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Before the Public Record Office was established in 1838, official publication of public records was undertaken by Parliament, which printed a record type transcript (full text) of Domesday Book and the medieval Parliament Rolls in the late 18th century, and by the Record Commission and State Paper Commission, which published both transcripts and calendars (detailed summaries of selected records). The Public Record Office Act of 1838 authorised the printing of catalogues, indexes and calendars and these were often included as appendices in the annual Reports of the Deputy Keeper until the late 19th century. From 1892, Lists and Indexes were published separately and in 1965 the List and Index Society was established to distribute copies of lists to subscribers. Unless otherwise indicated, publications are by HMSO, with many volumes re-printed by Kraus Reprint after 1960.
They are more fully described in Government Publications Sectional List No. 24 (HMSO, 1977).
General guides
The first Handbook to the Public Records by F S Thomas was published in 1853 and replaced by S R Scargill-Bird's Guide to Documents in the Public Record Office in 1891. These early subject-based guides may still be of use in converting obsolete document references cited in older published works. A new comprehensive guide, which reflected the arrangement of the records by creating body, by M S Guiseppi, was published as Guide to Manuscripts Preserved in the Public Record Office Vol. I Legal Records etc. (HMSO, 1923) and Vol.II State Papers etc. (HMSO, 1924). A revised edition came out in 1963, supplemented by Vol. III Documents transferred to the Public Record Office 1960-1966 (HMSO, 1969). A new guide which separated administrative histories from record class/series descriptions was published on microfiche in 1988 and then intermittently on microfiche as the Current Guide.
It has, in turn, been superseded by our online Catalogue published on this website.
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Handbooks
Handbooks provide detailed overviews of particular subjects or departments, although some titles in this series are little more than lists and so have effectively been superceded by our online Catalogue.
- Guide to Seals (HMSO, 1954, revised edition 1968)
- Domesday Re-bound (HMSO, 1954)
- Records of the Colonial and Dominions Office (HMSO, 1964) - superceded by Sources for Colonial Studies in the Public Record Office by Anne Thurston Vol. I (HMSO, 1995), Vol. II (HMSO, 1998)
- List of Cabinet Papers, 1880-1914 (HMSO, 1964)
- Shakespeare in the Public Records (HMSO, 1964)
- List of Papers of the Committee of Imperial Defence to 1914 (HMSO, 1964)
- List of Documents relating to the Household and Wardrobe John to Edward I (HMSO, 1964)
- List of Colonial Office Confidential Print, to 1916 (HMSO, 1965)
- List of Cabinet Papers, 1915 and 1916 (HMSO, 1966)
- Classes of Departmental Papers for 1906-1939 (HMSO, 1966)
- Records of the Cabinet Office to 1922 (HMSO, 1966)
- Records of the Cabinet Office to 1922 (HMSO, 1966)
- Records of the Foreign Office 1782-1939 (HMSO, 1969 – revised edition published 2002 as Handbook 33)
- Records of interest to Social Scientists 1919 to 1939: Introduction (HMSO, 1971)
- The Second World War: a guide to documents (HMSO, 1972, revised editions, 1993, PRO, 1998)
- Records of interest to Social Scientists: Unemployed Insurance 1911 to 1939 (HMSO, 1975)
- The Cabinet Office to 1945 (HMSO, 1975)
- Records of interest to Social Scientists 1919 to 1939: Employment and Unemployment (HMSO, 1978)
- Tracing Your Ancestors in the Public Record Office (HMSO, 1981, 6th ed., PRO, 2002)
- Records of the General Eyre (HMSO, 1982)
