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Actions Help FAQs Can't find what you're looking for? Browse Collections A-Z University of London	Sterling Library Manuscripts Remove from selection Add to selection Request this item TitleSterling Library Manuscripts Held atSenate House Library, University of London Reference codeSLV Date14th century-c1991 Creator Sterling, Sir Louis Saul (1879–1958) gramophone company manager and industrialistMore Info on CreatorLess Info on Creator Louis Saul Sterling was born in New York on 16 May 1879. In 1903 he left the United States for London, where he began working as a travelling representative for Gramophone and Typewriter Ltd. The following year, Sterling became manager of the British Zonophone Company, which produced playing machines and disc records. In 1905 Sterling established the Sterling Record Company, which was bought, within a few months, by the Russell Hunting Record Company. Sterling became the managing director of the firm. By 1908 Sterling had formed the Rena Manufacturing Company which produced playing machines and records. In 1909 the Columbia Phonograph Company bought Rena and Sterling was appointed Columbia's British Sales Manager. At Columbia during the First World War, 1914-1918, Sterling introduced the production of patriotic war songs and original cast recordings of songs from London shows. By the end of the war Sterling was the managing director of the Columbia Graphophone Company Ltd. When Columbia bought out its American parent company in 1927, Sterling was made chairman of its New York board. During the early 1930s Sterling became the managing director of Electrical and Musical Industries Ltd, (EMI), which had merged with Columbia. Sterling also served on the board of the merchant bank, S G Warburg. On leaving EMI he served as a director of the music publishers Chapell and Co and later became the managing director and then chairman of the electrical engineers, A C Cossor Ltd. Sterling established a number of charitable organisations including the Sterling Club in 1937 and the Sir Louis Sterling Charitable Trust in 1938. Later he became involved in Jewish charitable work and was President of the British Committee for Technical Development in Israel. Sterling's main interest outside business was collecting books. Although he started collecting books in 1917, the majority of the items in his collection were purchased in the 1920s and 1930s. By 1956 the collection had grown to over 5000 books and manuscripts. In 1945 Sterling approached the University of London about donating his collection to the library. Under the direction of John Hayward a team from the University Library catalogued the collection at the Sterling home. On 30 October 1956 the Sterling collection was in place in the University of London Library and formally opened. Sterling was knighted in 1937 and he received an honorary DLitt from the University of London in 1947. Sterling died in London on 2 June 1958. Scope and ContentThis collection mainly comprises literary manuscripts (many of them holograph), with correspondence and some other manuscript material. NotesSterling was an avid collector of books written in English and first began his collection in 1917. Sterling purchased the majority of books held in his collection during the 1920s and 1930s. The manuscript material in the Sterling Library is divided into pre and post 1900 manuscripts, and illustrated manuscripts. Sir Louis was a keen collector of modern manuscripts and this is reflected in the diverse range of 20th century authors represented in his collection. One would be hard pressed to find a single theme or movement which unites the authors he collected. Indeed, as with other parts of the Sterling Library the wide range of works which Sir Louis collected is one of the strengths of the collection. Many writers such as the novelists HE Bates, James Hanley and Rhys Davies whose published works Sir Louis collected were aware of Sterling's reputation as a collector of modern manuscripts, and so one often finds that the manuscript material and published works which make up the library complement each other very well. Sir Louis bought these works directly from their authors: indeed, HE Bates wrote to Sterling, offering him the opportunity to buy some of his manuscript material. This means that the 20th century manuscript material is often accompanied by a note by the author about the circumstances under which the work was written and published, letters from an author concerning the purchase of the manuscripts by Sir Louis, and even handwritten dedications from the writer to Sir Louis. The diversity of taste evidenced in the 20th century manuscripts is even more evident in the range of pre-20th century manuscripts. Conditions governing accessOpen for research. Access to individual items in Senate House Library archive collections may be restricted under the Data Protection Act or the Freedom of Information Act. Please contact the University Archivist for details. At least 24 hours notice is required for research visits. Extent123 files Physical descriptionMainly MS on paper, with some printed material (e.g. newspaper cuttings) System of ArrangementThe collection is arranged using the numbering system of the original Sterling Library catalogue (1954). SLV/1-34 are 'Literary Manuscripts Fifteenth to Nineteenth Centuries'; SLV/35-83 are 'Literary Manuscripts Twentieth Century' and SLV/84-85 are 'Musical Manuscripts'. Material relating to a particular author is grouped together (e.g. SLV/24-27 for Sir Walter Scott), with authors arranged in alphabetical order within the three categories. Additional material acquired or catalogued since 1954 has been added using the next available number. Series SLV/105 comprises letters and other items discovered in books in the Sterling Library. Finding aidsUniversity of London Library, The Sterling Library: a catalogue of the printed books and literary manuscripts collected by Sir Louis Sterling and presented by him to the University of London (Cambridge, 1954). A pdf of the hard copy is attached to this description. Related files http://archives.ulrls.lon.ac.uk/resources/SLV.pdf For illustrated manuscripts from within the sequence of illustrated Sterling Library books (classmarks: [S.L.] IV and [S.L.] IVa), see reference: SLIV. For papers of Sir Louis Sterling and the Sterling Library, see reference: LS. Sterling Library books are described on the main library catalogue. Level of descriptionfonds Hierarchy browser contains 56 parts Sterling Library Manuscripts SLV \| 14th century-c1991 fonds

