As at Jan 2009, The Women's Library held approximately 4,000 objects in the Museum Collection, with 3,840 additional objects identified in the archives.

The Women's Library Museum Collection objects are grouped in the following categories: Badges; Banners; Paintings; Photographs; Postcards; Posters; Textiles; - Objects and other ephemera e.g. souvenir material related to women's campaigning, ceramics used to promote or commemorate women's campaigning activities, artefacts associated with famous/prominent women.

The strength of the Museum Collection lies in the range of printed ephemera and artefacts that document suffrage campaign activities, in addition there is some material relating to later 20th century women's organisations and campaigning, such as feminist activity during the 1970s and 1980s. The Museum Collection complements the range of artefacts and ephemera held in The Women's Library archive and printed collections.

For further information about the scope of the banner, postcard, photograph and poster holdings see the introductions to (object numbers: twl.banner; twl.postcard; twl.poster).

Objects can be searched using the 'ObjectName' field. The main categories are named: badge, banner, photograph, postcard, painting, poster, textile.

Additional object names include: Album, Arm band , Ashtray, Bag, Blouse, Bookmark, Book token, Bottle, Braid, Bunting, Bunting flag, cake server, Calendar, Candleholder, Caricature, Cartoon, Chair back, Christmas card, Cigarette box, Clay pipe, Coaster, Coin, Comb, Cup, Design, Envelope, Flag, Flier, Fragment of aluminium, Game, Goblet, Gown, Greetings Card, Illustration, Jabot, Jacket, Key-ring, Magazine, Mallet, Map, Medal, Medallion, Membership Card, Memorial, Menu, Metal Cast, Mug, Needlecraft, Notebook, Offprint, Ornament, Packaging, Page, Patch, Pattern, Pen, Pin, Plaque, Plate, Print, Presentation volume, Programme, Record, Ribbon, Rosette, Sash, Saucer, Scarf, Seal, Shield, Ship's card, Sign, Silhouette, Spoon, Stamp, Sticker, Swizzle stick, T-Shirt, Tea Spoon, Tea Towel, Textile, Textile fragment, Ticket, Toy, Trousers, Unitard, Wallet, Wallpaper.

As at Jan 2009, The Women's Library held approximately 1,144 postcards in the Museum Collection, with 211 postcards identified in the archives.

The earliest postcards held result from suffrage campaigning and include: documentary photographs of suffrage activities and events, and portraits of activists produced by the Women's Social and Political Union, the Women's Freedom League, and illustrated propaganda cards produced by the Artists' Suffrage League and the Suffrage Atelier. The collection also includes a significant number of anti-suffrage comic cards produced by commercial printers. There is a range of cards illustrating the campaigns for women's enfranchisement in Holland, Sweden, France and USA amongst other countries. Women's contribution to the First World War is documented in a number of postcards that represent the Scottish Women's Hospitals and other hospitals.

In addition, the collection contains contemporary postcards dating from the late 1970s to the present day. It includes a selection of satirical cartoons concerned with female characteristics and roles, a range of cards produced by women's organisations and campaign groups, particularly peace groups, cards representing campaigning on issues internationally.

Most postcards in the collection are blank on the reverse side. There are a number, such as those sent by women on the suffrage caravan tours and during the First World War, which were sent and the text may be useful for research.

Two scrapbooks of presscuttings and printed ephemera documenting Miss Nettlefold's legal career and the campaigns relating to women's entry into the legal profession. It also includes legal documents relating to Bebb v. The Law Society, a ms paper [by Miss Nettlefold] entitled, 'Women and the Legal Profession'; and a ts paper entitled, 'History of the efforts to open the legal profession to women in England and Scotland', Mar 1920. Also included are articles on women lawyers in Britain and abroad and cuttings relating to the barrister Helena Normanton.

Scrapbook of press cuttings and printed ephemera on a range of subjects, 1910, including the suffrage campaigns, the General Election and the death and funeral of King Edward VII. Includes commemorative postcards of the latter.

These scrapbooks consist of press cuttings from the national and local press relating to 'women's organisations' ‘'he dangerous trades', 'child labour', 'home industries' and 'sweating'.

This scrapbook consists of press cuttings from the regional and specialist press, including many articles written by Cécile Matheson, relating to the Birmingham Women's Settlement and her other social welfare interests and activities.

The archive consists of Minutes of the Council (Jun 1912-Jun 1919) and the executive committees (Feb 1910-Mar 1911, Apr 1911-Oct 1913, Oct 1913- Jun 1919) and for the finance and settlement (Nov 1913-Jul 195, Nov 1915-Dec 1919), County Organisation (Mar 1912-Jul 1914) and literature (Nov 1913-Jul 1915) subcommittees; Reference volume of abstracts on Canada; volume of Annual reports (1910-1919).

