IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0074 ACC/1888
Held at: London Metropolitan Archives
Title: LONDON COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE AND RELATED ORGANISATIONS
Date(s): 1919-1982
Level of description: Collection
Extent: 45.26 linear metres
Name of creator(s): London Council of Social Service x London Voluntary Service Council
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
The first Council of Social Service was founded in Hampstead in 1901 by Thomas Hancock Nunn (1859-1937) who laid the foundations of the London Council of Social Service. In 1910 the Social Welfare Association for London was inaugurated at a meeting at Mansion House: this body had the active support of both the Lord Mayor of London (Sir John Knill) and the chairman of the London County Council (Sir Melvill Beachcroft). The aim of the association was to "secure systematic co-operation between social, charitable and industrial undertakings throughout the metropolis, and the establishment of councils of social welfare in every metropolitan borough to give effect to these objects". In 1919 the association changed its name to the London Council of Social Service (LCSS). From 1979 onwards, the Council has been known as the London Voluntary Service Council (LVSC), and it is still the central co-ordinating body for social work organisations and activities throughout Greater London.
The LCSS was involved in many different aspects of social work and provided a number of key services to small and disparate organisations. Its core activity was the servicing, support and promotion of local Councils of Social Service in the metropolitan boroughs. In its early existence, the organisations belonging to Councils of Social Service (CSS) provided direct services which later became the responsibility of statutory bodies. Social service, however, developed a wider interpretation and now most members of CSS's are either self-help groups formed to alleviate distress caused by a particular disease or handicap, or community groups concerned with the improvement of the environment and the quality of life. The CSS's aim to provide the means for a partnership between the voluntary and the statutory services in existence at any one time. The LCSS was split up into various departments, each having an advisory committee. The Information Department worked to assimilate, assess and process all relevant information from general and specialist sources, making it available in concise form to social workers. From 1923, the LCSS produced a London Supplement, which was circulated with the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) monthly bulletin. From 1965 the LCSS had its own independent monthly publication on the social services (see Information Bulletin, ACC/1888/267-283).
The London Churches Group, made up of representatives from all the major denominations, Greek Orthodox, Quaker, Salvation Army and Jewish Communities, provided a channel of the churches' thinking to the LCSS. The Community Development Department played an important role in the activities of the LCSS. In 1937 a committee was formed to consider methods of dealing with social problems on newly designed housing estates and to promote community associations and centres on such estates. In 1945 a full-time officer was appointed to keep in touch with the 120 community associations and advise local authorities on community development work.
Citizens' Advice Bureaux grew out of LCSS activities in London during the Second World War. After meeting the emergency need during wartime, the Citizens' Advice Bureaux Regional Advisory Committee continued its work in conjunction with the LCSS in looking to provide new Bureaux. LCSS confirmed thereafter to provide advice and support to local Bureaux and helped recruit staff.
An LCSS inquiry into facilities for overseas students in Paddington in 1954 formed the start of its concern on the issue of race relations. The Council sought to promote understanding between immigrants and the host community, and to define or alleviate problems of individual groups. The Immigrants Advisory Committee (IAC) was set up in 1959 to be a source of information and advice on immigrant problems. This body later became known as the Committee for Inter Racial Co-operation consisting of representatives of official bodies and minority ethnic groups. It aimed to promote racial harmony and eliminate discriminatory practices. In 1968 the LCSS took over responsibility for the Commonwealth Students' Children Society.
The Family Services Department was started in the early 1950's after the CAB's had reported a rise in the number of requests for help in the matter of domestic economy. Homemaking Advice Groups, now run by local authorities, were set up under the guidance of a team of specialists from the Institute of Housecraft and the Ministry of Education. The department also wished to provide more play facilities for the under fives, encourage domestic safety and locate accommodation for homeless families.
