Catalogue description Records of the Company of Merchant Adventurers of York

Administrative records including:

Royal Charters and Grants:

Charter of incorporation granted to the Mistery of Mercers of the City of York, 1430

Charter incorporation of the Mistery of Mercers as the Society of Merchant Adventurers of the City of York, 1581

Grant of Arms by the College of Arms, 1969

Minute Books:

Court minutes, 1677- 1985 (6 volumes, earlier minutes occur in the Cartulary)

Court of Assistants minute books, 1770-1776, 1933-1966, with agendas, reports and attendance registers, 1852-1985

Court of Assistants draft minutes, 1951-1959

Minute book of the Committee appointed to assist the Governor in prosecuting persons infringing the rights and privileges of the Merchants Company, 1825-1828, with land sale committee minutes, 1827-1831 and sale poster, 1831

Acts and Ordinances:

Ordinances, 15th century, c1500, 1502 (15th century ordinances occur in the Cartulary); registers of ordinances and acts, with copy wills, rentals and lists of apprentices, c1600-1796; copies of acts and ordinances of 1603-1739, 18th-19th century (5 volumes)

Meetings:

Meeting papers and lists of names, mid 15th century-1526; proposed plan to remodel the Company, 1842; members attending court meetings, 1855-1916; Michaelmas Court papers, 1933-1994; Charter Day Court papers, 1901-1994; Court of Assistants papers, 1945-1959; Synxon Court papers, 1944-1983; Cold Marts Court papers, 1944-1983; Special Court papers, 1944-1983; Venison feast papers, 1951-1994; Company Oaths, 1823-1994; papers relating to ladies evenings, banquets, dinners and soirées, 1973-1992; Standing Committee papers, 1928-1994; papers of sundry other meetings 15th century-19th century.

Trinity Hospital Administration:

Papers of the Master of the Hospital including institutions, 1394-1520; Papers of the Chaplains including title for orders, grants, lists of chapel ornaments, 1419-1548; Grants to the Brethren and Sisters (2 items) 1430, 1476

Members:

Forms of oaths for members and officials 16th century-20th century (earlier lists of members' admissions occur in the account rolls, cartulary and first act book); admissions certificates 1736-1948; register of admissions 1719-1939; list of new members 1844-1915; general membership correspondence 1900-1994; file of condolences on the deaths of members of the Company 1903-1985; membership lists and lists of members' booklets including list of governors 1828-1996.

Elections:

Records of elections of governors and other officers, nominations, wardens' bonds, minutes and correspondence 1537/8-1951

Apprenticeship:

Apprenticeship register, indentures and bonds, 1626-1833 (most apprenticeship records of the Company are entered in the first two minute books and in the first act book.

Administrative Correspondence:

Correspondence and associated papers concern the freedom of the Company, 1777-1780; Company affairs, 1828-1897; Clerk's correspondence, 1777-1995; Clerk's Diaries, 1990-1992; Wakefield/ Ferrybridge Canal, 1828; Bonded Warehouse, 1833-1839; York-Scarborough Railway, 1837-1844; York Steam Navigation Company, 1836-1854; Hull and Lincoln Railway Bill, 1883; Corporate Property Security Act, 1885; York Chamber of Commerce, 1895-1912; correspondence of Doctor Maud Sellers, 1874-1938; York University proposal, 1946-1947; York Festival: Guild Processions, displays and the United Guild Service and procession, 1950-1995; Guild Associations: the Company's association with London, non-London and York guild companies, 1949-1995

Archives:

Notes relating to the Company's charters and documents, 15th century (3 items); summons from Royal commissioners to inspect the evidences of the Company, late 16th century; lists of documents (mostly bonds and leases) delivered to the new wardens, [1711]

Trade Correspondence and Papers:

Correspondence chiefly concerned with the trading activities of the Company and its relations with other trading companies, towns, and organisations including Antwerp and the Low Countries, Danzig and Koenigsberg, The Easterlings (Hanseatic League), Eastland Company, Emden, Hamburg, Hull, London, Narva, Norwich, marts in the Low Countries, the lead trade and shipping, mainly 16th century

Petitions to the Governor and Company:

Petitions for financial help; petitions regarding leases of Company properties and expenditure made by tenants; petitions from the common officer of the City Crane about goods stored in the Crane House; petitions from retailing members of the Company against the artificers of the city, (12 items) 16th century.

