Records of J Lyons and Company Limited, food manufacturers and caterers, 1891-1995. The archives reflect all aspects of the company's history. There are some of the usual company records relating to management, shareholding and administration, but the collection is particularly strong in what may be termed ephemera. There are hundreds of photographs, from 1887 up to the present day, a few films and videos, and large collections of press cuttings, advertisements, menus and even a set of lithographs which were commissioned by the company after the Second World War as a way of brightening up Lyons Corner Houses.

Papers regarding a dispute over the ownership of 1 Dale Place, Apothecary's Row, Wandsworth, including copy of the will of Charles Bostuck of Wandsworth bequeathing the property to Martha Jordan and her family, 184-; papers relating to action of trespass and ejectment, John Doe v William Hunt, at the Guildford Assizes, 1848-49, including lists of jurors, writs of distraint, writs to witnesses; and papers relating to a Queen's Bench plea in the case of Doe (Henry Parker Leigh, Martha his wife, William and Elizabeth Thompson, Sarah Jordan and Maria Slocombe) v. William Hunt, including lists of documents used as evidence, note of fees, counsel's opinion, and abstract of title showing the right of Henry Parker Leigh, Martha his wife, William and Elizabeth Thompson, Sarah Jordan and Maria Slocombe to the property, 1849.

Records of Josiah Hignell Newman including certificate of payment of duty on 3 Amy Villas, Hounslow, 1903; and counterpart building leases granted by Newman for sites on Hammond Road, Southall, 1899-1900.

Records of Metropolitan Water Board predecessors, 1870-1969, comprising contracts, tenders and specifications for construction, improvements and other works.

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 Chartered Gas Light and Coke Company, 1812-1949, including Director's meeting minutes; Proprietors' Meeting minutes; Committee of Accounts, Finance and Audit minutes; Committee of Works minutes; Committee of Works and Products minutes; Committee of Chemistry and Machinery minutes; Committee of Light and Experiments minutes; Committee on Machinery and Works minutes; Committee on the Provision for Wear and Tear minutes; financial accounts; map of London Gas Companies' Districts; evidence presented to various Committees including Select Committees; proceedings in Parliament relating to the gas companies; and Gas Light and Coke Company's Acts, Charter and Bye-Laws.

Records of the Independent Gas Light and Coke Company, 1827-1875, comprising minutes of Directors and Shareholders meetings with some enclosures including letters, notices, circulars, and prospectuses.

Records of Lambeth County Court, 1847-1964, including ordinary summons minute books; default summons minute books; and Workmen's Compensation Act files and registers.

Records of West London County Court, 1847-1948, including minute books; ledger of equity proceedings; plaint book; default summons books; ordinary summons books; bankruptcy administration ledger; Workmen's Compensation Act register; judge's register; register of agreements and committal summons book.

Records of Southwark County Court, 1820-1961, comprising attorneys roll book, 1820-1933 and legal case files for the following cases:

