Primary Sources: Archival and Manuscript Materials

Table of Contents

Index to Primary Sources  | Printed primary sources  | Archival & manuscript materials  | Government documents

Archival and Manuscript Materials

GENERAL GUIDES

Directory of Archives and Manuscript Repositories in the United States. 2nd ed. Washington, DC: National Historical Publications and Records Commission, 1988.
SML, Bibliography CD3020 +D49 1988 (LC)

Foster, Janet. British Archives: A Guide to Archive Resources in the United Kingdom. 2nd ed. New York: Stockton Press, 1989.
SML, Bibliography CD1040 F67 1989 (LC)

Owen, Dolores B. Guide to Genealogical Resources in the British Isles. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1989.
SML, Bibliography Z5305 G7 O94 1989 (LC)

Record Repositories in Great Britain : A Geographical Directory. 9th ed. London: H.M.S.O., 1991.
SML, Bibliography CD1041 J65 1991 (LC)

U.S. National Historical Publications Commission. Guide to Archives and Manuscripts in the United States. Ed. Phillip M. Hamer. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1961.
SML, Bibliography CD3022 A16 (LC)

GUIDES TO SPECIFIC COLLECTIONS AND TYPES OF RECORDS

British Library. Dept. of Manuscripts. Index of Manuscripts in the British Library. Cambridge: Chadwyck-Healey, 1984- . 10v.
SML, Bibliography Z6621 B837 +B75 (LC)

Huff, Cynthia. British Women's Diaries: A Descriptive Bibliography of Selected Nineteenth-Century Women's Manuscript Diaries. New York: AMS Press, 1985.
SML, Bibliography Z7964 G7 H84 1985 (LC)

Matthews,William. British Diaries: an Annotated Bibliography of British Diaries Written Between 1442 and 1942. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1950.
SML, Bibliography Z2014 D5 M37 (LC)

Private Papers of British Colonial Governors, 1782-1900. London: H.M.S.O., 1986.
SML JV1061 G74 (LC)

Papers of British Cabinet Ministers, 1782-1900. London: H.M.S.O., 1982.
LAW BiblA P199

Papers of British Churchmen, 1780-1940. London: H.M.S.O., 1987.
SML Z6611 C59 P36X 1987 (LC)

Papers of British Politicians 1782-1900. London: H.M.S.O., 1989.
SML, Bibliography Z2018 P27 1989 (LC)
Also:SML Stacks

Private Papers of British Diplomats, 1782-1900. London: H.M.S.O., 1985.
SML Z6465 G7 P74 1985 (LC)

BIBLIOGRAPHIES

Matheson, Cyril. A Catalog of the Publications of Scottish Historical and Kindred Clubs and Societies and of the Papers Relative to Scottish History Issued by H.M.S.O. including the Reports of the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts, 1908-1927, with a Subject Index. . .. Aberdeen: Milne and Hutchison, 1928.
SML, Bibliography Z2061 T37 (LC)
Also: Law

Mullins, E.L.C. Guide to the Historical and Archaeological Publications of Societies in England and Wales, 1901-1933. London: Athlone, 1968.
SML, Subject Bibliography Z5055 G6 G85 (LC)

Lists and indexes books and articles issued by more than 400 local and national societies of England, Wales, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Arranged by society with author and subject indexes.

-----. Texts and Calendars; an Analytical Guide to Serial Publications. London: Royal Historical Society, 1958.
SML, Bibliography Z2016 M85 (LC)

"An analytical guide to printed texts and calendars relating to English and Welsh history issued in general collections or in series by a public body or private society before the end of March 1957."(Preface) Arranged by issuing body, with an extensive index.

-----. Texts and calendars II: an analytical guide to serial publications, 1957-1982. London: Royal Historical Society, 1958.
SML, Bibliography Z2016 M852 (LC)

Terry, Charles Sanford. A Catalogue of the Publications of Scottish Historical and Kindred Clubs and Societies and of the Volumes Relative to Scottish History issued by His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1780-1908, with a Subject Index. Aberdeen: Printed for the University, 1909.(Aberdeen University Studies, no.39)
SML, Bibliography Z2061 T47 (LC)

Arranged by issuing Society, with a subject index.

INDEXES, CALENDARS, AND CATALOGS

LIST & INDEX SOCIETY

List & Index Society. Lists and Indexes. v.1- 1965- . London.
SML X464 +L69L (v.1-212); v.213- are classed individually.

