Collection AR95 - British and Foreign Bible Society (Norwood) Records

Identity area

Reference code

AR95

Title

British and Foreign Bible Society (Norwood) Records

Date(s)

  • 1853 - 1938 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

To be defined

Context area

Name of creator

(1838 - 1938)

Administrative history

The Norwood Ladies Bible Association was founded on 5 September 1838, at the Chapel Road Congregational Church, West (then Lower) Norwood. It was presumably originally an independent body; but by the 1850s (if not earlier) it was affiliated to the British and Foreign Bible Society (founded 1804). By 1866, it was known as the Norwood Ladies Auxiliary to the BFBS. In 1895, the Auxiliary was reconstituted, and at the same time became a less exclusively ladies body: it was renamed the Norwood Auxiliary; a President (Ernest Tritton) and Vice-Presidents (most of the Anglican and nonconformist ministers of West and Upper Norwood) were appointed for the first time; and it also acquired a male Secretary and Financial Secretary.

The Associations stated object in its early days was to aid 'the circulation of the Bible in its own neighbourhood and throughout the world'. Initially, its main work was to encourage the spread of the Bible in Norwood: bibles were sold for weekly or monthly payments from a penny upwards. Later, although it continued to have some involvement in the local sale of bibles, the Auxiliary became more concerned with fundraising on behalf of the parent Society, to further the publication of the Bible in an increasing number of languages, and the sale and distribution of copies overseas. Fundraising was achieved through collections from individual church congregations, supplemented by subscriptions, work sales, collections made at lectures on missionary work, etc.

The Auxiliary had a Juvenile Association, and was associated with the Norwood Bible Union.

The Auxiliary was closely associated for many years with the Tritton family (who were responsible for saving many of these records). Joseph Tritton (a banker) and his wife Amelia lived in Norwood from about 1850. Mrs Tritton served as Treasurer of the Auxiliary from 1853 until her death in 1908. She was succeeded by her daughter, Jessie M Tritton, already an active worker for the Auxiliary, who was Treasurer 1908-1925. Joseph (d 1887), a prominent Baptist, was a Vice President of the BFBS (and seems to have been informally regarded as President of the Auxiliary); and his son, (Sir) Ernest Tritton (MP for Norwood), was elected President of the Auxiliary in 1895, and served until his death in 1918. He was succeeded by his widow, Lady Edith Tritton, until her own death in 1921. Meetings were frequently held at the family house at Bloomfield, Central Hill.

PRESIDENTS

(Sir) Ernest Tritton 1895-1918

Lady Edith Tritton 1919-1921

Admiral Horsley 1921-1925

Dr SW Carruthers 1925-(1938)

Archival history

Donated by the Society: date unknown.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Accession Number: A95

British and Foreign Bible Society (Norwood) Records

Records of the Norwood Auxiliary of the British and Foreign Bible Society, formerly the Norwood Ladies Bible Association

Item date: 1853-1938

Depositor's Name: British and Foreign Bible Society (Norwood Auxiliary)

Accession date: 27/11/1999

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of the Norwood Auxiliary of the British and Foreign Bible Society, formerly the Norwood Ladies Bible Association

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Some of the records in our collections contain sensitive and personal data that we have a legal responsibility to control access to. In these circumstances, staff may search the collection on your behalf, having received consent or proof of death of the individual concerned.

Please contact us at archives@croydon.gov.uk for further information regarding the particular collection you wish to access.

You can make a request for information which may be in a closed record under the Freedom of Information Act, 2000 or the Environmental Information Regulations, 2004. For more information about making a request, see the Croydon Council website (www.croydon.gov.uk). Making a request does not guarantee access to the information you ask for, as there may be a valid exemption from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

Conditions governing reproduction

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Existence and location of originals

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Description control area

Description identifier

GB-352-ar95

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Status

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Dates of creation revision deletion

24/06/2015

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