Notebooks and scrapbooks

Notebooks are varied and range from the teaching notes of legendary RAD teachers to the writings and scrapbooks of dancers, choreographers and patrons.

Within our collection are those from Sissie Smith, Dorothy Chaplin, Theresa Heyman and Peggy Whiteley, as well as the choreographic notebooks of Alexander Genée and writings of Keith Lester and Philip Richardson.

Both the Phyllis Bedells and Adeline Genée archives include scrapbooks containing a variety of press cuttings, playbills and programmes relating to their careers as performers. The Philip Richardson collection includes a most fascinating scrapbook containing a collection of 18th century press cuttings relating to the activities of Theresa Cornelys and her assembly rooms at Carlisle House in Soho Square. Scrapbooks can also be found in the collections of Mary Clarke, Consuelo Carmona and P.W. Manchester.