CRYSTAL PALACE

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: CPT
Held at	: London Metropolitan Archives   Click here to find out how to view this collection at https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma ›
Full title	: CRYSTAL PALACE
Date(s)	: 1853-1952
Level of description	: Collection
Extent	: 2.15 linear metres
Name of creator(s)	: Crystal Palace Trustees

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

The Crystal Palace of the 1851 Exhibition in Hyde Park was re-erected, with considerable enlargements, at Sydenham in 1852-4 by a private company. By 1911 the company was in difficulties and public subscriptions were raised to save the palace and park. Under the Crystal Palace Act, 1914 (4 Geo.5, c.5 local) their entire control and management "as a place for education and recreation and for the promotion of industry commerce and art", was vested in Trustees, of whom 23 were representatives of local authorities, six being nominated by the Council. The palace was burnt down in 1936 and available funds were insufficient for its re-erection prior to the outbreak of the war of 1939-45. A scheme to use the site for the celebration of the centenary of the 1851 Exhibition fell through and under the London County Council (Crystal Palace) Act, 1951, the Council took over all the assets and responsibilities of the Trustees as from 1 January 1952.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Records of the Crystal Palace Trust, 1853-1952, including Trustees minutes, 1914-1950; Finance Committee minutes and notes, 1914-1948; General Purposes Committee minutes, 1914-1949; Special Subcommittee minutes, 1914-1949; speeches of the General Manager, Sir Henry Buckland, to the Trustees, 1935-1948; reports, 1936-1946, including report of the Special Committee after the 1936 fire; trustees attendance book, 1914-1949; inventory of statuary, 1853; inventory of refreshment department, 1898; inventory of contents of Crystal Palace, 1909; printed programme of Opening Day, 1920; financial records and accounts, 1890-1952; agreements and contracts, 1880-1922, including contracts for the aupply of gas and electricity and the sale of refreshments, contract for management of the Cricket Club, agreement for the Football Association (FA) Cup Finals to be held at the Palace and contracts for the running of escalators and lifts.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

CPT/1-11: Minutes and Committees; CPT/12-19: Inventories and other books; CPT/20-44: Financial and CPT/45-57: Agreements and Contracts.

Conditions governing access:

Available for general access

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copyright: City of London

Finding aids:

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

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Acquired with the records of its successor body, the London County Council.

Allied Materials

Related material:

See also LMA reference Q/CP for a small collection of Trustee correspondence (1856-1897).

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:

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:
April to June 2009