The archive consists of the following.

Executive Committee: minutes including a report from Lady Malmesbury's Committee of Enquiry and a draft letter; Finance Committee: volume of minutes and unbound duplicate minutes; minutes of the shipping, Rhodesia, Rhodes Hostel, Transvaal, Orange River, Cape Colony and Natal subcommittees; Annual Reports: 1903-1905, 1908-1909, 1910-1912, 1913-1916, 1916-1919; volumes of correspondence.

The archive consists of an agenda, accounts and duplicated manuscript annual report for the annual general meeting of the Petersfield Society in 1912 and annual reports 1921-1933. Annual reports of the St Pancras Society 1927-1930.

The archive consists of Annual Reports (1875-1880), Executive Committee (1887-1888) and British Committee (1890-1915) minutes with British Committee Chairperson's Book and Log (1897-1903), circulars (1909), pamphlet (1896), indexes to pamphlets (1874-1909) and indexes to Henry J Wilson files, an 'inwards' letter-book including an envelope containing copies of correspondence with government (1893), a letter-book of correspondence from India and a report compiled by Dr Kate Bushell and Mrs Andrews during a visit there (1891-1896).

This archive consists of letters primarily by Josephine Butler, but also by key members of her family (such as her husband) and by colleagues and friends (such as Henry Wilson). Josephine Butler was a Victorian social reformer who campaigned against prostitution and the Contagious Diseases Acts (1864,1866 and 1869). In addition to the original letters held by The Women's Library, this archive includes photocopies of correspondence held at the University of Liverpool Special Collections.

At some point (probably in the 1960s) the correspondence held at The Women's Library was placed in chronological order. Prior to the collection being copied to microfiche (possibly in the 1980s), the photocopies from Liverpool were interleaved. Also interleaved and copied to microfiches were abstracts and administrative history notes made by Miss Burton, a member of the Fawcett Library.

The online catalogue includes the index of who the letters were to and from; the date of the letter; abstracts of each individual letter; and the administrative history and biographical notes made by Miss Burton.

The catalogue supercedes the original finding aid, a card index of correspondents that was available in The Women's Library Reading Room. The collection is available on microfiche in the Reading Room.

Henry J Wilson was Honorary Secretary of the Northern Counties Electoral League For The Repeal Of The Contagious Diseases Acts. There are a number of letters in the Josephine Butler Letters Collection which relate to the Northern Counties Electoral League. These letters bear Henry J Wilson's usual stamp for those files and his reference numbers (marked in blue pencil). At some stage his copies of letters were removed from his personal archive and placed in the Josephine Butler Letters Collection. Readers should also look at 3HJW for further records re the Northern Counties League.

Some of the copy letters are very faint, both on the microfiche and in the original. These are primarily letters that were copied using a 'wet' process. A thin sheet of tissue paper was damped and blotted over the original letter. This took a pale, often fuzzy copy of the letter, which was read 'through' the tissue. As well as being very faint these copies are very fragile.

ABBREVIATIONS:

CD / CDA Contagious Diseases Act

'RR' in the notes refers to 'Rough Record' a copy of which is available in the library, [search Printed Collections Catalogue for 'Keyword' for 'Rough Record'.]

The archive consists of correspondence correspondence (1929-1934) with members, affiliated branches and other groups, annual reports (1929-1934), minutes and correspondence of the Equal Political Rights Campaign Committee (1927-1930), papers relating to the foundation of ERI (1926-1930) and to their work with the League of Nations (1930-1934), financial papers including the accounts of the ERI and the National Women's Party (1932-3).

The 'archive' consisted of periodicals: Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp News' (1 issue, 1983); pamphlets (1982-1983), ephemera including leaflets and circulars (1982-1983); Press cuttings (1982-1983), badges.

The archive consists of minutes, agendas, constitutions, circulars, working papers, publications, reports, correspondence, newsletters, and source material for publications including press cuttings and printed works from other organisations.

The archive was transferred to The Women's Library by two members of the group, both active in the late 1960s to mid 1970s. As a result, survival of records is not uniform and reflects their interests, rather than being representative of MIA as a whole. Some non-MIA material was also present: this has been catalogued as 5MIA/13.