Parfett v C. Coules and son and another, 1900
Edwards v Measures Bros Ltd, 1907
Medcalf v Surrey Commercial Dock Co, 1908
Finnis v Owners of S.S. 'Grive', 1909
Martin v Morris, 1909
Roberts v E Wells and Sons Ltd, 1911
Maisey v London Brighton and South Coast Railway Co, 1912
Fenton v F and H F Higgs, 1912
Sketton v Owners of the ship 'South Point', 1913
Hood v Bellamys Wharf Ltd, 1913
Doolan v Port of London Authority, 1914
Eyles v Lipton Ltd, 1915
Dinnes v Holland Hannen and Cubitts Ltd, 1916
Davis v Samuel Barrow and Brother Ltd, 1916
Baldock v E Lazenby and Son Ltd, 1917
Runnalls v London General Omnibus Co Ltd, 1917
Seabrook v E Lazenby and Son Ltd, 1919
Armstrong v H J Enthoven & Sons Ltd, 1919
Allan v Andrews, 1920
McCoy v Peek Frean and Co Ltd, 1920
Spencer v W T and E Yates, 1923
Finn v Southern Railway Company, 1924
Harrigan v Canadian Pacific Steamships Ltd, 1926
Friend v Pimm and Burrows Ltd, 1926
Walker v Southern Railway Company, 1927
Knight v Barclay Perkins and Co Ltd, 1927
Colbert v Gatesby Ltd, 1932
Bowie v Wakeley Brothers and Company Ltd, 1932
Vaughan v F W Barnard Ltd, 1933
Callan v J T Healey & Co Ltd, 1933
Rainsbury v G Bernardes and Son, 1933
Dillon v Bermondsey Borough Council, 1934
Jeal v Butler's Wharf Ltd, 1934
Dawes v E Ashby and Co, 1935
Kitsell v Maybury, 1935
Sivyer v W S Shuttleworth and Co Ltd, 1935
Bull v W J Hall Ltd, 1935
Ward v Waldron, 1935
Curtis v Hares, 1936
Marchant v Butler's Wharf Ltd, 1937
Bertie v Grey and Marten, 1937
Saunders v J Bowbrick and Sons, 1937
Rodgers v A Cohen and Company Ltd, 1938
Leahy v Bermondsey Borough Council, 1938
Whiffin v Eldorado Ice Cream Co Ltd, 1938
S eet v Beck and Pollitzer Ltd, 1946
Quigley v Unit Construction Co Ltd, 1947
Henderson v Levy, 1948-1957
Wheatley v T F Maltby Ltd, 1949
Hubble v Lawrence Bros, 1949
Laker v Boots Pure Drug Co Ltd 1950
Felton v T Wallis Ltd, 1951
Murphy v London County Council, 1952
Buckle v London County Council, 1953
Goldsmith v Rosser and Russell Ltd, 1954
Purdy v Port of London Authority, 1961.

These papers relate to the property of Sir John Buckworth and his family. They comprise deeds and related papers concerning property in or near Great Winchester Street within the parishes of All Hallows London Wall and St Peter le Poer.

Records of the Wright family comprising title deeds and related papers for premises in Crouch End, Muswell Hill, Hornsey, and Chiswick.

Records of the Tubbs family relating to property owned by them, primarily in Acton, Harlesden, and Willesden, but also in Fulham, Marylebone, Hammersmith, and Soho. The papers include deeds, leases, maps, financial accounts, bills, legal papers, family certificates (births, marriages, deaths), school reports, letters and wills.

Copy of Court Roll for the Manor of Enfield, 1768; and sessions paper from the Middlesex Sessions of Gaol Delivery, 1708.

Papers, 1638-1890, collected by Myers in the course of their work, comprising wills and a bond relating to Palgrave, Suffolk; Hampstead; Kensington (Old Brompton); West Twyford and Bloomsbury.

Papers, 1610-1887, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising legal documents relating to property in Westminster, Uxendon, Preston, Kenton and Wembley, including Preston Farm and Uxendon Manor House.

The collection is of family papers belonging to Isabella, Lady Cooper, her children and grandchildren. The papers include documents detailing Lady Cooper's inheritance and assignments of its stock to her husband and children.There is a collection of title deeds for Isleworth Estate, together with leases of various parts of it, tradesmen's vouchers, accounts and particulars of its eventual sale (1855-78). There are also some 17th century title deeds to property in Hidden, Hungerford, as well as later deeds, accounts, rentals and leases.

Among the personal papers are a group concerning the settlement made on the marriage of William Honywood, Lady Cooper's grandson, with Barbara Whyte, and a group of financial papers chiefly on the subject of loans and securities, the same is true of the papers belonging to William's sisters Elizabeth and Caroline. There are also papers dealing with a mortgage he held from Sir John Shelley on property in Maresfield and Fletching in Sussex and as an executor of his grandmother's will he was forced into lengthy proceedings against the Ware family of Cheltenham for a long outstanding mortgage debt owed to Lady Cooper.

The last group of family papers relates to Elizabeth, Lady Cooper's younger surviving daughter, who married, secondly, the Reverend Edward Henry Dawkins. It includes their marriage settlement, and a number of his financial papers. The most interesting part of the whole collection relates to the sugar plantation of Dukinfield Hall, Jamaica (1719-1877). There are title deeds for a particularly tortuous descent, yearly accounts of crops, letters from the Jamaica agents and inventories of stock, which include slaves and give their names, ages, country of origin, occupation and state of health. There is also the will of Robert Dukinfield (1755), the original owner of the plantation, which makes provision for his negre mistress and their children out of his other property. The family name has a variety of spellings, Dukinfield being the one most frequently applied to the estate, although the main branch of the family comes from Duckenfield, Chester.

