Bibliography of Manuscript Sources
corporation of london records officeSessions Records
SF 159 – 851 Sessions Files, 1662 – 1750
SM 3 – 118 Sessions Minute Books, 1662 – 1750
London Sessions Papers: including depositions, petitions, and grand jury presentments,
arranged in envelopes by session, with a modern guide to the nature of the documents
in each envelope, covering the period 1648 – 1785 in two volumes.
Index of Indictments, 1714 – 1834 ( 4 vols.)
Instruction Books: 1705 – 40 , with gaps, 6 vols. Brief notes on indictments to be drawn at
sessions of the peace and sessions of gaol delivery; there are notes at the end of several
volumes on the distribution of the £ 100 rewards for the conviction of robbers in the
metropolis offered by royal proclamation after 1720.Records of the Lord Mayor, Court of Aldermen, Court of Common Council
Rep 67 – 154 , Repertories of the Court of Aldermen 1659 – 1750
Jor 45 – 59 , Journals of the Common Council
Papers of the Court of Aldermen
Papers of the Common Council
Lord Mayor’s Charge Books: two series of volumes record the lord mayors’ work as a
magistrate. The first, labelled ‘Lord Mayor’s Waiting Books’, covers the years
1664 – 86 in nine volumes; the second, labelled ‘Mansion House Justice Room Charge
Books’—anachronistically, since the Mansion House was not built until the middle of
the eighteenth century—consists of a broken series of volumes that survive only for the
years 1686 – 9 , 1692 – 5 , 1695 – 9 , 1699 – 1705 , and 1728 – 33. For the sake of simplicity and
clarity, I have called them all the ‘Lord Mayor’s Charge Books’. Two other volumes
that appear to continue the first series (covering the years 1690 – 7 and 1700 – 6 ) are
mainly notes of fees due to the four attorneys who kept the record. The work of the
court in which the aldermen, sitting in rotation, conducted pre-trial magisterial work
in the City after 1737 —the Guildhall justice room—is recorded in a broken series that
begins in 1752 ; and Minute Books of the Mansion House justice room begin in 1784.
Improvement Committee, Court of Common Council: Minute Book of the committee
appointed to consider and improve the revenue and estate belonging to the City,
1692 – 6 ( 2 vols.).
City Lands Committee:
Journals: 1673 – 1750
Minute Books: 1668 – 73 , 1703 – 1834 , vols. 1 – 30
Committee Papers: 1666 – 1750bib.y5 11/6/01 12:13 PM Page 476