• To get 2006 off to a good start, we are delighted to announce that the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) has recently awarded the Centre a grant of £243,354 for a new research project, ‘Londoners and the Law, pleadings in the court of common pleas, 1399-1509’. The project will analyse and make available online information from the ‘plea rolls’ of the court of common pleas - the largest surviving body of medieval English common law records. It will examine cases involving Londoners, and one aim of the project is to explore the links between the city and the regions as reflected in disputes over commercial and other transactions. The project also seeks to enlarge our knowledge of how individuals and groups (such as guilds) understood and used the law in relation to their business, family or property interests. In doing so the project will open up a major source of information about the everyday life of Londoners in the age of the Pastons, revealing disputes over such things as unpaid bills, runaway servants and apprentices, as well as personal and familial rivalries. The research will significantly deepen our understanding of how the law interacted with everyday life, whether in the areas of work, domestic and family life or urban regulation. It is intended that data from the project will be made available on British History Online <http://www.british-history.ac.uk>, the IHR’s digital library of British History, alongside other important resources for the history of London. The project, which is scheduled to begin on 1 June 2006, will be directed by Dr Matthew Davies (Director of the CMH) and Dr Hannes Kleineke of the History of Parliament Trust.
• Since the last newsletter back in September, we have welcomed several new faces to the CMH. In October, Dr James Moore took up the post of Deputy Director in succession to Heather Creaton, who retired in the summer. Specialising in urban municipal government and public policy-making in the long nineteenth century, James already has several ideas for new research projects including: ‘Visions of the Imperial City, Ancient and Modern c.1850-1914’ and ‘A People’s History of the London Olympic Games of 1908 and 1948’, both of which will open up possibilities for comparative research and collaboration with other groups. Dr Jennifer Holmes also joined us in October, taking up the Leverhulme Postdoctoral Fellowship in Comparative Metropolitan History. Jennifer’s research is on ‘”The heart of the nation?” The cultural significance of Rome and London in comparative perspective, circa 1890 to 1930’, examining the ways in which Rome and London looked to their own and each other’s pasts and presents as sources of identity and of ideas for planning the future between 1890 and 1930.
• Earlier this month, Carlos López Galviz started his three-year Leverhulme Postgraduate Studentship investigation into the cultural impact of the metro systems in London and Paris, joining the Centre’s increasing body of MPhil/PhD students. Jordan Landes began her studies on ‘The role of London in the creation of a Quaker transatlantic community in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries’ in October, while both Catherine Wright (‘Social and cultural connections between the English and Dutch, 1660-1720’) and Laurie Lindey (‘The London furniture trade, 1640-1720’) are now well into the second year of their studies.
• Although funding for the second phase of the electronic bibliography London’s Past Online (LPOL) <http://www.history.ac.uk/cmh/lpol> has yet to be secured, we are very pleased that David Tomkins, the Research Editor on the original project, has returned to the CMH to work part-time on editing data supplied from the Museum of London’s Bibliography of the Archaeology of Great London (BAGL). This has been made possible by generous donations from the Mercers’ and Goldsmiths’ Companies and we hope that the integration of these archaeological records into the LPOL database will enhance its use.
• The AHRC-funded project 'People in Place: Families, households and housing in early modern London’ <http://www.history.ac.uk/cmh/pip>, which is being undertaken in collaboration with Birkbeck College and the Cambridge Group for the History of Population and Social Structure, is now in its third and final year. The project team, which is investigating the changing characteristics of London families and households during the transformation of England’s society and economy in the 16th and 17th centuries using 3 contrasting sample areas, has made significant progress with analysis of the Cheapside and Clerkenwell samples and work is proceeding alongside the further retrieval of information for the St Botolph Aldgate sample area. The database which performs the linkage between individuals, families, households and properties across time now contains, for the Cheapside area alone, information on some 56,000 individuals for the period 1540-1710. The team will be presenting papers at the Economic History Society Conference in March (conference information: <http://www.ehs.org.uk/society/annualconferences.asp> and at the European Association for Urban History conference, Stockholm, in September. An application has been submitted to the Wellcome Trust for an 18-month continuation project. If successful, the new project would extend and enrich the existing database to examine mortality, housing, and the social and physical environment c.1550-1750.