Pageant Business: indenture relating to pageant properties, 1433.

Weights: certificate concerning the delivery of weights, 1790.

Press Cuttings relating to the Hall or to the activities of the Company c1906-1980s

Annual Reports of the Company (printed), 1946/7-1996/97

Cases and Litigation:

Papers including Quitclaim between John of St Nicholas to William de Clerevaus, 1282; bill of complaint between William Dyconson and Robert Brandlyng [mid sixteenth century]; list of jurors in a case between William Robinson and Charles Hall [late seventeenth century]; cases for opinion concerning Mr Tuke and Messrs Knipe and Dodsworth, 1768; legal proceedings, papers relating to the Harwood Case concerning action taken by the Company against a York druggist for selling foreign products without being a member of the Company, 1825-1828

The Hall:

Fabric Committee minutes, 1935-1937

Correspondence and papers concerning restoration work, 1763-1994; yearly summaries of expenditure, 1869-1870; roof and building repairs, 1905-1944; general repairs, 1921-1928; decoration of Committee Room, 1908-1909; Rest Garden, 1914-1930; correspondence with architects and contractors, 1922-1928

Plans including ground plans of the Hall, 1814-1925; ground plans of the Merchants' property, [20th century]; drawings of the proposed Governor's chair, fireplace, chimney stacks, electric lighting and sash windows all by Brierley, Rutherford and Syme 1935-1939; plans for proposed conversion of the Hall [20th century]

Visitors' books, 1913-1982; daily summaries of visitors and sales, 1946-1983; correspondence regarding hall bookings, 1828-1993

Building Administration: papers relating to the Fabric Committee, Architects' Panels, Building Advisory Group, Properties Subcommittee, fire precaution and flood lighting, 1935-1994

Seal Matrices:

Original seal matrices for the hospital and the mistery of mercers, late 14th century

Financial Records

Guild of St Mary:

Account rolls c1357-1367; account book, 1358-1369

Account Rolls of the Mercers and Merchant Adventurers:

Account rolls recording receipts and arrears, foreign expenses, repairs, entry fees of new members, subsidies of existing members, shipping payments, pageant house payments, with allowances and expenses, property rentals and chaplains' salaries (131 items) 1432-1619, 1679-1682

Account Books:

Wardens' account books (4 volumes) 1728-1947

Draft and Subsidiary Accounts:

Draft accounts, receipts and expenses c1433-1575; Pageant accounts c1461-c1472; Miscellaneous assessments and accounts 1400-1598; Subsidy lists 1525-1597; Feast expenses and lists 15th century-1606 (Venison feast, 1578-1580); Benevolences for the Poor of Trinity Hospital, 1582-1607; Faults found by the Auditors, 1573-1589; Impositions for those who do not venture beyond the seas, 1584-1587; List of fines imposed, 1657-1778

Annual Accounts and Balance Sheets:

Annual statements of account, 1900-1994 (some gaps); summary of accounts 1924-1933, 1938-1943

Receipts and Vouchers, 16th century-1959

Bonds and Related Documents:

These documents comprise a receipt and acquittance concerning a loan of 35 marks, 1325; mandate to the sheriffs of Cambridgeshire and Wiltshire to ascertain the age of Robert Lovell, 1388/1389; papers relating to the financial dealings of John de Beverlay and the Carmelite friary, 1392-1393; 21 miscellaneous bonds, 1398-1826

Benefactions:

List of benefactions made between 1597 and 1882, compiled in 1772 and 19th century (2 items); a similar list compiled in 1879 covering the years 1597-1842, with later addition in 1881-1882; Barstow Bequest for poor widows, 1694; Garforth Bequest for poor widows, 1722; Harper Bequest for poor men and women of the Hospital, 1816; record of benefactions and payments, 19th century; petitions for places in the hospital and pensions, 1855-1976; Charity Commission papers and correspondence, 1824-1994; York Charities Scheme papers, 1910-1939; Poor Law Commission papers, 1907; correspondence relating to gifts to the Company, 1925-1984; correspondence and papers regarding the Lancelot Foster Solatium Fund for aged poor women of York, 1914-1961; notices and correspondence relating to the Jane Stainton Sermons, 1896-1994; Company Pensioners papers 1901-1994

Bank Transactions:

Bank books, 1878-1951; deposit counterfoils, 1923-1949; cheque books and returned cheques, 1922-1996; bank statements, 1931-1996; safe deposit receipts, 1939

Insurance:

Papers and policies relating to the insurance of the Company's property and employees, 1802-1994

Tax:

Correspondence and papers relating to land tax, income tax and corporation duty, 1891-1972

Covenants:

Papers including deeds of covenant, 1944-1946; covenant administration, 1941-1948; covenant correspondence, 1944-1960

Dividend Warrants:

York Corporation mortgages dividend warrants, 1913-1922

Estate Acquisition:

Cartulary:

Volume containing names of the brethren and sisters admitted, 1420-1423; copies of ordinances of the mercers, c1495, and of Archbishop Thoresby's licence to found the hospital, 1373; copies of original charters of Guild and Hospital properties in Walmgate, Little Bretgate, Fishergate, Fossgate (including advowson of Fossgate Hospital), Trichourgail, Bootham, Marketshire in Pavement, Peter Lane Little and Kyrklane, Jubbergate and Newgate, Micklegate, Felter Lane, Colliergate, Ousegate, Monkgate, Hornpot Lane, Glovergail, Petergate, Goodramgate and Gillygate in York; royal charters for the guild and hospital, Edward III-Henry VI; acquittances for chantry payments, 1548, 1554; inventory of altar ornaments, 15th century; ordinance relating to William Grundall's benefaction, 1488; view and bounds of the Merchants property in York, 1581, 1598; royal proclamation, 1478; petition to the king by the northern mercers, 1478; letter to the abbot of Fountains; grant of an annual pension, 1478; rough accounts early 16th century.

Inquisition Ad Quod Damnum 1396/7

Copies of writ of Richard II to William Frost, mayor of York and escheator, to hold an inquisition ad quod damnum regarding properties in York intended to be assigned to the Hospital of Holy Trinity and St Mary; copy of writ of Richard II to the sheriffs of York for the appearance of persons at Westminster or York Assizes with regard to property held in chief by Adam Osbaldwick alias Adam Somondour, bastard, deceased

Title Deeds:

Deeds relating to Alne, 1362 (2 items); Burnby, 1372, (1 item); Kingston upon Hull, 14th century (1 item); Scagglethorpe, 1344 (1 item); Skelton (?near Howden), 1328/29 (1 item)

Deeds relating to property in York City: Bootham and Gillygate

Bootham and Gillygate, early-late 13th century, (4 items); Little Bretgate, parish of St Margaret, Walmgate, c1200-1389/90 (11 items); Fishergate, 1387/88 (1 item); Fossgate, constituting the earliest endowments of the new guild of Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, including the site of the Hall, 1287/88-1937 (12 items); Glovergail (later Girdlergate, now Church Street), 1284-1314/15 (6 items); Goodramgate, 1384-1429 (14 items); Jubbergate, Newgate and St Sampson's parish, 1280-1392 (29 items); Marketshire (earlier name for Pavement), 1333-1396 (13 items); Micklegate, 1270-1396/97 (19 items); Outside Micklegate, 1387-1488 (13 items); Monkgate, 1313-1477 (28 items); Petergate and Hornpot Lane, 1352-1357 (3 items); Peter Lane Little and Kyrklane, 1327-1404 (21 items); Skeldergate, 1306 (1 item); Walmgate, parish unidentified, later 13th century-1304 (6 items); Walmgate, parish of St Denys, 1321-1366/67 (8 items); Walmgate, parish of St Edward in the Suburbs, later 13th century-1389 (39 items); Walmgate, Parish of St Laurence in the Suburbs, 1294-1418 (15 items); Walmgate, Parish of St Mary, later 13th century, (2 items); Walmgate, Parish of St Michael in the Suburbs, 1277-1340/41 (14 items); Walmgate, Parish of St Nicholas in the Suburbs, later 13th century-1635 (21 items)

Unidentified Locations, 13th century-1471 (7 items)

Advowson of Trinity Hospital, 1396-1471 (16 items)

Testamentary Business, 1285-1396 (3 items)

Chantry in St Crux Church, 1321/2-1327 (2 items)

Estate Management:

Rentals:

Annual rentals, c1436-1597 (53 items) giving property by parish or street within the city with a record of tenants and rent payments, often noting outgoing payments, decays of property and repair expenditure, the fees of the chaplains, and payments to the poor and for bread, wine and wax in the chapel

Rental with some accounts c1739, 1762

Rentals of houses and lands belonging to the Company 1822-1860

Estate Plans:

Boltby Moor [18th century]; property belonging to the Company of Merchant Adventurers outside Walmgate Bar and Fishergate, 1773; Bull Lane, York, 1799; property belonging to the Companies of Merchant Adventurers and Merchant Taylors in the parish of St Nicholas, Walmgate, 1866.

