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| Bishopsgate Institute Special Collections and Archives | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Location | London, UK |
| Collection | |
| Items collected | Books, pamphlets, newspapers, artefacts, items |
| Size | 150,000 books plus additional collections |
| Access and use | |
| Access requirements | Free - registration required on first visit, open to all |
| Other information | |
| Website | https://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/archives/ |
Bishopsgate Library, now known asBishopgate Institute's Special Collections and Archives is an independent, charity-fundedlibrary located within theBishopsgate Institute in theCity of London.
The library's particular strengths include printed and archive material onLondon,freethought and thelabour movement, developed byCharles Goss, librarian from 1897 to 1941. The London Collection includes books, directories, maps and visual material relating especially to theEast End of London.
TheGeorge Howell Collection is an important library of books and pamphlets covering many of the political and economic issues of the late 19th century, including earlytrade union reports. Howell's own correspondence and papers form part of this collection. The library also holds the archives of theLondon Co-operative Society.
Archives of other individuals includeGeorge Jacob Holyoake (1817–1906), secularist and early Co-operative Movement activist;Charles Bradlaugh (1833–1891), politician and founder of theNational Secular Society; and the cultural historian and local residentRaphael Samuel (1934–1996).
The archive at the Bishopsgate Library holds over 20,000 images in three collections: The LAMAS Glass Slide Collection, the London Co-operative Society and the London Collection Digital Photographs. They have recently shared some of their images from London & Middlesex Archaeological Society (LAMAS) in 1977 onHistorypin. This collection contains images of many of London's landmarks including churches, statues, open spaces and buildings, as well as images showing social and cultural scenes from the early 20th century.[1]
The library hosts theGreat Diary Project, founded by DrIrving Finkel, which by September 2021 had collected more than 15,000 unpublished diaries.[2][3]
Bishopsgate Library holds collections relating to the social and cultural history of London. These include the archive collections of individuals, such as historianRaphael Samuel, police officerFrederick Wensley or Lord Mayor Sir Ralph Perring, and organisations, such as the London History Workshop or the Eton Manor Boys' Club.
The library also holds a collection of around 50,000 books, pamphlets, illustrations, photographs and maps covering the social and cultural history of London, with particular reference toBishopsgate andSpitalfields. The London Collection also holds an extensive collection of press cuttings concerning the area around the Institute dating from 1740 and one of the country's finest collections of London guidebooks and trade directories.
Information on the institute's own history is detailed within the Bishopsgate Institute archive, along with the archives of prominent individuals connected to the organisation, including social reformer William Rogers (1819-1896), librarian Charles Goss and architectCharles Harrison Townsend.
The library has recently developed to become Britain's largest LGBTQIA+ archive. Holding more than 12,000 titles and a pamphlet collection of over 3,500 festival programmes, event leaflets and campaign material.[4][5] Notable parts of the collection include extensive erotica, theRebel Dykes archive project, the UK Leather and Fetish Archives and theMuseum of Transology.[4][5] Since 2011 the Lesbian and Gay Newsmedia Archive (LAGNA), part of theHall–Carpenter Archives has been based at Bishopsgate.[6] The library hosts outreach events,[7] encourages donations of people's LGBTQIA+ artefacts[8] and host open days showcasing collections.[9] In March 2022 the Bishopsgate Institute showcased many artefacts from the collection at the Barbican Centre gallery The Curve in an exhibition called Out and About!.[7]
Bishopsgate Library's collections on labour and socialist history include the archives of politicians and activists such asJack Gaster,Noreen Branson, Aubrey Bowman andBernie Grant, as well as organisations such as the Evening Standard Outside Chapel and the National Miners' Support Network.
The Labour and Socialist History collections also include the library and archive of politician and trade unionistGeorge Howell (1833–1910).
The archives have held inspiration for many, including architectSumayya Vally whose 2021Serpentine Pavilion was inspired by her time at the Bishopsgate looking at their archives of collective activist history.[10]
Bishopsgate Library holds the most unusual collection of archives and printed materials relating to the history of freethought and humanism in the UK. This includes the archives and libraries of two of the Victorian era's most prominent thinkers on freethought and secularism,Charles Bradlaugh andGeorge Jacob Holyoake.
The library also documents the history, activities and campaigns of the movement from the late 19th century to the present day through the extensive archives of theBritish Humanist Association,Rationalist Association and theGay and Lesbian Humanist Association.
Bishopsgate Library has extensive collections documenting the history and activities of the co-operative movement in London, Essex and the South East, including the archives of individual activists such as Robert Leckie Marshall (1913-2008) andCaroline Ganley, and organisations such as theLondon Co-operative Society and theWomen's Co-operative Guild.
The Co-operative Movement Collection includes a wide range of books, pamphlets, reports and journals concerning the history of the movement, alongside material produced by a wide variety of organisations, such as theCo-operative Party,International Co-operative Alliance andWomen's Co-operative Guild.
Collections relating to the history of protest and campaigning includes the archives of individual activists such as Mavis Middleton and Peter Hunot, and organisations such as theStop the War Coalition,Freedom Press andRepublic.
The Library's archives and printed material also cover a wide variety of topics includingrepublicanism,pacifism, theanti-nuclear movement, colonial freedom movements,anarchism,animal rights andconscientious objection.
The library has served as a filming location, with scenes fromMy Policeman filmed there.[11]
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