Records of the Mary Ward Centre, formerly known as the Mary Ward Settlement and the Passmore Edwards Settlement. Also some records of predecessor institutions University Hall Settlement and Marchmont Hall; and associated organisations such as the Holborn Community Centre and the Association of Principals of Literary Institutes and Colleges.

The records include papers relating to the foundation of the Settlement, particularly correspondence of Mary Ward with supporters and benefactors; minutes of the Council, the Finance and General Purposes Committee and other Committees; administrative and financial files relating to the daily running of the Settlement and the maintenance of Settlement property; papers of the Chairman and Wardens which relate to the management of the Settlement and reflect the interests of individual wardens, particularly relating to adult education provision in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s; papers relating to various appeals to raise funds to prevent the closure of the Settlement; and papers relating to grant applications.

Also papers relating to the activities of the Settlement including prospectuses and syllabi outlining adult education courses; papers of youth clubs, vacation schools, evening play centres, clubs for the elderly and clubs for women; papers relating to the School for Invalid Children; papers relating to the provision of financial and legal advice; papers regarding the introduction of computing services in the early 1990s; press cuttings and photographs. The collection also includes some personal papers of Mary Ward and her daughter Dorothy Ward.

Records of the London County Council Parks Department, 1851-1965, including lists of staff; instructions to officers; regulations affecting staff; Parks and Open Spaces staff handbooks; report on the Development of Crystal Palace (1955); pamphlet about the Green Belt; lists of London Squares with information about their status; regulations concerning individual sports and games, including Athletics, Bowls, Cricket, Football, Hockey, Lawn Tennis, Netball, and storage of Games Apparatus; specimen warrants used by the Parks Department Constable; brochures from opening ceremonies; register of small holdings and allotments; copies of Acts of Parliament affecting parks and open spaces; notices and posters for display in parks; example of staff passes; seven picture postcards (undated) of Battersea Park Flower Garden, Beckenham Place Park Golf Course, Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park Lido, Hainault Forest, Parliament Hill Athletic Ground, Ranger's House (Blackheath) and Rookery (Streatham Common); booklets and articles relating to playgrounds; papers relating to Crystal Palace motor sports; general files relating to the formation of the Parks Department, tree planting on Hampstead Heath, recreational facilities in individual parks, Parks regulations, individual medical reports of staff and production of food in parks during the Second World War.

Brochures and publications including "Open Air London - An illustrated guide to some 480 open spaces in and around London (including Green Belt)", published by the LCC (1939); "Green Heritage - An Introduction to the work of the LCC Parks Dept", booklet for new entrants; "Green Islands - The Parks Service of the LCC" (1962); Guide Map (1964); "The Glory of the Garden" (Enjoy Your Parks Brochure No 3); "150,000,000 B.C - The Prehistoric Monsters of Crystal Palace" (Enjoy Your Parks Brochure No 4); "Hainault Forest" (Enjoy Your Parks Brochure No 5); "Parks for Tomorrow", LCC booklet (1964); "Garden Squares in Metropolitan Boroughs", maps prepared in connection with London Squares Preservation Act (1931); golf course regulations.