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This collection contains material relating to theatres in Croydon, dating between 1755 and 1940, including 56 playbills, four programmes, one file of newspaper cuttings, two prints, and one songbook:

Cuttings from local papers and MS notes collected by J. Corbet Anderson, relating to theatres mainly in Croydon but also in London, dating between 1830 and 1905. Also includes one volume: 'The Theatre: A Monthly Review of the Drama, Music, and the Fine Arts', Vol. XVI, No 91 (London: Eglington & Co., July 1890).

Playbills for the following theatres (non-exclusively):
Widow Yeates's Large Theatrical Barn (1755)
Gygnell's Theatre, Fairfield (1822)
Croydon Theatre (1823, 1831, 1833, 1834, 1835, 1849, 1850)
Royal Olympic Theatre, London, including Madame Vestris in Beulah Spa, Croydon (1833)
East Surrey Theatre, Croydon (1835)
Prince of Wales Theatre, Croydon (1850)
New Surrey Theatre, Kennington (c. 1850)
Croydon Palace Theatre of Varieties (15/11/1900)
Croydon Repertory Theatre Programmes (1932-1940)

Two prints:
1) Madam Vestrus by J. Cochran. Madam Vestrus played the leading role in 'The Beulah Spa' by Charles Dance, performed a tthe Royal Olympic Theatre in 1833.
2) 'The Gypsy's Life is a Joyous Life' by J. Brandard, printed by M & N Hanhart. This was a song sung at London & provincial concerts.

One songbook for 'The Merry Gypsies, A Favorite Glee', composed by G. T. Smart, written by Mr Arnold. This was sung at the Ladies Concerts by Mrs Harrison, Master Elliot and Mr Bartlemann.

School Records, Primary Education. Coulsdon Roke Infants' School and Coulsdon Roke Post-Infants' School were founded on 27 April 1908. The word "Coulsdon" was later dropped from the title. The Post-Infants' School closed in 1926 when Roke Central School was opened in the building. Roke Junior School opened on 19 April 1950 in premises vacated by Roke Central School. On 1 September 1969 the Infants' School and the Junior School were amalgamated under one head. Roke Primary School/Purley Vale/Purley/Croydon/London/South-East/England. See SCH95 for records of Roke Central School.

Apprenticeship Indenture, dated 09 May 1871, of Thomas Woolnough apprenticed to Mr Owen King, plumber and house decorator. 15 was paid by Lauds charity.

Florence Shephard (c.1894 - 1984) worked for the Aeronautical Inspection Directorate at Croydon Aerodrome in 1929 having previously been based in the AID at A.V.Roe at Hamble near Southampton. In c.1939 she transferred to Leatherhead but continued to commute from the Croydon area.

A full description has been provided by the donor:
A: Journal: The Flying World (1937) by Florence Shephard

B: Final drafts for a possible book on early aviation. Donor has included a list of the chapter headings.
C: Preliminary Drafts
D: Strays
E: Strays with items of local interest.
For further information on the organisation of B-E, see accompanying note by the donor.

F: Imperial Airways Weekly News Bulletin (1935 - 1939, with gaps).
G. Imperial Airways Gazette (1935 - 1939, with gaps)
H: Miscellaneous. Includes press cuttings, copy of Air Navigation Bill, copy of history of Battle of Britain (Air Ministry)

Bundle 1: Deeds dated 1914 - 1956, including plans.
Bundle 2: Photograph of wardens at County Borough of Croydon Reporting Post F51, c1939-1945; file of ARP circulars and notes re stock of equipment; file of ARP booklets and pamphlets.

Papers relating to Place Fell, built c.1885. The house was purchased by the Myers family in 1945 and occupied by them until its sale in 1984. A family member deposited 5 photographs of the house from 1944 and then also from 1977, these were accessioned as A1179 in February 2023

This collection consists of photographs, correspondence, press cuttings and marketing material that chart the companies long service of operation, including the changing location of physical stores, up to the companies closure. Also included are sales catalogues and price lists from the early 1900s that showcase the range of items sold.

Ledger of Croydon Darby and Joan Club Ltd, containing details of donations and covenants. Openings 1-9 are in the form of a daybook, in which income (mainly donations and subscriptions) is recorded in chronological order, May 1945 - Jan 1947. Openings 10 - 128 (with gaps) are in the form of a ledger, arranged by name of donor, in which covenanted payments are recorded, 1948 - 1974.

3 letters from Jane E Roper, of Langmere, Brigstock Road, Thornton Heath, to Mr Forster, a business adviser.

Notebook contains texts of papers (mainly on philosophical and social topics) by Patrick William Drummond (an articled clerk and solicitor), delivered to societies in Croydon (the Verulam Club; and the B.D. Society) or published in The Debater, later The Articled Clerk and Debater (including various leading articles etc.

Records of Croydon Industrial Chaplaincy, including 3 minute books and 5 correspondence files

Includes:

General Court 23 Sept 1532

View of Frankpledge with Court 6 May 1533

General Court 19 Oct 1534

View of Frankpledge with Court Baron 3 April 1535

General Court 21 Oct 1535

[View of Frankpledge with Court Baron] nd [c1535]

The third membrane has been trimmed, so that the heading,, including the date, of the final view and court has been lost. The text of this final court is also incomplete.

The minutes would indicate that the club met at various venues in Croydon. The collection consists of a minute book covering the period 23 May 1933 - 28 Febuary 1939. In addition several loose pages of minutes from 19 June 1945 - 27 September 1948. There are three copies of the South Croydon Liberal Association Constitution, two have been amended the third is a draft, two reports one detailing a history of the club and four flyers advertising public meetings. The finances of the club amount to a cash book from 28 September 1909 - 23 April 1938; petty cash book 23 April 1929 - 2 January 1938 and loose cash receipts 6 May 1936 - 3 April 1948. There are also two reciepts books covering 23 March 1936 - 26 June 1937.

