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London Metropolitan Archives

TIME AND TALENTS ASSOCIATION


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0074 A/TT

Held at: London Metropolitan Archives

Title: TIME AND TALENTS ASSOCIATION

Date(s): 1819-1994

Level of description: Collection

Extent: 3.94 linear metres

Name of creator(s): Time and Talents Association x Time and Talents Guild
Young Women's Christian Association

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

Time and Talents was established in London in 1888 as a branch of the Young Women's Christian Association. It was run by young women of independent means, who directed their time and talents towards working for those less fortunate than themselves. They established settlements, such as that in Bermondsey to provide a home-life for young factory girls, and clubs such as the Dockhead Club House which opened in 1931. Their activities eventually spread to areas outside London with community centres in Harold Hill, Avely and South Ockendon. Branches were also established in places such as Scotland, Ireland, Gibraltar, Constantinople and Australia.

In 1920 Time and Talents amalgamated with the Guild of Helpers, another YWCA branch, and became the Time and Talents Guild. During 1946, the Time and Talents Guild became the Time and Talents Association. By 1975, they were affiliated to the British Association of Settlements.

There appears to have been a fluctuating system of internal administration until about 1950. The same personnel were instrumental in guiding administrative affairs but committee systems seem to shift and change for reasons that are not always readily apparent. Copies of aim and constitution from circa 1950 can be found in A/TT/13. By the 1970's, the activities of the Time and Talents Association were in decline with the closure of out-county centres at Harold Hill and South Ockendon. This altered the structure of the organisation yet again.

Since 1980, Time and Talents have been based at the Old Mortuary, St. Marychurch Street, Rotherhithe, where they run an active community centre.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Records of the Time and Talents Association, also known as the Time and Talents Guild. This collection dates mainly from 1903 to the 1950's although it does include annual reports up to 1977. The records relate to the activities of the original London branch of Time and Talents. Reports from other branches can be found in issues of Time and Talents News (A/TT/140-151). The Review and the Time and Talents Newsletter were both suspended during the war and replaced by a printed newsletter from Nov. 1939 (A/TT/203-216).

Records include minutes of the Executive committee, Council, Association committee and Settlement management committee (known as war emergency committee 1939-1943); correspondence and papers relating to the Bermondsey settlement; minutes of the Matfield Court Committee; photographs of the Matfield Court Rest Home (also known as Bermondsey Rest Home); minutes and papers of the Thatched cottage committee; deeds relating to premises in Bermondsey and Dockhead; annual reports and accounts; publications, publicity material, scrapbooks and memorabilia.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

A/TT-1: Administration; A/TT-2: Related Documentation.

Conditions governing access:

These records are open to public inspection, although records containing personal information may be subject to closure periods.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copyright to these records rests with the depositor.

Physical characteristics:

Fit

Finding aids:

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Records deposited in May 1976.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Publication note:

In 1989, a history of Time and Talents was published by the Time and Talents Association: By Peaceful Means - The Story of Time and Talents 1887-1987 by Marjorie Daunt. A copy of this book is held in the LMA Library, reference 20.9 (TIM).

DESCRIPTION NOTES Rules or conventions: Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions: June to August 2010.


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Christianity | Ancient religions | Religions
Community centres | Community development
Guilds | Associations | Organizations
Poor relief | Social welfare
Residential care homes | Housing | Accommodation | Building standards | Building design | Construction engineering
Women | Sex | Sex distribution

Personal names

Corporate names
Time and Talents Association x Time and Talents Guild
Young Women's Christian Association

Places
London | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe