Today is #ExploreYourArchive day!

Each month, Explore your Archive selects a theme and encourages archive teams from across the country to get involved by sharing something which relates to their collection across social media. March’s theme is business and manufacturing, so we thought we’d feature the Victorian company: The London Warming and Heating Company who manufactured the Gurney stoves. 

Image shows a Gurney stove in situ – from the Beddoes album B5

The Gurney stoves are a popular feature in our Cathedral – not just for the heat they give out on a chilly day – but also for their elegant timeless design. 

They were first installed in the Cathedral in 1867 by Messrs Bennett & Brown – their advert in the 1867 Littlebury’s Directory states that they are agents for Gurney’s patent stoves. When first installed they were coal-fired, but they were converted to gas in 1989.

Image shows the advert for Messrs Bennett & Brown

The Library have recently taken deposit of a very interesting booklet recording the history of the London Warming and Heating Company and their connections to the Gurney stove – it will be added to their holdings soon.

Explore Your Archive is an Archives and Records Association (UK and Ireland) tool for public and private organisations across the UK and Ireland to showcase the hidden gems stored in their collections. The campaign provides a range of resources to help you learn more about archives and help archivists share the collections they care for. Read more here: www.exploreyourarchive.org