• Funding by the Economic and Social Research Council of the ‘Views of Hosts: Reporting the alien commodity trade 1440-1445’ project <http://www.history.ac.uk/cmh/project.html#voh> came to an end on 30 September. We were very sorry to say goodbye to Helen Bradley, who had initiated and worked on the project part-time for eighteen months. The database of names and commodity descriptions from 2,300 individual business transactions contained in the ‘Views’ has been deposited with the UK Data Archive <http://www.data-archive.ac.uk/>, Study Number 5297 and the transcription and translation of all the 74 Views has been completed. Transcripts will be available through the CMH website, and the database through British History Online later in the year. The translations will be published, together with an extended introduction, in a forthcoming volume of the London Record Society <http://www.history.ac.uk/cmh/lrs/>.
• Copy-editing is now under way on London and Middlesex Religious Houses. This volume, jointly edited by Professor Caroline Barron (Royal Holloway) and Matthew Davies, will republish entries relating to the religious houses of London and Middlesex (originally compiled by the Victoria County History), together with brief historiographical and bibliographical updates. It is due to be published by the CMH in late Spring.
• The CMH and the Museum of London have submitted a joint bid to the AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Awards scheme for funding for 3 studentships on the theme of London’s civic identity. The result of this application will be reported in the next issue of the newsletter.
• The first term of the new MA in Metropolitan and Regional History, run jointly with the Victoria County History, has been very encouraging. The students - Cheryl Bailey, John Hinshelwood, Vanesa Rodriguez and Janette Scarborough - seem to be enjoying their studies and have provided positive feedback as well as valuable suggestions for improving the course. James Moore has taken on the role of Course Administrator and is currently busy with recruitment for next year. Thanks to a bequest by Miss Yvonne Lowman, we are able to offer a fees-only bursary (currently worth £3,300) for a UK or EU student undertaking the MA in 2006-7. To be considered for the bursary completed course application forms must reach the Institute by 1 May. Information on the MA and application forms are available at: < http://www.history.ac.uk/degrees/metma>.
• The two autumn events with which the CMH was associated proved to be very successful. The ‘Beyond Shakespeare’s Globe: People, Place and Plays in the Middlesex Suburbs, 1400-1700’ conference (15 October 2005), co-organised with Dr Eva Griffith (Durham University) and London Metropolitan Archives (LMA) attracted over 80 people. Following an extensive programme of papers by prominent scholars from both side of the Atlantic, the day culminated in a Jacobean-themed buffet and a presentation on the history of the Red Bull Playhouse, illustrated by jigs, ballads and drolls performed by members of the Lions part theatre company and Passamezzo. It is hoped that a collection of papers will be published in due course and that there will be similar collaborations with the LMA in the future. Leverhulme Professor, Derek Keene, was one of the organisers, with the School of Advanced Study and the National Archives of the inaugural National Archives Annual Lecture and Seminar (24 October), supported by the AHRC. With speakers from Northern Ireland, the Stasi Archives and the Declassification Board of the records of the Apartheid Regime, the seminar on ‘Secrecy, Openness and Reconciliation’ explored the relationship of the written record to states and societies. The seminar was followed by an extremely eloquent and stimulating lecture by Albie Sachs, Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, on the theme of ‘Archives, Truth and Reconciliation’.
• The Centre is co-organiser with the University of Amsterdam of ‘Metropolis and State in Early Modern Europe (c.1400-1800)’an international conference to be held at the Institute of Historical Research, 27-28 March 2006. Supported by the Leverhulme Trust and the Netherlands Organisation of Scientific Research (NWO), the conference will explore, from a comparative point of view, the peculiar relationship between European metropolises and the central state during the early modern period. The full programme and booking details are now available at: <http://www.history.ac.uk/cmh/metandstate.html>. Places are strictly limited.