There are also a few papers concerned with three plantations on the Island of Grenada, which Lady Cooper also inherited (1773-1867).

Records of the Emanuel family relating to family property in Twickenham, Isleworth and Surrey. Documents are primarily leases and admissions.

Records of the Willis family relating to properties in Hackney and Clapton, including leases, marriage settlements, a will, and receipts.

Papers of the Garrow family including probate relating to property in Monken Hadley and Enfield; marriage settlement; papers relating to land in Hendon and lease for land in Finchley.

Papers of the Robinson and Ramsay families, including deeds for Worton House and other lands in Isleworth, Twickenham and Hounslow; a deed of trust for the Robinson Charity, Isleworth; and deeds for Robson family property in Marylebone and Bray, Berkshire.

Mortgages and assignments of property in Oxford Road, Cambridge Road, Chichester Road and Alexander Road, Kilburn, 1862-1894; and deed of convenant of indemnity from the Real Property Trust Ltd for a property in Twickenham, 1881.

Copy of court roll for the manor of Hendon relating to the admission of John Haley, an infant, to premises and lands at Woolmeads, 1760.

Records of the Page family relating to property including the Manor of Uxendon, and premises in Wembley, Harrow on the Hill, Preston, Willesden and Kenton.

This collection consists mainly of property records (such as assignments, probates, leases and mortgages) relating to premises in Middlesex and London. It also contains twentieth-century sales catalogues and advertising brochures for properties.

Papers, 1762-1887, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, including deeds and legal documents relating to properties on Hornsey Lane, Highgate; copies of the court roll of the manor of Harringay alias Hornsey; legal papers relating to the Idle family of Kennington, including marriage settlements; and legal papers relating to the Grove family of Hackney and the City of London, including marriage settlements, correspondence, genealogical research and wills.

Records of the Strudwick family relating to property in Ealing.

Papers, 1843-1903, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising deeds and legal documents relating to premises in Hornsey and Islington including Shaftesbury Road, Stroud Green, and Hornsey Road and Ferme Park Estate, Hornsey.

Records of Pennington and Sons (solicitors), comprising title deeds and other papers, 1668-1935 (some undated), relating to premises in:

• Tottenham: West Green Lodge, 1842-1904, and Northumberland Park Road and Lansdowne Road, 1867-1905;
  • Harlington: Dawley, 1853-1879;
  • Hornsey: Harringay Terrace {later Turnpike Lane}, {18th century}, 1860-1919, and Hornsey Lane, 1668-1823;
  • Friern Barnet: Hungerdown {Hangerdown} Lane (later Station Road), Whetstone, 1827-1868;
  • Edmonton: Broome Field, 1853;
  • Willesden: Salisbury Terrace, Kilburn, 1864-1916, and Hanover Road, 1904-1914;
  • Hendon: papers of Catherine Houshold of St Mary's Abbey, Mill Hill, 1887-1890;
  • Acton: Goldsmith Road and Baldwin Gardens, 1891-1920;
  • property transactions of B W Parsons Ltd in Ealing, 1858-1931, Wimbledon, 1880-1935, Tunbridge Wells, 1900-1932, Surbiton, 1908, Ramsgate, Bournemouth, Charterhouse Street (London), Portsmouth and Monmouth, 1911-1935, and miscellaneous papers of B W Parsons Ltd, 1892-1932.

Papers collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising the marriage settlement and related documents of John Powell of Clapton House, Hackney, and his bride Frances Irby, daughter of Reverend Paul Irby of Cottisbrooke, Northants, 1850-1908; lease for 1 Lancaster Avenue, Enfield, 1909, and agreement of Randal, Earl of Berkeley to sell part of the Cranford Park Estate in Cranford, Harlington and Hayes, 1931.

Papers, 1847-1927, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising deeds and legal documents relating to Sunbury Court and Kempton Park Estates, and to premises in Harrow and Pinner.