Records of the National Council of One Parent Families including proof of status and policy documents; minutes of committees and working parties, 1918-1995; annual reports, 1918-1989, ledgers and associated accounts; case books and related papers, 1918-1947; fundraising and appeals, 1925-1993; correspondence, including with government and associated bodies (1918-1995); publications, draft bills, acts and legislation, details of Friends and Members.

The archive consists of:

• Administrative papers (1964-2004)

• minutes of Annual General Meetings and related papers (1977-2004)

• minutes of Executive Committee meetings (1938-2000)

• Financial papers (1982-2004)

• Papers relating to the Ecumenical Network of Women's Ministries (2003-2004)

• Publications (1966-2004)

Printed papers relating to The Women and Socialism Conference 1973, and the Leeds Conference on The Family 1973, from a left-wing Women's Liberation Movement perspective. Includes papers from International Feminist Collective and Gay Liberation. Collator unknown.

Note concerning provenance of papers (1995); photocopies of press-cuttings (1995).

The archive consists of papers and publicity material relating to the Commonwealth Countries League, personal correspondence and publicity for the Women's Freedom League and the establishment of the Mermaid Theatre.

The archive consists of minutes and working papers for the organisations in which Pierotti was involved, namely the National Union of Women Teachers (1924-1964), the Joint Standing Parliamentary Committee of Women's Organisations (1942-1950) and the Status of Women Committee (1945-1978) including details of its establishment; Suffrage material relating to the movement in general, her membership of the Women's Freedom League (1919-1928). There is also material related to the Pethick Lawrences and Charlotte Despard; various press cuttings, pamphlets, photographs, postcards and objects. The pamphlets include material on equal pay and equal rights.

The archive consists of letters to Mrs Vernon relating to a biography of Philippa Fawcett, the daughter of Millicent, which she wrote in May 1957 and sent in typescript to Miss Douie, the then Librarian of the Fawcett Society and to Miss Philippa Strachey, Secretary of the Fawcett Society for many years, also to Dame Margaret Cole.

The archive consists of a signed letter and three signed postcards from E Sylvia Pankhurst to Mr Cornelius Gronow regarding a possible talk to the Rhondda Socialist Society, Jul-Sep 1917. It also includes a fragment of a letter from Christabel Pankhurst.

The archive consists of a typescript of Dorothy Elliot's memoirs (1914-1969) in which she described a lifetime of work in organisations dealing with the problems of women in employment. See her biographical history for details of the organisations she worked for. Mrs Elliott concluded the memoir with a tribute to the power of 'domesticity in its fullest sense'.

The archive consists of historical and contemporary notes, statistics, press cuttings and correspondence on women's wages including specific classes of trades (1914-1919); printed reports on conditions of juvenile employment (1912), of the sub-committee of the Women's Industrial Council (1917), on women's employment in industry (c 1910-1915); press cuttings, articles and reviews, on women and their welfare (1912-1917); papers, reports and typescript of articles on women's wages and conditions (1912-1919); notes on the employment of women in the Civil Service (1914-1916); questionnaire of the Fabian Society's Women's Group and other organisations (undated).

The archive consists of drafts, typescripts, proofs, correspondence, comments on the drafts of Miss Evans' book 'Women and the Civil Service', published by Pitman. (4 folders)

The archive consists of a Douie family photograph album and a photocopied pamphlet and notes relating to Douie family history.

The archive consists of a diary of experiences in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp 1942-1945 during the Second World War, plus a few notes on provenance (photocopied typescript only).

The archive consists of photocopies of letters sent to Fraenkel by Pankhurst mainly concerned with an exhibition of the latter's paintings which Elsa organised and which was held in London in 1959. Includes a pastel drawing of Pankhurst by Fraenkel (c.1957).

The archive consists of 4 letters from the Sunday Pictorial and a diploma signed by Lord Woolton, dated 1 Nov 1941, all re wartime rationing. Also typescript of Mrs Fyffe's account of a week's routine in feeding her household of two adults and five children, with a summary of housekeeping expenditure for a week in Sep 1941, and details of each day's meals during that week.

The archive consists of legal papers related to the marriage of Elizabeth Garrett and James Anderson in 1871: marriage settlement, notices to insurance companies, solicitors correspondence, estate duty form, stock certificates, trustees cash accounts, memorandum.

The archive consists of numbered scrapbooks of press cuttings, notes and correspondence, including volumes on women's suffrage, (1872-1899), processions and demonstrations in London (1908), feminist writers (1940-1948), New Zealand including personal correspondence (1940), as well as volumes on her Australian tours (1942-1944) and the issues of the country's war effort during the Second World War (1942-1943), Australian women in politics (1941-1943), meetings in Australia to celebrate 30th anniversary of women's suffrage (and the Suffragette Fellowship (1948-1950), personal correspondence (1948-1950), a journal of a visit to Australia (1947-1948) and two volumes on New Zealand politics and family planning (1940-1941).