Include minutes, registers of members, etc

Letter of good wishes sent by Father Arthur Tooth to Woodside [Ashburton] library. Sent from Otford Court: Father Tooth hopes that Every good success welfare attend the people of Woodside in their use of the Library recreation ground; and recalls his happy years spent at Woodside.

Letter from Henry Long (Hon. Sec.) to Thomas ?Cushing, re the inaugural meeting of the Microscopical Club. This letter invites the recipient to the inaugural meeting of the Microscopic Club and to a later exhibition of apparatus.

Minutes of the Parish Church War Memorial Sub-Committee, 1921; with other associated papers re the erection of the War Memorial; and copy correspondence etc re the recutting of the inscription 1987-1988. The proposal for a War Memorial to be erected in the churchyard of the Parish Church was agreed by the parish authorities in 1920. A War Memorial Sub-Committee (of the Parochial Church Council) was set up, with Herbert C. Oswald as Hon. Treasurer. An appeal was launched, and a design commissioned from CM Oldrid Scott (architect). (Advice on the siting was also received from Henry Berney, architect but ignored). The initial proposed cost was about 163700: Scotts design subsequently had to be modified to reduce the cost, although the total bill eventually came to 163674. The memorial was consturcted by C Ebbutt Sons; and was dedicated on 11 Feb 1922. The badly eroded inscription was recut in 1988, at the expense of GA Oswald, grandson of HC Oswald.

Letter re: Rhoda Brodie, c.1880, one of the first women to be enrolled as Special Constable during First World War, later awarded OBE; letter to Mayor of Croydon, proposing formation of Home Defence Corps, 1914; letter re: Croydon Church bells, 1932; photograph of Sir Henry and Lady Berney, 1937; handbill and note re: lost blue bag containing estate documents of Samuel Browne, 1824; letter to John Newnham re: 3/4th Bn, Queens Royal Regt, 1917; letter from officer on service in India, 1916; declaration re: estate of Samuel Browne, 1831.

Scrapbook, compiled by Sydenham Renaud. It contains a watercolour plan of the College and surrounding properties (dated June 1859; measures 28.5cm x 22cm; scale c9 in :1mile = 1:7040]; 147 albumen prints, mainly of cadets, staff, College buildings and surrounding area; and cuttings relating to the College. These are accompanied by captions and commentary on the photographs (mainly referring to the images, but sometimes to the photographic techniques) which extend in places to memoirs of the College Life. Non-Addington photographs include : Addington Palace; Beddington House and Church (2 photos), Cadet Alexander (son of General Alexander)s home; Lord Ashburtons Farm; General CA Browne, his house at Secunderabad, Deccan, and memorial to Elizabeth, his wife (3 photos; 1863); cadets at Sandown, Isle of Wight (1859 or 1860); room at University College, Oxford; and 4 copies of paintings or prints. Cuttings towards the end of the volume include cartoons from Punch etc; cuttings on military subjects; portraits of political and military public figures (including William Gladstone and Earl Roberts) articles re the Fens and re Egypt; etc., mainly undated, but some 1885 - 1905.

Photography was included in the Addiscombe curriculum from 1855 (taught by Aaron Penley, professor of civil drawing). The photographs mainly date from 1858-1859, and an early title for the book was 'Photographs taken by Cadets of the H.E.I.C.s Military College, Addiscombe. A.D. 1858-59. The photographs appear to have been stuck into the book soon afterwards, with brief captions. The captions were added to and amended over the years, particularly in the period 1891-1905, when the scrapbook assumed its present form. At times they extend into fairly long passages of text. These have been wrapped idiosyncratically around the pictures, or written on interleaved pieces of paper. Renaud comments 'the whole thing is go as you please over the patchwork so imperfectly hashed up. The book was used for reminiscing with other old cadets (for example, at a lunch in 1891), and some of the amendments may be the result of these shared memories. A few of the photographs were taken away from Addiscombe, or at a later date. Towards the end, the volume degenerates into a scrapbook for miscellaneous cuttings etc on military and other subjects, dated around 1885-1905. Renaud calls the book 'quite a preliminary canter to The Race, in the magnum opus of Colonel H.M. Vibart; a reference to Vibarts history, Addiscombe: its Heroes and Men of Note (1894) (shelved in Local Studies Library at S70(355)VIB).

Two boxes of records of the Womens International League for Peace and Freedom, including ten minute books (1918-1976); address book; and folder of newsletters and circulars (1940-1949).

Miscellaneous records of Addiscombe Military Seminary.

Illuminated address presented to Thomas Mathews (Treasurer and Secretary) by the Free Christian Church, Wellesley Road; with approx 140 signatures. It was presented to record Mathews long service as Treasurer and Secretary to the congregation. The text reads: 'Free Christian Church, Croydon. We gratefully record the long and faithful service of our esteemed Friend Thomas Mathews Esq. Honorary Treasurer of the Congregation for Ten Years; Honorary Secretary of the Congregation for Eleven Years; and a valued Member of the Committee since 1875. Wellesley Road, Croydon. September 1910.

The address consists of a bound volume, containing nine board pages. These comprise one page bearing the text the address, seven pages containing 143 signatures of members of the congregation, and one blank page.

Handwritten minutes of the Croydon Branch of the Historical Association. Whereabouts of earlier minutes unknown.