Special Collections holds more than 490 archives and archival collections, including many created by or relating to women. At the University of Exeter Special Collections, the archives are largely framed by the voices of men, reflecting the historic interests of past societies. Nevertheless, women's voices and experiences are woven throughout our collections, becoming stronger and more visible in archives dating from the late 19th to early 21st century. The further back we go into our records, the less present women's voices are; however, some older archives relating to women do exist in our collections, in particular the archive of the religious sisters of Syon Abbey, which dates back to the late medieval period.
This box includes information about personal archives, family archives, literary archives, research archives and organisational archives in our holdings that may be useful for studying different aspects of women's history, as well as links to our catalogue where you will find more information.
Click the next tabs in this box to find out more about the archives relating to women and women's history
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Most of the archives featured in this guide were either created by women, or include a substantial number of items relating to women. However, this guide is not exhaustive and other archives and collections within our holdings may include further relevant items -- such as letters - by women. In addition to browsing this guide, you may find it useful to search the archives catalogue for names and key words (e.g 'Women's Suffrage' or professions such as 'journalist' or 'lawyer') relating to your research.
Searching for sources on women relating to a particular subject or theme?
You may find it useful to look at our other subject guides. These include:
The archives held at the University of Exeter Special Collections include many personal materials created or collected by women during lives. The types of materials commonly found in personal archives include correspondence, diaries, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, financial records, photographs and ephemera. They are typically created by individuals who were recording their thoughts and activities for themselves, or for their family and friends.
Personal archives include:
Ethel Mannin (1900-84); novelist, political activist and travel writer [EUL MS 452]
Diaries within the archives include:
Family archives are records created or collected by a group of individuals closely related by ancestry. They usually relate to their personal and private affairs. The types of records commonly found within family archives include: correspondence between family members; photographs; property records; financial records; and legal records.
Papers of or relating to women in family papers, include:
The University of Exeter Special Collections looks after a rich collection of twentieth-century literary papers by writers associated with the South West of England (see also the South West Writers LibGuide). A literary archive may be comprised of some or all of the following: literary manuscripts, including drafts, notes, proofs and printed editions; personal correspondence (family, friends, lovers); literary and cultural correspondence (other writers, artists, musicians, film makers, performers, critics, academics, reviewers), or business-related correspondence (agents, publishers, literary organisations and institutions, gas board, bank); diaries; audio-visual material; digital records; printed sources, such as newspaper clippings; legal and financial records; and objects.
Literary and personal papers of writers and editors include:
Agatha Mallowan (1890-1976); formerly Agatha Christie; née Millier; pseudonyms: Agatha Christie and Mary Westmacott; author [EUL MS 99]
The University of Exeter Special Collections looks after several collections of papers relating to the research - often academic or biographical research - of women. Many of these women were students or staff at the University of Exeter. These collections may contain a range of different materials, including notes, file-cards, correspondence, printed material, photographs, articles, essays and theses. Sometimes they may even include original items or memorabilia of the focus of their studies.
Research papers of women include:
Papers of Janet M Land (fl 1960s-; student of English) relating to libraries and books in Anglo-Saxon Northumbria [EUL MS 154] 
Organisational records are materials that have been created during the course of the life or work of an organisation. The organisation could be a company, an institution, or an association comprising one or more people and having a particular purpose. The collections at the University of Exeter include records of agricultural estates, businesses, companies, charities, community and social associations, educational institutions, hospitals, religious bodies, theatres and performing arts companies. These can include a wide range of materials, predominantly administrative, but can also include personal items relating to the people who worked for or were members of the organisations.
Archives of organisations containing papers of or relating to women include:
Businesses:
Charities:
Common Ground archive. Common Ground is an arts and environmental charity that was founded in 1982 with a mission to link nature with culture and use celebration of the everyday as a starting point for local action. The charity has raised awareness of a variety of environmental issues through its innovative projects, which were co-ordinated by Sue Clifford and Angela King from 1982 to 2013. [EUL MS 416 or find out more about the archive in the Common Ground Archive LibGuide]
Community / social / political associations:
Educational institutions:
The University of Exeter archive contains records relating to the University of Exeter and its predecessor institutions, including the Royal Albert Memorial College and the University College of the South West. The lives of staff and students at the University can be researched through a wide variety of material, including photographs, student magazines and newspapers, and admissions registers. The University Archive is extensive and largely uncatalogued, but box lists for some of the material are available on request. [EUL UA or find out more about the archive in the University Archive LibGuide]
Hospitals:
Religious bodies:
Syon Abbey archive. Syon Abbey (1415-2011) was a monastic house governed by an abbess and comprising both sisters and brothers. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the Syon community eventually settling in Lisbon, Portugal in 1594. In 1861, the sisters (the last brother having died in 1695) returned to England and the community spent its final century living in Devon, first in Chudleigh and then in South Brent. The Syon Abbey archive consists of a wide variety of material relating to the workings, business and people of Syon Abbey. [EUL MS 389. Special Collections also looks after the manuscripts (EUL MS 262) and library of the community. Find out more about this collection in the Syon Abbey Collection LibGuide]
Sugar plantations and agricultural estates
Content advice: This collection documents the oppression and enslavement of people of African and Caribbean descent. Papers within this collection may contain offensive terms or terms that have changed meaning over time.
Theatres and performing arts companies:
Northcott Theatre archive. The Northcott Theatre archive comprises operational and production records spanning the period from its opening in 1967 to its threatened closure in 2010. These include administrative, legal and operational records, information on the technical management of theatre productions, promotional literature and press coverage. There is also a collection of photographic records of productions and actors, along with records of film productions from the earlier Theatre Royal in Exeter. [EUL MS 348]University of Exeter LibGuide is licensed under CC BY 4.0