This series publishes lists and indexes from the Public Record Office and other British public archives.
Volumes 1-212 are classed together in X464, but each volume does not have a separate author-title entry in the card catalog or Orbis. For a complete list of titles in this series to v.212, see the card catalog under List & Index Society. [Lists and indexes]. For v.213- , a separate author-title entry does appear in Orbis for each volume, and each volume carries a unique call number reflective of the depository in which the collection is housed. Search Orbis under t=list index Society series for a complete list of titles beginning with v.213. Selected volumes include:
v.9 State Papers Supplementary, Part I
v.19 State Papers Supplementary, Admiralty Papers, 1644-1673
v.22 Subject index and box list to Home Office papers, 1879-1900
v.23 Cabinet Office subject index of C.P. papers (Cabinet Memoranda), 1900-1909
v.28 Descriptive list of State Papers Supplementary (SP 46), Part III: Exchequer papers to 1603
v.30 Home Office registered papers
v.33 Descriptive list of State Papers Supplementary (SP 46), Private papers, sers.I, 1535-1705
v.66 Exchequer K.R. port books, 1701-1798; part II: south-east, south, and south-west coasts...
v.80 -----; part III: south-west and west coasts
v.118 State Papers Foreign: France (SP 78), 1723-1727. Descriptive list with index, 1714-1727
v.129 Descriptive list of State Papers supplemental (SP 46). Private papers, series II
v.139 State Papers Domestic, George I (SP 35)
v.143 Descriptive list of State Papers Domestic, supplementary (SP 46), part III
v.144 State Papers Domestic, George I (SP 35)
v.154 Descriptive list and index of State Papers Domestic, supplementary (SP 46); part IX: General papers, 1660-19th c.
v.155 State Papers Domestic, George I (SP 35). Typescript calendar. Part III, 1722-1725
v.165 -----. Part IV, 1725-1727 and supplementary material 1714-1725
v.172 British transport historical records. London & North Western Railway Co. (RAIL 410) and Midland Railway Co. (RAIL 491). Class list
v.173 State Papers Domestic, George I (SP 35)...
v.174 Principal probate registry, prerogative court of Canterbury, cause papers later series, 1783- 1858 (PROB 37)
v.177 Inland revenue estate duty registers and indexes (IR 26, 27), 1796-1894
v.188 State Papers Foreign: France (SP 78/185-200). List and index, 1727-1732
v.201 War Office regular army: soldiers documents 1760-1913 (WO 97)
v.203 Catalogue of colonial maps (C 700)
v.205 State Papers: France (SP 78/201), 1732-1738. Index
v.206-208 Index to railway correspondence (MT 6)

• NATIONAL INVENTORY OF DOCUMENTARY SOURCES

National Inventory of Documentary Sources in the United Kingdom [microform]. Teaneck, NJ: Chadwyck-Healey, [1984]- . In Progress [2,311 microfiche]
SML, Microform Fiche B2262

Reproduces the calendars and finding aids of hundreds of public and private archives in the United Kingdom. Indexes provide access into the collection which is not arranged in order by archive, nor do all materials from the same archive appear on the same or contiguous microfiche.

Also: CD-ROM Index to the National Inventory of Documentary Sources
SML, Microform Room

National Inventory of Documentary Sources in the United Kingdom & Ireland [microform] : The Public Record Office Registers and Indexes. Cambridge, England: Chadwyck-Healey, 1988.
SML, Microform Fiche B2262

This set reproduces the Public Record Office's Registers and Indexes of correspondence for the Foreign Office dealing with the Baltic States, Central Asia, Finland, Persia, Poland, and Russia.
See also no.234, v.52 and no.235, v.13.

Also: CD-ROM Index to the National Inventory of Documentary Sources
SML, Microform Room

• NATIONAL UNION CATALOG OF MANUSCRIPT COLLECTIONS (U.S.)(NUCMC)

National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections. Washington, DC: Library of Congress [etc.], 1959/61- .
SML, Bibliography Z6620 U5 +N37 (LC)

Index to Personal Names in the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections, 1959-1984. Alexandria, VA: Chadwyck-Healey, 1988. 2v.
SML, Bibliography Z6620 U5 +I53 1988 (LC)

Index to Subjects and Corporate Names in the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections, 1959-1984. Alexandria, VA: Chadwyck Healey, 1994. 3v.
SML, Bibliography Z6620 U5+N36 1994 (LC)

• PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE (PRO)

Established by an Act of Parliament in 1838 in order to provide proper accommodation for the public records of Great Britain and to facilitate their free use, the Public Record Office is the official repository of original archival documents of the courts and of government departments spanning almost a thousand years. Throughout the nineteenth century and continuing to the present day, the work of preparing lists and calendars of historical records has progressed steadily. The Public Records Act of 1958 provided for the transfer of records from government departments to the Public Record Office after thirty years, while the Public Records Act of 1967 reduced the period that records are restricted from fifty to thirty years (Rodgers, pp.530-531).