The archive consists of papers and correspondence about 'Jobs for Mothers', papers about widows, working mothers and others, press cuttings, working notes, replies to questionnaires and lists of publications on careers.

The archive consists of:

• press cutting album (1977-1994) and index

• UK research material relating to St Joan's Alliance, Catholics for a Changing World, Women in Ministry, Distinctive Dioconate, the Society of St Margaret, etc (1988-1995)

• United States of America and Canada research material relating to Priests of Equality and the Women's Ordination Conference (1992-1995)

• correspondence re Catholic Women's Ordination Day (1993-1995)

• campaign file for Catholic Women's Ordination Day (1994-1995) and Vatican II and Planet Earth; further resource material (1994-1995)

• books and photocopy manuscript by Feeny (1995-1996)

• scrapbook by Feeny (1937-1999).

The archive consists of correspondence between Eva Stephenson and her fiance Maurice Wilkins, covering the period 1910-1914. The letters describe Stephenson's experiences in Holloway prison for suffrage activism in 1910 (some letters are written on prison regulation notepaper), her life as an office worker and her family relationships. Subjects covered include: relationships with other suffragettes in prison; trials of the prison regime; Christmas in Holloway; her relationship with her mother who disapproved of her suffrage campaigning; reflections on her upbringing; employment in an office and enjoyment of her independence; her relationship with her future husband.

With typescript transcriptions of the letters by William Paul Wilkins, son of Eva and Maurice Wilkins (produced in 1998). The transcriptions include a name and place index.

The archive consists of files on the National Health Service Superannuation Scheme (1948-1953), Royal Commission on Taxation (1944-1960), Women's superannuation (1947-1950), the Institute of Chartered Accountants (undated.), equal pay (undated.) and the Fawcett Society (undated.); private correspondence including letters from Philippa Strachey (1928-1961).

The archive consists of cyclostyled lecture notes produced for the Women's Correspondence Bible Class, a flyer and some letters from Katherine Bushnell to Mrs F White. The material reflects the study of women's representation in the Bible.

The archive consists of correspondence, notebooks and diaries, press cuttings, photographs and other papers. The papers include diaries of Helen's youthful travels in Bosnia and Dalmatia with her family and also some documents pertaining to her later political career. The majority of the collection, however, consists of correspondence: over 2,000 individual letters, spanning the period from around 1914 until the 1960s and documenting many aspects of Helen's life and career. Letters written to Helen's mother from Cairo during the First World War illuminate the British community in the Middle East and the history of Palestine during the conflict. Letters written to Norman give insights into the land army, work at Woolwich Arsenal and trade union activity and also contain information about her brother Hugh Franklin and his suffrage activities at this date. The long and detailed letters to Helen's mother from Jerusalem, 1919-1932 document the history of the British Mandate as well as the evolution of Helen's personal attitude towards Palestine, Jerusalem and the Jewish nation itself. There are frequent references to the political situation and to figures such as Balfour and Herbert Samuel, along with personal observations about every-day life.

The archive consists of documents relating to the educational and personal expenses of a young lady, Mary Jennings [also known as Polly Jennings], comprising:

• 2 receipted accounts for amounts due to [Sarah and Eliza] Munn covering board, teaching, French, English, dancing, books, fowls when ill and covering the half-years Dec 1768 to Jun 1769 and Dec 1770 - Jun 1771

• 5 receipted bills to Miss Jennings of Greenwich, for haberdashery, linen and shoes, etc, 1768-1771

• Statement of income and expenditure of Mary / Polly Jennings for 1772-1773, signed by her uncle Solomon Bay

• Bill payable to [Nathan or Nathaniel] Clissold, signed by Solomon Bay, 29 Mar 1773.

The archive consists of: literary papers and lecture notes on French literature (including work on Lamartine, Madame de Sevigne, Chateaubriand, Montaigne, Racine and an article on the Women's movement in France which originated as the Fawcett Lecture of 1942) and Newnham College-related papers and correspondence (1944-1951).

The archive consists of four copies of the newsletter of the Suffragette Fellowship (1946-1966); roll of honour of Suffragette Prisoners 1905-1914 (undated, c 1960), summons and press cuttings relating her imprisonment and suffrage including postcard from Mrs Pankhurst (1907); pamphlet (1957); photographs of Lacon (1950); press cutting on Lacon and ephemera related to celebrations of suffrage activities (1960s-1970s).

