhill, 1941-1997, including theses, bibliographies, memoirs, biographical material and reflections on her work; newsletters of the Evelyn Underhill Association, 1992-1997.

Copy of power of attorney granted on behalf of Jose Fernandez y Lopez, resident in Havana, Cuba, to Messrs Morris and Elkan of London, concerning a brand of cigars and tobacco, 1902.

Papers of Sir Ambrose Fleming, including extensive sets of laboratory notebooks which include accounts of experiments on carbon filaments carried out by Fleming when he was adviser to the Edison and Swan Electric Light Company, of tests on electrical and photometric standards carried out in the Pender Laboratory at University College London, and of experiments on valves and other aspects of wireless telegraphy; notes of lectures attended by Fleming and notes for lectures given by Fleming; patent specifications and papers on litigation over them; newspaper cuttings and other compilations by Fleming; papers on awards and distinctions; biographical notes; and correspondence. 500 of the 521 volumes are printed works associated with the collection.

Catalogue of William Blackburn's law library, c1847.

Manuscript law reports in various hands. Inscription on folio 1 reads 'Liber Timothei Tourneur de Grayes Inne Lectoris ibidem in quadragesima Anno Domini 1631 et Anno 7 Regis Caroli'.

Manuscript notes for lectures on the law of evidence and on domestic law.

The collection consists of lecture notes taken when Powell was a student at Oxford, and notes for his own course of lectures at University College London.

The text of twelve lectures on Equity, delivered by Graves during his professorship at University College London.

Notes for lectures on English law at University College London.

Manuscript notes on William Golden Lumley's lectures in English Law, delivered at University College London.

Papers of the Parkes family, 1634-1865. The main part of the collection consists of letters to Joseph Parkes. In addition, there are a few letters to his elder brother Josiah, to their father John, and to other members of the family. There are also a few miscellaneous papers. The Parkes family deeds are also part of the collection, consisting of family deeds, subsidiary title deeds, grants of mineral rights, deeds held as Trustees, and miscellaneous. The deeds are dated 1634-1800 and the correspondence is dated 1801-1865.

Letter from John Loudon McAdam to the antiquary and topographer, John Britton, 27 Oct 1826. Thanking Britton for his paper and commenting on prospective modifications to the Poor Law.

Proposed Act to impose restrictions on what women could wear.

A collection of letters, printed circulars, etc, mainly addressed to William Blackwood, of Messrs Stuart and Blackwood, Peebles, Scotland, 1859-1901. The topics covered reflect the firm's business activities: requests for legal advice or legal action; requests to act as agents or trustees; and legal advice or legal action on insurance, assurance and debts. A signficant proportion of the letters concern the Symington extension of the Caledonian Railway Company (1861).

(1) Letter from William Manning of 14 New Street, Spring Gardens, [Westminster] to Thomas Tyrell, Esq, 29 Nov 1800. Concerning proposals for the regulation of a new coal market. Asking whether Tyrell sees any difficulty in it being managed by the Lord Mayor of London and whether the Corporation interferes with any market in the City. The building in Mark Lane is open to all on market days, but the Coal Exchange is open to subscribers only; the first buyers do not exceed about one hundred.

(2) Letter from William Manning of Totteridge, Hertfordshire to Thomas Tyrell, Esq, 4 Apr 1801. Discussing the fees to be incurred in passing the Coal Bill through the two Houses of Parliament [ordered Mar 1801; order for second reading discharged 12 May 1801], and the means of paying them. Asks Tyrell to show the letter to Mr Stracey, 19 Fludyer Street, and to confer with him about it.

Both letters are autograph, with signatures, and headed 'private'.

Letter from Thomas A Cook of Newcastle upon Tyne to H B Jordan, Esq of the Alkali Works, Bristol, 8 Dec 1845. Acknowledging Jordan's letter of 4 Dec 1845. Discussing at length the relative efficiency of stone stills [for manufacturing alkalis] used by Cook [at Walker, Newcastle], by Jordan and by Lee and Co; advising Jordan to visit Lee and Co and copy their stills exactly. Mentioning a Mr Bell's patent, the surprising cheapness of coal, and a meeting of masters [i.e. factory owners] which he was unable to attend. Noting that the returns show an increase of stock.

