Traditional Drama Research Group: http://www.folkplay.info/index.htm
Their newsletter. “ROOMER” contains important material. It ceased in 1990. Back numbers from Steve Roud, 18, Amberley Gr, Addiscombe, Surrey, CRO 6ND. tel 081-654 6233
Master Mummers Website: mastermummers.org.
Includes maps and analyses of charfacter distrbution etca and details of forthcoming performances.
Vaughan Williams Memorial Library at the English Folk Dance and Song Society. London. (E.F.D.S.S.): 2 Regent’s Park Rd. London,. NW1 7AY. tel. 071-485 2206 vwml.org. They lend books to Members & make a small access charge to others. They hold runs of magazines & Journals & many manuscript texts & have important Collections including that of JM Carpenter (microfilm)..
They have produced the comprehensive Beginners’ Guide to English Folk Drama by the knowledgable Steve Roud which can be downloaded from https://www.efdss.org/efdss-education/resource-bank/beginners-guide/english-folk-drama#english-folk-drama-introduction
Folklore Society, London, (F.L.S.): folklore-society.com. Books and Collections, including the Helm Papers, held off-site by the University College, London. [Members of the Society can get a pass for the University Library, which is a cheap way of gaining access]
Special Collections Department, Sheffield University: sheffield.ac.uk/library/special
Holds the records of the now defunct Centre for English Culture, Tradition and Language (C.E.C.T.A.L) / National Centre for English Culture and Language (N.A.T.C.E.CT) ALSO an increasing number of significant private Collections.
Public veiwing by arrangenent.
Morris Ring: themorrisring.org. Their extensive records are in a mess with most (including those for Sword Dancing) inaccessible to researchers.
School of Scottish Studies Archive: ed.ac.uk/literatures-languages-cultures/celtic-scottish-studies/archives. Their Collections are now open to the public.
Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Belfast: discovernorthernireland.com/Ulster-Folk-Transport-Museum-Holywood-P2856/.
Irish Folklore Commission, Dublin University: ucd.ie/irishfolklore/
The following from personal experience of some years ago-
Some University libraries allow very limited public access [like 0ne day per academic year] The five ‘Free Libraries’ accept independant researches as members for a reasonable fee. They are the British Library, the Bodleaen and those of Cambridge, Edinburgh and Dublin Universities. Of the three English ones, Cambridge is the best because they allow access to most of the (older) bookstock. For older items, the cataloguing system can be labyrinthine and it can take a while to find your way around. Allow plenty of time.
Leicester Uni is special. A now defunct department studied local areas throughout England and collected a load of local books and journals that it would be hard to find outside the specific areas. They also have a run of Notes & Queries.
Local Archives vary, but Birmingham is good.