History of LSE

Recollect is a new mass memory mapping exercise at the London School of Economics. For further information see Recollect: creative explorations of the LSE.
For details of an online exhibition on the beginnings of LSE see Online resources.
For an outline history of LSE see LSE History.

Online catalogue

• The following link takes you to a list of collections held at LSE Archives relating to the history of the London School of Economics and Political Science: Archives catalogue.
• Click on any name on that list to show the collection-level description for those papers (such as biographical or administrative information, and the scope of the papers).
• Some collections are catalogued to item-level on the Archives catalogue. For a full list of these see Completed Catalogues.

Main collections

The following list indicates the range of sources held by LSE Archives which relate to the history of the London School of Economics and Political Science (reference codes to the documents are in brackets):

• LSE History Project: Information on the history of LSE gathered by the history project team in support of Ralph Dahrendorf's 'A History of the London School of Economics', 1995. The papers cover topics such as academic departments, LSE Directors, major figures and significant events (LSE HISTORY PROJECT)
• Administrative files, including files relating to academic policy, finance, organisation, buildings, publications and external relations, 1895- (LSE/CENTRAL FILING REGISTRY)
• Articles of association, balance sheets, student registers, printed reports and calendars, papers of Sir William Beveridge and Sir Sydney Caine as Directors, photographs and student union files, 1895- (LSE/UNREGISTERED).
• Minutes of School Committees, 1894- (LSE/MINUTES)
• A collection of small deposits relating to the history of the School, including lecture notes and papers relating to student societies, 1890s- (LSE/SMALL LSE DEPOSITS)
• Papers of Sidney and Beatrice Webb regarding LSE, 1893-1945 (PASSFIELD/10).
• Early papers of the Library comprising appeals for books and funds, accounts and reports of the library and the School, 1896-1908 (COLL MISC 0529)
• LSE Students' Union Minute books, 1903-1976 (COLL MISC 0649)
• Reminiscences of former students, staff and governors collected as a result of a questionnaire circulated in 1943 (SR 1101).

The detailed catalogues of many of these papers are not yet available on the online Archives catalogue. Please contact LSE Archives (Document@lse.ac.uk) for further details.

Photographs

LSE Archives holds an extensive collection of photographs relating to the history of the School. Please contact LSE Archives (Document@lse.ac.uk) for further details.

Pre-1994 exam papers

LSE Archives holds an incomplete set of past exam papers up to 1994. Please contact LSE Archives for further details (Document@lse.ac.uk). Past exam papers from 1994 onwards are available in the Library: for details see Past Exam Papers.

Selected topics

The following is a list of some topics relating to the history of LSE:

• Directors: see the Archives catalogue
• Academics: see the Archives catalogue
• 'The Troubles', LSE, 1967-1969: see the Archives catalogue
• Hugh Lewis Prize Essay: see Archives catalogue
• Rosebery Prize Essay: see Archives catalogue
• Gladstone Memorial Prize: see Archives catalogue

Former LSE students and staff

The published 'Register, 1895-1932' (London, 1934) contains basic biographical information about LSE students and staff. Copies are available in the Reading Room and in the Library.

• Most student records are still held by the Academic Registrar
• Most staff records are still held by Human Resources

Further information

• Guide to holdings
• Rare books
• Library subject guides
• Other archival resources
• Contact LSE Archives: Document@lse.ac.uk

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