• A conference on ‘Teaching London’, co-organised with Steve Barfield and Tanis Hinchcliffe of the University of Westminster and in association with the London Journal, will be held on 28 April (at the IHR) and 29 April (at the University of Westminster). The aim of this interdisciplinary conference is to explore the ways in which the past, present and future of London is taught or used in teaching in a broad variety of disciplines and subject areas, and by bringing together those who make London and its themes and representations part of their curriculum, to engage with what it means in theory and practice to teach this major metropolis. We hope to have representatives from different types of institutions that have a stake in teaching London (universities, museum and schools), as well as those who feel they teach London in less traditionally based modes. Subject areas might include: history, geography, town planning, architecture, art history, museum studies, sociology, transport studies, science and technology, theatre studies, economics and business studies, mass media, modern languages and linguistics. Twenty-minute papers are invited on any issue related to teaching London, as are panel sessions that may be proposed involving three speakers. Possible topics are: What does it mean to teach London? London as an interdisciplinary subject; London as a teaching resource; what role does London play in different subject areas? teaching London as part of the UK; technology and teaching London; audiences for teaching London - who are we teaching and why? Londoners and non-Londoners teaching London; teaching London as a multicultural city; London in a globalised/international context; electronic resources and the teaching of London.
• Derek Keene will be giving a paper on ‘Winchester and London’ at the Early English Shire Towns: The physical impact of County Government conference which is taking place at Rewley House, Oxford on 29-30 April. In most shires, an individual town acquired a political and social status above other towns and became the urban focus of a rural ‘county society’. The conference draws together topographical, architectural, archaeological, and documentary evidence to explore what was happening in particular shires and shire towns.
• The full Metropolitan History Seminar programme for the spring term is available at: http://www.history.ac.uk/ihrseminars/metropol.html. Please note that Simon Dixon’s paper on ‘Quakers and the London parish’ will now be given on 15 February and not as previously stated.
The CMH has joined with the Raphael Samuel History Centre at the University of East London to present a series of symposia on the theme of Cities and Empires. The next meeting is on 16 March and focuses on Cities and Imperial Spaces. Speakers: are Tithi Bhattacharya (Purdue University, Indiana), David Gilbert (Royal Holloway), Jyoti Hosagrahar (Columbia University) and Steve Legg (Cambridge University). On 23 June the subject will be Cities and Imperial Commodities when the speakers will be Michelle Craig (Harvard Business School), Erika Rappaport (University of California, Santa Barbara), Jenny Anderson (New York University), and Hal Cook (University College London). Both meetings will be held in Room 230, Stewart House (adjoining Senate House), 32 Russell Square, London WC1 from 4.30-7.30 pm. They are open to all, free of charge, and no booking is necessary.

• The IHR's Winter Conference ‘History and the Public’, to be held on 13-14 February, will investigate the use of history for public purposes and the involvement of the public in the study and consumption of history. Speakers will include Liz Forgan (Heritage Lottery Fund), Ludmilla Jordanova (King’s College London), Darryl McIntyre (Museum of London), Charles Saumarez Smith (The National Gallery) and John Tosh (Roehampton University). Although the stated registration deadline is 27 January, late bookings will be accepted. The programme is at: http://www.history.ac.uk/conferences/pubprog.rtf.
• The Institute is holding a one-day workshop for postgraduate students on Careers in History (14 March). The aim of this workshop is to provide practical advice and guidance for postgraduate students, whether embarking on a Master’s or a PhD or nearing completion. The day is divided into two sessions, with the first focusing on the many and varied careers open to history postgraduates, and the second providing a forum for more general discussion of career development and the sharing of experiences. The programme and booking form can be downloaded at: http://www.history.ac.uk/events/workshop.pdf.
• The Centre for Contemporary British History’s Annual Conference will be held on 28-30 June at the Institute of Historical Research. This year’s conference ‘From “Voluntary Organisation” to “NGO”? Voluntary Action in Britain since 1900’ will explore the range and the place of voluntary action in British society over the past century, in what respects it has changed and the influences upon change. Further details are available on the CCBH website: http://icbh.ac.uk/.
• The 2006 Anglo-American Conference will take place on 5-7 July and will take the theme of Religions and Politics. The programme and booking information will be posted on the Institute website shortly <http://www.history.ac.uk/>
• The IHR’s very popular online reviews journal, Reviews in History <http://www.history.ac.uk/reviews/>, currently features over 450 reviews of scholarly works, as well as reviews of textbooks, documentaries, reappraisals of major works, and in-depth review articles. March is designated ‘Irish History Month’ and throughout the month new reviews will focus on debates in Irish history. Special offers on selected books will also be available.

