Collection guides

Art History and Artists' Papers: Western Manuscrip...

Papers for the study of art history, and personal and professional papers of artists.

Barry Ono collection of Penny Dreadfuls

19th century popular fiction known as bloods and penny dreadfuls

Bookbindings

A wide-ranging collection of fine and historic bindings

Culinary manuscripts: 17th century

Manuscripts written in English relating to domestic cookery in the 17th century, including recipes, bills of fare and ho...

Culinary manuscripts: 18th century

Manuscripts written in English relating to domestic cookery in the 18th century, including recipes, bills of fare and ho...

Culinary manuscripts: 19th - 20th century

Manuscripts written in English relating to domestic cookery in the 19th - 20th centuries, including recipes, bills of fa...

Evanion Collection

Victorian printed ephemera

Florence Nightingale

Florence Nightingale's personal archive and collections relating to her life and career.

Food history: archives and manuscripts

Archives and manuscripts relating to food history in the British Isles from 1600 to the present day.

George Orwell Collection of Political Pamphlets

The British Library has an extensive collection of Political Pamphlets previously owned by George Orwell

King’s manuscripts

Medieval and post-medieval manuscripts and topographical material

Lady Eccles Oscar Wilde Collection

Printed items, manuscripts, letters, works of art and memorabilia relating to Oscar Wilde

Lansdowne manuscripts

A collection of modern political papers and material relating to topography and heraldry

LGBTQ+ histories: archives and manuscripts, 1600 t...

Archives and manuscripts relating to LGBTQ+ histories from the 17th century to the present day.

Lysons's Collectanea

Guide to Daniel Lysons's collection of 17th-19th century ephemera