Papers, 1845-1898, of Sir Chaloner Alabaster, including nine diaries, 1854-1875, which give accounts of his time in China. The later diaries are incomplete and contain far less detail than earlier volumes. Additional material, 1868-1898, includes papers and correspondence detailing his military service, accounts, obituaries and copies of 'A Chapter from the Chinese Gospel', by Alabaster, from Occasional Papers on Chinese Philosophy.

MSS. 5958-5963 comprise journals of A B Barton, mainly written while he was a medical officer in the service of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P & O), 1853-1858. They cover his journeys between Bombay, Singapore and Hong Kong; to the Crimea; and to the Far East. They include descriptions of the progress of the Chinese rebellion (MS. 5959), tending to and transporting the sick and wounded from Balaclava to Scutari (MS. 5960), and his shipwreck off the coast of Ceylon, together with General Henry Havelock, on the steamer Erin (MS. 5962). Some are manuscript or typescript copies. MSS. 7589-7594 comprise journals and sketches mainly relating to the Yangtse expedition, led by Captain Thomas W Blakiston, on which Barton served as a medical officer, 1861. One journal, MS. 7591, also records the end of the expedition and Barton's journey to Ceylon via Singapore, with entries on hunting expeditions in Ceylon. The journals are all fair copies. MS. 7592 comprises a narrative of the Yangste expedition read by Barton to the Royal Geographical Society, based on his journals. MS. 7593 is a series of mainly topographical illustrations relating to the expedition, comprising sketches by Barton, plus photographs and engravings based on other sketches by Barton, some of which were used to illustrate Five Months on the Yang-Tse by Thomas W Blakiston (London: John Murray, 1862). MS. 7594 comprises later papers of Brian M Gould relating to Barton and his journals, 1967 and n.d.

Papers, 1877-1985, of Sir Arthur Wynne Morgan Bryant and his family. Family papers include correspondence, private and official, and diaries of his parents, (Sir) Francis Morgan and Lady Bryant, 1877-1938, and other papers, 1899-1979, including Bryant's correspondence with his parents and brother Philip. Bryant's own papers include his extensive correspondence, 1919-1985, with over 170 correspondents, among them politicians including the Rt Hon Leo Amery, Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, Sir John Buchan, R A Butler, Baron Butler of Saffron Walden, Frederick James Marquis, 1st Earl of Woolton, and Margaret Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven; literary figures including Sir John Betjeman; other public figures including William Maxwell Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook of Beaverbrook, New Brunswick and Cherkley, Surrey, and John Charles Walsham Reith, 1st Baron Reith; historians including Asa Briggs, Baron Briggs of Lewes, Godfrey Elton, 1st Baron Elton of Headington, Sir Lewis Bernstein Namier, Sir John Neale, A L Rowse, G M Trevelyan and Hugh Redwald Trevor-Roper, Baron Dacre of Glanton. The correspondence reflects the diversity of Bryant's interests and touches upon the development of Conservative thought and British right wing politics in the mid twentieth century, attitudes towards the Spanish Civil War in Britain, the appeasement movement of the 1930s, and, in the 1960s, the merits of Britain's entry to the Common Market and her role in the postwar world. Other papers relate to literary, political and teaching matters, including Bonar Law College, Ashridge, 1929-1946; Bryant's literary output, including fan mail, 1931-1984; diaries, notebooks, account books and letters to the press, 1916-1982; notes; proofs, pamphlets, reviews and articles by Bryant, 1929-1984; book manuscripts, 1929-1984; reviews of Bryant's works, mid 1920s-1970s; pageants, invitations and honours, 1924-1984; clubs, societies and committees, 1939-1984; film scripts, certificates, and miscellanea, 1930-1954; other papers relating to personal business and financial affairs, 1920-1985.