Papers, 1824-1887, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising deeds and legal documents relating to properties in Hampton, including copies of the court roll of Hampton Court, enfranchisements and an admission.

Estreat to deputy Sheriff of Middlesex Humfrey Wyrley, from roll 1274 of the Court of Common Pleas, in action between Gilbert Wharton of Shandois Street, Covent Garden and Curwen Rawlinson late of Grays Inn, relating to the provision of board and lodging for Rawlinson, his wife Elizabeth and his two servants.

Papers, 1873-1926, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising deeds and legal documents relating to properties in Hornsey and Kingsbury, including leases, agreements and a surrender.

Title deeds, leases and other property documents relating to the Manors of Mockings, Pembrokes, Bruces and Dawbeneys, Tottenham.

A document of wide interest is the will of Richard Turnaunt of 1486, leaving, amongst other bequests, 80 worth of silver and gilt to his daughter. The silver is described in detail and includes, for example, a silver gilt cup with a cover in the shape of a columbine with pearls on the knop (a term used to describe a knob or boss on silver plate), weighing 43 ounces troy, a little gold salt with a cover decorated with a stag, and a standing cup and cover of silver parcel gilt chased with feathers or plumes. The documents are in good condition. Most have been numbered on the dorse in what appears to be a nineteenth century hand, as for example "Mx No.4"

Many of the title-holders, trustees and witnesses concerned with these deeds were City of London drapers. John Gedeney used an interesting seal (see Nos. 8,9,17,20) showing a device which may also have been a trade mark. Another draper, John Bederenden, used one of a somewhat similar style (see No. 22). there are a number of interesting and well-preserved seals in this collection, although some are forms of initial letters, or obvious devices such as the shell of Michell (No.22). Standard forms of seals were also used, such as the commonly found mother and child.

Papers, 1923-1964, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising printed sales particulars for properties throughout London and the surrounding counties.

Particulars and conditions of sale, with plan, of four freehold newly-erected semi-detached houses in Holden Road, and twenty three freehold building plots fronting Holden Road and Nether Street, Woodside Park, North Finchley, 1905.

Collection of letters, including:

• Letter from John Meryett at Hampton to Mr Ware, Scotland Yard, Westminster, 1746, regarding the King's River.

• Letter from the Marquess of Tichfield [Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex] to the Rt. Hon. William Windham [Secretary at War], 1796, concerning the identity of Whitfield Harvey, an ensign in the Westminster Regiment. Col Cawthorne suspects that the present holder of the commission is an imposter.

• Sworn statement by Thomas Meyer, made before R Ford at Bow Street, 1802, stating that from the examination of John Devlin, in custody at Liverpool, and the description of a hat in his possession, he believes the hat to be that worn by John Cole Steele when he was murdered, and that John Devlin is connected with the crime.

• Letter from W Budd to the magistrates of the Police Office, Bow Street, enclosing handbills [missing] giving a description of a former dragoon suspected of the murder of Mr George Sergeant.

• Letter from the Duke of Portland [Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex] to Viscount Melbourne, 1831, informing him that no accurate estimate of the numbers who "may be likely to join their colours" for militia exercise can be given from the numbers of those enrolled in the County of Middlesex, except in the case of country parishes.

Records relating to the Whitton Park estate, Twickenham, owned by Archibald Campbell, (1682-1761), 3rd Duke of Argyll, including admissions, surrenders, leases, bonds, and extracts from the court rolls of the manors of Isleworth Syon and Twickenham.

Records of the New River Company, comprising lease of a watercourse from main water pipe at back side of Saint Clement Danes to the private dwelling house of Thomas Dows, gentleman, 1697.

Papers, 1744-1924, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising deeds and legal documents relating to properties in Edgware and Little Stanmore, including copies of court rolls, copies of probates of wills, sales particulars, mortgages, papers relating to land tax, assignments of lease and plans.

Papers relating to the estate of Daniel Phillips of Bedfont, 1892-1929, including title deeds, solicitors' bills, trustees papers and bank books; and to the estate of his niece, Mary Elizabeth Phillips of Tottenham, {1792}-1925, including title deeds, letters, inland revenue forms, annual accounts, bank books and household accounts.

