Norwood archives

Scope and Content

Archives of the Jews' Hospital: House committee: governor's reports of visits, 1811-63; minute book, 1842-9; draft minute books, 1842-7, 1864-81; agenda book, 1864-7. General committee: minute and draft minute book, 1816- 55; minute books, 1819-63; draft minute books, 1835-9, 1863-6; agenda book, 1864-9. Financial papers including a volume of lists of legacies to the hospital, 1810-55; general cash ledger, 1842-9; general expenditure ledger, 1850-83; quarterly expenditure ledger, 1854-73; schedule of accounts, 1860-6; monthly estimates for provisions and chandlery, 1863-7; invoice book, 1865-80. Miscellaneous papers including 'lady visitors book', 1811-61; 'law and regulations ... passed at the general court', 30 Dec 1851; correspondence relating to the appeal for the new building at Norwood, 1860; printed programme for the laying of the foundation stone at Norwood, 6 Jun 1861; doctors' prescriptions for inmates, 1864-7. Archives of the Jews' Orphan Asylum: House and education committee: minute books, 1841-68; draft minute book, 1874-7. General committee: agenda and minute book, 1851-76; minute books, 1856-95. Financial papers including a volume containing lists of stock held by the orphanage, names of presidents and committee members, 1846-56; volume of lists of patrons and life governors, 1852-63; cash books, 1863-77; general expenditure ledger, 1874-89. Miscellaneous papers including 'report book', 1851-9; visitors' book, 1863-1939; secretary's notebook, 1867-80; inventory of furniture and household linen, 1874-8; journal of occurrences at the Jews' Orphan Asylum, 1845- 7. Archives of the Jews' Hospital and Orphan Asylum: Letter books, 1887-1906. Workshop committee: names of members and dates of meetings, 1883-97. House committee: minutes, 1903- 13. Financial papers including matron's account book, 1878-82; store room stock book, 1881-5; general cash books, 1897-1907. Miscellaneous papers including amalgamated scheme sanctioned by the Charity Commissioners, 1876; volume of names and addresses of boys leaving the orphanage to become apprentices, 1884-92; register of girls with guardians' and general reports, 1890-9; 'sulking and punishment book', which includes names of girls punished for sulking, 1913-15, a list of 'rewards and treats', 1898-1900, a list of books and donors for the school library, 1896-1902 and a list of English and Hebrew prize-winners, 1898- 1910; volume listing applicants seeking admission to the orphanage at elections, 1901 and 1903; monthly register of girls' conduct, 1905-15; headmaster's scrapbooks, 1910-23; and school log book, 1927-36. General papers: report of the education committee of the orphanage, Sep 1853; correspondence, reports and statements of evidence relating to a dispute between Myer David Davis, headmaster of the orphanage, and Mr and Mrs Franklin, second master and matron of the asylum, 1856-8; petitions of admission to the orphanage; 'rules...for the management of the Jews' Orphan Asylum'; 'Regulations with respect to the admission of candidates to the Jews' Hospital and Orphan Asylum'; letter from the Poor Law Board to the managers of the orphanage, certifying the satisfactory condition of the orphanage, 1869; printed papers relating to protests over the taxing of schools and charities, 1870; bills, letters, menu card for the festival dinner (29 Feb 1888), membership card for the centenary festival (24 Apr 1895), 1860-1941

Administrative / Biographical History

The Jews' Hospital was founded in 1807 at Mile End, and was removed to Norwood in 1863. The Jews' Orphan Asylum was founded at Tenter Ground, Goodman's Fields, in 1831. The two institutions amalgamated in 1876 as the Jews' Hospital and Orphan Asylum, later known as the Norwood Jewish Children's Society, and commonly known as 'Norwood'.

Access Information

The Special Collections Division is available for anyone to use, regardless of whether you are attached to an academic institution. Access to the Archives and Manuscripts and Rare Books reading room, however, is by prior appointment to access the manuscript material. See our website for more details.

Related Material

There are some references to Norwood among the archives of Jewish Care, MS 173, the result of an administrative merger between the Norwood Jewish Children's Society and the Jewish Welfare Board.

Geographical Names