Papers created or collected by Edmonds during the course of his life and career, dated 1827-1838, 1852, 1879-1881, 1890-1957, principally comprising typescript memoirs covering his life and career, 1861-1951, and notably concerning his work at the Royal Military Academy, 1890-1896, and in the Intelligence Division of the War Office, 1899-1901, 1904-1908, his service in South Africa, 1901-1902, and in World War One, 1914-1918, at the Geneva Conference, 1906, as General Staff Officer, 4 Div, 1911-1914, and in the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence, 1919-1949, written in [1951]; correspondence with Rt Hon Sir Winston (Leonard Spencer) Churchill, 1922-1954, relating to Churchill's book The World Crisis, 1911-1918 (Thornton Butterworth, London,1923-1929, abridged and revised, 1931); letters from FM Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig and his wife, 1903-1939, mainly relating to Edmonds' work on the official history of World War One; correspondence with Maj Gen Sir Ernest (Dunlop) Swinton, 1919-1950; texts of lectures,[1908-1947], notably relating to the American Civil War, 1861-1865, laws of war and the organisation of intelligence and information in warfare; typescript and printed articles, 1893-1957, mainly relating to World War One; official army handbooks and reports by Edmonds and others, 1899-1918, 1945; papers related to World War One collected by Edmonds, dated 1900, 1907, 1914-[1945]; presscuttings, [1906-1943], mainly concerning political and military developments and international relations; photographs, 1895-1918, mainly of Edmonds with Army colleagues.

Diaries, 1901-1968; papers and photograph albums relating to the Boer War and photography in military reconnaissance, including an unpublished manuscript, 1897-1902, service in Northern Nigeria on the Anglo-French Boundary Commission, 1902-1904, West Africa, 1903, West Indies, 1902 and Ordnance Survey of Scotland, 1904-1909; papers relating to the introduction and use of chemical warfare during World War One, 1914-1918, and on the North West Frontier, India, 1919-1920 andphotographs taken on the Western Front, 1914-1915 and 1919; articles written as Director of Irish Propaganda during the Anglo-Irish War, 1921; papers concerning appointments as Colonel Commandant and Representative Colonel Commandant, 1937-1944; papers concerning writing and publication of 'Gas!' The story of the Special Brigade (Blackwoods, 1934) and Commonsense and ARP (C Arthur Pearson, 1939) and draft chapters and photographs concerning the unpublished manuscript 'Adventures of an Engineer Subaltern' dealing with military career, 1897-1903; personal correspondence and papers relating to memorial service, 1900-1981; glass and film negatives covering career, 1897-1920.

Correspondence and papers of Dr Moses Gaster, his family, and the family of his wife Lucy (née Friedlander), 1796-1973, dating largely from the 1870s to the 1930s, also including some material on Gaster's life and work which post-dates his death. Many papers relate to Gaster's activities in his official posts, notably as Haham, to his interests in Jewish affairs and Zionism, and as a scholar, but the collection touches upon a wide range of topics in late 19th and early 20th century history, including the history of Rumanian Jewry and Anglo-Jewry. The bulk of the collection comprises Gaster's correspondence, which includes letters from Jewish and Zionist organisations in Britain, Europe and Jerusalem, from newpapers, periodicals and publishers, and from a large number of individuals outside Gaster's family, including eminent British, European and American Jewish scholars, rabbis and public figures, such as members of the Adler, Gollancz, Mocatta, Montefiore and Rothschild families, and with non-Jewish public figures, but it also includes a wide range of other material. The main series mostly cover much or all of Gaster's adult life. Some material of the same type or on the same subject is separated between different sections of this large collection.

Correspondence series include letters from organisations and individuals outside Gaster's family, one sequence sorted alphabetically by correspondent; one sequence sorted chronologically, 1874-1939, with a few other items, the earliest dating from 1854; a sequence of undated letters, sorted alphabetically; letters received by Gaster on the emigration of Rumanian Jewry, including to England, 1900; Gaster's out-letters and copies of letters written by him, 1887-1939; copies of letters from Gaster to the Zionist Chaim Weizmann dating from the 1900s and 1910s; letters not written by or addressed to Gaster, 1870-1939 and undated.