Deeds and Leases of properties in York City

Bootham and Gillygate, 1410-1564 (6 items); Little Bretgate, 1423/4 (1 item); Coppergate, 1776, 1871 (2 items); Fishergate, 1639-1757 (3 items); Fossgate, 1426/7-1944 (58 items) plus other papers including rent and rating records, architect's drawings and plans, correspondence, papers relating to repairs and building work, land certificates and other legal documents, 1701-1994; Goodramgate, 1398-1520 (5 items); Jubbergate and St Sampson's parish, 1524, 1633 (2 items); Marketshire, 1557 (1 item); Monkgate, 1630/1-1639 (2 items); Cloth Hall, Ousebridge, 1637/8-1690 (3 items); Petergate and Hornpot Lane, 1504/5, 1513/14 (2 items); Peter Lane Little and Kyrklane, 1562/3 (1 item); Rest Garden in Piccadilly, 1922-1925, with correspondence and papers, 1915-1994; Walmgate, Parish of St Edward, 1509/10 (1 item); Walmgate, Parish of St Laurence, 11495-1635/6 (4 items); Walmgate, parish of St Nicholas, 1417-1912 (18 items)

Estate and Tenancy Papers:

Lists of goods and furnishings 15th century, c1500 (2 items); correspondence relating to Half Year Lands outside Walmgate Bar, 1825-1831; tenancy papers and correspondence regarding Haver Garth outside Walmgate Bar, 1827-1931; tenancy papers and correspondence concerning Fossgate properties, 1901-1958; correspondence and papers regarding rent payments, 1901-1958; notices to quit property, 1841-1919

Records of Other Companies:

Merchant Adventurers of England: York Residence, 'Hamburg Court Books' minute books, (2 volumes) 1693-1815

Company of Eastland Merchants, York Residence: Book of Acts and Ordinances 1617/18-1688/9; court books 1645-1757; correspondence 1684-1698/9; seal matrix of the Eastland Company and a personal seal of Andrew Perrott, last Deputy of the York Residence, appointed 1689; Book of Common Prayer bearing Andrew Perrott's heraldic bookplate

Company of Porters of York: Book of ordinances 1675-1740

Miscellanea:

Royal Miscellanea

Instructions in cipher from King Henry VIII to his Ambassadors at the Diet of Ratisbon regarding a ship belonging to the English Merchant Adventurers, robbed by pirates June 1541.

Letter from Elizabeth I to George Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg, complaining of an Imperial Edict favouring the Hanseatic Merchants and excluding the English Merchant Adventurers from trading in the Empire, 1597.

Civic Disputes

Copies of petitions, orders and related papers relating to the confirmation in 1632 of the city's privileges by Charles I and its subsequent cancellation, 1631-1636

Strensall Prebend

Inspeximus by Elizabeth I of Exchequer proceedings against claimant to the Strensall prebend, 1566, with copies of relating documents; acquittance and leases, 1554-1598

Wetwang Prebend

Brief of the proceedings in the Exchequer Court between the Attorney-General and Katherine, Lady Sandys [1630s-1640s]

Egerton Fee Farm Rents in Yorkshire

Fee farm rent books relating to Yorkshire rents of various members of the Egerton family and the Bridgwater Trustees: rents arranged under the area headings of Richmond; Ripon; Pontefract; Rotherham; Barnsley; Wakefield; Leeds; York; Northallerton; Stokesley; and Skipton, 1700-1882 (48 items).

Ship Money

Order to the constable of Skelton with Rawcliffe December, 1635

York Theatre Royal

Copy of articles of agreement to proposals relating to the Theatres Royal at York, Hull and other theatrical property, 1776; notice of the York Theatre Royal opening under new management, 1828.

