VON COTTA, Alix [Alice]: (Autograph Letter Collection)

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 106 9/23
Held at	: Women's Library   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://www.lse.ac.uk/Library/Collections/Collection-highlights/The-Womens-Library ›
Full title	: VON COTTA, Alix [Alice]: (Autograph Letter Collection)
Date(s)	: 1870-1930
Level of description	: fonds
Extent	: 3 A boxes (3 volumes - 210 items)
Name of creator(s)	: Cotta | Alice von | 1842-1931 | educationalist
Detailed catalogue	: Click here to view repository detailed catalogue

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

Alice von Cotta (1842-1931) was born in Freiburg, Saxony in 1842. Her father was Bernhard von Cotta, the geologist. In 1876 she started studying at Newnham College and was granted the Clothworker's scholarship for the year 1877-1878. During her final year, in 1878, Alice and her friend, Penelope Lawrence, spent their time together at Newnham. Penelope had been a childhood friend as their families already knew one another from a trip the Lawrence family had taken in Freiburg in 1864. In Jul 1878 Alice was appointed to the post of Mistress of Studies at Bedford College. She was paid a salary of £75.00. In Oct 1878, she also spent time at the North London Collegiate School. Her resignation to Bedford College was tendered in Jul 1880. From 1884-1912, Alice von Cotta was Principal of the Victoria-Lyceum in Berlin. This school had been established by crown princess Victoria, wife of Frederick I. Its aim was to provide a higher education for German women, principally teachers, before a university education was available to them. Alice von Cotta died in Hanover in 1931.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

The collection contains letters and postcards written predominantly by Alice von Cotta to Penelope Lawrence (addressed as 'Dear Nelly'). Some letters to Penelope Lawrence from Frau von Cotta (Alice's mother) and Ilse von Cotta (Alice's younger sister). Penelope Lawrence and Alix von Cotta, went to Newnham College, Cambridge, where in c. 1874 they became friends.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

The letters are arranged chronologically and divided into three parts. Part A : 1870-1888 (93 letters) Part B : 1889 - 1901 (55 letters) Part C : 1902 - 1930 (62 letters).

Conditions governing access:

This collection is available for research. Readers are advised to contact The Women's Library in advance of their first visit. Available on microfiche only.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Finding aids:

Abstracts of individual letters in the autograph letters collection were written and held alongside the letters. This work was done from the 1960s by volunteers including Nan Taylor. In 2004 Jean Holder completed a 3 year project to list the letters, copy-type the abstracts, and repackage the letters to meet preservation needs. In 2005 Vicky Wylde and Teresa Doherty proof read and imported the entries to the Special Collections Catalogue.

The original card index of all correspondents, including date of letter and volume reference, is available on the microfiche.

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

The letters were deposited with the Fawcett Library by Mrs Agatha Blyth, the sister of Penelope Lawrence, in 1944.[Check Fawcett Library Accession Register for further details]

Allied Materials

Related material:

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:
Finding aid created by export from CALM v7.2.14 Archives Hub EAD2002. Edited for AIM25 by Sarah Drewery.

Rules or conventions:
In compliance with ISAD (G): General International Standard Archival Description - 2nd Edition (1999); UNESCO Thesaurus, December 2001; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
25/03/2008