A series of bound volumes contains press cuttings and other items, largely printed, including circulars and pamphlets, with some letters received and written by Gaster, and relates to various subjects, although much of the material was apparently bound haphazardly; the contents, overall dating largely from 1879-1939 but with items of 1796, 1838-1849, and 1867, include persecution of Jews in Rumania and elsewhere; emigration; Anglo-Jewish matters and the Anglo-Jewish Association; hospitals and schools; lectures, weddings, and other functions; the Board of Deputies of British Jews; Shechita; the Slaughter Bill, 1911; the Spanish-Portuguese congregation, including Bevis Marks Synagogue and Gaster's 25th anniversary as Haham, 1912; Independent Order of B'nai B'rith; letters congratulating Gaster on his engagement, marriage and birth of his children, and on the 'Gaster Anniversary Volume' ; Zionism, including the Jewish Colonial Trust, and Zionist Congresses in 1905, 1907 and 1913; Palestine; the Royal Asiatic Society; the Folklore Society.

Printed ephemera, dating from the 1870s to the 1930s, includes invitations to lectures, weddings and other events; visiting and greeting cards and condolences.

Papers, 1890-1896, on the Ramsgate affair relate to Gaster's association with the College there, the controversy over his management, and events leading up to his departure in 1896.

Papers relating to Zionism include copies of letters between Gaster and Theodor Herzl at the turn of the 20th century and other Zionist correspondence and papers up to the Balfour Declaration of 1917; file of letters and telegrams, some copies, from Winston (Leonard Spencer) Churchill, 1906-1908; volume of minutes of Council meetings of the London Zionist League, 1904-1910; microfilms of Zionist sources, among them Herzl letters held elsewhere.

Pamphlets, 1944-1950, relate to the Anglo-Jewish Association, a London conference of Jewish organisations, Palestine, the Jews in Britain, and Jewish Relief Units in Germany.

Working papers include notebooks, many undated, relating to Gaster's studies (from the 1870s) and later research; typescript and some manuscript reviews, sermons, letters to the press, obituary articles or notices, speeches and articles by Gaster; loose press cuttings of Gaster's reviews and articles, and cuttings on Gaster himself and his areas of interest; reproductions of texts and manuscripts and working notes by Gaster on his scholarly research.

Papers on Gaster's life, work and estate include a photostat manuscript catalogue of Gaster's Hebrew, Samaritan and other manuscripts and printed books, with annotations postdating Gaster's death in 1939; papers relating to Gaster's manuscripts which passed to the British Library, John Rylands Library and Rumanian Academy, including manuscript and typescript descriptions of manuscripts, and correspondence, 1925-1926, 1941, 1961-1962, on their disposal; papers dating from the 1940s to the 1960s on the estate of Gaster's wife (d 1940) and disposal of her books and on Gaster's will, estate and the disposal of his books and manuscripts including his Judaica, the sale of his Rumanian library to the School of Slavonic Studies, the disposal of Samaritan and Hebrew manuscripts to the John Rylands Library, his papers at University College London; material, including press cuttings and papers to 1971, on Gaster's publications, including a copy of his 'History of the Ancient Synagogue ... in Bevis Marks ... 1701-190' (published in 1901); papers to 1961 on the 'Gaster Centenary Publication' (first published in 1936), the centenary of Gaster's birth in 1956, and his publications; papers on Gaster's life and work following his death in 1939, including a file of Vivian Gaster's correspondence on his father to 1973.

Personal papers include Gaster's appointment diaries; congratulations on Gaster's engagement (1889); various rolled or printed addresses to Gaster as Haham, from Jewish communities; certificates, including one for Gaster's election as Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, 1930; letters of congratulation and cuttings on Gaster's 80th birthday (1936); typescript autobiographical notes and reminiscences by Gaster; papers on Gaster's death, 1939, including a scrapbook of cuttings.

