Highlights from our collections
Photographs of the University of Surrey
Since receiving its Charter in 1966, the University of Surrey has photographed its academic and social life and work. The photographs range from the construction of the campus in Guildford through to images of academic life, social, and cultural and sporting events.
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Remembering Battersea recordings
This series of digital audio files and transcripts records the history of Battersea Polytechnic through the memories of former students. The alumni respond to questions covering a range of student experiences including social events, sports competitions, course content and memorable lecturers. These recordings span the history of Battersea College from the 1940s, through to the creation of the University of Surrey and the move to Stag Hill in Guildford in the late 1960s.
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Colour illustrations of Winnie-the-Pooh by illustrator E.H. Shepard
In the early 1970s the illustrator Ernest Howard Shepard (1879-1976) hand coloured copies of the original black and white drawings he did for A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh stories for new colour editions published by Egmont UK Ltd (then Methuen).
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Correspondence in the E.H. Shepard Archive
Correspondence in E.H. Shepard’s personal archive records Shepard’s interactions with publishers, agents and collaborators, as well as letters with his first wife, Florence Chaplin Shepard, whilst serving in the First World War, giving us an insight into both his working practice and personal life.
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Drawings by movement theorist Rudolf Laban
Rudolf Laban (1879-1958) was a pioneer movement theorist whose work is still taught today. Drawings by Laban represent him working out his theories and are integral to understanding them.
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Movement Director Geraldine Stephenson’s working papers
Geraldine Stephenson (1925-2017) was a dancer, teacher and producer who trained with Rudolf Laban but became best known for her role as a choreographer and movement director in theatre, TV and film; she is believed to be the first person credited as a movement director. Stephenson's working material includes choreography notation, lecture notes, and records of Stephenson’s work with organisations such as the BBC and Royal Shakespeare Company.
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Programmes for Extemporary Dance Theatre’s productions
TExtemporary Dance Theatre was a small-scale touring dance troupe which aimed to take contemporary dance to audiences otherwise not exposed to dance. From their origins in 1975 through to their disbanding in 1991 they came to occupy a key role within British contemporary dance and had an international profile. Programmes for Extemporary’s works record the dancers and choreographers involved in different productions and the different venues they toured.
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Video recordings of Kokuma Dance Theatre’s performances
Kokuma Dance Theatre was Britain’s first Afro-Caribbean dance theatre company. The company's philosophy was to make 'African dance more accessible to the wider community at large, and to encourage the development of positive attitudes to dance and movement based on African technique'. Video material records both rehearsals and live performances.
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Magazines collected by British guitarist Maurice J Summerfield
Maurice J Summerfield is a British guitarist, author and publisher who founded Classical Guitar magazine. Summerfield collected rare materials on the guitar, its history and craftsmanship; guitarists and guitar playing; lutes and mandolins; and a variety of guitar music genres. The material includes magazines from around the world.
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