Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1899-2007 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1.9 linear metres
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Mary Ward House (number 5 Tavistock Place) is an architecturally significant building, completed in 1898 by architects Smith and Brewer to house the Mary Ward Settlement (originally called the Passmore Edwards Settlement), founded by the novelist Mary Ward (better known as Mrs Humphrey Ward). The settlement was a residential community for lecturers and students, who were required to give their time to a community centre where local people could attend lectures and workshops, join special interest groups and self-help groups, and access a legal advice service. 9 Tavistock Place, adjacent to the House, was built later to accommodate the expansion of the Settlement, housing the first school for physically handicapped children in England.
Due to financial difficulties, the Mary Ward Settlement were forced to sell the building to the Nuffield Trust and lease it from them. In the 1960s the National Institute for Social Work began leasing Mary Ward House and 9 Tavistock Place, at first sub-letting part of it to the Mary Ward Settlement. They purchased the house outright in 1980, and the Mary Ward Settlement (by now called the Mary Ward Centre) moved to nearby 42/43 Queen Square.
The Mary Ward House Trust was established in 1997 by the National Institute for Social Work as part of their attempts to secure funding to restore Mary Ward House and improve disabled access. The aims of the Trust were:
to preserve for the benefit of the nation Mary Ward House and 9 Tavistock Place;
to support restoration and repair of these properties;
to promote access to the buildings;
to promote access to information about the buildings;
to make Mary Ward House wheelchair accessible;
and to make the historical features of the building more widely known.
Plans to carry out work on the house were developed from 1994, with the first of several approaches to the Heritage Lottery Fund. In 1996 an international architectural competition was held which resulted in the appointment of an architect, Karen Butti of Patricia Brock Associates. The Heritage Lottery Fund provided a grant towards feasibility stage work and 'The Mary Ward House Project' was begun. Unfortunately, the project became more complicated and expensive than was originally envisaged and in July 1999 it was announced that the Heritage Lottery Fund would not provide support. The Project was therefore closed without being implemented, and the National Institute for Social Work sold Mary Ward House to a private individual. The Mary Ward House Trust continued to monitor the House and promote information about its important historical features, before winding down in 2007.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 LMA/4532 1899-2007 Collection 1.9 linear metres Mary Ward House Trust
National Institute for Social Work x National Institute for Social Work Training
Mary Ward House (number 5 Tavistock Place) is an architecturally significant building, completed in 1898 by architects Smith and Brewer to house the Mary Ward Settlement (originally called the Passmore Edwards Settlement), founded by the novelist Mary Ward (better known as Mrs Humphrey Ward). The settlement was a residential community for lecturers and students, who were required to give their time to a community centre where local people could attend lectures and workshops, join special interest groups and self-help groups, and access a legal advice service. 9 Tavistock Place, adjacent to the House, was built later to accommodate the expansion of the Settlement, housing the first school for physically handicapped children in England.
Due to financial difficulties, the Mary Ward Settlement were forced to sell the building to the Nuffield Trust and lease it from them. In the 1960s the National Institute for Social Work began leasing Mary Ward House and 9 Tavistock Place, at first sub-letting part of it to the Mary Ward Settlement. They purchased the house outright in 1980, and the Mary Ward Settlement (by now called the Mary Ward Centre) moved to nearby 42/43 Queen Square.
The Mary Ward House Trust was established in 1997 by the National Institute for Social Work as part of their attempts to secure funding to restore Mary Ward House and improve disabled access. The aims of the Trust were:
to preserve for the benefit of the nation Mary Ward House and 9 Tavistock Place;
to support restoration and repair of these properties;
to promote access to the buildings;
to promote access to information about the buildings;
to make Mary Ward House wheelchair accessible;
and to make the historical features of the building more widely known.
Plans to carry out work on the house were developed from 1994, with the first of several approaches to the Heritage Lottery Fund. In 1996 an international architectural competition was held which resulted in the appointment of an architect, Karen Butti of Patricia Brock Associates. The Heritage Lottery Fund provided a grant towards feasibility stage work and 'The Mary Ward House Project' was begun. Unfortunately, the project became more complicated and expensive than was originally envisaged and in July 1999 it was announced that the Heritage Lottery Fund would not provide support. The Project was therefore closed without being implemented, and the National Institute for Social Work sold Mary Ward House to a private individual. The Mary Ward House Trust continued to monitor the House and promote information about its important historical features, before winding down in 2007.