Family papers include a genealogical roll of the Gaster family; two photograph albums, largely undated but apparently dating from the latter 19th century, many items unlabelled but some taken in Bucharest, Breslau and London and some identified as members of the Friedlander and Gaster families; correspondence, comprising letters from Gaster's family in Rumania, 1873-1939 and undated; Gaster's original letters to his family in Rumania, from 1874; letters from Gaster to his wife and children, 1885-1939 and undated, and a diary of Gaster on a journey to Palestine, 1907; letters to Moses Gaster from his wife Lucy, between Moses and Lucy and their children, and from the Friedlander family to Moses and Lucy Gaster, 1888-1939; letters from Lucy to her parents, Michael and Bertha Friedlander, before and after her marriage, 1880-1922; Friedlander family correspondence including letters from Michael Friedlander to his wife Bertha, from 1866, and to the Friedlanders from the Gasters; other letters received by the Friedlanders from their family and others, largely 1870-1927 and undated. Other Friedlander papers comprise papers of Michael Friedlander, including notes, and working papers and correspondence relating to Jews' College, including its administration and courses; and the diary of Bertha Friedlander (wife of Michael Friedlander and mother of Lucy Gaster, née Friedlander), 1893-1898.

Papers of and relating to George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair), 1875-[1997], comprising manuscripts and typescripts, 1917-1959 (Ref: A); literary notebooks, 1939-[1949] (Ref: B); Spanish Civil War material, 1936-1939 (Ref: C); general notebooks, 1943-[1950] (Ref: D); political diaries, 1938-1942 (Ref: E); domestic diaries, 1938-1948 (Ref: F); letters from Orwell, 1911-1949 (Ref: G); letters to Orwell, 1928-1950 (Ref: H); associated material, 1935-1949 (Ref: I); personalia, 1903-1971 (Ref: J); Eileen Blair papers [1920s]-1967 (Ref: K); family papers, 1875-1968 (Ref: L); posthumous material, 1950-1972 (Ref: M); proofs, 1932-1953 (Ref: N); radio scripts, 1943-1957 (Ref: O); adaptation scripts and screenplays of Orwell's work, 1952-1986 (Ref: P); documentary scripts, 1946-1983, of recorded interviews about Orwell (Ref: Q); audio-visual cassettes, 1983-[1997], about Orwell and his work (Ref: R); Sonia Orwell papers, 1937-1977 (Ref: S); photographs, 1893-1984 (Ref: T).

Papers, 1822-1917, of and relating to the Rev David Hill, including journals, 1865-1889 (some gaps); Hill's notes, sermons and addresses, 1863-1875 and undated, including some lantern slides, the subjects including the Old Testament, missionary work, China, including the opium trade and Chinese literature, and Hill's visit to America; letters from Hill to various members of his family, 1847-1896, and other correspondents, 1873-1895; various letters, 1847-1917, some to Hill, but including miscellaneous others; photographs of Hill and other subjects, including Chinese costumes; books belonging to Hill, 1857-1895, such as Bibles, a prayerbook, and hymnbooks; woodcut for visiting card; correspondence and papers, 1858-1897 and undated, some printed, relating to missionary work and other affairs in China, including anti-foreign riots, 1891; papers, 1877-1881 and undated, relating to the opium trade; Central China Lay Mission cash book, 1894-1899; printed papers, 1822-1917, including material relating to missionary work in China and to Methodism, including Methodism in York.

Papers relating to Kennedy's career, 1911-1972, notably narrative diaries of his service on the Western Front during World War One, narrative diaries of his service with the British Military Mission to South Russia, 1919-1920; narrative diaries and papers relating to his senior planning role at the War Office during World War Two; typescript of, and papers relating to, an unpublished memoir of his period as Governor of Southern Rhodesia, 1969. A collection of official photographs relating largely to Kennedy's service at the War Office between 1939 and 1945, has been included at the end of the collection, as has a group of unpublished memoirs written by Col Roderick (Rory) Macleod, presented by the author to Kennedy in 1966.