- The Court of the Star Chamber to 1558 (HMSO, 1985)
- Naval records for genealogists (HMSO, 1988, revised edition, PRO, 1998)
- Making sense of the census (HMSO, 1989)
- English sheriffs to 1154 (HMSO, 1990)
- The development of the Welfare State 1939-1951 (HMSO, 1992)
- Economic planning 1943-1951 (HMSO, 1992)
- Chancery Equity Records and Proceedings 1600-1800 (HMSO, 1995, revised edition, PRO 1998)
- A clearer sense of the census (HMSO, 1996)
- Records of the War Office and related departments 1660-1964 (PRO, 1998)
- Welfare Policy under the Conservatives 1951-1964 (PRO, 1998)
- Lay Taxes in England and Wales 1188-1688 (PRO, 1998)
- Exchequer Equity Records and Proceedings 1649-1841 (PRO, 2001)
- The records of the Foreign Office 1782-1968 (PRO, 2002)
First World War The Essential Guide to Sources in The National Archives by Ian Beckett (PRO, 2002)
Economic Policy under the Conservatives, 1951-64 by Astrid Ringe, Neil Rollings and Roger Middleton (IHR/TNA, 2004)
Making Sense of the Census Revisited by Edward Higgs (IHR/TNA, 2005)
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Calendars and transcripts of Chancery records
Charter Rolls, recording formal grants of lands and privileges, 1226-1516 (6 vol.s, HMSO, 1903-1927) - for transcripts in latin of charters 1204-1226 see Rotuli Chartarum (Record Commission, 1833, 1844).
Patent Rolls, recording miscellaneous grants, appointments, licences, pardons and, after 1516, charters as above, 1216-1232, as transcripts in latin, (2 vols, HMSO, 1903, 1906) and thereafter as calendars 1232-1509, 1547-1582 (HMSO, 1906-1986). Entries of 1509-1547 are included in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII. Draft calendars for 1584-1588 have been published by the List and Index Society (1990-1992) and the AHRB have awarded grant funding to complete the Calendars of Patent Rolls for the reign of Elizabeth I which will be published as List and Index Society volumes.
Digitised images of the calendars for 1348-1452 have been mounted on the University of Iowa website as searchable text.
Tanner Ritchie Publishing have re-published some of these volumes in electronic form - see www.tannerritchie.com
Close Rolls, recording official orders and writs and some private deeds, transcripts in latin, 1227-1272 (HMSO, 1902-1938, 1975) and thereafter as calendars, 1272-1509 (HMSO, 1900-1963).
Fine Rolls, recording payments for writs, grants, pardons etc., calendars, 1272-1509 (HMSO, 1911-1963).
Liberate Rolls, recording payments on behalf of the crown, calendars, 1226-1272 (HMSO, 1917-1964).
Treaty Rolls, recording treaties, 1234-1325, 1337-1339 (HMSO, 1956, 1972).
Gascon Rolls - Catalogue des Rolles Gascons, Normans et Francois, ed T Carte (1743); Rôles Gascons, 1254-1255, ed C Bémont (1896); Rôles Gascons, 1273-1290, ed C Bémont (1900); Rôles Gascons, 1290-1307, ed C Bémont (1906); Gascon Rolls, 1307-1317, ed Y Renouard (1962). These are mainly French government publications.
Diplomatic Documents, recording treaties and diplomatic correspondence, 1101-1272 (HMSO, 1964).
English medieval diplomatic practice. Part I; documents and interpretation by Chaplais, Pierre (HMSO, 1982); English medieval diplomatic practice. Part II; plates (HMSO, 1975).
Chancery Rolls, Various, includes supplementary Close Rolls, Welsh Rolls and Scutage Rolls, 1277-1326 (HMSO, 1912).
Chancery Warrants, privy seal warrants, 1244-1326 (HMSO, 1927).
Inquisitions Post Mortem, inquiries into the land holdings of deceased tenants of the king in chief, 1216-1418 (1904-1995), 1485-1509 (HMSO, 1898-1956); 1418-1422 (Boydell and Brewer, 2002); 1418-1427 (Boydell and Brewer, 2003). Calendarium Inquisitionum Post Mortem (Record Commission, 1806-1828) just lists the name of the deceased and manors, in latin, for 1216-1485.