Other activities supported by the LCSS were the Greater London Standing Council of Voluntary Youth Organisations (GLSCVYO), which provided a forum for the discussion of common problems, and the Volunteers Advisory Service, which supports volunteer bureaux in London boroughs and aims to establish standards of practice in placement and training of volunteers. Much of the LCSS activity in the above departments was pioneering. It was held in high regard by local government, government and overseas groups. In addition it helped found schemes of national importance: for example, the Charity Christmas Card Council was formed after the LCSS information officer organised the first display of Christmas cards for good causes in 1958. In response to the expansion of London into Greater London it took on a forward-looking, strategic role through organisations such as the Greater London Arts Association, the Association of London Housing Estates and the Greater London Conference on Old People's Welfare. Many of its schemes were later copied by other CSS's throughout the country.
Along with LCSS material is a considerable quantity of material from the National Council of Social Services (NCSS). The NCSS was founded in 1919 by Thomas Hancock Nunn, organising vice-chairman of the original Social Welfare Association for London. It had close links with the LCSS, their offices being situated near to each other for most of their lives. Some staff worked in both offices: files were often passed from organisation to organisation.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Records of the London Council of Social Service and related organisations. The records reflect the variety and depth of activity undertaken by the LCSS. There is a good range of committee minutes, correspondence files and publications. The correspondence files approximate to the various departments although the contents of each one can be quite diverse.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
The minutes have been grouped together for ease of reference and cross-reference. Series of information files have been retained on London issues and on more general subjects. Miscellaneous files have been grouped together by subject to make the collection usable. Publications are listed, also by subject. The records produced by the NCSS have been separated from LCSS records (except where they formed coherent series within LCSS departments) and listed along with their publications held by the LCSS for reference purposes.
Correspondence files: ACC/1888/001-221;
Minutes: ACC/1888/222;
LCSS general files: ACC/1888/223;
Finance: ACC/1888/224-228;
Visitors books: ACC/1888/229-231;
Greater London Churches Consultative Group: ACC/1888/232-233;
Information Department: ACC/1888/234;
Social Planning Department: ACC/1888/235;
Family Services Department: ACC/1888/236;
Homemaker Group: ACC/1888/237;
Greater London Citizens Advice Bureaux: ACC/1888/238;
Employment: ACC/1888/239;
Housing: ACC/1888/240;
Termini Working Party: ACC/1888/241;
Race relations: ACC/1888/242;
Sponsorship and fund-raising: ACC/1888/243;
Training: ACC/1888/244;
Broadcasting: ACC/1888/245;
Conferences: ACC/1888/246;
Councils of social service: ACC/1888/247;
Other records: ACC/1888/248;
London issues: ACC/1888/249/01-34;
London boroughs: issues: ACC/1888/249/35-63;
Other London issues: ACC/1888/249/64-66;
Information Department: general subject files: ACC/1888/250;
LCSS publications: ACC/1888/251-434;
Other publications: ACC/1888/435-439;
NCSS organisation: ACC/1888/440/01-13;
NCSS: related organisations: ACC/1888/440/14-32;
NCSS: consumer protection: ACC/1888/440/33-50;
NCSS publications: ACC/1888/441-485;
NCSS for the National Old People's Welfare Council: ACC/1888/486-507;
Standing Conference of Councils of Social Service publications: ACC/1888/508-511;
National Institute for Social Work Training: ACC/1888/512-513.
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 September 1983.
ALLIED MATERIALS
Related material:
LMA has received a deposit of some of the records of the NCSS (now the National Council for Voluntary Organisations) in Accession 2720 (ACC/2720): these consist mainly of records of the Rural Department, files relating to unemployment in the 1930's and papers relating to the development of music and drama in rural areas.
The collection complements many other records held at LMA. The pioneering work of the London County Council (LCC), the Middlesex County Council (MCC), the Greater London Council (GLC) and the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) is well documented in their official records here, e.g. Southwark Wel-Care (ACC/2201), the Family Welfare Association (A/FWA), National and local Citizens' Advice Bureaux (ACC/73/46, AC/75/87 and ACC/1762).
The remainder of the records are at NCVO, Regent's Wharf, All Saints Street, London N1 9RL. Council and committee minutes are retained by the LVSC at their headquarters at 68 Chalton Street, London NW1.
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Date(s) of descriptions: June to August 2010.