Two annotated narrative diaries, 1918-1920, entitled 'Diary of 1st French Army operations, Apr to Aug 1918' and 'British Military Mission to South Russia. Diary of my journey, from Dec 1919 to May 1920'.

Papers of the writer Sir Richard Rees, c1920-1970 and undated.

Manuscripts and typescripts for Rees' published and unpublished work include material for an unpublished book of essays; a typescript of his unpublished novel; unpublished shorter pieces, including lectures on literary and cultural subjects, among them George Orwell and Simone Weil.

Miscellaneous personal papers and writings, 1926-1960s, include notes on dreams; travel notes on the USA, 1929; a Russian diary, 1935; papers relating to the Spanish Civil War; typescript papers of the International Commission for War Refugees, 1941-1944, and other correspondence and papers on its work; papers relating to Rees' service in World War Two; correspondence concerning Rees' membership of the committee of the Pilgrim Trust; papers relating to sales of Rees' books; printed papers, comprising various articles and book reviews relating to Rees' interests.

Correspondence, c1920-1970, comprises items to Rees and carbon copies or drafts of his letters, the correspondents including prominent literary and other public figures, for example David Astor, Vanessa Bell, Joseph Conrad, Victor Gollancz, Frieda Lawrence, Iris Murdoch, Sonia Orwell, Sir Herbert Read, Hugh Trevor-Roper, A L Rowse, John Sparrow, Stephen Spender, R H Tawney, and many others, and including letters relating to George Orwell, J Middleton Murry, R H Tawney, and Simone Weil; correspondence with his literary agents A D Peters and with publishers, on his publications and broadcasts; letters to the press; personal papers, including c100 letters from Rees to his mother, c1938-c1942, other family letters, and snapshots; correspondence with J Middleton Murry and his wife, 1936-1937, relating to personal matters leading to Rees' resignation from the Adelphi, and other papers relating to the Adelphi, 1935-1936.

Other material includes a notebook including typescript reviews and letters to editors; memoranda of agreements with publishers for books, articles, etc, 1954-1969; press cuttings on various political, literary, artistic, and other subjects, including reviews of some works by Rees; typescript diary of a visit to Italy, 1959.

Rees' papers on George Orwell, 1949-1963, relating to his role as literary executor include correspondence and papers, some relating to Orwell's death, adopted son Richard, and proposed posthumous publications, and including material relating to his wife Sonia; papers on the George Orwell Archive Trust; typescript transcripts of poems Orwell contributed to the Adelphi, 1933-1936; two book reviews by Orwell, 1943-1944.

Rees' papers on Simone Weil largely comprise translations, typescripts and proofs for Rees' publications on Weil. There are also some writings by Weil; a photograph of her, 1942; letters to Rees from Weil's mother and brother, André, and other correspondence on Weil, 1958-1970; press cuttings on Rees' publications on Weil.

Rees' papers on R H Tawney, relating to his role as literary executor, include correspondence and papers of Tawney; Rees' correspondence on Tawney, largely dating from 1960-1970; correspondence and papers relating to the sale of Tawney's belongings and his will, with other personal documents relating to Tawney and his wife; correspondence relating to the disposal of Tawney's collection of books on economic history, 1952. The correspondents include a number of prominent literary and other public figures.

The later deposit comprises a typescript on Orwell and a typescript and corrected proofs on Murry.

Correspondence, diaries, photographs and papers relating to South Africa, 1938-1993, collected by Hannah Stanton. They include a large amount of correspondence concerning her campaign work on issues such as apartheid; journals covering her trips abroad and appointment diaries; speeches and sermons; material concerning Helen Joseph; and a large number of photographs of friends of Hannah Stanton.

