IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 2159 Cordwainers
Held at: University of the Arts London: London College of Fashion
Title: Cordwainers College
Date(s): 1948-2001
Level of description: Collection (fonds)
Extent: 2 filing cabinet drawers of files and approximately two hundred 35mm slides
Name of creator(s): Cordwainers College
Cordwainers College Association
Cordwainers Technical College
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
A Leather Trade School was founded in Bethnal Green in 1887 by the Leathersellers and Cordwainers Company, City and Guilds of London Institute and the Boot and Shoe Manufacturers' Association. The school became the Cordwainers Technical College, and was incorporated in 1914 to continue and develop the work of the Leather Trade School. The College was moved to Hackney in 1945, and became grant-aided by the Inner London Education Authority. The College buildings were enlarged in 1956, and an extra wing was added in 1977, providing a larger technicians' section, lecture room and extra work room. The College provided specialist education and training courses in footwear, accessories, leather goods and saddlery, at all levels up to degree, as well as general art and design courses at pre-degree level. In 1991 the College was renamed Cordwainers College. Cordwainers College became part of the London Institute and merged with the London College of Fashion in 2000. The College is now known as Cordwainers at the London College of Fashion.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Records of Cordwainers College, 1948-2001, comprising minutes and papers of the Board of Management, later Board of Governors, 1974-2000, including inspections, annual reviews, handbook for Governors; Finance and General Purposes committee minutes and papers, 1993-1999; annual reviews and development plans, 1988-1997; revised memoranda and articles of association papers, 1989-1992; prospectuses, 1919, 1948-1952, 1969-2001; prizegiving programme, 1919; photographs of visits by Princess Anne and Zandra Rhodes, 1984; photographs of college buildings, 1996; press cuttings relating to the Institute, 1976-2001; 35mm slides of shoes, [1979-1993]; digitised images of the Historic Shoes collection, comprising approximately 700 shoes from the 18th-19th centuries; Honourable Cordwainers' Company newsletters, 1989-1994.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English.
System of arrangement:
The records are unsorted.
Conditions governing access:
Access to the collection is by appointment only.
Conditions governing reproduction:
No photocopying is permitted although photographs may be taken at the discretion of the Head of Learning Resources.
Physical characteristics:
Finding aids:
The records are uncatalogued. A catalogue of the historic shoe collection and images is available at the London College of Fashion Library.
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:
Accruals:
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
Acquired on the merger of Cordwainers College Association with the London College of Fashion in 2000.
ALLIED MATERIALS
Existence and location of originals:
Existence and location of copies:
Related material:
Historic Shoes collection of Cordwainers College, comprising 700 shoes from the 18th and 19th centuries, held by the London College of Fashion Library. Books, pamphlets and periodicals relating to leather working collected by Cordwainers College are also held by the London College of Fashion Library.
Letter books and papers relating to Cordwainers' Technical College, 1888-1912, are held by the Guildhall Library (reference: MSS 21926, 21997).
Publication note:
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Note:
Archivist's note: Sources: Historical Manuscripts Commission On-Line National Register of Archives. Compiled by Julie Tancell as part of the RSLP AIM25 project.
Date(s) of descriptions: July 2002