TitleSterling Library Manuscripts

Held atSenate House Library, University of London

Reference codeSLV

Date14th century-c1991

Creator
- Sterling, Sir Louis Saul (1879–1958) gramophone company manager and industrialistMore Info on CreatorLess Info on Creator
  Louis Saul Sterling was born in New York on 16 May 1879. In 1903 he left the United States for London, where he began working as a travelling representative for Gramophone and Typewriter Ltd. The following year, Sterling became manager of the British Zonophone Company, which produced playing machines and disc records. In 1905 Sterling established the Sterling Record Company, which was bought, within a few months, by the Russell Hunting Record Company. Sterling became the managing director of the firm. By 1908 Sterling had formed the Rena Manufacturing Company which produced playing machines and records. In 1909 the Columbia Phonograph Company bought Rena and Sterling was appointed Columbia's British Sales Manager. At Columbia during the First World War, 1914-1918, Sterling introduced the production of patriotic war songs and original cast recordings of songs from London shows. By the end of the war Sterling was the managing director of the Columbia Graphophone Company Ltd. When Columbia bought out its American parent company in 1927, Sterling was made chairman of its New York board. During the early 1930s Sterling became the managing director of Electrical and Musical Industries Ltd, (EMI), which had merged with Columbia. Sterling also served on the board of the merchant bank, S G Warburg. On leaving EMI he served as a director of the music publishers Chapell and Co and later became the managing director and then chairman of the electrical engineers, A C Cossor Ltd. Sterling established a number of charitable organisations including the Sterling Club in 1937 and the Sir Louis Sterling Charitable Trust in 1938. Later he became involved in Jewish charitable work and was President of the British Committee for Technical Development in Israel. Sterling's main interest outside business was collecting books. Although he started collecting books in 1917, the majority of the items in his collection were purchased in the 1920s and 1930s. By 1956 the collection had grown to over 5000 books and manuscripts. In 1945 Sterling approached the University of London about donating his collection to the library. Under the direction of John Hayward a team from the University Library catalogued the collection at the Sterling home. On 30 October 1956 the Sterling collection was in place in the University of London Library and formally opened. Sterling was knighted in 1937 and he received an honorary DLitt from the University of London in 1947. Sterling died in London on 2 June 1958.

Scope and ContentThis collection mainly comprises literary manuscripts (many of them holograph), with correspondence and some other manuscript material.

NotesSterling was an avid collector of books written in English and first began his collection in 1917. Sterling purchased the majority of books held in his collection during the 1920s and 1930s. The manuscript material in the Sterling Library is divided into pre and post 1900 manuscripts, and illustrated manuscripts. Sir Louis was a keen collector of modern manuscripts and this is reflected in the diverse range of 20th century authors represented in his collection. One would be hard pressed to find a single theme or movement which unites the authors he collected. Indeed, as with other parts of the Sterling Library the wide range of works which Sir Louis collected is one of the strengths of the collection. Many writers such as the novelists HE Bates, James Hanley and Rhys Davies whose published works Sir Louis collected were aware of Sterling's reputation as a collector of modern manuscripts, and so one often finds that the manuscript material and published works which make up the library complement each other very well. Sir Louis bought these works directly from their authors: indeed, HE Bates wrote to Sterling, offering him the opportunity to buy some of his manuscript material. This means that the 20th century manuscript material is often accompanied by a note by the author about the circumstances under which the work was written and published, letters from an author concerning the purchase of the manuscripts by Sir Louis, and even handwritten dedications from the writer to Sir Louis. The diversity of taste evidenced in the 20th century manuscripts is even more evident in the range of pre-20th century manuscripts.

Conditions governing accessOpen for research. Access to individual items in Senate House Library archive collections may be restricted under the Data Protection Act or the Freedom of Information Act. Please contact the University Archivist for details. At least 24 hours notice is required for research visits.

Extent123 files

Physical descriptionMainly MS on paper, with some printed material (e.g. newspaper cuttings)

System of ArrangementThe collection is arranged using the numbering system of the original Sterling Library catalogue (1954). SLV/1-34 are 'Literary Manuscripts Fifteenth to Nineteenth Centuries'; SLV/35-83 are 'Literary Manuscripts Twentieth Century' and SLV/84-85 are 'Musical Manuscripts'. Material relating to a particular author is grouped together (e.g. SLV/24-27 for Sir Walter Scott), with authors arranged in alphabetical order within the three categories. Additional material acquired or catalogued since 1954 has been added using the next available number. Series SLV/105 comprises letters and other items discovered in books in the Sterling Library.

Finding aidsUniversity of London Library, The Sterling Library: a catalogue of the printed books and literary manuscripts collected by Sir Louis Sterling and presented by him to the University of London (Cambridge, 1954). A pdf of the hard copy is attached to this description.

Related files

http://archives.ulrls.lon.ac.uk/resources/SLV.pdf

For illustrated manuscripts from within the sequence of illustrated Sterling Library books (classmarks: [S.L.] IV and [S.L.] IVa), see reference: SLIV. For papers of Sir Louis Sterling and the Sterling Library, see reference: LS. Sterling Library books are described on the main library catalogue.

Level of descriptionfonds

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