Special Collections, Staffordshire University

The Badminton Library of Sports and Pastimes, edited by His Grace the Duke of Beaufort, K.G., assisted by Alfred E. T. Watson, was compiled in 1885 and dedicated to His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales. This collection of first edition volumes forms an:

"encyclopaedia to which the inexperienced man, who seeks guidance in the practice of the various British sports and pastimes, can turn for information" (Beaufort 1885).

It is located in locked glass-fronted cabinets in Special Collections.

What's in the Badminton Collection?

This collection includes information on all major sports of the time, with volumes dedicated to:

• archery,

• athletics,

• fencing,

• football,

• golf,

• hunting,

• lawn tennis,

• racing,

• shooting,

• and many other disciplines. 

Collection details

•  Material types: Printed books 

• Collection coverage: National/international

• Dates: c.1885

• Languages: English language materials 

• Cataloguing status: Catalogued on University Library Catalogue

A mixed collection of materials of particular interest to those with a research interest in the history of ceramics.

What's in the Ceramic History Collection?

Included in the collection are a number of illustrated ceramic industry catalogues.

Collection details

• Material types: Catalogues, serials, manuscripts, ephemera

• Collection coverage: Local/national/international

• Dates: c.1860-1930

• Languages: English, French, German, Italian language materials

• Cataloguing status: Uncatalogued 

What's in the Donna and Sally Ann Favia Collection?

• A large collection of original film soundtracks on vinyl LPs. 
  These were produced on American labels and imprints as the collection was purchased in the United States.

• Books

• Video Cassette material.

Collection details

• Material types: Vinyl LPS, some books and video cassette material

• Collection coverage: International (US issues of LPs)

• Dates: c.1960-1985

• Language: English

• Cataloguing status: Uncatalogued

The collection was donated to the University by Dorothy Thompson, an eminent historian of Chartism. 

What's in the Dorothy Thompson Collection?

This collection contains research on Chartism, the local history of Yorkshire and Lancashire and 19th century social history generally. It includes:

• 300 books and pamphlets from c.1800 onwards,

• runs of 33 radical Chartist and other journals from 1831 - 1855,

• 5 volumes of early 19th century trials,

• 6 volumes of British Parliamentary Papers,

• 8 microfilms,

• 6 files of Dorothy Thompson's research notes. 

Collection details

• Material types: Printed books, pre-1850 printed books, monographs, serials, microforms, ephemera.

• Collection coverage: Yorkshire/Lancashire, national

• Dates: c.1800-

• Languages: English language materials 

• Cataloguing status: Printed catalogue      

What's in the Iris Strange Collection?

This collection comprises personal and official letters and documents relating to the position of World War II widows (there is also a limited amount of material relating to World War I). 
It also contains letters, press cuttings, newsletters, various service organisation journals and personal mementoes of Iris Strange.

Collection details

• Material types: Manuscripts, ephemera, newspaper cuttings, photographs

• Collection coverage: Local/national/primary source materials

• Dates: c.1930-1997

• Languages: English language materials

• Cataloguing status: Printed list

A collection of materials relating to the history and geography of Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.

What's in the Local Studies Collection?

Included in the collection are:

• parish registers, 

• local history tracts,

• gazetteers.

Collection details

• Material types: Printed books, pre-1850 printed books

• Collection coverage: Local

• Dates: c.1800-

• Languages: English language materials 

• Cataloguing status: Catalogued on University Library Catalogue

What's in the Mining Collection?

This Collection contains a wide variety of materials including journals, maps, surveys and books spanning two centuries.

It contains predominantly UK materials but also includes a number of items relating to the United States, Japan, Australia and Canada.

It also contains original records from Hem Heath and Silverdale collieries and national Coal Board records, as well as some ceramic industry catalogues. 

Collection details

• Material types: Printed books, serials, monographs, maps and plans, surveys, official publications, manuscripts, catalogues, photographs, ephemera.

• Collection coverage: Local/national/international

• Dates: c.1800-

• Languages: English, German, Russian, French, Portuguese, Polish language materials.

• Cataloguing status: Partially catalogued on University Library Catalogue

What's in the Rare Books Collection?

A collection of printed books located on the first floor of the Thompson Library. They are housed in a locked cabinet near to the oversize books, owing to their rare, valuable or fragile nature. Please ask at the main library counter if you would like to read any book in this collection

Collection details

• Materialtypes: Printed books, pre-1850 printed books

• Collection coverage: National/international

• Dates: c.1790

• Languages: English, French and Italian language materials

• Cataloguing status: Catalogued on University Library Catalogue

The archive of the Stoke-on-Trent (South) Constituency Labour Party, 1949-1979.

Collection details

• Material types: Manuscripts, ephemera

• Collectioncoverage: Local/primary source material

• Dates: 1949-1979

• Languages: English language materials 

• Cataloguing status: Uncatalogued 

What's in the Victoria Theatre Collection?

The Victoria Theatre Collection is an important and extensive resource for Researchers, Theatre and Social Historians and Postgraduate students. The theatre production, documentary research and community work carried out by Peter Cheeseman's, internationally famous, Victoria Theatre Company between 1962 and 1998 has been meticulously recorded, archived and preserved over four decades.

The documents, photographs and tape-recordings contained within the collection offer unique research opportunities, unparalleled by other theatre archive collections.

Collection details

• Material types: Documents, play scripts, production records, photographs and film and sound recordings, press cuttings, correspondence, contracts

• Collectioncoverage: Local/primary source material

• Dates: 1962-1998

• Languages: English language materials 

• Cataloguing status: Uncatalogued
  
  This collection also has its own dedicated webpage