Records of the Diocese of Southwark, 1742-2000. The collection relates to the area of London covered by the Diocese of Southwark south of the River Thames, dating mainly from 1905. It provides a wealth of information on church architecture and fixtures, sources for marriages and clergy (of particular use for family history), and the morals and conduct of clergy and their parishioners. Some records date from when parishes were under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Winchester (before 1877) and the Diocese of Rochester (1877-1904).

The records of Southwark Diocesan Regsistry include the following: grants of faculties relating to church buildings and fittings with a large number of coloured drawings and plans of churches, monuments, stained glass designs and other fittings (1905-2000); consecration and dedication papers including petitions and plans relating to new churches and burial grounds (1905-1976); ordinations and appointments of clergy (1878-1974); records relating to marriages including lists of marriage licences granted to couples intending to marry in churches within the Diocese of Rochester and Southwark (1877-1910, 1940-1958) and marriage warrants and affidavits recording the declarations made by parties intending to marry by licence (1905-1974).

Also records relating to visitations, the process by which the bishop maintained faith and discipline and corrected clerical and lay abuses, including lists of churchwardens (1924-1956), visitation returns (1907-1956) and presentment reports submitted by churchwardens on the state of church buildings and the conduct of clergy and parishioners in the parish (1905-1974).

The collection also contains minutes and property deeds from the Rochester and Southwark Diocesan Church Trust (1817-1966) relating to the College of Saint Saviour, Saint Olave, Southwark and All Saints, North Peckham, including correspondence relating to the removal of remains from the Flemish Burial Ground, adjacent to Saint Olave in 1842 (reference DS/CT); and minutes and related papers of Rural Deaneries of Dulwich, and Newington and Southwark (1869-1990) (reference DS/DRD).

Please note that some of the collection is uncatalogued. Please ask a member of staff for information regarding the procedure to access uncatalogued records.

Records of the Diocese of Winchester, 1480-1936. The archive collections relate mainly to parishes in the ancient county of Surrey, now in the dioceses of Guildford and Southwark and include: the records of the Archdeaconry of Surrey which had jurisdiction over the parishes in the ancient county of Surrey excluding 13 peculiars (administrative areas outside the jurisdiction of the bishop), including Bishop's Transcripts for parishes in the archdeaconry, the issue of licences including marriage bonds and allegations and clergy's licences, registry material, church consecrations and dedications, dissenters' meeting house certificates, and terriers of church property in each parish.

Also the records of the Archdeaconry Court of Surrey, consisting of court probate material including wills; the records of the Commissary Court of Surrey, including the bishop's commissary court probate records including wills and cause papers in court proceedings; and a small collection of office papers of the Archdeaconry of Winchester relating to parishes in Hampshire.

Costa del Sol Chaplaincy records comprising account books and papers and service registers.

Records of the Hare Court Independent Church, Aldersgate, comprising letters relating to hiring a new minister.

Records of Lime Street Independent Meeting House, comprising a church book including lists of members, minutes of meetings, and copies of letters.

Records of the Church of England Diocese in Europe. The records mainly relate to the administration of the Diocese, the oversight of chaplaincies and relations both with other organisations working within the Diocese and with other churches on the Continent. The bishop established a Bishop's Council to act as an advisory body for the Diocese.

It should be noted that many of the files are general and contain information on a variety of topics e.g. administration, finance and chaplaincy. This is especially true of the large series of correspondence between the diocesan administration and the chaplaincies, Ms32699/1-624.

There is a 30 year closure period on the Diocese in Europe material except Mss 32667/1-12, 32687 and 32688/1-12 which have a 50 year closure period and Ms 32699/1-624 which are closed for 75 years.

The records of the Diocese of Gibraltar are concerned with the administration of the Diocese, the oversight of chaplaincies and relations with other organisations working within the Diocese and with other churches on the Continent.

Material relating to the 1970s when John Satterthwaite was Bishop of Fulham and Gibraltar has been catalogued as part of the Diocese in Europe. Also series (such as confirmation registers, G.L. Ms 32690/1-6) which begin before 1970 but continue beyond that date have been catalogued as Diocese in Europe records.