Confirmation by Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford and Essex, of premises in South Mimms purchased by Henry Frowic, citizen of London, from Arnulf de Maundevil; together with right of common for Frowic's animals, to include 40 she-goats and 2 he-goats, in de Bohun's park at Enfield, 1250.

Papers, 1814-1923, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising deeds and legal documents relating to properties in Chiswick, Kingsbury, Ruislip and Willesden, and of family papers of Birkett, Dawson, Feilden, Rawson and Palmer families. Papers include copies of court rolls from Manor of Sutton Court, mortgages, probate of wills and papers relating to bequests and inheritance, marriage settlements and correspondence.

Papers, 1845-1866, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising deeds and legal documents relating to properties in Harrow on the Hill, including copies of court rolls from the Manor of Harrow Rectory, mortgages, papers relating to wills, deeds of covenant, and sales particulars.

Papers, 1882-1909, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising deeds and legal documents relating to properties in Hornsey, Tottenham and Willesden, including leases, mortgages, assignments, and conveyances.

Records of the Clitherow family, including account books of merchant James Clitherow, 1642-1682, (ref ACC/1360/435-440) giving details of his investment in voyages to the East Indies and elsewhere, his loans to relatives and others, and the deposits of money which he held on their account, as well as his purchase of Boston Manor, New Brentford, in 1670 and other lands.

Papers relating to properties acquired by Christopher Clitherow, including the 1696 exchange of the manors of Nether and Upper Bilsington in Kent with Thomas Rider for Pinners Hall and other property in Austin Friars in the City of London (see ACC/1360/017-019 and ACC/1360/153/1-2); the 1720 sale of the Langham estate (see ACC/1360/444) and a 1723 detailed description and valuation of Boston Manor and other property (ACC/1360/444). Also included are Christopher Clitherow's personal financial accounts.

Papers of James Clitherow {III} relating to the bequest of Martha Heddin of property in Twickenham, Isleworth and Heston. A substantial proportion of the Clitherow papers relate to his activities on behalf of others, together with those of his son Colonel James Clitherow, and also of a few trusts administered by his father, James {II}, grandfather, Christopher, brother Christopher, and nephew, General John Clitherow. For James Clitherow's accounts of the complex Kemeys trust see ACC/1360/666 and ACC/1360/628.

Papers of Colonel James Clitherow {IV} including title deeds of Sir Thomas Ingram's Almshouses in Isleworth (ref ACC/1360/656/1-18), of which Colonel Clitherow was treasurer, being largely responsible for raising a subscription for their repair in 1816. They also include extensive correspondence, accounts, vouchers, and other papers relating to the Royal Westminster Regiment of the Middlesex Militia 1796-1826 (ref ACC/1360/736-778) of which James Clitherow {IV} was Colonel.

Papers of the Reverend William James Stracey-Clitherow. His account books, diary, correspondence and papers relate mainly to affairs in Norfolk, where he was Vicar of Buxton and Rector of Skeyton and Oxnead from 1855 to 1888, as well as managing both his own and his brother's property in Norfolk.

Amongst the Clitherow papers are the letters and telegrams sent by Thomas Gurney to his mother and stepfather while he was serving overseas in the South African War 1901-1902 (ACC/1360/555/1-173) and in the 1st World War 1917-1919 (ACC/1360/556/1-37).

Correspondence and papers of John Bourchier Stracey-Clitherow relating to the management of the Boston Manor estate, including road widening and building schemes, sale of land, and the development of Clitherow Avenue (ACC/1360/523-527).

Papers, 1838-1956, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising deeds and legal documents relating to properties in Chiswick and Willesden, including mortgages, leases, articles of agreement and correspondence. Also papers of the Gedge family comprising marriage settlement and appointment of trustee; and papers of Logsdail family including copy marriage certificate, copy will, mortgage, notices to trustees and settlement of assignment.

Papers, 1851-1898, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising deeds and legal documents relating to properties in Harlesden and Willesden, including mortgages, leases and correspondence.

Records of the United Land Company Limited, comprising plans of freehold building plots suitable for moderate sized villa property, off the Harrow Road, adjoining Sudbury Railway Station, Sudbury, property of The United Land Company, Limited, to be sold by auction 17 July 1882 and 1883.