Autograph, with signature. A note [in Jordan's hand] on page 3 states: 'Ansd. 5 Jany'.

Letter from James Robertshaw of Colne, [Lancashire] to George Chapman, engineer of Whitby, [North Riding] Yorkshire, 29 Jan 1846. Reply on behalf of Mr Thornber of Vivary Bridge, [Colne], to a letter of 27 Jan 1846; referring Chapman to his letter of 8 Jan (copied on the third page of this letter) in reply to Chapman's of 5 Jan. Chapman had asked for £20 for use of 'the patent expansion gear', but Thornber had stopped using it, had given Chapman notice of doing so, and was prepared to appear to any process Chapman proposed to issue against him.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from William Henry Grenfell of 30 Bruton Street, London [the printed letter-head 'Carlton Club' has been struck through] to [Edward] Marston, 26 Jun 1912. Relating to Marston's query about the origin of the Port of London Authority regulations for fishing.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from George Leib Harrison of Claridges Hotel, London to Bonamy Price, 15 Aug 1881. Concerning a report on the effects of the Education Act of 1870 and its amendments, and 'Industrial education'.

3 letters from Thomas Joplin of Levant House, St Helens Place, [London] to Joseph Hume, Esq, MP, Apr 1832.

(i) Presenting him with a copy of Analysis and History of the Currency Question, 6 Apr 1832.

(ii) Asking for an appointment to discuss certain propositions he intends to make to the 'committee which will be chosen on Bank affairs', Apr 1832.

(iii) Enclosing a copy of Joplin's petition, Apr 1832.

Autographs, with signatures.

Letter from Thomas Joplin of Levant House, St Helens Place, [London] to Joseph Hume, Esq, MP, 7 May 1832. Accompanying a copy of Joplin's petition.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from Francis Place to [David] Booth, 20 Ampton Street, Grays Inn Road, [London], [1823]. Relating to an article by Booth in the Literary Register criticizing Jeremy Bentham on the Usury Laws and in opposition to the Bill for their repeal. 'I know you are sincere, and I assure you I am so when I say that Mr. Bentham would laugh both at your argument and your appeal to him.'

Autograph, with signature.

Manuscript volume containing transcripts of documents relating to the Royal African Company, 1742, namely a copy of a petition to the King in Council for a charter to enable the Company to fit out a naval force to attack Spanish settlements and shipping in America, dated 26 Mar 1742; copy of a report made on the petition by a committee of the Privy Council, dated 22 Jul 1742; copy reports to the committee by the Attorney and Solicitor General; a copy memorial of the Company in reply to certain questions in the various reports, dated 6 Dec 1742.

Manuscript volumes containing a selection of legislation and concessions given for the exploitation of French mines, compiled by 'le Sr Bruyard', Senior Clerk of [Daniel Charles] Trudain [de Montigny, Comptroller of Finances, Director of Bridges and Embankments], 1758, with details of legislation from 1413-1761. Includes a historical survey, a chronological table of legislation and concessions, general dispositions for the exploitation of the mines, and legislation and concessions for mining in each généralité. There is also printed matter bound into each volume, mainly comprising government edicts relating to the subject.

Manuscript volume containing a copy of a letter dated 9 Jun 1744 from Elizabeth Forbes of the School of Sprinning, Jedburgh, [Roxburgh], to David Flint, Trustees Office, Parliament Close, Edinburgh, complaining of her summons by the baillies of Jedburgh for contravening the 'Acts in the Trades Seal of Cause' by ordering equipment from Kelso.

Manuscript volume containing notes in Latin on Samuel Stryk's Examen iuris feudalis, which was first published in 1675 and was widely used as a legal text-book due to its brevity and clarity.