Deposited in October 2007.
Records of the Mary Ward House Trust and the National Institute for Social Work relating to the historical background, maintenance and restoration of Mary Ward House, 1899-2007.
Records of the Mary Ward House Trust relate to the administration and finances of the Trust, 1996-2007. Papers include correspondence with solicitors, the Charity Commission, English Heritage and Camden Council; memorandum and articles of association; Trustees meeting minutes, agendas and papers; annual reports and accounts; financial records; publications, brochures and newsletters produced by the Trust, and publications and research materials relating to Mary Ward and Mary Ward House collected by the Trust, dating between 1899 and 2002.
Records of the National Institute of Social Work relating to their routine maintenance of the Mary Ward House from their tenancy in the 1960s onwards; including deeds and leases, correspondence, minutes, reports, structural surveys and valuations.
Papers relating to the Mary Ward House Project, including applications to and correspondence with the Heritage Lottery Fund; papers relating to the International Architectural Competition; condition surveys; conservation plans; survey and proposal drawings and plans; fundraising papers; and photographs of the House.
LMA/4532/A: Mary Ward House Trust papers;
LMA/4532/B: National Institute for Social Work papers relating to Mary Ward House;
LMA/4532/C: Mary Ward House Project;
LMA/4532/D: Mary Ward House Photographs.
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Copyright to these records rests with the City of London.
English
Generally fit.
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Records of the Mary Ward Settlement are also held by LMA, see LMA/4524.
The National Institute of Social Work archive is held at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick, reference MSS.463.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
June to August 2010. Passmore Edwards Settlement x Mary Ward Settlement x Mary Ward Centre National Institute for Social Work x National Institute for Social Work Training Mary Ward House Trust Building design Construction engineering Management Business management Building management Real estate management Architectural heritage Cultural heritage Restoration Social scientists Historians Architectural historians Architectural plans Cultural property preservation Heritage conservation Visual materials Architectural conservation Building plans Plans Rights of special groups Rights of the disabled Access for disabled people Heritage Lottery Fund Camden London England UK Western Europe Europe Bloomsbury
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Deposited in October 2007.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of the Mary Ward House Trust and the National Institute for Social Work relating to the historical background, maintenance and restoration of Mary Ward House, 1899-2007.
Records of the Mary Ward House Trust relate to the administration and finances of the Trust, 1996-2007. Papers include correspondence with solicitors, the Charity Commission, English Heritage and Camden Council; memorandum and articles of association; Trustees meeting minutes, agendas and papers; annual reports and accounts; financial records; publications, brochures and newsletters produced by the Trust, and publications and research materials relating to Mary Ward and Mary Ward House collected by the Trust, dating between 1899 and 2002.
Records of the National Institute of Social Work relating to their routine maintenance of the Mary Ward House from their tenancy in the 1960s onwards; including deeds and leases, correspondence, minutes, reports, structural surveys and valuations.
Papers relating to the Mary Ward House Project, including applications to and correspondence with the Heritage Lottery Fund; papers relating to the International Architectural Competition; condition surveys; conservation plans; survey and proposal drawings and plans; fundraising papers; and photographs of the House.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
LMA/4532/A: Mary Ward House Trust papers;
LMA/4532/B: National Institute for Social Work papers relating to Mary Ward House;
LMA/4532/C: Mary Ward House Project;
LMA/4532/D: Mary Ward House Photographs.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright to these records rests with the City of London.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Records of the Mary Ward Settlement are also held by LMA, see LMA/4524.
The National Institute of Social Work archive is held at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick, reference MSS.463.
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Construction engineering » Building design
- Construction engineering
- Management
- Management » Business management
- Cultural heritage
- Cultural property preservation » Restoration
- Social scientists
- Social scientists » Historians
- Cultural property preservation
- Visual materials
- Rights of special groups
- Rights of special groups » Rights of the disabled
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English