GUIDES

Galbraith, Vivian H. Introduction to the Use of the Public Records. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1934.
SML, Bibliography DA25 Z8 G3

Great Britain. Public Record Office. Guide to the Contents of the Public Record Office. London: H.M.S.O., 1963-1969. 3v.
SML, Bibliography CD1043 A48 (LC)

v.1 Legal records, etc.; v.2 State Papers and Departmental Records; v.3 Documents transferred 1960-1966.

-----. The Records of the Foreign Office, 1782-1939. London: H.M.S.O., 1969.
SML, Bibliography CD1051 A45 (LC)

Great Britain. Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Government publications. Sectional lists. London: H.M.S.O., 1950- .
SML, Bibliography Z2009 G853 (LC)

Sectional List 24, British National Archives (issued annually), includes out-of-print as well as currently available titles which detail the publications of the Public Record Office.

INDEXES

Great Britain. Public Record Office. Lists and indexes [of documents preserved in the Public Record Office]. no.1- 1892- . London: H.M.S.O. [55v.]
SML By4 O97
Also: Andrews Study (scattered volumes) no.36 Colonial Office records (1911)

-----. -----. -----. Amended ed. New York: Kraus Reprint, 1963- . v.1-55.
SML DA25 +L7 1963

"Calligraphic amendments incorporated from the master copy in the Search Room of the Public Record Office." Includes lists and indexes produced through 1878.
v.43 List of volumes of State Papers relating to Great Britain and Ireland, including the records of the Home Office from 1782 to 1837
v.52 List of Foreign Office records to 1878 (1963)

-----. -----. -----. Supplementary series. no.1- 1964- . New York: Kraus Reprint.
SML DA25 +L7B

Includes lists and indexes produced after 1878.
v.8 List of War Office records (2v.)(1968-74)
v.10 Supplementary list of State Papers, domestic and foreign (1969)
v.13 List of Foreign Office records (29v.)(1964-85)

-----. -----. Public Record Office film catalogue. [London: 1970]
SML, Bibliography CD1042 A2 +G74 1970 (LC)

This list indicates which original material in the collection is available on microfilm. The catalogue follows the arrangement of the Guide to the contents of the Public Record Office (no. )

Supplement -----. -----. Public Records [sic] Office microfilm catalogue. [London: 1983?]
SML, Bibliography CD1042 A2 +G74 1983A (LC)

• THE ROYAL COMMISSION ON HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPTS

The Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts is a standing commission first appointed in 1869. Its stated purpose is to inquire into the availability of papers and manuscripts in private hands that might be useful for the study of history, constitutional law, science, and general literature, and to bring them to the attention of scholars by the preparation of calendars and carefully edited texts (Rodgers, p.674.)

Great Britain. Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Government publications. Sectional lists. London: H.M.S.O., 1950- .
SML, Bibliography Z2009 G853 (LC)

Sectional List 17, Publications of the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts (issued annually), includes out-of-print as well as currently available titles. The contents of the Inspectors' Reports are identified in some detail.

Great Britain. Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts. Accessions to repositories and reports added to the National Register of Archives. London: H.M.S.O., 1972-1991. Annual.
SML Xx91 G5 G49

All original source material added to British libraries is reported in this publication and its predecessors (to 1954).

Continues: -----. -----. List of accessions to repositories. London: H.M.S.O., 1968-1971. Annual.

-----. National Register of Archives. List of accessions to repositories. London: H.M.S.O., 1956-1967.

The first two reports, for 1954 and 1955, were issued as special numbers of the National Register of Archives Bulletin.

-----. -----. Guide to the Reports of the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts [issued] 1870/1911-[1911/1957]. London: H.M.S.O., 1914/38- [1966]. 7v. In progress.
SML DA25 M2A
Also: Andrews Study

Described as "a guide to the reports on collections of manuscripts of private families, corporations, and institutions in Great Britain and Ireland...", this guide in an index to places and persons listed in the Appendices to the 1st-15th Report of the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts (no. ) and to its various Reports on collections (no. )(which are called just the Commission's Reports at Yale). It's issued in two parts: a topographical index and an index of persons.

-----. -----. Report. London: H.M.S.O. 1874- . Irregular.
SML, DA25 +M2 v.1-9; DA25 M2 v.10-

The Commissioners' report to the Crown, with accounts of their activity and summary descriptions of the collections examined. The 22nd Report (1946) lists the locations of manuscript collections at that time.

-----. -----. Reports [on collections]. London: H.M.S.O. 1870- . Irregular.
Classed individually.

Until the 15th Report of the Commissioners (no.266), these Reports of the Inspectors were published as appendices to the Commissioners' Report and were bound as part of the same volume until the 9th Report (1883).
Searching in Orbis under the series name produces a list of titles in this series arranged alphabetically by title. Searching in the card catalog under the series name produces a list of the titles in this series, published through about 1986/87, arranged by the name of the collection or collector, regardless of the actual title of the work. Entries are also made under the name of the collector.