The archive consists of biographical publications on Louie Burrell and postcard reproductions of her work:

• 13 postcard reproductions of the following paintings by Louie Burrell: Life Class (1900-1903); Girl at Writing Box (c 1895); A Model (1900-1903); Old Sales - a model (1900-1903); Making Marmalade (1890-1900); Philippa (1917); A Model (1900-1903); The Forge (1890-1900); Julia (1889); A Child Seated (1904); Mrs Stanley Baldwin (1924); Nurse and Philippa (1908); Philip Burrell (1904-1907)

• 1 postcard reproduction of a painting by Ada (Margetts) Luker (mother of Louie Burrell): Still Life (c 1857)

• 'The Saratoga Trunk and The Last Door' (Jul 1997), Philippa Burrell. Booklet memoir relating to her own and her mother's artistic life.

• 'Louie Burrell - A Woman Painter', (The University of Hull Art Collection, c 1990). A short biography compiled from the letters and writings of Philippa Burrell and Jim Murrell.

• 'Louie Burrell Woman and Artist 1873-1971' (c 1990). Leaflet by Philippa Burrell.

The archive consists of Lydia Becker's notebooks, articles by and concerning her, book manuscripts, copies of her letters written out by her sister, lock of hair, notebook of obituaries, biography; two folders of genealogical materials on the Becker family, Becker family diary, notebooks on Leigh family pedigree and German relatives, invoices, receipts and bills, folder of family papers, copies of family tomb inscriptions, wallet containing property administration papers, photographs, probate documents; letters to and from Lydia Becker; LEB's draft will, death certificate, receipt for burial, family suffrage organisation papers concerning her death; Becker family letters.

The archive consists of press cuttings concerning marriage in the UK (1961-1968); correspondence, press cuttings, articles and official publications on marriage law and the status of women in various countries (1938-1967); correspondence, parliamentary papers and press cuttings on divorce law reform (1960-1969); copy of report on Homosexual Offences and prostitution (1957).

The archive consists of a typescript biography and curriculum vitae (1997); correspondence (1956-1987).

The archive consists of Mary Ann Rawle's working papers relating to the women's suffrage campaign and the Independent Labour Party. It includes correspondence, a prison diary describing her time in Holloway, an illuminated address and a badge awarded for bravery in prison, copy family certificates and photographs.

Family correspondence including letters of Charles Corbett, H E Corbett, Marie Corbett, Margery and Cicley (1869-1960); diaries of Margery Corbett (1912, 1930-79); passport (1919); address book; typescript sections of autobiography; papers related to the pre-1914 suffrage movement (1905-1912), First World War (1914-1918), various women s organisations (1915-1978), general elections (1913-1955), papers related to the activities of the International Alliance of Women and international activities (1921-1980).

The archive consists of lecture material, including notes, schedules and lists of lecturers (1891-1919), printed material, including newspapers, pamphlets and posters (1891-1924) and general papers, which include leaflets and correspondence (1860-1896).

The archive consists of the personal papers of Millicent Garrett Fawcett; correspondence (related to suffrage; the Henry Cust case, the Northwest Durham by-election (1914) and on the status of women in India (1899-1918)); items relating to the Paris Women's Congress (1919) and Fawcett's Stansfeld lecture (1921-1902); papers relating to the creation of the Commission of Inquiry's report into South African Concentration Camps (1901-2), including Fawcett's personal diary of the visit and official report with photographs, pamphlets and tickets inserted; papers related to the role of Women in the Great War (including a large collection of press cuttings); personal memorabilia, including Philippa Fawcett's Irish holiday diary (1893) and albums and a bag owned by Millicent Garrett Fawcett; personal financial papers; a variety of working papers of Millicent Garrett Fawcett (1880-1929), including notes on speeches, volumes and articles she received or wrote herself.

The archive consists of a bound volume of printed articles by Marjorie Hayward in the Commercial Bulletin of South Africa (1928-1930); promotional materials for ICI (1930-1939); reports, publications, correspondence, memoranda and working papers written for the Ministry of Labour related to woman power during the Second World War (1942-1944); memoranda, notes and working papers of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women 1953 and report produced for the Ministry of Labour's use (1953); reports and correspondence on women's employment (1940-1953); notes for proposed by Hayward on women power in the Second World War (1960-1); printed materials on women at war, the Civil Service and women's employment (1943-1950); press cuttings (1910-1963); publicity material (1970s), photographs (1923-1968).

The archive consists of a typescript autobiography entitled 'This World's Festival' (incomplete) and biographical notes by Catherine Thackray.