It should be noted that many of the records are general files and contain information on a variety of topics, e.g. administration, finance and chaplaincy. This is especially true of the large series of correspondence between the diocesan administration and the chaplaincies, Ms 32699/1-624. This correspondence relates to the Diocese in Europe and Jurisdiction of North and Central Europe as well as the Diocese of Gibraltar but has been grouped as one series for convenience.

Note, Ms 32568/1-12 are closed for 50 years.

The records of the Jurisdiction of North and Central Europe are those of successive Bishops of Fulham rather than of the Bishops of London and are mainly concerned with the administration of the Jurisdiction, the oversight of chaplaincies and relations with other organisations working within north and central Europe and with other churches on the Continent. With a few exceptions the records date from the 1940s and 1950s.

It should be noted that many of the records are general files and contain information on a variety of topics e.g. administration, finance and chaplaincy. This is especially true of the large series of correspondence between the diocesan administration and the chaplaincies (MS32699/1-624). The latter series is part of the records of the Diocese in Europe but includes correspondence between the Bishops of Fulham and chaplaincies within the Jurisdiction.

Records of the Anglican Chaplaincy in Finland, comprising:
minutes, 1922-67 (Ms 20884);
papers of the chairman and/or secretary, 1941-70 (Ms 20885);
financial records, 1949-67 (Ms 20886-7);
annual reports, 1923-52 (Ms 20888);
newsletters and other circulars, 1952-80 (Ms 20889);
registers of services, 1920-73 (Ms 20890);
roll of membership, [1900?]-1956 (Ms 20891);
registers of baptisms, confirmations, marriages, burials and cremations, 1920-61 (Ms 20892-2A);
papers relating to marriages, 1965-72 (Ms 20892B);
architect's drawings of proposed new church, 1928 (Ms 20893); and
correspondence and related papers, 1937-81 (Ms 20894-900).

Register of baptisms, marriages and burials in the All Saints Anglican Church, Capri, Italy.

Records of the British Church of Saint Andrew, Moscow, Russia; including registers of baptisms, marriages and burials; minute book of meetings of the subscribers; articles defining the position of the church; and cash book.

Records of the British Church of Saint James, Oporto, Portugal comprising registers of baptisms, marriages and burials. They were catalogued in 1964 and 1990 by members of Guildhall Library staff.

Records of the British Church at Riga, Latvia, comprising registers of baptisms, marriages and burials, minutes and accounts of the British Poor Fund, and a volume containing historical records of the church. They were catalogued in 1963-4 by members of Guildhall Library staff.

Banns book for the British Church in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Register of services at the English Church, Archangel [Arkhangelsk], Russia.

Records of the English Church, Bagni di Lucca, Italy, including register of baptisms; registers of burials and graves; plan of the English cemetery; service register; preacher's book; financial accounts; minutes of the church trustees; churchwarden's books; and subscription books.

Records of the English Church in Hughesovka, Russia [now Donetsk, Ukraine], including transcripts of baptisms, marriages and burials.

Records of the Ghent Anglican Chaplaincy, Belgium. The records include a register of baptisms, marriages and burials, service registers, minutes, correspondence and accounts. They were catalogued by a member of Guildhall Library staff in 1994.

THESE RECORDS ARE SUBJECT TO A 30 YEAR CLOSURE PERIOD.

Records of Holy Trinity Church, Florence, Italy comprising: registers of baptisms, marriages and burials, 1833-1945 (Ms 23773-7); index to minutes, [1836-1870] (Ms 23778); preachers' book, 1881-1889 (Ms 23779); payment and receipts account book, 1932-1939 (Ms 23780); and register of marriages of the British Legation, Florence, 1865-71 (Ms 23781). They were catalogued by a member of Guildhall Library staff in 1989.

Register of baptisms, marriages and burials for Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Saint-Servan, France.

Records of the Smyrna Anglican Chaplaincy, Turkey, comprising registers and notes of baptisms, marriages and burials, registers of services, minutes and accounts. They have been catalogued by various members of staff over many years.

Preacher's book for the Syra Anglican Chaplaincy, Greece.

