WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF PARISH CLERKS

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0074 CLC/L/PB
Held at	: London Metropolitan Archives   Click here to find out how to view this collection at https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma ›
Full title	: WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF PARISH CLERKS
Date(s)	: 1449-2005
Level of description	: Collection
Extent	: 56 production units
Name of creator(s)	: Worshipful Company of Parish Clerks

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

The Fraternity of St Nicholas was incorporated by letters patent in 1233 and granted a charter under its later designation of Parish Clerks' Company in 1635/6. A bede roll of the fraternity, 1448/9-1521, survives today. Current membership is restricted to parish clerks of 150 qualifying parishes in and around the City.

From 1625, the Company was responsible for compiling and disseminating the bills of mortality, which record deaths within the bounds of the City. A decree of the Court of Star Chamber allowed the Company to maintain a printing press for this purpose.

The Company was initially associated with the Bishopsgate area, but later acquired a Hall in Wood Street, which was destroyed in the Great Fire. The Hall was rebuilt in Silver Street, housing the Company until its destruction by enemy action in 1940.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Records of the Worshipful Company of Parish Clerks. The 1940 bombing destroyed much of the archive. However, there is a biographical index of Company members from 1400 (Ms 3704) and extracts from court minutes, 1610-1926 (Ms 3706), both compiled by William MacMurray from Company records before 1940. Also weekly reports of baptisms and burials in City parishes; papers relating to property and scrapbooks of collectanea for the history of the Company.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING ACCESS: These records are stored at the Guildhall Library site rather than the LMA Clerkenwell site. Researchers wishing to access these records should do so at the Guildhall Library Rare Books table. The Library is open Monday to Saturday, 9:30 to 16:45. Researchers will need to have an Archives History Card or a Library Readers Card. An archivist will be available at Guildhall Library on Thursday mornings to answer any queries.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English and Latin.

System of arrangement:

To assist the user, the catalogue has been arranged in sections each with an archival classification code as follows: CLC/L/PB/A Constitutional records; CLC/L/PB/B Court records; CLC/L/PB/C Membership records; CLC/L/PB/E Trade records; CLC/L/PB/F Clerk's records; CLC/L/PB/G Charities and estates.

Conditions governing access:

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING ACCESS: These records are stored at the Guildhall Library site rather than the LMA Clerkenwell site. Researchers wishing to access these records should do so at the Guildhall Library Rare Books table. The Library is open Monday to Saturday, 9:30 to 16:45. Researchers will need to have an Archives History Card or a Library Readers Card. An archivist will be available at Guildhall Library on Thursday mornings to answer any queries. For further information please see LMA Research Guide "Consulting Archives at Guildhall Library", available at http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/LGNL_Services/Leisure_and_culture/Records_and_archives/Visitor_information/free_information_leaflets.htm

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copyright: Depositor.

Finding aids:

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Deposited by the Company in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library. The Manuscripts Section merged with London Metropolitan Archives in 2008.

Allied Materials

Related material:

Publication note:

For further information relating to Livery Companies, particularly using the company records for family history, please see Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section "Livery Company Membership Guide" and Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section "Leaflet Guides to Records: Searching for Members or those apprenticed to Members of City of London Livery Companies" (both available online).

For a general introduction to the history of the City of London Livery Companies please see entry in The London Encyclopaedia, ed Ben Weinreb and Christopher Hibbert.

Description Notes

Archivist's note:

Rules or conventions:
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
Oct-09