Reports, correspondence, memoranda, maps, notes and press cuttings relating to the Dhofar War, Muscat and Oman, 1967-1971, including typescript 'Brief on Muscat and Oman', produced by Headquarters, Sultan's Armed Forces, Jun 1965; appointment diary, May-Dec 1968; correspondence, 1969-1972, mostly with Brig Corran William Brooke Purdon, Sultan's Armed Forces, Muscat, relating to operations in Dhofar, 1969-1970; typescript Muscat Regt contact reports relating to operations against People's Front for the Liberation of the Occupied Arabian Gulf (PFLOAG) guerillas, Muscat and Oman, 1969-1970, with typescript lists of Muscat Regt casualties, 1968-1969, and operations carried out, Apr-Dec 1969; typescript and manuscript notes relating to operations in Dhofar, 1970, with transcriptions of signals, 1970; six humourous cartoons by Jack Sullivan relating to operations in Muscat and Oman, Jan 1970; one colour photograph and seventeen captioned photographic slides relating to the Muscat Regt, Dhofar [1970]; bound volume of printed maps of Muscat and Oman [1970]; edition of The Guards Magazine. Journal of the Household Division, with article by Thwaites entitled 'Operation LANCE', Summer 1970; typescript text of lecture by Thwaites entitled 'Dhofar 1967-1970' [1972]; copy of article by Thwaites entitled 'The Dhofar campaign, 1967-1970' from the Sultan's Armed Forces Newsletter, 1989. Also, typescript volume entitled 'Britain and Oman: the Dhofar War and its significance. A dissertation submitted for the degree of Master of Philosophy in the University of Cambridge' by Lt Col John McKeown, Royal Engineers, 1981, and manuscript of Thwaites' book on the Dhofar War entitled 'Arabian Command' [1991], later completed by Maj Simon Sloane as Muscat command (Leo Cooper, London, 1995). Edition of Muscat command by Thwaites, completed by Maj Simon Sloane (Leo Cooper, London, 1995).

Two manuscript narrative diaries by Webb-Bowen, detailing the voyage of HMS IRON DUKE to the Crimea, Russia, via Gibraltar, Malta, Suda Bay, Crete, and Constantinople, Turkey, and subsequent operations in the Black Sea and Turkey, 21 Mar 1919-30 Nov 1920; typescript orders by Adm Sir John Michael de Robeck, 1st Bt, Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet, for officers and men of HM Ships IRON DUKE, MARLBOROUGH, BENBOW, MONTROSE, SPEEDY and SPORTIVE, relating to landing operations against Nationalist Turkish forces, Gemlik and Yeni Keui, Turkey, Jul 1920.

Papers of Tom Wintringham and his second wife Katherine 'Kitty' Wintringham (née Bowler), 1891-1982. Papers of Tom Wintringham relating to the Home Guard include correspondence, articles, radio broadcasts, press cuttings, photograph, report, lecture transcripts and training exercises. Papers relating to the Common Wealth Party including correspondence, photographs, minutes, publications, papers on Common Wealth Party policy, formation, resignations, libel charges, election campaigns and conferences. Other papers relating to Tom Wintringham including papers from his time at Balliol College, Oxford, 1918-1920; Wintringham's visit to Moscow, 1920; various inventions by Wintringham, 1929-1949; the Communist Party, 1933-1944; British economic crisis, 1947, and obituaries and biographical articles. Wintringham's correspondence includes his school days, First World War, prison, Spanish Civil War, Home Guard, Common Wealth Party and general personal and professional correspondence; Kitty's correspondence includes Spanish Civil War, the Common Wealth Party and general personal and professional correspondence. Photographs notably cover the Spanish Civil War, Home Guard, Common Wealth Party, Tom and Kitty Wintringham, their children, friends and family. Writings by Wintringham include draft and published articles (chiefly for the Picture Post, the Tribune, the Daily Herald and the Daily Mirror), drafts of published and unpublished books, scripts, reviews, notes, short stories and essays. Draft articles by Kitty. Poems by Wintringham and others on topics including World War One and the Spanish Civil War, 1910-1950 and printed material, 1923-1950.