North London Collegiate School was “…destined…to become the model of girls’ day schools throughout the country.” (Fleming Report, 1944).
Print of Canons at the time of William Hallett
Netball Team 1922
The North London Collegiate School Archives contain an impressive collection of primary material dating from the 17th century.
To download the complete Archive Booklet click the link below;
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Click to download the attached file(s):
- Archive Booklet
It encompasses the foundation of the school and the struggle for women’s education in Britain from the mid 19th century onwards. There is also a wealth of material on the life of James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos (1674-1744), on the impressive residence he built at Canons, and on the subsequent owners of the house.
Leaving school 1949
Drummond Room Library 1949
All sections of the school community benefit from unrivalled access to these unique resources, which are also used and appreciated by academics, genealogists and other researchers.
The North London Collegiate School Archives consist of records relating to the history of the school from 1850 onwards, including many items regarding Frances Mary Buss and the development of the school, women's education and teacher training. Miss Buss was central to the establishment of the Association of Head Mistresses, and she and her successors were also important influences in the foundation of numerous schools, and in the wider world of education. There are many books, letters, journals, photographs, admission records, prize lists, personal papers and reminiscences, and information on headmistresses and on eminent ONLs. The administrative records include medical registers and governors' minutes.
Gymnasium 1882
Tug of War
There are also many items of local history including material on Canons from the 17th century onwards and on James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos. An important item in the collection is the letter book of Cassandra (née Willoughby), second wife of the Duke.
The richness of the collections is improved by the generosity of Old North Londoners (ONLs), who have donated documents, artefacts and other items to the school. Notable amongst them is Winifred Myers, ONL, who was respected throughout the scholarly and bibliographical world for her expertise in the autograph field. Her personal collection of documents on Canons and its owners was bequeathed to the school and has been preserved in the Archives in her name.
By means of presentations and other activities, pupils of all ages are able to handle unique documents from all eras, bringing to life in a very real way such historic events as the suffragette movement and life during two World Wars. A particular highlight was the visit of the Prince of Wales in November 2005, during which pupils from North London and from the Robert Clack School in Dagenham worked together using 18th century documents to study the nature of biography in general and the life of James Brydges in particular.
If you would like more information please contact Mrs Karen Morgan kbmorgan@nlcs.org.uk , Head Librarian and Archivist (020 8952 0912 ex 430/469).
School Archives continued...
The North London Collegiate School Archives consists of records relating to the history of the school from 1850 onwards, including many items regarding Frances Mary Buss and the development of the school, women's education and teacher training. Miss Buss was central to the establishment of the Association of Head Mistresses, and she and her successors were also important influences in the foundation of numerous schools, and in the wider world of education. The Archives contain many books, letters, journals, photographs, admission records, prize lists, personal papers and reminiscences. There is information on headmistresses and on eminent Old North Londoners, and there are also many administrative records including governors' minutes. There are also many items of local history including material on Canons from the 17th century onwards and on James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos. An important item in the collection is the letter book of Cassandra (nee Willoughby), second wife of the Duke.This gives a fascinating insight into the life of a wealthy 18th century family, who numbered the composers Handel and Pepusch amongst their household. Download from here a booklet on Cannons and its Music in the 18th Century
The richness of the collections is improved by the generosity of Old North Londoners (ONLs), who have donated documents, artefacts and other items to the school. Notable amongst them is Winifred Myers, ONL, who was respected throughout the scholarly and bibliographical world for her expertise in the autograph field. Her personal collection of documents on Canons and its owners was bequeathed to the school and has been preserved in the Archives in her name.
Other Archive Activities The richness of the collections is due also to the generosity of Old North Londoners (ONLs), who have donated documents, artefacts and other items to the school. This wealth of material is exploited by many researchers, including those conducting genealogical and other family research and academics investigating educational and a whole range of others areas. Within the school community pupils appreciate unrivalled access to primary material from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. By means of presentations to pupils of all ages, staff can bring to life such areas of the past as World War I, World War II and the suffragettes. A particular highlight was the visit of the Prince of Wales in November 2005, during which pupils from NLCS and from the Robert Clack School in Dagenham worked together using 18th century documents to study the nature of biography in general and the life of James Brydges in particular. Archive Bibliography Books relating to the history of Canons Baker, C.H. Collins and Muriel I Baker, The Life and Circumstances of James Brydges First Duke of Chandos and Patron of the Liberal Arts, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1949 Clee, Nicholas, Eclipse, London, Bantam Press, 2009 Elvin, Harold, The Story at Canons, London, Peter Garnett, 1950 Jenkins, Susan, Portrait of a Patron : the Patronage and Collecting of James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos (1674 – 1744), Farnham, Ashgate, 2007 Johnson, Joan, Excellent Cassandra: Life and Times of the Duchess of Chandos, Gloucester, Alan Sutton, 1981 [ISBN 0904387763 ] Keightley, Moy comp., Canons: Drawings and Photographs of the North London Collegiate School, London, Chandos Press, 1985 O’Day, Rosemary, Cassandra Brydges, Duchess of Chandos, 1670 - 1735 : Life and Letters, Woodbridge, Boydell Press, 2007 Books relating to the history of North London Collegiate School Burchell, Doris, Miss Buss' Second School, Suffolk, Printed by W. Cowell, 1971 (History of Camden School for Girls) [ISBN � 0950237809] Burstall, Sara A., Frances Mary Buss: Educational Pioneer, Hobbs, Patricia ed., Memories of N.L.C.S. in Wartime 1939 - 45, London, Old North Londoners� Association, 1995 Hughes, Mary Vivian, London Family 1870 - 1900, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1946 Kamm, Josephine, How Different From Us: a Biography of Miss Buss and Miss Beale, London, Bodley Head, 1958 Ridley, Annie E., Frances Mary Buss and her Work for Education, 2nd ed., London, Longmans, Green & Co., 1896 Scrimgeour, M.A. ed., North London Collegiate School 1850 - 1950, Oxford University Press, 1950 Watson, Nigel, And Their Works Do Follow Them: the Story of North London Collegiate School, London, James & James, 2000 [ISBN 0907383300] Wilson, Barbara Ker ed., Everyone Mattered: the Life and Times of Dame Kitty Anderson London, Chandos Press, 2003 [ISBN 0954531108]
(Limited number available for purchase from Library)
London, Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1953
(Limited number available for purchase from Library)
(Includes her experiences as a pupil at North London Collegiate School during the time of Miss Buss)
(Limited number available for purchase from Bursary. �29.00 plus postage)
(Biography of Dame Kitty Anderson)
(Limited number available for purchase from Bursary. �12.00 plus postage)