History of London

Scope and Content

Collection of deeds, indentures, extracts from court records, and probate proceedings all relating to London, 1343-1789. Includes churchwardens' accounts for St Clement Danes, 1748, 1751-1752, 1755-1757, and 1760-1762, and other papers relating to the administration of the parish, [1750-1800]; a drawing of 'Houses at Broken Wharf', [1600-1699]; part of a treatise on 'Prerogatives' and 'Concerning the Citie of London', discussing spiritual difficulties when living in London, [1750]; letters from R Bandy to William Archer of Welford, Berkshire, 1726-1727; a printed list of governors of, and contributors to, St George's Hospital, Oct 1733-Dec 1752; papers, mostly printed, relating to elections to the Common Council of the City of London for the Coleman Street ward in Dec 1764 and Dec 1772.

Administrative / Biographical History

James Orchard Halliwell-Phillipps (1820-1889) was a scholar and librarian of Jesus College, Cambridge University. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1839, and acted as an editor for the Camden Society, 1839-1844, the Percy Society, 1842-1850, and the Shakespeare Society. A renowned Shakespeare scholar, he arranged and described the Shakespeare archives at Stratford-upon-Avon, wrote extensively on the town, and initiated the movement for the purchase of the site of Shakespeare's house at New Place, [1863]. A list of his publications may be found in the British Library catalogue.

Access Information

Access to this collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the supervised environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Uncatalogued material may not be seen. Please contact the University Archivist for details.

Acquisition Information

Transferred from the Library of the London Institution.

Other Finding Aids

Collection level description.

Physical Characteristics and/or Technical Requirements

Manuscript folio. Bound in leather.

Archivist's Note

Compiled by Sarah Smith as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project.

Separated Material

Edinburgh University Library holds correspondence and papers, 1836-1886 (Ref: H-P coll; LOA), and letters to David Laing, 1844-1879 (Ref: La iv 17); the University of Michigan Library, USA, has correspondence and papers, 1849-1892; the California State Library, USA, contains papers relating to Shakespeare; the Wellcome Library for the History and Understanding of Science, London, holds notes and transcripts of works by Nathaniel Torporley (Ref: MS 4818); the Library of Congress Manuscripts Division, Washington, USA, has a collection of manuscripts relating to the history of accounting; the British Library, London, contains collections on the history of mathematics, 1837-1838 (Ref: Add MSS 14061-2), letters to Sir Frederic Madden, 1839-1843 (Ref: Eg MSS 2842-43), letters to William Carew Hazlitt, 1863-1886 (Ref: Add MSS 38898-905), letters to Joseph Hunter, 1838-1844 (Ref: Add MS 24869), and letters as sponsor to the Royal Literary Fund, 1855-1869 (Ref: Loan no. 96); the Royal Geographical Society, London, holds a manuscript essay on the existence of the New World prior to Columbus, 1839 (Ref: Journal MSS); Chethams Library, Manchester, has collections for 'Athenae Cantabigiensis, Letter A', 1843 (Ref: Mun A.2.136); Trinity College Library, Cambridge University, has miscellaneous notes for a dictionary (Ref: Add Ms.6.74: 10 and 12; Add Ms b.74:14); Cumbria Record Office and Local Studies Library, Whitehaven, contains letters to H Curwen relating to Curwen pedigrees, 1851 (Ref: D/Cu); the Bodleian Library, Oxford University, holds letters to Bertram Dobell (Ref: MS Dobell c.21 ff.81-91), letters to Professor Augustus de Morgan, 1865 (Ref: MS Autogr. D.20 ff.81-91), letters to H S Harper, 1866-1887 (Ref: MS Eng misc d 15), correspondence mainly with Sir Thomas Phillipps, 1st Baronet, 1838-1882 (Ref: MSS Phillipps-Robinson), and miscellaneous letters and papers relating to Shakespeare and Edmund Malone (Ref: MSS Top Oxon e1; Malone 42); the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, has letters to Edward Breese, 1872-1880 (Ref: NLW MS 2302B); the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Record Office, Stratford-upon-Avon, holds papers and collections relating to Shakespeare and Stratford (Ref: ER1/50-60, 130, 133-141, ER29, ER34, ER55, ER117, ER120, ER135).

Conditions Governing Use

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.

Custodial History

This manuscript was presented to the Library of the London Institution by James Orchard Halliwell (later Halliwell-Phillipps) on 26 Dec 1851.

Geographical Names