South-Western Polytechnic, Chelsea Polytechnic, Chelsea College of Science and Technology, and Chelsea College Lectures, Programmes and other Events Literature, 1905-1983. This collection of ephemera provides an insight into the academic and social events that took place at Chelsea from the early years until the merger of Chelsea with King's in 1985. It notably includes copies of inaugural lectures by newly appointed professors on subjects as diverse as science education, physics in a social context and the science of botany, 1969-1980; public lecture texts on occasions ranging from memorial speeches to the award of prizes, 1905-1974; audio tape recordings of lectures and addresses including on the history of the College and of various inaugural lectures, 1965-1973 (Ref: C/LEC, C/LECT); programmes of events and orders of service covering advertisements for exhibitions, the opening of new buildings, the visit of royalty and open days, 1926-1983; prize-giving programmes, 1930-1976; sporting fixtures and entertainments programmes, 1936-1985 (Ref: C/PRG).

Records, c1725, 1799-1986, of the United Society for Christian Literature (USCL) and its predecessors, including the Religious Tract Society, comprise:

Executive Committee minutes for the RTS, 1799-1935 (some gaps) (Ref: USCL 1-113), continued under the USCL, 1935-1953 (Ref: USCL 113-122), and other minutes, including copyright, finance, and local associations, for the RTS, 1806-1935, and USCL, 1935-1972 (Ref: USCL 123-149, USCL Add 6, 15, 19-22);

copies of outgoing RTS letters, 1824-1889 (Ref: USCL 150-195); miscellaneous correspondence of the RTS, 1824-1847 (Ref: USCL Add 23-26);

annual reports for the RTS, 1820-1935 (many gaps) (Ref: USCL 311-336, USCL Add 34), USCL, 1935-1962 (Ref: USCL 337-357, USCL/S 69-72, 99-103, USCL Add 38), and RTS (China), continued under the USCL, 1884-1947 (Ref: USCL 366-376);

ledgers and accounts, 1836-1952 (Ref: USCL 196-231);

papers of the RTS, succeeded by the USCL, relating to copyright, 1825-1835 (Ref: USCL Add 1-2); reports of sub-committees on anti-popery, 1839, and new warehouses, 1844 (Ref: USCL Add 3-4); salaries books, 1851-1938 (Ref: USCL Add 5); letters, report and pamphlet relating to the Assam mission, India, 1857-1859 (Ref: USCL Add 7); legacies book, 1911-1986 (Ref: USCL Add 11); USCL register of members, 1946-1963, also including declarations of employee names, 1948-1972 (Ref: USCL Add 16); USCL papers concerning premises in Lusaka, Rhodesia, 1949-1955 (Ref: USCL Add 17); reports on USCL officials' visits to India and Ceylon, Northern Rhodesia, and Zambia, 1950-1969 (Ref: USCL Add 18); papers documenting USCL history, 1927-1976 and undated, including notes, chronology, printed material, and photographs, including the fire damage of 1941 (Ref: USCL Add 64-71);

RTS and USCL printed tracts, c1920-c1950 (Ref: USCL 400-401); annotated listings of RTS publications, 1842-1859 (Ref: USCL Add 39); RTS publications, 1822-1934 and undated (Ref: USCL Add 41-57); USCL publications, 1935-1962 and undated (Ref: USCL Add 57-62); miscellaneous publications, c1725, 1816-1960, including some on the work of the RTS but also including other publications, some by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (Ref: USCL 377-399, USCL Add 40, 63).

There are also records, 1858-1950, of the Christian Literature Society (CLS) for India (and Africa) and its predecessor; and records, 1885-1977, of the UCSL (Scotland) and its predecessors.

Records, 1885-1977, of the UCSL (Scotland) and predecessors, comprising:

minutes of the Christian Literature Society (CLS) for China Scottish Central Committee, 1891-1942 (Ref: USCL/S 1-3), including annual meetings of the Society, 1893-1901 (Ref: USCL/S 1), Edinburgh Committee, 1893-1921, 1940-1942 (Ref: USCL/S 2, 7), and Glasgow Committee, 1893-1942 (Ref: USCL/S 5); USCL Scottish Central Committee, 1942-1977 (Ref: USCL/S 4), and Glasgow Committee, 1943-1972 (Ref: USCL/S 6); CLS for India and Africa Edinburgh Auxiliary Committee, 1926-1935, continued by the USCL Edinburgh Auxiliary, 1935-1976 (Ref: USCL/S 8), and USCL Glasgow and South of Scotland Auxiliary Committee, 1935-1942 (Ref: USCL/S 9);

other papers, 1885-1942, relating to the history of the CLS for China (Scotland) and USCL (Scotland) and their union (Ref: USCL/S 10-13);

annual reports for the Book and Tract Society of China, 1885-1890 (Ref: USCL/S 14-19), Society for the Diffusion of Christian and General Knowledge Among the Chinese, 1893-1895 (Ref: USCL/S 20-22), Christian Literature Society for China, 1893-1905, 1912-1942 (Ref: USCL/S 23-68, USCL Add 37), and USCL (Scotland), 1943-1971 (Ref: USCL/S 73-98);

miscellaneous publications, c1893-1966 (Ref: USCL/S 104-130).

Archives of the Conference of British Missionary Societies, largely dating from 1912-1970, including some material dating from 1872-1973, relating to administration, the work of other missionary bodies, and issues affecting missionary work.

Records, 1901-1970, of the Standing Committee and other committees comprise minutes, annual reports, and administrative papers and correspondence, including some relating to the CBMS constitution, finance, staffing, World War Two, and broadcasting, and papers relating to various other missionary bodies, including the Foreign Missions Conference of North America and National Council of Churches in Christ in the USA, 1893-1960 (Ref: S).

