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Retford by Andy Nicholson

 

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Archival/written

Extract from the 1372 charter.

The most useful reference book on using town archives is:

  • John West, Town records, Chichester: Phillimore, 1983

British Library

  • Extracts relating to lands there 6 John-4 Jac. 1. Add. 11756
  • Letter to the Mayor, from W. E. Gladstone 1865. Copy.  Add. 44408 f. 49
  • Address to the Protestant inhabitants 1825. Printed.  Add. 40382 f. 162
  • Theatrical notes of T. H. W. Manly in 1821-1829.  Add. 41073  Add. 41074 passim   
  • Deed relating to 1553.  Add.Ch. 54383
  • Letter from the Bailiffs and Aldermen to the Duke of Newcastle 1740. Add. 32695 f. 279   
  • Design for hospital, by E. Blore circ. 1832.  Add. 42028 f.34   
  • Drawing of the church 19th cent.  (Blore Drawings) Add. 42003 f. 34   
  • Bill for the disfranchisement of 1827. Printed.  Add. 35148 f. 16   
  • Deed rel. to Bolham in 1601. Eg.Ch. 2704    
  • Deed rel. to, and to Moorgate House in 1628.  Eg.Ch. 2757    
  • Memorandum rel. to debate on disfranchisement of 1828.  Add. 38762, f 185   
  • Memorial to the Postmaster General 1852.  Add. 35807 f. 172   
  • Deeds relating to 1718, 1734.   Add.Ch. 53489   Add.Ch. 53490    
  • Drawings of the churches 1814, n.d.  (Add. 36372 ff. 67-71; Add. 36396 f. 116 b; Add. 37121 no. 17)

Use the British Library’s online catalogue for further details:

Bassetlaw Museums Service

The Museum holds a variety of archival material, including:

  • The Joshua Walker Collection of Valuation Books, 1878-1946 (see Malcolm Dolby’s article in the Retford & District Historical & Archaeological Review 5 1998 pp 22-24)
  • Royal charters - Charter relating to the Royal Borough of East Retford (1378 inspeximus is illustrated on the Bassetlaw Museum website)
  • East Retford Corporation Minute Books
  • East Retford Rural District Council Minutes and general ledgers
  • Deeds
  • Election material
  • Henry Spencer and Sons Auctioneers Archive
  • Burial Records

Jones & Co., Solicitors, Retford

Hold the Piercy MSS, containing transcriptions by J S Piercy of Retford records many of which are now lost:

  • Red Books
  • Black Book

National Archives

  • Exchequer records (Lay Subsidies, Poll Taxes, Hearth Tax returns etc)
  • Census enumerators’ books (also available on microfilm at Nottinghamshire Archives and Local Studies Libraries, and online at a variety of geneaological websites such as www.ancestry.co.uk
  • Patent Rolls, Close Rolls, Pipe Rolls, Assize Rolls, Coroners’ Rolls
  • Chancery and Star Chamber proceedings
  • Court of Augmentations records
  • Inquisitions
  • Home Office

The National Archives catalogue is available online:

Nottinghamshire Archives

Collections at Nottinghamshire Archives containing material on Retford include:

  • Parish registers for East Retford, Clarborough and Ordsall
  • Quarter Sessions [C/Q]
  • Nottinghamshire Petty Sessions, County and Boroughs (licensing of public houses) [C/PS]
  • Hodgkinson and Beevor of Newark, solicitors (wills for inhabitants of East Retford, West Retford, Clarborough and Ordsall) DD/H/149 []
  • Williamson and Company of Retford, Solicitors (property records etc) [DD/WM]
  • Foljambe of Osberton (correspondence relating to elections etc) [DD/FJ]
  • Wilkinson Papers (miscellaneous material on Retford) [DD/W]
  • East Retford Corporation, minutes, burgess rolls and papers (1818-1903) [DD/HO/4/8-20]
  • East Retford Corporation, ledger of property rentals, charity accounts, offices' expenses (1824-36) [DD/ME addn]
  • East Retford Petty Sessions, court minute book (1856-58) [DD/ME/3/52]
  • Trinity Hospital, West Retford, deeds, correspondence, papers (1305-1853) [DD/ME]
  • Worksop & Retford Brewery Co Ltd, brewers, wine, spirit and cigar merchants and maltsters, minutes, registers, share records, accounts, ledgers, journal, cash books, staff and property records (1899-1970) [DD/WG]

Use the Access to Archives website to search the catalogues for these collections:

Nottingham University, Manuscripts and Special Collections

The Newcastle Collection at Nottingham University contains a considerable amount of material on the town, particularly relating to parliamentary elections:

See also:

  • MS 666 — Church books of Retford Congregational Church, Retford, Nottinghamshire, 1842-1908
  • Fr 73 — Memoranda and expenses book of Reverend Seth Ellis Stevenson, rector and headmaster of Retford, Nottinghamshire, 1760-1777

The online catalogue provides more information:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/mss/online/

Other Archive Offices

Sheffield Archives

  • Estate Papers of the Copley Family, Baronets of Sprotborough (medieval charters relating to properties in East Retford) [CD]

Use the Access to Archives website to search the catalogues for these collections:

 

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