Collection KFT - THEOLOGY: King's College London departmental and faculty records

Key Information

Reference code

KFT

Title

THEOLOGY: King's College London departmental and faculty records

Date(s)

  • [1871]-1989 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent

15 boxes and 29 volumes

Scope and content

The papers of the Theology Department of King's College London comprise correspondence, minutes, lectures, press cuttings and photographs, [1871]-1989; notably including correspondence and papers relating to scholarships, examination results, visiting academics, admissions policy, Faculty structure and strategic development, 1926-1975 (1983 KFT, KFT/1984/3, 6-7); Theological Board and Faculty minute books, 1875-1989 (Ref: KFT/M, KFT/1984/5); Theological Professorial Board minute books, 1919-1980 (Ref: KA/TB/M); Theological committee minutes covering scholarships, finance, accommodation and the relationship with the University of London, 1910-1976 (Ref: KA/T/M); Theological Society minute books, 1876-1912 (Ref: KST); Women's Theological Society minute books, 1900-1969 (Ref: KSTS/M); Theological Students' Faculty minute books, 1909-1970 (Ref: KFTS/M1-4); Evening Theological Faculty minutes, 1913-1916 (Ref: KFTS/M5); Faculty of Arts staff meetings and agendas, 1978-1980 (Ref: KFT/1984/1); King's College Hostel Common Room minute books, 1911-1981 (Ref: KFT/VSH/M1-9); King's College Hostel House Committee minute books, 1910-1970 (Ref: KFT/VSH/M10-12); other papers relating to the King's College Hostel including staff roll, Hostel constitution, scrapbooks and photographs, 1952-1978 (Ref: KFT/REG, KFT/F1, KFT/PH, KFT/ART, 1985/KFT1-2); correspondence and minute books relating to the King's College London mission to hop pickers, 1956-1963 (Ref: 1994/KFT, 1995/KFT); correspondence concerning a fund-raising appeal to support the establishment of the F D Maurice Chair of Moral and Social Theology, 1972-1973 (Ref: 1985/KFT3); Theological Society reunion programmes and AKC newsletters, 1955-1986 (Ref: 1999 KFT); photographs of students, staff, Faculty sports' teams, chapel and Hostel, [1872-1980] (Ref: K/PHOTO); references for students of Professor William David James Cargill-Thompson, 1977 (Ref: KFT/1984/2); a register of addresses of former students, [1871]; texts of some public theology lectures, King's College, 1965-1967 (Ref: 1983/KFT).

System of arrangement

Mainly arranged according to year of accession.

General Information

Name of creator

(1989-)

Biographical history

King's College London Department of Theology was established in 1846 for the preparation of graduates and other candidates for Holy Orders. The Transfer Act of 1908 separated the secular and theological components of King's, creating institutions known respectively as The University of London, King's College, and the Theological Department of King's College London. The College Council retained all its powers in relation to the Faculty of Theology, but a Theological Committee was instituted to advise the Council and to superintend, under its direction, the work carried on in the Theological Department of the College. The Theological Department was thereafter a School of the University within the Faculty of Theology and the Head of the Theological Department was the Dean of King's College. Undergraduate courses available included the BD, intended as a first stage for teaching in schools or as a preparation for ordination, and the AKC, which overlapped with the BD but contained a more practical element for those meaning to enter ordained ministry. Postgraduate courses included the MTh, MPhil and PhD. In 1958 the University decided to make money available for more teaching posts in Theology, which were established within the Faculty of Arts, King's College. This led to the development of more non-vocational theological classes including courses in Religious Studies. Theology was formally reunited with the rest of the College in 1980 under the title King's College London. It is currently known as the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, part of the School of Humanities since 1989. Related research institutes include the Centre for New Religions, established in 1982, and the Centre for Advanced Biblical Studies.

Custodial history

Received from King's College Department of Theology in several tranches, notably in 1983-1985 and 1994-1995.

Conditions governing access

Administrative records are generally closed for 20 years except for published material and some committee and other minutes.

Where open, access is subject to signature of Reader's undertaking form, and appropriate provision of two forms of identification, to include one photographic ID.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied from open material for research purposes only.

Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Archives.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

Finding aids

Detailed lists for parts of the collection are available for consultation in hard copy in the King's College London Archives reading room.

Existence and location of originals

Off-campus collection

Please note: We require 7 days notice to retrieve this collection as part, or all of it, is held off-campus. Read more ›

Related materials

King's College London College Archives Theology Student Records (Refs: KFT/FPM, KFT/FPMW, KFT/FPMM, KFT/FPF, KFT/FPFW, KFT/FPFM, KFT/FP/OCC, KFT/FPPG/OCC, KFT/FP); records of the Department of Christian History and Doctrine (Ref: 1985 KDCD, 1988 KDCD); papers of Walter Robert Matthews, Professor of the Philosophy of Religion (Ref: KCLCA K/PP2); papers of Clifford William Dugmore, Professor of Ecclesiastical History (Ref: K/PP97); papers of Frederick William Ruffle, Prebendary of St Paul's Cathedral, London (Ref: K/PP81); papers of Stuart George Hall, Professor of Ecclesiastical History (Ref: K/PP91); papers of Huw Parri Owen, Professor of Christian Doctrine (Ref: K/PP95).

Related descriptions

Alternative identifier(s)

Place access points

Genre access points

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000.

Script(s)

Archivist's note

Sources: King's College Calendars. Entry compiled by Geoff Browell as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project.

Accession area