Records, 1907-1968, of the Home Council comprise minutes and administrative papers (Ref: H); records, 1926-1960, relating to audio-visual aids, including minutes, administrative papers, and reviews of films (Ref: H/AVA); records, 1920-1944, of the Far and Near Press Bureau, with detailed information on numerous individual missionaries and missionary issues, including BBC talks, publications, manuscripts and matching press cuttings, and obituaries (arranged chronologically), biographical files and photographs of people and regions (arranged alphabetically), and background information on various areas (Ref: H/PB); records, 1921-1960, relating to recruitment and training of missionaries (Ref: H/RT); records, 1946-1965, of the Schools Committee, relating to speakers, exhibitions and publicity material (Ref: H/Sc); records, 1939-1961, of the Youth Committee (Ref: H/Y); records, 1907-1968, of the United Council for Missionary Education and Edinburgh House Press, including minutes, finance papers, records of publications and papers relating to production, stock and publicity, book reviews, correspondence, and publications on missionaries and missionary subjects (Ref: H/UP).

Area files, including correspondence with national Christian councils, overseas governments and overseas churches and churchmen, comprise minutes of the Africa Committee and papers on missionary work in countries in Central, East, Southern and West Africa, 1915-1960, touching on educational work, political events and decolonization, African customs, Islam, social problems, and interethnic relations, including papers of the Advisory Committee on Education in the Colonies (including areas outside Africa), 1927-1961 (Ref: A); records of the Committee on Work among Jews and Near and Middle East Committee and papers relating to missionary work in Middle Eastern countries and Egypt, 1921-1967, touching on work among Moslems, political events and refugee issues (Ref: N); records of the West Indies Committee and papers relating to missionary work in the Caribbean, 1938-1968, touching on social and economic development (Ref: W); records of the Asia Committee and papers on missionary work, including educational and medical work, in China, India, and other parts of East, South, and South East Asia, 1872-1964, including political events, the Sino-Japanese War and World War Two, the development of Communism in China, and political events and self-government in India (Ref: E).

Records on literature and medical work comprise records of the Christian Literature Committee and Christian Literature Council, including finance and policy papers, and papers relating to literacy and literature in Central, East, Southern and West Africa, East, South, and South East Asia, the Middle East, and the Caribbean and Latin America, 1920-1968 (Ref: L); records of the Medical Advisory Board and papers on medical missionary work in Africa, India and China, 1928-1963 (Ref: M).

Records on co-operative action with other missionary bodies relate to the World Missionary Conference and its Continuation Committee, 1907-1929, the International Missionary Council, 1917-1973, World Council of Churches, 1945-1960, and British Council of Churches, 1938-1960 (Ref: C).

Records, 1920-1963, of the Christian Literature Bureau for Africa and its succession by the ICCLA (International Committee on Christian Literature for Africa, part of the International Missionary Council), comprising early papers, 1920-1929, including correspondence; minutes, 1929-1958; records of the American Section, 1924-1959; accounts and related papers, 1928-1958; finance papers, 1948-1959; policy papers, 1929-1959, including its winding-up; papers relating to personnel, 1947-1956; papers relating to Secretarial travel by Margaret Wrong and C de Mestral in Africa, Europe and north America, 1933-1959; photographs of West Africa, 1933, and Southern Africa [1936]; papers of Margaret Wrong (Secretary), 1935-1947, including notes for addresses, reviews, articles on subjects including colonial development, personal photographs, letters, and papers, 1949-1965, relating to her death (c1949) and memorial fund; reports, surveys, etc, 1923-1957; papers relating to Books for Africa series and to Listen, 1931-1963; papers relating to the publication Daystar, 1948-1957; lists of books received, especially vernacular, 1930-1957; African language publications, 1930-1951; papers relating to Christian literature for Muslims, 1932-1959; papers relating to school service book, 1938-1953; manuscripts received, 1933-1957; papers relating to hymns publication, 1957-1963; papers relating to literacy [1935]-1959; papers on territorial series, 1927-1959; complete set of Books for Africa series, 1931-1963; complete set of Listen, 1932-1957; series (some incomplete) of published works: Little Books for Africa, African Home Library (comprising texts on the Bible and Christian faith, biography, allegories and stories, family, health and land, government and industry, countries and customs, science and education), and the French edition Bibliotheque de la Famille Africaine, and African Features; specimen periodicals published in Africa, 1950s; card index to titles for Books for Africa books reviewed and card index to titles and authors in the ICCLA library.

Records, 1858-1950, of the Christian Vernacular Education Society (CVES) for India, from 1891 the Christian Literature Society (CLS) for India (and Africa from 1923), comprising minutes, 1864-1935 (Ref: USCL 232-250); copies of outgoing letters, 1859-1931 (Ref: USCL 251-306); correspondence of the CVES, 1858-1862 (Ref: USCL Add 27-31), and CLSI, 1892-1900 (Ref: USCL Add 32-3); press cuttings on its work, 1858-1871 (Ref: USCL 308-10); annual reports, 1859-1928 (many gaps) (Ref: USCL 358-365, USCL Add 35); Baptist Missionary Society minutes, 1859, relating to a CVES letter concerning scholarships for theological students (Ref: USCL Add 8); minutes of the Society for Promoting Female Education in the East, 1859 (Ref: USCL Add 9); papers on the CVES/CLSI Madras depot, 1873-1910 (Ref: USCL Add 10); document on CLSI mergers in Madras and Calcutta, 1922-1924 (Ref: USCL Add 12-13); Calcutta Christian Tract and Book Society annual report, 1922-1923 (Ref: USCL Add 36); draft deeds and correspondence concerning CLSI premises in Madras, 1930 (Ref: USCL Add 14); miscellaneous papers of the Madras branch, c1900-1950 (Ref: USCL 307).