MANCHESTER LITERARY CLUB

M524 1/1-3 MINUTES

1. Council Minutes, 1873-1956, 1962-1970

2. Ordinary Meetings Minutes, 1865-1909, 1918-1963, 1967-1978

3. Lancashire Authors Dictionary Committee Minutes, 1875-1876

M524 2/1-5 FINANCE

1. Treasurer's Account Book, 1873-1878

2. Cash Books, 1967-1980

3. Receipts, 1955-1956

4. Membership Subscription Cards, 1967-1968

5. Members "Paid and Not Paid"

M524 3/1-2 ANNUAL REPORTS

1. 1872-1873

2. Draft Reports of Hon. Sec., 1940-1946, 1950

M524 4 SYLLABUSES

1874-1875, 1886-1909, 1961-1974 (incomplete)

M524 5/1-4 MEMBERSHIP

1. Nomination Books, 1877-1900

2. Attendance Book, 1877-1883

3. Visitors' Books, 1885-1977

4. Miscellaneous, 1890-1912

M524 6/1-3 CORRESPONDENCE

1. Out-Letter Book, 1879-1886

2. General Correspondence, 1885-1912

3. Miscellaneous Letters, 1865-1889

M524 7/1-96 CIRCULAR LETTERS

1, 5, 6, 8, 1875, 1879, 1880, 1882

10-34 1884-1908

72, 74 1946, 1948

96. 1970

M524 8/1-22 PROGRAMMES

1887-1908

M524 9/1-5 PUBLISHED PROCEEDINGS OR PAPERS

1. Transactions or Proceedings, 1873-1874

2. Papers, 1951-1971, 1974-1976

3. Papers, 1957-1967

4. Printed Works by Club Members, 1897-1906, and undated

5. Notes re Stock, c 1969-1973

M524 10/1-2 LIBRARY

1. Catalogue, 1882

2. Accessions Register, 1883-1893

M524 11/1-2 SCRAPBOOKS AND NEWSPAPER CUTTINGS

1. Scrapbooks, 1845-1966

2. Loose Cuttings, 1889-1916

M524 12/1-5 PHOTOGRAPHS

1. Albums of Members, 1868-1919

2. Other Albums, late 19th c.

3. Photographs Relating to Mrs. Gaskell by C.S. Sargisson

4. Club Members [on an Outing], c1880's

5. Miscellaneous Photographs, 19th c.

M524 13/1-34 MISCELLANEOUS

1. Club Song, 1901

2-3 Autograph Collection, 19th c

4. Album of Sketches, 1878

5. Christmas Supper Menus, 1868, 1888-1971 (incomplete)

6. Dinner Menus, 1900-1951 (incomplete)

7-27 Various miscellaneous documents

28 Illustrations by Miss E.C. Thomson, 1889

29. Sketches by J.J. Gleave, 1883-1898

30-32 Miscellaneous documents

33. Samuel Bamford's House, Middleton, 1963

34. "The Living Tradition" Exhibition 1974

The following records were deposited in the Central Library by the Club Secretary, Mr. Colin Smyth. Originally kept in the Language and Literature Library the collection was transferred to the Archives Department in July 1986.

The Manchester Literary Club was founded in 1862 by Richard Rome Bealey, Ben Brierley, Joseph Chattwood, Charles Hardwick, John Page and Edwin Waugh. Its stated aim was to provide a means of education and recreation by the reading aloud of original papers covering literary and related topics, and to give the opportunity for those interested in literature, but living outside the city, to "meet their Manchester friends".

On the whole, members were drawn from Manchester and its immediate surroundings and comprised men of varied occupations, interests and abilities. Members met to hear papers read and enjoyed regular trips to places of interest, and the annual Christmas Suppers, fastidiously traditional, provided further entertainment.