Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1945-1969 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
3.65 linear metres
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Muriel Smith began her career as an Assistant Warden and Youth Leader of a purpose-built community centre outside Reading. In 1942 she trained in social work at Liverpool University and attended Reading University part time where she completed a degree in Philosophy and Psychology.
From 1949 to 1969 Muriel Smith worked with the London Voluntary Service Council (LCSS) as the head of the Community Development Department and was involved in the administering of grants from the LCC and GLC. She was also involved with the Central Housing Advisory Committee and a member of the Parker Morris Subcommittee which produced the report Homes for Today and Tomorrow. Her work brought her in touch with some of the major charitable trusts, in particular the City Parochial Foundation and the Gulbenkian Foundation in which Muriel was a member of many committees leading to various Gulbenkian publications.
In 1969 Muriel Smith was seconded to the Home Office as a consultant to the Community Development Project which was "...an attempt to research into the better understanding and comprehensive tackling of social needs, especially in local communities within older urban areas, through closer co-ordination of central and local official and unofficial effort, informed and stimulated by citizen initiative and involvement.", and later to the Voluntary Service Unit.
Muriel Smith was involved with the setting up of the Association of London Housing Estates and the Kenilworth Group.
Even after her retirement in 1979 Muriel Smith continued to be active in social work. She was responsible for three long-term Manpower Service projects, one sponsored by Toynbee Hall, were she helped with the preparations for their centenary year and gave a years voluntary service at their social centre working with mainly Bengali and Somali mothers and babies. The other two projects were sponsored by members of the Bengali local community who elected her as their organising secretary, as well as being a member of the Tower Hamlets Association for Racial Equality, and the subcommittee on education.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 LMA/4196 1945-1969 Collection 3.65 linear metres Smith , Muriel , fl 1942-1979 , social worker
Muriel Smith began her career as an Assistant Warden and Youth Leader of a purpose-built community centre outside Reading. In 1942 she trained in social work at Liverpool University and attended Reading University part time where she completed a degree in Philosophy and Psychology.
From 1949 to 1969 Muriel Smith worked with the London Voluntary Service Council (LCSS) as the head of the Community Development Department and was involved in the administering of grants from the LCC and GLC. She was also involved with the Central Housing Advisory Committee and a member of the Parker Morris Subcommittee which produced the report Homes for Today and Tomorrow. Her work brought her in touch with some of the major charitable trusts, in particular the City Parochial Foundation and the Gulbenkian Foundation in which Muriel was a member of many committees leading to various Gulbenkian publications.
In 1969 Muriel Smith was seconded to the Home Office as a consultant to the Community Development Project which was "...an attempt to research into the better understanding and comprehensive tackling of social needs, especially in local communities within older urban areas, through closer co-ordination of central and local official and unofficial effort, informed and stimulated by citizen initiative and involvement.", and later to the Voluntary Service Unit.
Muriel Smith was involved with the setting up of the Association of London Housing Estates and the Kenilworth Group.
Even after her retirement in 1979 Muriel Smith continued to be active in social work. She was responsible for three long-term Manpower Service projects, one sponsored by Toynbee Hall, were she helped with the preparations for their centenary year and gave a years voluntary service at their social centre working with mainly Bengali and Somali mothers and babies. The other two projects were sponsored by members of the Bengali local community who elected her as their organising secretary, as well as being a member of the Tower Hamlets Association for Racial Equality, and the subcommittee on education.
The working papers of Muriel Smith were deposited as a gift by her family in February 1998.
This collection consists of the working papers of Muriel Smith. They cover the period of the 1950's to the late 1970's when Muriel Smith was working at the London Voluntary Service Council and the Home Office before her retirement in 1979.
The papers include Registry Files consisting of a series of subject files relating to the early work of Muriel Smith from 1952 to 1967 and include files on the Central Housing Committee, the Kenilworth Study Group, Housing, Playgrounds and the Association of London Housing Estates; Community Development Project Files which cover the period 1959-1974 and are mainly concerned with Muriel Smith's work at the Home Office; Voluntary Service Unit papers; correspondence including letters to Ilys Booker (a friend and fellow community development worker); papers relating to The North Kensington Project, Association of London Housing Estates, Tower Hamlets, and the Danilo Dolci Fund; and material produced by Ilys Booker relating to projects that Muriel Smith was also involved in.
Registry Files LMA/4196/01;
Community Development Project Files LMA/4296/02-03;
Voluntary Service Unit LMA/4196/04;
Correspondence LMA/4196/05;
Projects LMA/4196/06-09;
Ilys Booker Papers LMA/4196/10 and
Miscellaneous files LMA/4196/11.
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information may be subject to access restrictions.
Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.
English
Fit
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Further records relating to Muriel Smith and related organisations may be found among the records of the London Council for Social Services ACC/1888, and the National Council of Voluntary Organisations LMA/4016.
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.
August to October 2010. Smith , Muriel , fl 1942-1979 , social worker Community development Construction engineering Building design Building standards Accommodation Housing Housing needs Social work Social workers London Voluntary Service Council x London Council of Social Service Home Office London England UK Western Europe Europe
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The working papers of Muriel Smith were deposited as a gift by her family in February 1998.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
This collection consists of the working papers of Muriel Smith. They cover the period of the 1950's to the late 1970's when Muriel Smith was working at the London Voluntary Service Council and the Home Office before her retirement in 1979.
The papers include Registry Files consisting of a series of subject files relating to the early work of Muriel Smith from 1952 to 1967 and include files on the Central Housing Committee, the Kenilworth Study Group, Housing, Playgrounds and the Association of London Housing Estates; Community Development Project Files which cover the period 1959-1974 and are mainly concerned with Muriel Smith's work at the Home Office; Voluntary Service Unit papers; correspondence including letters to Ilys Booker (a friend and fellow community development worker); papers relating to The North Kensington Project, Association of London Housing Estates, Tower Hamlets, and the Danilo Dolci Fund; and material produced by Ilys Booker relating to projects that Muriel Smith was also involved in.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Registry Files LMA/4196/01;
Community Development Project Files LMA/4296/02-03;
Voluntary Service Unit LMA/4196/04;
Correspondence LMA/4196/05;
Projects LMA/4196/06-09;
Ilys Booker Papers LMA/4196/10 and
Miscellaneous files LMA/4196/11.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information may be subject to access restrictions.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Further records relating to Muriel Smith and related organisations may be found among the records of the London Council for Social Services ACC/1888, and the National Council of Voluntary Organisations LMA/4016.
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
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