British and Commonwealth History

The Manuscripts Division contains various collections relating to the history of Britain and the Commonwealth, ranging from the Medieval period to contemporary times.

Collections supporting research from the Medieval to early Modern eras include British autograph collection, ca. 1500-1899, British manuscripts collection, 1560-1935, Kent (England) Deeds, 1400-1799, and Miscellaneous documents, 1326-1867.

Many of these collections document life in Britain up through the 18th Century. Additional collections documenting the 18th Century include the Lee Family Papers, 1754-1836 and the Edward Wortley Montagu Papers.

Collections relating to the 19th and 20th Centuries include the Sanitary Reform of London : the Working Collection of Sir Joseph Bazalgette [xml-encode guide] [html-encoded guide], which documents the design and construction of the London Sewer System (one of the great moments for the development of the infra-structures needed to allow the rise of the modern metropolis), and the Emma Smith Diaries.

Ben Stone is the curator responsible for selecting manuscript collections that fall into this area. For a fuller description of collecting activities in this field, please refer to the British and Commonwealth History home page.