• As part of the ‘England’s Past for Everyone’ project co-ordinated by the Victoria County History and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the School of History at the University of the West of England is producing a history of immigration in Bristol, provisionally titled ‘Immigration and Ethnic Minorities in Bristol 1000-2000’ which will focus on ethnic diversity and civic identity. Details at http://humanities.uwe.ac.uk/Regionhistory/rhissue13.pdf
• In May 2005 the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in the Arts (CIDRA) in the School of Arts, Histories and Cultures at the University of Manchester was launched. CIDRA has already organised a series of wide-ranging lectures and conferences, including some on London/urban themes. Details about the Centre’s role and events are available at http://www.manchester.ac.uk/cidra.
• As part of the Spring meeting of the Mills Section of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, Professor John Langdon (University of Alberta) - a longstanding friend of the CMH - will be giving the Rex Wailes Lecture on ‘Medieval Mills, Millwrighting and Millers’ at the Gustave Tuck Lecture Theatre, University College London on Saturday 11 February. Details and booking information at: http://www.spab.org.uk/mills/courses.html
• The Centre of East Anglian Studies’ Winter series of free lectures take the theme of ‘Saint and Sinners in Medieval East Anglia’ will be held in Lecture Theatre 3 at the University of East Anglia at 7 pm on: 16 February - Professor Christopher Harper-Bill, ‘East Anglia and the Papacy in the Middle Ages’; 23 February - Dr Paul Binski, ‘The Holy Blood and the Saints in Norwich Cathedral’s Gothic Wall Paintings’; 2 March - Dr Sarah Salih, ‘Virtual Pagans in Medieval East Anglia’; and 9 March - Professor Carole Rawcliffe, ‘Repentant Magdalens and Holy Lepers: Some East Anglian Responses to Disease’. No booking is required. The UEA’s Continuing Education Department is offering short part-time introductory courses in Archaeology. Details at http://www.uea.ac.uk/contedu.
• The Urban History Group conference on ‘Risks, Hazards and Urban Renewal 1666-2000' will be held at the University of Reading on 30-31 March. Speakers include: Harold Platt, Mark Clapson, Angela Davis, Molly O’Brien Castro, Vanessa Harding, and Isabelle Mity. Details of the conference are available at: <http://www.le.ac.uk/urbanhist/news/uhg.html> and the booking form at: <http://www.ehs.org.uk/ehs/conference2006/Assets/UHGBookForm06.doc>.

• Dr Johnson’s House in Gough Square is currently seeking a new volunteer member of staff to man the reception desk between 2-5.30 pm on Mondays. The job would suit a retired person, or a student wanting front of house experience for their CVs. Travel expenses will be covered; an evening work at special events will be paid. Further details are available from the Curator, Natasha McEnroe (Tel: 020 7353 3745 email: curator@drjohnsonshouse.org).
• Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre at 32-38 Theobalds Road, is currently hosting an exhibition on ‘Elegance and Splendour: The story of Freemasons’ Hall’ (until 13 April 2006). Opening hours are Monday and Thursday 10 am- 7 pm; Tuesday and Friday 10 am - 6 pm; Saturday 10 am -1 pm and 2 pm - 5 pm. To coincide with the exhibition, the Library and Museum of Freemasonry has organised a free user day at Camden Local Studies Library on Tuesday 7 February on ‘The History of Freemasons’ Hall’ (10 am-2.30 pm). The day will serve as an introduction to over 1500 documents, plans and volumes relating to the history of the first and second Freemasons’ Halls and Taverns which have become available for research as part of a Heritage Lottery Fund grant, an important resource for anyone interested in architectural/construction history, social and economic history, local or family history. (The catalogue can be searched at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a and http://www.freemasonry.london.museum.)
• As part of the Archives Awareness Campaign, The Library and Museum of Freemasonry has organised another free study day, on 11 March, on ‘Freemasonry and Family History’ at Freemasons’ Hall in Great Queen Street. The guest speaker will be Pat Lewis, author of My Ancestor was a Freemason. Once again, booking is essential.