External AHRB funding has been secured to continue work on this series which will be published by Boydell and Brewer.
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Calendars and transcripts of exchequer records
Book of Fees, recording the holdings of feudal tenants, 1198-1293 (HMSO, 1921-1931) and Feudal Aids, recording inquisitions, assessments etc. of feudal aids (HMSO, 1899-1921).
Memoranda Rolls, calendar of entries recording debts to the crown, etc. 1326-1327 (HMSO, 1969) and transcript, in latin, 1231-1233 (HMSO, 1991).
Records of the Wardrobe and Household, transcript in latin of miscellaneous Exchequer accounts, 1285-1289 (HMSO, 1977, 1986). One further volume covering 1282-1284 is in preparation and will be published by Boydell and Brewer.
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Calendars and transcripts of legal records
Curia Regis Rolls, transcripts in latin of proceedings before the Bench, later known as the court of Common Pleas, and King's Bench, 1189-1243 (HMSO, 1923-1991).
Curia Regis Rolls XVIII and XIX, 1243-1249 were published by Boydell and Brewer (1999, 2002).
Further work on Vol. XX, covering 1250, will be resumed in late 2003 and should be completed by the end of 2004.
Calendar of Assize Records, indictments from the Home Circuit (Sussex, Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent and Surrey), 1559-1659 (HMSO, 1975-1995).
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Miscellaneous
Ancient Deeds, calendar of certain pre-1559 deeds (1890-1915).
Register of Edward the Black Prince, calendar of letters, writs, warrants etc., 1346-1365 (1930-1933).
Calendar of Signet Letters of Henry IV and Henry V (1979).
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State papers
Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, includes state papers and other records, some from outside the Public Record Office, 1509-1547 (1864-1920).
Tanner Ritchie Publishing have re-published some of these volumes in electronic form - see www.tannerritchie.com/books/letterspapershenryviii.php
Calendar of State Papers Domestic, includes state papers and some related Public Record Office sources, 1547-1704 (1856-1972). Revised calendars have been published for the reigns of Edward VI (1992) and Mary I (PRO, 1998). Work on volumes covering 1705 and 1706 is in progress.
One sample calendar of state papers domestic text for 1603-1610 text has been published on British History on Line – see www.british-history.ac.uk/source.asp
These volumes are supplemented for the English Civil War/Commonwealth period by calendars of the records of the Committee for the Advance of Money, 1642-1656 (1888) and Committee for Compounding of Delinquents, 1643-1660 (1889-1893).
Calendars of state papers for the period 1760-1775 were published as Home Office Papers, George III (1878-1899).
Calendar of State Papers, Foreign for 1547-1589 (1863-1950) is continued as List and Analysis of State Papers, Foreign 1589-1596 (1964-2000).
Work on List and Analysis of State Papers, Foreign 1597 is currently in progress.
Tanner Ritchie Publishing have re-published some of these volumes in electronic form - see www.tannerritchie.com/books/cspforeign.php
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Colonial
Calendar of State Papers Colonial, 1574-1738 (1860-1970) mainly relates to America and the West Indies but includes material relating to the East Indies, China and Japan for the period 1513-1624. The calendar text has now been published on CD-ROM, with additional calendar entries for 1739, as Calendar of State Papers, Colonial, North America and West Indies 1574-1739 (Routledge, 2000).
Tanner Ritchie Publishing have re-published some of these volumes in electronic form
www.tannerritchie.com/books/cspcolonial.php
www.tannerritchie.com/books/cspeastindies.php
Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations, mainly relating to North America, 1704-1783 (1920-1938). Journal entries for 1675-1704 are included in the Calendars of State Papers Colonial.
Acts of the Privy Council - Colonial Series calendars Privy Council register entries, 1613-1783 and selected Privy Council papers relating to British colonies, 1676-1783 (1908-1912).
