John S. Peart-Binns has made a specialisation of writing the biographies of Anglican bishops. His research has brought him a large collection of material relating to over 400 bishops (past and present) of the Church of England and of the other churches of the Pan-Anglican Communion. As well as its interest as a guide to the internal organisation of the Church of England and a source on trends in theology, the collection also reflects the involvement of senior clergy in social welfare, politics and legislation.
From the guide to the The Peart-Binns Episcopal Biography Archive, 1865-2003, (Bradford University Library)
John S. Peart-Binns has made a collection of biographical material relating to members of the Christian Socialist movement, and in particular to Maurice B. Reckitt and Tom Heron. Maurice Reckitt (1888-1980) was a writer and Christian sociologist; a founder of the National Guilds League, he contributed to A.R. Orage's New Age, wrote for and edited the New English Weekly and for 20 years edited Christendom, a quarterly journal of Christian sociology. Reckitt's most important book, Faith and society, was published in 1934. Tom Heron (1890-1983) was a businessman, managing director of Crysede Silks of St Ives and founder of Cresta Silks of Welwyn Garden City. He was also a political theorist and poet; he was the father of the artist Patrick Heron.
From the guide to the The Peart-Binns Christian Socialist Archive, 1901-1990, (GB 532 Bradford University Library)
