Recent acquisitions by the New Bodleian Library, University of Oxford.

Banners: (total of 8).

Juvenile Branch Champion, Ilford 1917 34cm x 21cm.
Juvenile Branch, Ilford Habitation 1932 30cm x 21cm.
Juvenile Branch, Brighton and Hove 110cm x 75cm approx (woven cloth).
Higher Sutton 1900, 2579 110cm x 75cm approx (cloth) -- 2579 is the Habitation Number.
Large red banner 165cm x 110cm approx.
Swainson Habitation, Southsea 2496 135cm x 110cm approx (yellow, with pearls) -- 2496 is the Habitation Number.
Oakbrook and Borrowash 120cm x 100cm approx (yellow and green).
Champion Banner, Ladies Grand Council 210cm x 120cm approx (yellow with gold thread) damaged and deteriorated in places.

Shield and Cup.

Junior Primrose League wooden shield 46cm x 32cm. There are silver crests on the wood, giving the names of the Habitations who won the shield between 1952 and 1963.
Cup of the Lansdowne Habitation. Locked inside wooden box 30 x 28 x 20cm. The cup is hallmarked silver with two handles and measures 20cm diameter and 15cm high, on a black stand 19cm diameter and 70cm high. On the stand is engraved "The cup of the Lansdowne Habitation for annual award to the Habitation providing the highest tribute income". The winners' names are engraved on plaques from 1938-39 to 1988 (won every year from 1965 to 1988 by Ealing). Cup made by Alexander Clark, Fenchurch Street. Hallmarked Birmingham 1938. Name on box: Miss Elizabeth Ward, c/o The Carlton Club.

Books and Ledgers.

The Primrose League in Wartime - press cuttings from 1939 to 1960s (140 x 33 x 8cm).
Our Conservative and Unionist Statesmen - large book.
The Roll of the Habitations - gives a summary of Knights, Dames, Associates and Habitations from 1884 to 1897, as well as a complete list of all Habitations.
Illuminated Address - presented by the Walton on Thames Oatlands Branch Habitation No. 260 on Primrose Day 1887. Large book, red cover, gilt bound with a lock. Contains 522 names.
Grand Star Register - an alphabetical list of all those awarded Stars from about 1887 to 1968. There are 5 Grades with the 5th being the highest. The lists include both men and women, and there are columns that give the names, habitation number, grades (1, 2, 3, 4) and remarks (in which column any 5th Grade Stars are recorded). Some people were awarded more than one grade of Star, the lower grade awarded at an earlier date. The number of 5th grade Stars awarded in the alphabet from letter A to K is 18 ranging in dates from 1892 to 1934. The number of 4th grade Stars in the alphabet for A and B is 11 ranging in dates from 1887 to 1938. Most of the awards were 1st and 2nd grades, with few 3rd, 4th and very few 5th.
All ledgers below are 40 x 16 x 5cm.
Ledgers with lists of members - 3 ledgers 1884 - 1886, goes up to 59334 members by 1886. Member No. 1 Marquis of Salisbury, No. 2 Sir Stafford Northcote, No. 6 Lord Randolf Churchill, (no members 4 or 5).
Ledger with lists of members - Churchill Chapter 1892
Ledger with lists of members - Knights 1921 - 1978 (continued from an earlier list)
Ledger with lists of members - Dames 1926 - 1978 (continued from an earlier list)
Minute Books 1940s to 1970s.

Certificates and Magazines.

Certificates - earliest is parchment 1887.
The Primrose League Gazette 1890, 1891, 1892, 1937 - 1973, also 1950s to 1970s.
The Primrose Bud, monthly magazine 1940s to 1950s.

Miscellaneous items: (mostly from 1970s, 1980s).

Audio cassette tapes (9) -- Grand Habitation speeches.
Photos, accounts (up to 1998), ballots, reports, annual meetings, minutes, bank books, financial reports, certificates, badges, bye-laws, roll of Habitations, card files of members.

Catalogued material

Medal Star Grade 2 in Bragg box, with two clasps - Special Service 1887, Special Service 1898. Ribbon 37mm, half yellow and purple (Knight's ribbon, Dame's is plain primrose) Presented to the Library by Mrs M Wakefield of Cheltenham July 1974. A paper with the medal suggests the Special Services are Queen Victoria's Jubilee and the Battle of Omdurman. A note with this item says that lapel badges with pin backs are for Dames and with button hole backs are for Knights.

All the above accessed through the Bodleian Library, July 2005.
David Harris.