Manuscript volume containing a copy of a Parliamentary 'Act for Continuance of the Receipt of Excise until 29th Sept 1653', 1650.

Volume containing the printed reports of the Committee appointed to enquire into the original standards of weights and measures (in 1758 and 1759), Statutes on the same subject, and a report and inquisition on the same, with reference to the county of Renfrew (1827). These printed items are annotated in various hands, including that of John Joshua Probyn, 1st Earl of Carysfort.
The volume also contains two manuscript items, numbered 10 and 14, namely 'Remarks upon some of the practical provisions contained in the Weights and Measures Bill', as amended on recommitment (1 July 1822) and printed, written by A Campbell in 1823; and 'Powers in the Uniformity Weights and Measures Act (5 Geo.4, c.74) and statutes therein referred to for preventing other than legal weights and measures', in the hand of Lord Carysfort, written in 1824.

Civic ordinances for the city of Hamburg, Germany, comprising 76 articles, with an index, concerning the regulation of civil life.

Manuscript 'Reasons for Mr. Hornblower's petitioning the Honourable House of Commons for an Act to extend the term of his patent', [24 Feb 1792]; the patent had been granted in 1781 for 14 years, permitting the use of his steam engine in the Cornish mines. The case of James Watt is cited: in 1774 he obtained an extension of a patent 'of a similar nature, for 25 years certain'.

A collection of 26 miscellaneous legal papers, 1791-1800, most of them printed forms filled in in manuscript and issuing mainly from Paris, comprising summonses for non-payment of taxes, licences to distrain goods and chattels, notices to quit, safe-conducts, summonses requiring attendance at court, etc.

Single leaf of vellum, formerly used as a pastedown, containing Book 3, section 38 18 to 39 3, of the Decretales Gregorii IX, on the rights of patrons over churches and the financial liabilities of churches, dating from the mid-13th century. There are marginal annotations in a later, perhaps 14th century, hand.

Manuscript volumes containing abstracts of parliamentary bills relating to revenue, dating from the reign of King William III and Queen Mary II, c1689 -1743.

Letters of Attorney, 20 Dec 1606 by Timothy Sherman of Wackton (Wacton), Norfolk, appointing Thomas Palgrave to receive £20 due to him by warrant of Privy Seal dated 31 July 1604. Signed and sealed.

Indenture quadripartite of 11 Feb 1761 by which George Lane, of Bramham Park, Yorkshire (West Riding), with the consent of Ralph Bourchier, 'doctor in physick', of Great Ormond Street in the parish of St.George the Martyr, London, and his daughter and heir Margaret Bourchier, assigned to the Hon William Chetwynd, of Dover Street, London, the manors or lordships of Benningborough [Beningbrough], Overton [Ovington], Barforth and Newton-upon-Ouse, all in the North Riding of Yorkshire, formerly the estate of John Bourchier, deceased, for the remainder of a term of 500 years. Signed and sealed by the four parties. Ralph Bourchier inherited the estates on the death of his great-niece Mildred, wife of the Hon Robert Lane, in 1760.

Single vellum leaf, formerly a pastedown, containing Lib.II, 20, 17-26, of the Decretales Gregorii IX, on testimonies in court. Includes a gloss and extensive interlineal and marginal annotations. The fragment is probably English, written in the late 13th century.

British and French patents, 1861-1862, for John Marshall's invention for 'the collection, concentration and transmission of sound, so as to facilitate the hearing.' Also includes a Belgian 'brevet d'importation.'

Manuscript copy of 13 Charles II c.2, or 'An act for confirmation of judicial proceedings', enacted in Dublin' on 12 Jun 1661, and printed by William Bladen in 1661. The English act is 12 Charles II c.12. The manuscript may have been bound with the printed copy of the act, now item 6 in a Goldsmiths' Library volume (Ref: G.L. F) lettered 'Acts Charles II-1660-82'. The manuscript is accompanied by 8 leaves containing legal notes in a contemporary hand.