LSE Archives holds nearly 950 boxes of Fabian Society papers, dating from the earliest years of the Society onwards. The catalogue of these papers is now available online via the Archives Catalogue|.
The Fabian Society was founded in 1884 to promote a gradual shift to socialism. In 1900, the Society was one of the organisations which formed the Labour Representation Committee (which became the Labour Party in 1906). The Fabian Society still exists today, with around 6000 members, including many politicians, such as Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. It produces policy pamphlets, a quarterly journal, 'Fabian Review' and other publications. It also organises conferences, seminars and other events.
Highlights of the papers include:
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correspondence from Sidney and Beatrice Webb, George Bernard Shaw and H G Wells
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minutes of meetings
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committee papers
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research papers relating to numerous social and political issues
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papers regarding the preparation and publication of pamphlets
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photographs.
LSE Archives holds many other documents regarding political and social history including papers of:
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politicians such as Anthony Crosland, Hugh Dalton, Geoffrey Finsberg, Hugh Jenkins, Alfred Morris, Baroness Seear, Peter Shore, David Steel, Beatrice and Sidney Webb
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academics such as Brian Abel-Smith, William Beveridge, T H Marshall, Michael Oakeshott and Richard Titmuss
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organisations such as the Independent Labour Party, the Liberal Party (mainly post-1945), the Tory Reform Group, the Women's Industrial Council and LSE.
For further information see the Archives Division Guide to Holdings| or contact us: Contact details|