Modern Archives:

Correspondence and papers relating to the Company and the Honorary Archivist, 1927-1990

Papers concerning the Company's Beadle, 1960, 1976-1993

Company carol service for members and their families and friends, 1974-1994

General cash books of receipts and expenses, 1959-1985

Papers concerning meetings and events at the Hall to Promote enterprise education and work conducted to promote educational pursuits, 1985-1996

Papers concerning the Company's association with English Heritage

Papers concerning the annual Enterprise Lecture run jointly between the Company and the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire, 1986-1995

Publications and media broadcasts involving the Company and its Hall

Food hygiene regulations and implementation; conditions for the granting of a public entertainment licence, 1979-1994

Company Fund-Raising

Miscellaneous documents relating to events to raise funds for the Company Pensioners and the 1988 Trust Fund, 1986-1991

Correspondence and papers regarding the gas central heating in the Hall, 1983-1994

Papers concerning stained glass in the Hall, 1985-1994

Papers relating to marketing and advertising of the Hall, including meetings of the Wade Report Group and the Marketing Advisory Group, 1915-1995

Papers of the Historic Attractions Group (formerly 'the Group of 8') to promote certain historic attractions in York by interested parties, 1985-1995

Historical notes relating to the history of the Company, including the Hall, 1688-1996

Invoices concerning work conducted for and paid by the Company, 1991-1993

Papers of Bernard P Johnson, past governor and honorary archivist of the company, including general correspondence and working papers, 1936-1975

Papers of Gilbert Y Johnson, past governor of the Company, 1933-1958

Papers relating to Governor's Lunches and Lunches for Past Governors, 1989-1994

Papers relating to the Merchant Adventurers' Prize awarded for local history essays to be submitted by boys of two local schools, 1950-1963

Documents comprising museum registration, curation and grants; correspondence and papers; receipts for work conducted on museum pieces, 1790-1995

Museum object documentation, loans of museum pieces (inward and outward) and various inventories of Company items, 1905-1995

Papers of past governors, John S Rymer, Sir Peter Shepherd and Stanley H Burton, 1980s

Correspondence and papers about photographs, 1902-1983

Papers relating to the Company's collection of paintings and portraits; receipts and details of work conducted on picture framing and restoration, 1820-1994

Company publications including booklet, papers on Company postcards, a visitors' leaflet and Christmas cards, 1985-1994

Papers of Richard Reid, past governor and former honorary archivist of the Company, 1975-1987

Papers and personal effects of Dr Maud Sellers, former member and honorary curator of the Company, 1894-1939

Papers concerning external signing; internal signing boards; the Committee Room display and redecoration; the Wade information panels for visitors on display in the Great Hall and the Undercroft, 1967-1994

Summons' to Court papers, 1868-1933

Talks delivered by the Clerk or Assistant Clerk, 1989-1996

Hall Vicinity Developments

Papers concerning circumstances and events in the area surrounding the Merchant Adventurers' Hall

Patrick Waddington Papers, 1967-1988

Papers regarding the role of the Company at the York Science Festival, including provision of the Great Hall for exhibits, 1994

Company of Merchant Adventurers of York

Archive collections closed for 30 years from date

• York, Yorkshire
• Professional associations

The Company of Merchant Adventurers of York had its beginnings in 1357 when its predecessor, the Fraternity and Guild of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary was founded. By royal licence, thirteen York merchants were permitted to acquire property in York to the annual value of ten pounds. In 1430 Henry VI incorporated the Mistery of Mercers in the City of York, giving them power to elect a governor and two wardens. Elizabeth I formally constituted the Society of Merchant Adventurers of York by her charter of 1581. Membership was for those who had been merchants for ten years or who had served an apprenticeship for seven years. The Society was granted a monopoly over goods and merchandise imported into York from overseas, with the exception of salt and fish. The Merchants' Hall, built in the second half of the 14th century, houses the medieval evidence chest originally used to store its documents.

Work on the archives has been undertaken by a number of persons over the years. The comprehensive 'Guide to the Archives of the Company of Merchant Adventurers of York' by David Smith (Borthwick Texts and Calendars 16) was published in 1990. A number of the early deeds and charters have been calendared in Yorkshire Archaeological Society's record series 'Yorkshire Deeds'. Microfilm or photocopies of many of the documents are available for consultation at the Borthwick Institute of Historical Research, York.

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