Records of Wengen Anglican Chaplaincy comprising chaplain's books, providing details of services.

Records of the Diocese of Western China, comprising registers of baptisms and marriages and baptism and marriage certificate books.

Records of the church of Saint Margaret, Uxbridge, comprising the foundation charter of a perpetual chantry for one chaplain [Walter Shiryngton?], 1459.

Records of the Southwark Diocesan Council for Wel-Care and associated organisations, 1895-1985. Records of the Southwark Diocesan Council for Welcare, 1895-1972, including Diocesan Council minutes, Finance Committee minutes, Executive Committee minutes, and minutes of the Rochester Diocesan Association of the Care of Friendless Girls.

Records of the Diocesan Office, 1895-1982, including policy and information files relating to illegitimate children, juvenile offenders, the mentally handicapped, sexual offences, ethnic minorities, mother and baby homes, housing, moral welfare work and the social services; files relating to finance and organisation including cooperation with other voluntary agencies and annual reports of local associations; and files relating to the employment and training of staff.

Ledger of the London and Southwark Diocesan Moral Education Committee, 1957-1958. Committee minutes and admission and discharge register of the Diocesan Medical Home, 1909-1935. Records of the Stretton House Diocesan Maternity Home, 1918-1977, including minutes of annual meetings and Committee meetings, annual reports, registers, day books, financial accounts and job applications.

Records of the South London Association for the Moral Welfare of Children, 1914-1950, including Committee minutes, annual reports and correspondence.

Records of local associations, 1895-1985, including Greenwich Association, Lambeth Association, Lewisham Association, Southwark and Camberwell Association and Wandsworth Association. Records include annual reports, financial accounts, Committee meeting minutes, Annual meeting minutes, case files, registers, adoption files, correspondence and administrative papers.

Also the Southwark Diocesan Council for Welcare reference collection, 1920-1982, comprising books and pamphlets on various subjects, including abortion, contraception, mother and baby homes, adoption, fostering, one parent families, child care, housing, social security, juvenile offenders, ethnic minorities, moral welfare work, social work, psychiatry, and the position of the Church of England on these issues.

Records of the London Society for Jews and Christians, including minute books; correspondence; financial accounts; reports; bulletins; press cuttings; papers for publication; copies of talks; and programmes and advertisements for meetings and conferences.

Records of Enfield Wel-Care, 1944-1987, including minute books; annual reports; papers relating to fundraising; newsletters; financial accounts; correspondence; papers of the Chairman; pamphlets; and papers relating to the winding up of Enfield Wel-Care.

Records of the church of Saint Mary, Hendon, comprising drawing of litany desk.

Letters written by James Smetham, 1853-1877, mainly to William Davies, concerning his work, schemes to raise money and his religious beliefs. Smetham called his letters "ventilators" and they often took the form of handmade notebooks with their contents resembling diaries or commonplace books. Other correspondents include Rev Thomas Akroyd, Quintin Hogg (1845-1903), Charles Mansford, Charles Gabriel Dante Rossetti (1828-1882), John Ruskin (1819-1900) and Frederic James Shields (1833-1911). Also letters to Sarah Smetham, his widow, from William Davies, 1889-1895.

