Company · London
The National Life Story Collection
Library activities
Official record Companies House · updated 27th September 2026 · Sources
Network
The large node is The National Life Story Collection. Red nodes are organisations, white nodes are people. Sign in free to explore further.
Who leads it
- Professor Fareda BandaDirector · since 2021
- Professor Nelarine Estella CorneliusDirector · since 2021
- Dr Janet Constance Topp FargionDirector · since 2020
- Dr Andrew David FlinnDirector · since 2019
- Professor Jonathan Edward AgarDirector · since 2017
- Julia Amanda RavenDirector · since 2017
- Dame Jennifer Gita AbramskyDirector · since 2015
- William John KnightDirector · since 2011
- John Robert Sotheby BoasDirector · since 1995
- Professor Paul Richard ThompsonDirector · since 1987
- Mary Joy StewartSecretary · since 2021
- Dr Robert Brian PerksSecretary · since 1998
Previous officers 28
- Dr Edgar Hodson Thornber 2017-2020 View profile
- Richard Damian Ranft 2015-2020 View profile
- Lesley Knox 2014-2016 View profile
- Hennessy, Peter John, Baron Hennessy of Nympsfield 2012-2018 View profile
- Dr Joanne Reilly 2012-2025 View profile
- Dr Scot Mckendrick 2011-2015 View profile
- Roger John Gavin 2009-2022 View profile
- Stephen Howard 2007-2009 View profile
- Sir Harry Solomon 2005-2013 View profile
- Sharon Christine Johnson 2005-2007 View profile
- Lady Caroline Waldegrave 2005-2012 View profile
- David Gordon Comyn Webster 2005-2015 View profile
- Sir Nicholas Proctor Goodison 2000-2015 View profile
- Sir John Anthony Craven 2000-2012 View profile
- Rayner Stevens Unwin 1998-2000 View profile
- Jonathan Francis Taylor 1997-2008 View profile
- Professor Dorothy Elizabeth Sheridan 1994-2016 View profile
- Dr Stephen Paul Woodroff Peretz-Brown 1994-1995 View profile
- Anselm Crispin Jewitt 1994-2007 View profile
- Mark Fisher 1993-2003 View profile
- Professor Mary Christina Chamberlain 1992-2004 View profile
- Martyn Goff 1992-2004 View profile
- Penelope Margaret Lively 1989-2013 View profile
- Elyse Dodgson 1988-2001 View profile
- Jennifer Wingate 2024 View profile
- Peter Warwick Hands 1994 View profile
- Professor Lord Briggs 2004 View profile
- Eric De Bellaigue 1996-2005 View profile
Directors and secretaries as filed at Companies House.
Do you help lead this organisation? Set up its network · How it works
About
- What it does
- Library activities; Archives activities
- Incorporated
- 21/09/1987
- Registered office
- London
- Also a registered charity
- The National Life Story Collection
Ownership
Owned by (1) iOwned byIndividuals and companies registered as having significant control over this company, from the Companies House PSC (persons with significant control) register. People whose ownership could not be confirmed to one individual are not listed as confirmed owners.
- Mary Joy Stewart
significant influence · notified 2021-09-20
Group
- The National Life Story Collection
is controlled by Mary Joy Stewart
Evidence
active significant influence · notified 2021-09-20 · source: Companies House PSC register
Ultimately controlled by Mary Joy Stewart.
Ownership paths are calculated from Companies House persons-with-significant-control filings. Each step shows the filed nature of control and dates; a step marked "ceased" is historical, not current.
Board analysis
Board DNA
How this board is put together, from the Companies House officer record and Charity Commission trustee records - deterministic, no AI.iBoard compositionCounted from the dated Companies House officer record: the current directors only, past directors excluded.
10 directors on the board
- Dr Andrew David Flinn Director · appointed 2019
- Professor Fareda Banda Director · appointed 2021
- Professor Jonathan Edward Agar Director · appointed 2017
- Dr Janet Constance Topp Fargion Director · appointed 2020
- Dame Jennifer Gita Abramsky Director · appointed 2015
- Professor Paul Richard Thompson Director · appointed 1987
- Julia Amanda Raven Director · appointed 2017
- William John Knight Director · appointed 2011
- John Robert Sotheby Boas Director · appointed 1995
- Professor Nelarine Estella Cornelius Director · appointed 2021
Directors past 6 years
- Dr Andrew David Flinn Director · appointed 2019
- Professor Jonathan Edward Agar Director · appointed 2017
- Dr Janet Constance Topp Fargion Director · appointed 2020
- Dame Jennifer Gita Abramsky Director · appointed 2015
- Professor Paul Richard Thompson Director · appointed 1987
- Julia Amanda Raven Director · appointed 2017
- William John Knight Director · appointed 2011
- John Robert Sotheby Boas Director · appointed 1995
First-time vs portfolio directors
First-time (8)
- Dr Andrew David Flinn Director · appointed 2019
- Professor Jonathan Edward Agar Director · appointed 2017
- Dr Janet Constance Topp Fargion Director · appointed 2020
- Dame Jennifer Gita Abramsky Director · appointed 2015
- Professor Paul Richard Thompson Director · appointed 1987
- Julia Amanda Raven Director · appointed 2017
- William John Knight Director · appointed 2011
- Professor Nelarine Estella Cornelius Director · appointed 2021
Portfolio (2)
- Professor Fareda Banda Director · appointed 2021
- John Robert Sotheby Boas Director · appointed 1995
Also govern a charity
Where else this board sits iWhere else this board sitsThe charitable fields these directors govern in elsewhere, by Charity Commission classification. Excludes this company and any charity it is the legal face of.
The sectors these directors govern in elsewhere. This company, and any charity it is the legal face of, are excluded - counting them would just tell you what you are already looking at.
Gaps to watch
- Several long-serving directors could step down together
- Narrow spread of sectors across the board
Where to look Suggested search: succession planning for long-tenured seats; directors from a wider range of sectors.
Sources
Official record from Companies House. Governance Register calculates the connections.
Record details
- Company number
- 02172518
- Status
- Active
- Type
- PRI/LTD BY GUAR/NSC (Private, limited by guarantee, no share capital)
- Accounts next due
- 30/09/2027
- Edition
- Register edition compiled 27th September 2026
- Labels
- Official record from Companies House · Calculated derived by Governance Register.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Report an issue · How we handle data