• Among February events at the London Metropolitan Archives are: the Black History Conference on Saturday 18 February 10 am - 4.30 pm (free); a session on exploring Maps on Thursday 23 February 2 pm - 4.00 pm (free) which will look at different types of maps, what they tell us and how research can be developed; and ‘Family Ties’ on Saturday 25 February 2 pm- 4 pm (£7.50): a workshop lead by David Mander exploring the development and history of London through the records of individuals and families. Advance booking is advised. Details of how to book and other events at LMA can be found at: http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/leisure_heritage/libraries_archives_museums_galleries/JAS/lma/newsflash.htm.
• The inaugural seminar series organised by Archives for London (the new networking body for both practitioners and users of archives in London) is proving extremely popular, with many meetings being fully booked. The next seminar will be on 2 February when Graham Fisher and Isobel Siddons of ALM(London) - the regional agency for London’s archives, libraries and museums will speak on ‘Keeping Archives on the Agenda: The Role of the Regional Agency and how you can get involved’. Subjects of future seminars are: 2 March - Inside the Ivory Tower: discovering the wealth of London’s higher education sector archives; 6 April - Get the picture? - How to take good images of archive materials using digital cameras and copyright considerations; 4 May ‘Beeds and honey’ for London’s archives: an overview of lottery funding and the Wellcome’s medical records scheme. The seminars take place at 6 pm at London Metropolitan Archives, with refreshments from 5.30 pm.
• Coinciding with the second series of BBC2’s ‘Who Do You Think Your Are?, the 2006 BBC London Family History Day will be held on Sunday 12 February at the British Library between 11 am and 5 pm. The day is free but places are limited so tickets must be booked in advance (available from the British Library box office on 020 7412 7331). There will be a family history fair, lectures (including how to get the most from the National Archives), and a chance to obtain specialist advice from experts. Details from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2006/01/19/family_british_library_feature.shtml.
• Among many upcoming events at the Museum in Docklands (<http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/events_jan06.htm#10_30>) is an opportunity, on 8 February and 8 March, to explore the new Sainsbury Study Centre and learn more about the range of resources it provides, including access to the Museum in Docklands, Port of London Authority and Sainsbury's archive collections (2-3 pm; free); on 16 March, Bob Aspinall, former PLA archivist, will give an illustrated talk about the Docklands during war time. There will also be an opportunity for the audience to share their own memories (free; 2.30-4.30 pm); and a day event, on 18 March, offering an update on recent, groundbreaking archaeology carried out on the Thames (Fee £20; concessions £15). Advanced booking is necessary for all these events: contact the box office on 0870 444 3855.
• The London Arts Café (LAC) has organised a series of events over the next few months: at the Guildhall Art Gallery (until 9 April) is ‘London Now - City of Heaven. City of Hell’, an exhibition that brings together works by artists who have lived and worked in London for most of their lives (free after 3.30 pm daily and Fridays). On Wednesday 15 February at 4.45 pm there will be a special tour of the Museum of London’s ‘Roots to Reckoning’ Exhibition which reflects the story of London’s black communities from the 1960s to the present. Following the LAC’s AGM on 23 March, Peter Murray, Director of the London Architecture Biennale and Exhibitions Director of New London Architecture, will given an illustrated talk on ‘Why is London the Way it is?’. On Sunday 20 May at 10.30 am architectural historian John Newman, former Deputy Director of the Courtauld Institute of Art will lead a Victorian Architecture Walk around Covent Garden. Full details of these and other events is available from the LAC website: <http://www.londonartscafe.org.uk>.
• Changes are taking place at Bishopsgate Library. The Library is concentrating its resources on its special collections on: London, particularly the East End; history of the early labour, secular and co-operative movements; family and local history; and consequently will be reviewing the scope of its general reference collection. The Library is open to everyone with no membership required. Opening hours are weekdays 10 am to 5.30 pm, with late night opening on Wednesdays to 8 pm. Further details at http://www.bishopsgate.org.uk.
• The East of London Family History Society has organised a number of meetings at the Bishopsgate Institute including a talk organised by on ‘Writing up your Family History’ (24 February, 6 - 7 pm; EoLFHS members free; non-members £1.50; no advance booking necessary); ‘Metropolitan Archives: Poor Law Union Records after 1834’ (Amy Proctor, 31 March) For details of the EoLFHS, visit <http://www.eolfhs.org.uk>.