Papers of Abbott, 1946-1995, mainly relating to theological training and including notes for lectures, [1946-1948, 1957, 1964], mainly given by Abbott at King's College London, on moral and pastoral theology; texts of broadcast sermons, 1947-1958, mainly on the BBC Third Programme, including three sermons broadcast from the Chapel of King's College in Lent 1958; texts of sermons, 1959-1974, delivered at Westminster Abbey, including a sermon on the occasion of Abbott's installation as Dean of Westminster, 30 Nov 1959; texts of discussion notes, meditations and lectures, 1960-1976, relating to discussions of the St Faith's Fellowship, Westminster, and other schools of prayer, including notes on forgiveness, Christ and the permissive society, the prayers of reparation and the Holy Spirit, atheists and agnostics; manuscript notes, [1959-1966], relating to discussions held by a group at occasional weekend retreats, on subjects including The life of prayer (J.M.Dent and Sons, London and Toronto, 1927) by Baron Friedrich von Huegel, The four loves (Geoffrey Bles, London, 1960) by Clive Staples Lewis, spiritual direction, pain, temptation and intercession; papers, 1946-1965, relating to a retreat at Pleshey, Essex, mainly comprising manuscript notes; miscellaneous published and unpublished texts of lectures, broadcasts and sermons, [1947-1975], including notes for lectures on the theology of the Eucharist, given at King's College London in [1950], on the meaning of ordination, given to students at Gilmore House in [1955], on the problem of suffering, given to London Women Workers in 1964, and the dilemma of contemporary spirituality, given to Sion College in 1964; schedule of notes for classes, for use by clergy preparing young people for Confirmation, [1960-1969]; text of sermon by Canon Eric Arthur James at the Memorial Eucharist for Abbott at Lincoln Theological College in 1985, and correspondence, 1985-1987, of Dean Sydney Evans, King's College London, in preparation for the writing of an entry about Abbott for the Dictionary of National Biography including a draft entry and a copy of entries concerning Abbott in the Keble College Record; list of Canon Abbott's papers compiled by Ursula Grundy, 1995.

Manuscript volume containing transcripts of legal papers, 1686, mainly relating to the attempts of King James II to increase his powers as the Supreme Head of the Anglican Church, including papers appointing the Lords Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, 17 Jul 1686, and their proceedings against Henry Compton, Bishop of London, 9 Aug-6 Sep 1686; proceedings in the Court of King's Bench against Sir Edward Hales, Baronet, 1686, (where the judges found in favour of the king's power to excuse individuals from the Test Oath); observations on the case of customs cited in the Reports of Sir Edward Coke...of divers resolutions and judgments (W Lee, London, 1658), 1686; and notes on proceedings in the Court of King's Bench against Samuel Johnson, [1686].

Records, 1764-1977, of Council for World Mission predecessor bodies, including records of the London Missionary Society, 1764-1966, the Commonwealth Missionary Society, 1836-1966, and some records of the Congregational Council for World Mission from 1966.

Papers, 1892-1904, of William Harwood Nutt, concerning his time with the London Missionary Society at Fwambo and Kambole in Central Africa, and comprising letters, 1892-1896, to and from his family and other correspondents; notes on supplies, 1892-1894; journals, 1892-1896, including notes on trips; meteorological registers, 1893-1895; surgical and medical records, 1894; three official papers on African affairs, 1895-1896; manuscripts, notes, and sketches, including maps, on Central Africa, its people, customs and beliefs, climate and topography; photographic negatives and prints of people and scenes; manuscript papers by Nutt on native treatment of disease in Central Africa, 1904.

Papers, 1746-1918, of and relating to Dr Ralph Wardlaw Thompson and his family, comprising correspondence and papers concerning his antecedents and family, 1746-1872, including letters to the Rev Dr Ralph Wardlaw, 1795-1852, and papers concerning Dr John Wardlaw, 1838-1872; Bible given to Ralph Wardlaw Thompson by his parents, 1847; four letters to Thompson, 1851-1866, including one from Ralph Wardlaw; palm leaf address to Thompson and Albert Spicer, London Missionary Society (LMS) deputation members in India, 1882; Thompson's diaries of a deputational visit to India, China and South Africa, 1882-1883; notes of deputational visits to South Africa, 1892, 1898, and to the South Seas and Papua New Guinea, 1897; notes on the LMS conference at Shanghai and on a deputational visit to India, 1907; notes for speeches, 1880s-1890s and undated; decorative addresses presented to Thompson, 1880, 1908; letters received on Thompson's death, 1916; biographical material on Thompson collected by Basil Mathews, 1916-1918.

Papers, 1894-1900, of Thomas and Lucy Bach, comprising correspondence, 1894-1898, largely between Thomas and Lucy Bach and their families, including comments on Lucy's health, life in India, and missionary work; photographs, 1895-[1899], of people and scenes in India, including religious and educational subjects; printed papers, 1898-1900, relating to London Missionary Society (LMS) missionary work and the Bachs' life in India; St John's Gospel written on palm leaves in various languages and another palm leaf book, both undated.

