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Royal Holloway, University of London

Secretary's Department of Royal Holloway College


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0505 RHC AR300-360

Held at: Royal Holloway, University of London

Title: Secretary's Department of Royal Holloway College

Date(s): 1886-1963

Level of description: sub-fonds

Extent: 19 boxes, 8 volumes

Name of creator(s): Royal Holloway College | Secretary's Department

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

The Secretary acted as the administrative officer of the Governors. Responsibilities of the post included dealing with the College accounts, the ordering of supplies and the maintenance of College buildings and property, as well as taking minutes of meetings and preparing official correspondence. On the death of the first Secretary of the Governors, Mr J L Clifford-Smith, in 1898, the decision was taken that in future a woman should fill the post. The appointment of Dorothy Hustler in 1948 led to the reorganisation of the College accounts, and she was also responsible for ongoing negotiations for the purchase of surrounding properties, in order to facilitate the expansion of the College in the 1950s. 1969 saw the establishment of a separate Accounts Department. Titled the Secretary to the Governors until 1949, the postholder then became known as the College Secretary.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Correspondence of the first Secretary to the Governors, J L Clifford-Smith, 1887-1898, including an outward letter book, and letters relating to an illustrated brochure published in 1895. Files of correspondence and memoranda, 1886-1963, on various, notably the appointment of administrative staff, including the Principal and the College Secretary, 1887-1927; the Constitution of the Board of Governors and the Academic Board and financial matters, 1910-1922; professional salaries, 1900-1924 and 1944-1945; drainage at Royal Holloway College, 1930-1938; the College piggeries, 1935-1946; the College plate, 1886-1887; the College water supply, 1902-1917; the Royal Holloway College Coat of Arms, 1939-1958; the takeover of the east side of Founder's Building by the Auxiliary Territorial Service, 1939-1945; investments, 1890-1936, and insurance valuations, 1950-1963; the Admission of Royal Holloway College as a School of the University of London, 1892-1900; procedures for appointments to Professorships in the University of London, 1907-1909; specifications and estimates for building work on Founder's Building, 1903-1908; staff pensions, 1913-1945. Material relating to the Royal Holloway College Picture Gallery, 1887-1948, including printed catalogues of the pictures compiled by Charles W Carey, 1888, 1890 and 1896; photograph albums containing photographs of the picture collection, taken by Carey, [1897]; letters and memoranda, 1887-1948, mainly relating to the picture collection; petty cash books, 1890-1942, for the care of the Picture Gallery and for drawing and painting classes. Registers and inventories, 1887-1963, notably a register book of the domestic staff, 1887-1927; inventories of household materials, 1887-1897, including glass, china, earthenware, cutlery, linen, blankets, mattresses, brushware, electric lamps, blind cord and tapes; inventories of the garden and grounds, 1901-1921, 1942-1947 and 1957-1962; inventories of the Engine and Boiler House, 1901-1910, and the Superintendent of the Works, 1952-1962; Stationery inventory, 1939-1940; inventories of academic departments, such as Physics, 1903-1960, Chemistry, 1847-1962, Botany, 1957-1963, and Zoology, 1946-1962; Registers of application for admission to academic departments, 1887-1948.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

Papers are arranged in bound volumes or files according to subject.

Conditions governing access:

Administrative and Committee papers are closed for 30 years from the last date on file. Papers relating to individuals are usually closed for 100 years from the subject's birth. Users are advised to consult the College Archivist for specific details.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copies of open material may be supplied, subject to the condition of the original. Requests to publish original material should be directed to the College Archivist.

Physical characteristics:

Finding aids:

'A guide to Royal Holloway College Archives' by Derryan Paul, Jun 1973.

Detailed catalogue

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:

Accruals:

Archival history:

Papers relating to student records and examinations were removed to the Registrar's Department when it was created in 1944. Financial material was transferred to the Accounts Department upon its creation in 1969-1970.

Immediate source of acquisition:

ALLIED MATERIALS

Existence and location of originals:

Existence and location of copies:

Related material:

The Royal Holloway, University of London Archives contain the papers of the Curator of the Picture Gallery (RHC AR500-504).

Publication note:

The history of Royal Holloway College, 1886-1986 (Constable, London, 1987), by Caroline Bingham.

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Note:

Archivist's note: Compiled by Sarah Aitchison as part of the AIM25 project.

Rules or conventions: Compiled in accordance 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: Apr 2000


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Academic buildings | Educational buildings
Building services | Construction engineering
Educational finance | Economics of education
Inventories | Secondary documents
Educational administration

Personal names
Smith | J L | Clifford- | fl 1887-1898 | Secretary to the Governors of Royal Holloway College x Clifford-Smith | J L

Corporate names
Royal Holloway College
Royal Holloway College | Academic Board
Royal Holloway College | Board of Governors
Royal Holloway College | Picture Gallery
Royal Holloway College | Secretary's Department

Places
Egham | Surrey | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
London | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe