4580 FAMILY HISTORY Vn1_0 15/3/07 10:15 Page b For further information on our holdings, search our online catalogue, Portcullis, at: www.portcullis.parliament.uk Visiting the Parliamentary Archives The Parliamentary Archives Search Room, a public office in the Palace of Westminster (the Houses of Parliament), is open Monday to Friday throughout the year, public holidays excepted, from 9.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. We close for annual stocktaking in the last two weeks of November. Our service is open to everyone. Space in our Search Room is limited, however, so please contact us in advance of your visit to book a seat and to check record availability. Visit our pages on the Parliamentary website for practical information, including copying services and publications; news, recently acquired records and online exhibitions and features. Enquiries should be directed to: Parliamentary Archives Houses of Parliament London SW1A 0PW Tel: 020 7219 3074 Fax: 020 7219 2570 Email: archives@parliament.uk Web: www.parliament.uk/archives Catalogue: www.portcullis.parliament.uk Front cover: Roman Catholic Return for Chester (Wigan), 1767
4580 FAMILY HISTORY Vn1_0 15/3/07 10:15 Page c Parliamentary Archives Guide to Sources for family history
4580 FAMILY HISTORY Vn1_0 15/3/07 10:15 Page d Sources for family history at the Parliamentary Archives It is not widely known that the archives provide a rich source of information for family historians. This guide highlights documentary series of primary interest and also explains what material is not held. Private Acts of Parliament, 1497 to the present (HL/PO/ PB/1) These include Acts to effect naturalisations, divorces and changes of name. Before 1844, a foreign born resident could only become naturalised as a British citizen by means of an Act of Parliament. Until 1858, a full divorce, freeing both partners to marry, was rare, expensive and required an Act of Parliament. Private Acts were not printed routinely until the 19th century so it may be necessary to consult the original vellum Act. The legislative process also produced other significant documentation including petitions, drafts of Bills and proceedings on Bills. An Act to naturalise Isaac Aaron Abensur, 1896
4580 FAMILY HISTORY Vn1_0 15/3/07 10:15 Page 1 Protestation Returns, 1642 (HL/PO/JO/10/1) Lists of the names of men over 18 years of age who made the protestation to maintain the true reformed Protestant religion. For details of the areas covered and those returns which have been published see J.G. Gibson & A. Dell, The Protestation Returns 1641-1642 (Federation of Family History Societies Publications Ltd, 1995). Protestation Return for Callington, Cornwall, 1642 Roman Catholic Returns 1680, 1706, 1767, 1781 (HL/PO/JO/10) The names of known or reputed Roman Catholics are listed for 1680 and 1706, but some may be suppressed for 1767 or not collected for 1781. For details see the National Index of Parish Registers, vol. 3 (1974), Historical Manuscripts Commission, Eleventh Report, Appendix, part 2, and E. S. Worrall, Returns of Papists, 1767: dioceses of England and Wales except Chester (Catholic Record Society, 1989).
4580 FAMILY HISTORY Vn1_0 15/3/07 10:15 Page 2 Deposited plans, 1794 present (HL/PO/PB/3 and HC/CL/PB/6) Annexed to plans deposited in connection with private Bills for the construction of railways, roads, and other such schemes are documents that list the names of owners, occupiers and lessees of land or property and subscribers of capital. Plan and book of reference, London Riverside Fish Market Bill, 1882
4580 FAMILY HISTORY Vn1_0 15/3/07 10:15 Page 3 Evidence on Opposed Private Bills, 1771 to present (HC/CL/PB/2, HC/CL/PB/3 and HL/PO/PB/5) More than 200,000 witnesses have given evidence to committees on canals, roads, docks and especially railways, as well as non-transport Bills concerned with markets, town improvements, and water, gas and electricity undertakings. Evidence typically contains witnesses names, occupations and places of residence or work. A database of witnesses (to 1917) is accessible in the Search Room. Evidence of Thomas George Wheelock, fish crier, hawker & curer, 1882 Photographs of Members of Parliament (PHO) Although our photographic collections are not extensive there is fair coverage of MPs from the mid to late 19th century.
4580 FAMILY HISTORY Vn1_0 15/3/07 10:15 Page 4 Sources for heraldry at the Parliamentary Archives The Parliamentary Archives holds a few sources for the study of the coats of arms of Peers or Members of Parliament. Peers pedigrees (HL/PO/JO/22) Between 1767 and 1802 every peer on first admission to the House of Lords delivered a pedigree fairly described on vellum. These pedigrees are illustrated with coats of arms and include up to eight generations of the family line. Coat of Arms from the Pedigree of Baron Talbot, 1737 Coats of arms of the Speakers of the House of Commons (HC/LB/1/7) This volume, entitled Speakers of the Parliament comprises a list of Speakers of the House of Commons to 1804. For each Speaker, there is a summary biographical description and a sketch of his coat of arms. Details of Speakers up to 1841 have been added subsequently. Grants of Arms A few grants of arms are amongst the collections. Searchers are advised to search our catalogue.
4580 FAMILY HISTORY Vn1_0 15/3/07 10:15 Page 5 Useful points to note MPs and Peers Apart from the records noted here or in our Personal Political Papers guide, we hold very little biographical information about the vast majority of MPs or Peers other than that recorded in the standard biographical reference books such as the History of Parliament, Who s Who of British Members of Parliament, The Complete Peerage, and Burke s Peerage and Baronetage. Speeches by Members of both Houses are contained in Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), but not all debates were fully reported until 1909. It is important to note that proceedings on private Bills are not well reported because they were mostly taken in committees of the floor of the House. Peerage claims and Appeal Cases These records are a potential source of information for family historians who have established that their ancestors were the subject of such proceedings. Staff Holdings of records about staff of either House are generally fragmentary and not accessible in organised form. Scattered incidental references to employment of staff occur in various series, but searchers must be prepared to undertake systematic and time consuming research that may not ultimately be productive. There is very little information about craftsmen and others involved in the 19th century rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster, but a few collections contain information about architects who worked in the office of Charles Barry.