Papers, 1893-1933, of John Henry Holmes, comprising diaries, 1893-1900, 1906-1907, 1915, including observations on his activities and on life in Papua and notes on subjects including anthropology; correspondence with Alfred Cort Haddon, 1904-1906, 1922, comprising letters received and copy letters sent and chiefly concerning Holmes' study of Elema totemism; typescript articles on Papuan beliefs, including the totemism of the Elema tribes, 1914 and undated; printed comparative tables of languages spoken in different parts of Papua, 1915; photographs showing examples of the technology of the Orokaiva tribes of northern Papua; sketch maps of Papua; manuscript notes on anthropology, 1913; typescript children's stories about missionary work and life in Papua, set in the Moru and Urika districts, 1933 and undated.

Records, 1848-1984, of the Melanesian Mission, including minute books; correspondence, journals and diaries of pioneer missionaries including R H Codrington and J C Patteson; correspondence of more recent missionaries; logs relating to the Mission vessels including the first 'Southern Cross' log book, 1855. Material relating to the Church of Melanesia includes the proceedings of the Provincial Synod from its inception in 1975, conference reports, and lists of missionaries from the Mission's beginnings to the 1920s. Printed materials include the Southern Cross Log, 1895-1954, 1963-1973, and Annual Reports, 1864-1939 (1917 and 1923 missing). There are also a large number of photographs and manuscript maps of the Diocese of the Melanesian Mission dating from 1875 onwards.

Papers, 1889-1902, of Arthur Baldwin, comprising diaries, 1889-1899, describing his journeys, work and life in Africa, including domestic activities and agricultural concerns; letters from Baldwin to his mother, 1889-1902, recounting his activities; letters from F Coillard to Baldwin, 1893-1895, concerning missionary work and concerns; undated manuscript notes on Coillard; undated map marked 'Proposal for a new mission Moomba'; letter to Mr Baldwin from F Pickering, 1897; letter to Mrs Baldwin from Mrs C Thackeray in New Zealand [1908]; nine photographs of southern Africa, mostly undated landscapes but including one of mission staff, 1899, among them some indigenous workers.

Papers, 1815-1894, of and relating to Samuel Broadbent, comprising his ordination certificate, 1815; notes for a sermon preached in Greetland before leaving for Ceylon, 1815; family letters, 1818-1872; printed Encyclopaedia of Knowledge [before 1826] belonging to Broadbent, vestige of his possessions destroyed at Maquassie in 1826, with a manuscript note by him [after 1826] concerning its history; volume containing manuscript English-Bechuana vocabulary and Lord's Prayer, undated, and other loose Bechuana texts; South African scalping knife; account [after 1832] of the life of Louisa Frances Broadbent; notes of Broadbent's journey to southern Ireland on missionary deputation with the Rev W Toase, 1833; printed article by Broadbent on agriculture in South Africa, 'Incidental results of Christian Missions', 1850; printed map of south-eastern Africa, 1857; various manuscript reminiscences by Broadbent, undated; photograph of Samuel Broadbent, unframed, and another, framed (with copy negative), both undated; manuscript copies [19th century] from letters of Miss Broadbent concerning the last hours of Samuel Broadbent, 1867; the Rev T A Chalker's 'The Story of an African Mission', from the Methodist Record (1894), mentioning Broadbent; undated photograph of the gravestone of Samuel and Sarah Broadbent; manuscript transcript [19th century] of the epitaph on the gravestone of Louisa Frances Broadbent.

