Frequently Asked Questions

What are repositories?
By repository we mean the location of our archives. Each of our repositories is located in a different building on the University campus. You can find the exact detail in Contact Us

How can I view the archival and rare book material that is listed in the catalogue?
Any material that has its access status listed as open can be viewed, in person, at the University of Roehampton in London. In most cases, you will need to make an appointment beforehand. More information, including details of how to make an appointment, can be found on the How to Access the Collections page.

Why is some material closed?
The most common reason for records in the archives to be closed is that they contain personal information about identifiable living individuals and disclosure would breach Data Protection or GDPR principles. In some cases it may be possible to view redacted versions of closed documents. Access to closed material is at the discretion of the archivist; please Contact Us for further information.

I can't find what I'm looking for
We are in the process of cataloguing our collections, so some material has not yet been listed in this catalogue. Please Contact Us if you can't find what you are looking for.

For some uncatalogued collections, brief listings and older catalogues are available to download in pdf format. Go to Advanced Search and search under the Reference Number field for: LISTS/* (please note: you must include the /* for the search to work).

Please note: published books are not individually listed in this catalogue; the book collections can be searched using the University of Roehampton's Library Catalogue instead.

What if I can't visit the University of Roehampton in person?
The three repositories run enquiry services: we are able to look up brief pieces of information for you and can sometimes provide you with copies of small documents. Please Contact Us for details. If your research is likely to be more complex or time-consuming we recommend that you ask a professional researcher to visit us for you.

Can I access a digital copy of any of the documents or books listed in the catalogue?
A small number of the published books from Archives and Special Collections have been digitised and can be found online under Roehampton Digital Library

It is sometimes possible for small documents to be scanned on demand. Please Contact Us for more information.

Will I be able to make copies of the archives and books you hold?
Often it will be possible to make or request copies of material, provided that the material isn't too fragile and that the copies are for your own private use. Please see the Handling and Copying Archives page or Contact Us for more information.

How do I find information about a previous student?
We hold information about most previous students from Froebel College, Whitelands College and Southlands College. Archives and Special Collections also holds information about students who gained a Froebel qualification from other institutions in the UK.

The names and dates of study for all Whitelands College students from 1865 to 1917 are listed in the Names Database, which you can search via the Advanced Search link. See the How to Search the Catalogue page for more details.

For information about all other students, as well as further information about the students listed in the Names Database, please Contact Us. We hold information about students who entered no later than 1990. For all later entries please contact the University of Roehampton Registry office

We are still in the process of adding student details to our names database. If you are looking for a student who isn't listed in the names database, please Contact Us.

Please note: due to the Data Protection Act we can only give information about a living person to that person themselves; we must have their permission before we can give out their information to anyone else.

Where can I find the archives of Digby Stuart College?
The archival collection of Digby Stuart College at the University of Roehampton is not listed in this catalogue. The Digby Stuart collection is held by the England and Wales Province of the Society of the Sacred Heart. For more information, please contact their archivist at [email protected]