Tanner Ritchie Publishing have re-published some of these volumes in electronic form
www.tannerritchie.com/books/apccolonial.php
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Privy Council
Acts of the Privy Council of England, 1542-1631 (1890-1964) calendars entries in the registers of the Privy Council. Earlier records, many now held by the British Library, for 1386-1461 and 1540-1542, are calendared in Proceedings and Ordinances of the Privy Council (Record Commission, 1834-1837).
Tanner Ritchie Publishing have re-published some of these volumes in electronic form
www.tannerritchie.com/books/apc.php
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Treasury
Calendar of Treasury Papers, calendars Treasury Board correspondence and some minutes, reports etc., 1557-1728 (1868-1889). Minutes and entry books are included in the much fuller Calendar of Treasury Books, 1660-1718 (1904-1962) and the Calendar of Treasury Books and Papers, 1729-1745 (1898-1903).
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Ireland
Calendar of Documents relating to Ireland draws on a wide range of Exchequer and Chancery records, 1171-1307 (1875-1886).
Calendar of State Papers Ireland covers the period 1509-1670 (1860-1912), with Irish State Papers from 1670 to 1704 included in the Calendars of State Papers Domestic.
There is also a Calendar of Carew Papers in the Lambeth Library, 1515-1624 (1867-1873).
A revised Calendar of State Papers Ireland Tudor Period 1571-1575 ed. Mary O'Dowd was published by the Public Record Office in 2000, in association with the Irish Manuscripts Commission. Further revised calendars for the Irish State Papers of the Tudor period will be published directly by the Irish Manuscripts Commission.
Scotland
Calendar of State Papers relating to Scotland, 1509-1603 (1858) was mostly superceded by Letters and Papers, Henry VIII; the Calendar of State Papers relating to Scotland and Mary Queen of Scots, 1547-1603, preserved in the Public Record Office, the British Museum and elsewhere (1898-1969) and the Calendar of Letters and Papers relating to the Affairs of the Borders of England and Scotland, 1560-1603 (1894-1896).
Tanner Ritchie Publishing have re-published some of these volumes in electronic form
www.tannerritchie.com/books/calborderpapers.php
www.tannerritchie.com/books/cspmaryqos.php
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Foreign archives
Mainly in the 19th century, a number of editors were employed to calendar material relating to English or British affairs in various foreign archives:
France - Documents preserved in France, illustrative of the history of Great Britain and Ireland, 918-1206 (1899).
Spain - Letters, Despatches and State Papers, relating to the Negotiations between England and Spain preserved in the Archives at Vienna, Brussels, Simancas and Elsewhere, 1525-1558 (1862-1954) and Letters and Papers relating to English Affairs, preserved in the Archives of Simancas, 1558-1603 (1892-1899).
Rome - Entries in the Papal Registers relating to Great Britain and Ireland, 1198-1492 (1894-1961,) and 1484-1513 (Irish Manuscripts Commission, 1978-to date). This series is being continued by the Irish Manuscripts Commission. There is also Petitions to the Pope, 1342-1419 (1897) and State Papers, relating to English Affairs, in the Vatican Archives and Library, 1558-1578 (1916-1926).
Venice - State Papers and Manuscripts relating to English existing in the Archives and Collections of Venice, and in other Libraries of Northern Italy, 1202-1674 (1864-1947).
Milan - State Papers and Manuscripts existing in the Archives Collection of Milan, 1359-1618 (1913).
Tanner Ritchie Publishing have re-published some of these volumes in electronic form - see
www.tannerritchie.com/books/cspmilan.php
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Treaties and foreign correspondence
Rymer's Foedera: Syllabus in English, with Index 1066-1654 (1869-1885) provides an indexed chronological summary of entries in the collection of treaties and other diplomatic documents that was edited by Thomas Rymer, Historiographer Royal, and published 1704-1712.
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