The purpose of the British Jesuit Archives is to collect, preserve and make available records concerning the Jesuits in Britain.
Collections held
The collection contains papers relating to the administration of the British Province by the Provincial Curia as well as personal papers and correspondence of deceased members of the Province. It includes records of Jesuit communities, of Province works, and material relating to the overseas missionary work of the Province. In addition, it contains records for the Cause of the Holy Martyrs and an antiquarian book collection consisting of works by members of the Province and those defined as being important for the post-Reformation history of Catholicism in Britain and/or the history and spirituality of the Society. The archives exist in a wide variety of formats: paper records; photographs; microfilm; film; tape recordings and digitally born records.
The Archive is part of the Network of Archives & Libraries of the Catholic Church and as material is catalogued it will be made available online through the Catholic Heritage website.
Collecting policy
The core collection of the Archives consists of the following:
- Official and non-official records reflecting the management and government of the Province, and important events in its history.
- Personal papers of deceased members of the Province.
- Records displaying the historical significance of the British Jesuits.
- Records relating to communities and ministries of the Jesuits in Britain, past or present.
The British Jesuit Archives is always keen to receive material of significance for its purposes. If you think you may have such material, and are interested in depositing it in the collection, the Archivist would be delighted to discuss the matter with you.
Access
The British Jesuit Archives are a private archive and access is by appointment only, and at the discretion of the Archivist. Researchers are asked to apply in writing to visit the archives, providing details of their research topic.
Contact details
Further reading
‘The Archives of the English Province of the Society of Jesus’ by F Edwards SJ in Catholic Archives No 1 pp 20-26 and No 2 pp 37-46
catholicarchivesociety.org 
