Add MS 84127-84857

The Cockerell Bindery Papers

84127-84857. Business and personal papers of Douglas Bennett Cockerell (b. 1870, d. 1945) and his son, Sydney Morris ‘Sandy’ Cockerell (b. 1906, d. 1987); 1745-1989. Having been apprenticed to T. J. Cobden-Sanderson at the Doves Bindery in Hammersmith, Douglas Cockerell established his own bindery in central London in 1897. By 1904 the bindery, now based in Ewell, had become a specialist arm of W. H. Smith & Son, for whom Douglas Cockerell became controller of the firm’s trade bindery. In 1907 Cockerell moved his bindery to Letchworth Garden City. In 1924 Sydney Cockerell became a partner in the firm and continued the bindery’s work after his father’s death, moving the workshop to Grantchester in 1963. The bindery closed down with Sydney Cockerell’s death in 1987. During its 90 year existence the bindery worked on some of the world’s finest and most important manuscripts for institutions such as the British Museum (including creating a binding for the Codex Sinaiticus, Add. 43725), Cambridge University Library, Trinity College Cambridge, the Wordsworth Trust, the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, and many other university and national libraries. Work was also undertaken for private collectors, and non-academic institutions both in the United Kingdom and overseas. Both Cockerells published extensively and taught at the Central School of Arts and Crafts and the Royal College of Art. Sydney Cockerell lectured to students of librarianship at University College London for over 30 years, from 1945. The papers were purchased from the Cockerell family in July 1994.

Paper. Seven hundred and thirty one volumes. British Library arrangement. Classified as follows:

A. Bindery papers: 84127-84577.

B. Personal papers: 84578-84588.

C. Special correspondence 84589-84697.

D. General correspondence 84698-84744.

E. Family correspondence 84745-84750.

F. Subject correspondence 84751-84761.

G. Printed material: 84762-84793.

H. Manuscripts: 84794-84795.

I. Artworks: 84796-84798.

J. Photographic material: 84799-84852.

K. Artefacts: 84853-84857.