Papers, 1833-1938, of and relating to John Hunt and his family, comprising correspondence, 1833-1868, of John and Hannah Hunt, the correspondents mainly family members but including some other missionaries; 'scrapbook' kept at the Wesleyan Theological Institution, Hoxton, commencing 1835, containing entries by Hunt on religious subjects; certificates, 1838, of ordination and oath of allegiance; Hunt's journals, 1838-1848, including the journey to Fiji and life and work there, one volume including an autobiographical account of his early life and religious experiences; Hunt's sermon notes and religious writings, largely undated [1830s-1840s], including a volume presented to R B Lyth, 1842; poems by Hunt, including some Fijian verses, undated; Hunt's manuscript memoir of the Rev William Cross [1843-1844]; pen believed to have belonged to John Hunt; photographic copies of a portrait of Hunt; the first Tongan Bible [published in 1839], with an inscription regarding its provenance, 1842; printed letter by James Calvert on Hunt's death, 1848; biographical account of Hunt [by R B Lyth] [after 1848]; notebook [of Hannah Hunt], some entries inscribed E A Hunt and dated 1860, including notes on Lincolnshire and other English localities, the Scriptures, poetry, Shakespeare, and history; notebook of poems from Elsie and Hannah Hunt to their mother [Hannah Hunt], 1875; photograph [of Hannah Hunt]; miscellaneous papers of Hannah Hunt Richings, 1864-1881, including photographs of her and her husband Lewis, undated; notebook of Eliza-Ann Hunt, containing diary entries, 1874-1888, and other entries including poetry and stories; papers, 1920-1938, including letters, press cuttings, and notes, relating to John Hunt, his work in Fiji, and his Lincolnshire connections.

Letters, 1911-1912, from Laura Beckingsale, written in diary form to colleagues in London describing her experiences during the Chinese Revolution of 1911-1912, in Wuchang and Hankow, where she worked for the London Missionary Society.

Miscellaneous papers, 1915-1973, of Mabel Shaw, including her correspondence (1930-1973) and circular letters; personal papers; prayer texts and poems; reports, including Decenial Report on the Women's and Girl's Work in Mbereshi (1930-1940); and miscellaneous photographs from Mbereshi.

Papers, 1919-1962, of Margaret Katherine Sabin, including notes, letters and photographs. Letters include those written to her family (1919-1950), describing work at the school and mission station in Mbereshi. Also includes photographs of Mbereshi.

Papers, 1924-1962, of Reginald John Beagarie Moore, comprising correspondence and papers relating to his missionary work in Africa. Includes annual reports of the United Missions in the Copperbelt (1937-1940); reports of his work at Mindolo (1934-1939, not 1936-1937); typescript copies of his publications; copies of published articles; and photographs of Copperbelt scenes. Also includes a copy of Moore's anthropological study The Witchdoctor's Prescription.

Photocopy of a typescript transcript of the diary, 1839-1842, 1845, 1855-1859 (some gaps), of the Rev Robert Brooking, describing his missionary work, experiences, and local customs in west Africa and Canada, including transcript of a letter from T B Freeman, Cape Coast (west Africa), to Robert Brooking, 1855, describing the work of the mission there. With an article [1980s] by Helen Allen on the life of Robert Brooking.

Five notebooks containing the memoirs of James Sibree, 1836-1879, 1913-1926, recording his early life in Hull, family history, training at Spring Hill, missionary work in Madagascar and in Vizagapatam, India, with the London Missionary Society, and his later years.

Material, 1930s-1990s, relating to southern Africa and the work of Cecil Edward Seager. Includes a video and transcript of early cine-film from the period in which Seager was stationed at Dombodema and Tjimali (1930s-1940s); correspondence (1933-1994); press cuttings; and typescripts of a play written by Seager entitled A Christian Cavalcade (1948).

Diary, 1825-1827, of the Rev William Fidler, describing his voyage from Bristol to St Vincent accompanied by his wife Anna and other Methodist missionaries, and containing detailed descriptions of events and places during his first two years in the West Indies, and religious reflections.

Records, 1842-1972, of the Presbyterian Church of England Foreign Missions Committee (or English Presbyterian Mission), comprising:
Home Office (central administration) papers, consisting of general correspondence, including minutes and office copies of material, Finance Committee papers, including minutes, 1920-1937, files of correspondence and reports with Internal and External Organisations, and annual field reports from missionaries overseas;
Overseas papers from the various mission fields, consisting of general correspondence and reports, field reports and correspondence from individuals, and reports concerning particular hospitals, schools and Institutions;
Women's Missionary Association papers;
publications, other printed materials, and some photographic material.