Chapter 3: Cuttings collections

Articles in national and local newspapers and selected periodicals on Paddington, Marylebone and Westminster were retained and filed until c2001. Pre-1965 Marylebone cuttings, ranging from c1850 have been microfilmed and are arranged by ward and indexed; the original newscuttings are available on request.

The main collection of some 32,000 cuttings dates from about 1948, but includes items from periodicals of an earlier date, eg 19th century editions of the "Illustrated London News".  The cuttings are mounted and stored in boxes in the search room. They are classified by the same scheme as the prints and drawings and photographs and are self-indexing.

There are also 56 scrapbooks of cuttings compiled before 1948, which contain material on central London, including churches, public and government buildings, clubs, transport and some streets, eg the Strand. They fall into three main groups:

  • folders of mounted cuttings arranged by subject, c1914-1945
  • bound volumes, four relating only to St Anne, Soho, c1890-1910
  • smaller scrapbooks and folders with biographical material and cuttings from 19th century periodicals, c1850-1900.

In addition there are several scrapbooks relating to St Martin-in-the-Fields. These consist of one scrapbook of mixed manuscript and newspaper material, mainly of the 18th and 19th centuries; three volumes of newspaper cuttings, 1668-1836 (there is a list of newspapers, with dates, at the back of each volume: this list forms the basis of a combined index to all three volumes); and six volumes (each volume rebound in several parts) of cuttings on particular subjects, entitled severally Covent Garden, Leicester Square (two volumes), Library (ie Town Hall, Charing Cross Road, and St Martin's Lane Library); General (cuttings and playbills, c1890-1914); and Notices (vestry and election handbills, 1838-1903). All illustrations, but not articles, are indexed.

There is a small volume of cuttings and correspondence from the 18th and 19th centuries relating to the Dukes of Westminster and Northumberland (compilers unknown); and two volumes of scrapbooks of menus formerly belonging to F C Chantrain, Chef at the Hotel Metropolis, c1900 - c1910.