• On Sunday 5 March (1.30-3.30 pm; £7) London Blue Badge and City of London Guide Diane Burstein will lead a guided walk around Spitalfields. After the walk there will be an opportunity to visit the house of Dennis Severs at 18 Folgate Street. For further information and booking, contact Bishopsgate Institute (email: education@bishopsgate.org.uk)
• The very popular London Maze returns on Saturday 18 March. The London Maze is a free local history fair devoted to London and its past and will take place in Guildhall Art Gallery, from 10 am to 4 pm. The day will consist of a series of events aimed at everyone with an interest in London’s history, including 50 stands representing London’s local studies libraries, archives and museum, user groups and local history societies (the CMH and London Record Society will again be present!), a wide range of talks on London’s history, free entry to Guildhall Art Gallery and themed talks of the City. The event will be opened by Peter Ackroyd, author of London: The Biography. Further details: http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/leisure_heritage/libraries_archives_museums_galleries/london_maze/.
• The Manuscripts Section of the Guildhall Library now has its own free quarterly electronic newsletter. We will continue to pass on news of the Library’s activities and events but if you would like more in depth information you might like subscribe to this newsletter email: manuscripts.guildhall@corpoflondon.gov.uk. Included in the January issue is the news that as from 3 January 2006 the Corporation of London will be known as the ‘City of London’ on a day-to-day basis. The full name of ‘City of London Corporation’ will be used only when a distinction needs to be made from the financial City or the topographical ‘Square Mile’. Records, previously closed for confidentiality purposes, released on 1 January include a girls’ character references book for King Edward’s School, London 1889-1905 (Ms 33163/2) which given the age of each girl, length of time in school, her conduct, the name and address of her employer and the position to which she was appointed. There have also been several additions to the manuscripts section catalogue, such as the records of Thorne and Co, a company which exported cotton, linen, hemp and wool worsted goods to Shanghai and Hong Kong in the 19th and 20th centuries (Mss 36472-88) and some late 19th and 20th century Vintners’ Company Records (Mss 36713-837). The catalogue can be searched online at: http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/librarycatalogue.

5. ONLINE RESOURCES

• Several leading museums, libraries, institutions and archives, including the British Museum, Museum of London, Guildhall Library, The National Archives (and recently, the Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade) have joined together to form the Heritage Image Partnership - a new online picture library. Although the images available are only a selection of these vast collections, entering the search term ‘London’ produced over 9,000 images. The database can be freely searched or browsed in several ways, although (free) registration is required in order download non-watermarked versions of images. Copies for publication may also be purchased online. The web address is: http://www.heritage-images.com/default.asp.
• History in Focus <http://www.history.ac.uk/ihr/focus> is a biannual online publication produced by the IHR to offer a considered and interesting introduction to a chosen historical topic using a range of learning and teaching resources. Each issue contains original articles, book and website review and a guide to museums and archives. The next issue will be on the Cold War. Previous topics (all still accessible) have been on Epidemics, Gender, The Holocaust, Empire and War.
• Hosted by the International History Department, The London School of Economics has launched a new web resource entitled Archives Made Easy <http://www.archivesmadeeasy.org/ >. It aims to provide an online guide to archives around the world, including the costs and processes involved in an archive visit. It is currently in its infancy, but the LSE is looking to grow the content of the site and welcome researchers of all levels to submit a review on any archive.
• ArchSearch <http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/search/index.cfm>, the Archaeology Data Service catalogue, now includes the English Heritage National Monuments Record’s ‘National Inventory’ for England. This is the primary record of England’s archaeological and architectural sites (c. 400,000 records) from earliest times to the present. The records included within ArchSearch link to English Heritage’s own PastScape service and thereby opens up further opportunities for research.

