The Selborne Mission Collection

The collection relates to the Selborne Hop Mission to members of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community on the Selborne Estate, Hampshire, in 1931. The Mission may have been requested by Lord Selborne.

The collection comprises 3 small photograph albums containing black and white photographs of the community. Some of the photographs include the Reverend Samuel Leslie Purches, known as Leslie, who undertook the mission. Leslie Purches can be identified as he was unusually short, the result of a childhood accident.

There is also a photocopy of a short story written by Purches and a book presented to Purches by I. G. Williamson for his work. The collection contains an obituary of Purches.

Access to this collection is restricted under the Data Protection Act. You will need to complete a restricted access form and return it to Special Collections for review by staff before access can be granted.