IDENTITY
Name		ARCHIVES OF THE BRITISH PROVINCE OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS
Identifier		GB1093
CONTACT
Address		114 Mount Street, London, W1K 3AH
Telephone		020 7529 4836
Fax
Email		archives@gbsj.org
Website		For further information regarding the British Province of the Society of Jesus: http://www.jesuit.org.uk/ (The Archives do not yet have designated pages on this site).
Head of repository		Fr. T. M. McCoog SJ, Archivist Ms Anna Edwards, Assistant Archivist
DESCRIPTION
Institutional context		The Archive primarily holds records relating to the British Province of the Society of Jesus.  It is not, however, the only archive of the Province.  As well as small-scale local collections, there are also significant holdings at, for example, Stonyhurst College in Lancashire and at Campion Hall, Oxford. The collection at Mount Street includes: ·       papers relating to the administration of the Province by the Provincial Curia; ·       personal papers and correspondence of many deceased members of the British Province (e.g. photographs, diaries, theological and spiritual notes and reflections, works that the individual has published – or attempted to publish, and key events that the individual was involved in organising); ·       records of Jesuit communities;  ·       papers relating to Province works; ·       material relating to the overseas missionary work of the Province, e.g. correspondence relating to the mission in former British Guyana, to the early Maryland mission as well as papers relating to South Africa and Zimbabwe. (Please note that these regions now maintain their own Archive); ·       papers relating to the Cause of the Holy Martyrs; ·       the archive of the Canonesses of the Holy Sepulchre, New Hall. (Amongst this collection are a number of sermons given, and retreat notes taken, by members of the English / British Province to the Canonesses between c. 1720 and c. 1960) Most of the material held dates from the eighteenth / nineteenth centuries, but the collection also includes a series of bound volumes of records which relate to the early history of the Province and were transferred from Stonyhurst College. These include, for example, the Anglia manuscripts and Christopher Grene’s Collectanea. As well as having an important bearing on the early history of the Province these volumes also contain some of our earliest material, dating from the sixteenth century. The Archives also include a collection of antiquarian books, consisting of works by members of the Province and those defined as being important for the post-Reformation history of Catholicism in Britain and/or the history and spirituality of the Society.   Format: paper, photograph, microfilm, some digital material, lantern slides.
Institutional history
Administrative structure		The Society of Jesus is divided worldwide, for administrative purposes, into a number of Provinces. The British Province currently incorporates England, Wales and Scotland, the Guyana Region and the South Africa Region. Provinces are currently grouped into one of ten assistancies. (An Assistancy consists of one nation, or group of nations, associated according to language or culture.)
Collecting policy		The main accessions come from Jesuit houses, especially those now closed, and from the papers of deceased Jesuits. We also periodically receive material from the Provincial Curia.
Buildings		The Archives occupy the basement of a building constructed in the 1960s to link two nineteenth century properties occupied by the Society.  Due to its location, the search room has only a small amount of natural light. Desks with power-points are available for users with laptops, and the room is also wireless enabled.
Archival and other holdings		The Archives contain records relating to the administration of the Province by the Provincial Curia. They also include records of many deceased members of the Province, of Jesuit communities, of Province works, and material relating to the overseas missionary work of the Province and the Cause of the Holy Martyrs. The archive of the Canonesses of the Holy Sepulchre, New Hall has also been deposited:  amongst this collection are a number of sermons given, and retreat notes taken, by members of the English / British Province to the Canonesses of the Holy Sepulchre between c. 1720 and c. 1960.
Finding aids and publications		The principal finding aid is, at present, a card index in addition to some word-processed lists. The card index is not on open access, and thus searches are carried out by the Archivist, at a visitor’s request. There are some published guides to the Archive and its holdings, such as: ·                     Fr. Francis Edwards SJ “The Archives of the English Province of the Society of Jesus at Farm Street, London: Part 1”, Catholic Archives , 1 (1981), pp. 20-25 ·                     Fr. Francis Edwards SJ “The Archives of the English Province of the Society of Jesus at Farm Street, London: Part 2”, Catholic Archives, 2 (1932), pp. 37-45 ·                     Guide to the Jesuit Archives by T. M. McCoog SJ (St. Louis: Institute of Jesuit Sources, 2001)
ACCESS
Opening times		Visits are by appointment only and are ideally arranged for Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays, 9.30am-1pm, and 2pm-4.30pm. The Archive is closed in the evenings and weekends, and over the Christmas and New Year period. Public and religious holidays are also observed. (Special arrangements may be made with the Archivist at his discretion).
Conditions and requirements		The Archives of the British Province of the Society of Jesus is a private archive and access is by appointment only, and at the discretion of the Archivist. Researchers are asked to apply in writing to visit the Archives, providing details of their research topic. Undergraduate or graduate students intending to use the archives will generally be asked to provide a letter of recommendation from their academic supervisor in support of their request.
Disabled access		The Archives are located in a basement area which may be accessed via a lift from the ground floor. 9 steps, however, must be climbed in order to gain access to the lift: 5 steps to the main reception area, and a further 4 steps to the lift. This can make access for those with physical disabilities problematic. Enquirers are asked to discuss their needs with the Archivist when making an appointment, such that all attempts can be made to facilitate access where possible.
Transport		The Archives are located in the heart of Mayfair, in-between Oxford Street, Park Lane, and Piccadilly. They are within easy walking distance of Green Park (Jubilee, Piccadilly and Victoria lines) and Bond Street (Central and Jubilee lines) underground stations and are also accessible via several bus routes. For more detailed information regarding transport links, please see Transport for London: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/  For a location map, please see: http://www.msjc.org.uk/map.html
SERVICES
Research services		Archive staff are unable to undertake detailed research on behalf of enquirers other than in exceptional circumstances (for which a fee will apply). Limited research enquiries can be carried out free of charge.
Reproduction services		Copies can be requested of any items in the Archive subject to preservation and copyright regulations. A charge will be applicable for reprographic services.
Public facilities		The Archives are located in the heart of Mayfair, close to the shops and amenities of Oxford Street and Piccadilly.
CONTROL
Date of creation		17 February 2011