Collection GB 0074 CLC/198 - SION COLLEGE

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 CLC/198

Title

SION COLLEGE

Date(s)

  • 1631-1996 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

255 production units.

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Sion College was a society of Anglican clergy rather than an educational establishment. It was established in 1624 out of the bequest of Dr Thomas White, rector of Saint Dunstan in the West, who left £3000 to found a college for City clergy and an almshouse. The charter was recieved in 1630, constituting all "Rectors, Vicars, Lecturers and Clergy in or close to the City" as Fellows of the College. Management of the College lay with a President, two Deans and their assistants. The addition of a library was the suggestion of John Simpson, rector of Saint Olave Hart Street and executor of White's bequest. The reason for the name of the College is unknown. The original site was at London Wall. The buildings and all the books were destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666, but rebuilding took place by 1678. The Library continued to expand and by 1850 was estimated to hold 40,000 volumes. In 1879 the College bought land on Victoria Embankment and constructed a new building, opened in 1886. The almshouses were separated and renamed Sion Hospital. By the 1980s the Library was thought to hold 100,000 volumes. The College was closed in 1996.

Information from The London Encyclopaedia, eds. Weinreb and Hibbert (LMA Library Reference 67.2 WEI).

Archival history

GB 0074 CLC/198 1631-1996 Collection 255 production units. Sion College

Sion College was a society of Anglican clergy rather than an educational establishment. It was established in 1624 out of the bequest of Dr Thomas White, rector of Saint Dunstan in the West, who left £3000 to found a college for City clergy and an almshouse. The charter was recieved in 1630, constituting all "Rectors, Vicars, Lecturers and Clergy in or close to the City" as Fellows of the College. Management of the College lay with a President, two Deans and their assistants. The addition of a library was the suggestion of John Simpson, rector of Saint Olave Hart Street and executor of White's bequest. The reason for the name of the College is unknown. The original site was at London Wall. The buildings and all the books were destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666, but rebuilding took place by 1678. The Library continued to expand and by 1850 was estimated to hold 40,000 volumes. In 1879 the College bought land on Victoria Embankment and constructed a new building, opened in 1886. The almshouses were separated and renamed Sion Hospital. By the 1980s the Library was thought to hold 100,000 volumes. The College was closed in 1996.

Information from The London Encyclopaedia, eds. Weinreb and Hibbert (LMA Library Reference 67.2 WEI).

Deposited in 1960 and 1996 in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library. In addition Mss 9208 and 9251-6 were donated to the Library by Beaumont and Son in 1955. The archive has been catalogued at various dates from 1955 by members of Guildhall Library staff. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

Records of Sion College, a society of Anglican clergy. The majority of the collection dates from 1631, with deeds from 1611. The records include notes on the history of the College; constitution, rules and bye-laws; Court of Governor's minutes and other Committee minutes; annual reports; financial accounts; lists of Fellows and subscription books; letter books and correspondence; papers of the Secretary; legal papers; menus and invitations to events; newsletters and promotional material; press cuttings; papers relating to properties and estates owned by the College; papers relating to the library including committee minutes, inventories, lists of borrowed books and registers of rebinding; photographs of past Presidents and Fellows; and photographs of the Library and College.

As the archive is large and complex, and to assist the user, the catalogue has been arranged in sections, each with an archival classification code as follows:
SICA Constitutional records;
SICB Financial records;
SICC Correspondence and papers;
SICD Charities and estates;
SICE Library;
SICF Photographs.

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Copyright to this collection rests with the depositor.

English

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Records of the City Clerical Society and City Lay Agency Association, which were deposited by Sion College, have been catalogued separately as CLC/046. Sion Hospital records have been catalogued as CLC/127.

The Library contents were dispersed in 1996. Pre 1850 printed books and manuscripts were passed to Lambeth Palace Library; post 1850 items to King's College, London. The charters of 1626 and 1630 were retained by the College.

For further information on the College's early history see Richard Palmer's unpublished lecture of 2002, a copy of which is held at the Information Desk, as well as Sion College and Library by E H Pearce, 1913.

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. London Victoria Embankment Sion College Sion Hospital , charity for pensioners Religion Ancient religions Libraries Religions Christianity Protestantism Anglicanism Vocational education Theological education Theology Christian theology Christians Protestants Anglicans Religious institutions Religious organizations Church societies Religious groups Clergy Anglican clergy England UK Western Europe Europe London Wall City of London Catholicism Catholics

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Deposited in 1960 and 1996 in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library. In addition Mss 9208 and 9251-6 were donated to the Library by Beaumont and Son in 1955. The archive has been catalogued at various dates from 1955 by members of Guildhall Library staff. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of Sion College, a society of Anglican clergy. The majority of the collection dates from 1631, with deeds from 1611. The records include notes on the history of the College; constitution, rules and bye-laws; Court of Governor's minutes and other Committee minutes; annual reports; financial accounts; lists of Fellows and subscription books; letter books and correspondence; papers of the Secretary; legal papers; menus and invitations to events; newsletters and promotional material; press cuttings; papers relating to properties and estates owned by the College; papers relating to the library including committee minutes, inventories, lists of borrowed books and registers of rebinding; photographs of past Presidents and Fellows; and photographs of the Library and College.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

As the archive is large and complex, and to assist the user, the catalogue has been arranged in sections, each with an archival classification code as follows:
SICA Constitutional records;
SICB Financial records;
SICC Correspondence and papers;
SICD Charities and estates;
SICE Library;
SICF Photographs.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright to this collection rests with the depositor.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Records of the City Clerical Society and City Lay Agency Association, which were deposited by Sion College, have been catalogued separately as CLC/046. Sion Hospital records have been catalogued as CLC/127.

The Library contents were dispersed in 1996. Pre 1850 printed books and manuscripts were passed to Lambeth Palace Library; post 1850 items to King's College, London. The charters of 1626 and 1630 were retained by the College.

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

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

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

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area