6. NEW PUBLICATIONS

• The Mercery of London: Trade, Goods and People, 1130-1578 by Dr Anne Sutton, former archivist to the Mercers’ Company, was published in the autumn by Ashgate Publishing and can be purchased online. Full details at: https://www.ashgate.com/shopping/title.asp?key1=&key2=&orig=results&isbn=0%207546%205331%205
• Two new guides to sources are available from the Guildhall Library Bookshop and online from http://www.corpoflondon.gov.uk/corporation/shop/: Historic Trade Directories in the Guildhall Library is an index to the collection held at Guildhall Library and comprises national, regional, county, city, town, district and borough directories. It does not include the Library’s file of London and Post Office London Suburban directories 1677-1991 nor historic telephone directories; ISBN 0900422491; £18.95; and Greater London History Sources: Volume 2 Middlesex - Part 1, Price £16.95 hardback and £11.95 paperback.
• The Warning Carriers: How messengers of The Goldsmiths’ Company warned the luxury trades of criminal activities in eighteenth-century London, by Judy Jowett - Special issue no. 2 of the Journal of the Silver Society - is now available priced £12 (+£3 postage and packing, per copy) from the Silver Society. Further details and order form are at: http://www.thesilversociety.org/warningcarriers.html.
• Anthem Press has recently published London: A Pilgrimage. Conceived in 1868 by the journalist and playwright Blanchard Jerrold and accompanied by 180 etchings by Gustave Doré, the publishers describe it as a ‘forgotten classic of social journalism, a frank and brutal look at the poverty-stricken, gin-swilling nineteenth-century London’. With an introduction by Peter Ackroyd. Price £9.99, paperback ISBN 1 84331 193 3. It can be ordered from http://www.anthempress.com/product_info.php?cPath=121&products_id=201&osCsid=1ffebe1210b3cf529ac84758f0541857.
• Recent publications from the City of Westminster Archives Centre are: Sources for Black and Asian History at the City of Westminster Archives Centre (City of Westminster Archives Centre, October, 2005; 104pp, illustrated; ISBN 1900893150; £10) - this guide includes listings of illustrations, theatre programmes & playbills, parish register and parish record entries, material from directories, periodicals and newspapers, business records, letters and family papers, and the records of institutions, clubs, societies, and military and armed bodies; and the St Martin-in-the-Fields Settlement examinations on CD for 1708-1795 (17 CDs of facsmile reproduction of the settlements, £9.99 each). These are available either in person or by post from Westminster City Archives, 10 St Ann’s Street, London SW1P 2DE. Tel: 020 7641 5180; Ordering details at: http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/archives/publications.cfm.
• New Publications available from Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre, Holborn Library, 32-38 Theobalds Road, London WC1X 8PA <http://www.camden.gov.uk/localstudies> are: Foul Deeds and Suspicious Deaths in Hampstead, Holborn and St Pancras, Mark Aston (Wharncliffe Books, 2005), price £10.99; Streets of Kentish Town (Camden History Society, 2005), £8.50; A History of Islington, Mary Cosh (Historical Publications, 2005), £18.95 and The Regent’s Canal, Alan Faulkner (Waterways World Ltd, 2005), £25. (Cheques made payable to London Borough of Camden).
• Colin Thom’s book, Researching London’s Houses, published by Historical Publications Ltd, is now available from several Archive Centres (including Hackney and Camden), as well as online from http://www.phillimore.co.uk/acatalog/New_Titles.html. It is one of the first guides to focus on the problems and complex documents that relate to the study of London’s housing and includes a section on the history of London’s houses, their evolution, methods of construction, etc.
• The latest issue of Hackney History (volume 11) available from the Friends of Hackney Archives <http://www.hackney.gov.uk/index.htm/ca-archives/c-archives-friends.htm> includes articles on ‘Early dissenting academies’, Philip Plumb; ‘Clapton Passage and Clapton Field: the 17th and 18th centuries’, Joan Hardinges; ‘Masters and Servants: the Norris papers’ and ‘The first generation of flats’, Isobel Watson; and ‘”The influenza fiend”: how the pandemic of 1918-19 affected Hackney’, Andrea Tanner.
• The new annual publications available from the IHR Bookshop are: Grants for History: a Guide to Funding 2006, which provides the most up-to-date information about financial resources available from the UK and overseas bodies for historical and affiliated research activities (price £13.50) and Teachers of History in the Universities of the UK. This lists almost 3,000 people with their teaching area and research interest, and contact details including personal email addresses (price £12.00) Details on how to order are available from: http://www.history.ac.uk/bookshop/annual.html.