A2A - Access to Archives

Administrative History: information about the history or life of an organisation, family or individual who is or was the creator of archives.

Archival History: information about the history of archives - such as former ownership, storage or custody.

Archives: records in any format and of any date, created by individuals, families or organisations in the course of their activities or business, and preserved permanently. See also What are Archives?

Bastardy: from the 16th century onwards in England and Wales, the status of a child born to parents who were not married to each other had particular legal and social consequences. These consequences led to the creation of documents which exist today as archives. For example, a bastardy bond or recognisance could oblige the supposed father to appear at the Quarter Sessions or Petty Sessions court, or simply oblige him or another relation to provide for the child so that she or he was not supported by the parish authorities. A bastardy or affiliation order could be made by a Quarter Sessions or Petty Sessions court, requiring the father to pay for the child's upkeep - failure to pay could result in a prison sentence.

Bond: or recognisance. A legal document recording an obligation to pay a sum of money, or acknowledging a present or future debt.

Borough or municipal corporation: dating from as early as the 11th century. Typically, a town with a governing corporation, and privileges conferred by a royal charter such as its own justices of the peace.

Closure period: a period of time when archives are held in a repository but are not yet available for public access and consultation, for legal or privacy reasons. Some categories of archives which are less than 100 years old may be covered by a closure period ('closed'). If closure periods exist, details are usually given in A2A catalogues.

Creation dates: the date or dates when archives were created. If it is unknown, this may be indicated in a catalogue by terms like 'undated', 'no date' or 'n.d.' If a copy of a document is described in a catalogue, the creation date given is generally the date when the copy was made.

Creator: in archives catalogues, the name of the organisation, family or individual responsible for creating or accumulating archives.

Extent and Form: information in a catalogue about the quantity, bulk or size of all or some of the archives described in that catalogue.

Finding aid: a catalogue, index or list describing archives, intended to help researchers find what they need.

Fonds: all the archives created or accumulated by a specific person, family or organisation.

Indictment: a written accusation of an individual or individuals of a crime, giving details on the offence.

Justice of the Peace or magistrate: an individual appointed by the Crown to keep the peace within a specified area such as a county. The title dates back to 1361 and is sometimes abbreviated to JP.

n.d.: stands for 'no date'. This may appear in a catalogue when the creation dates of archives are unknown.

Overseers of the Poor: appointed in every parish under the Poor Relief Act 1601 to provide for the relief or maintenance of poor people who had settlement in that parish, and to levy a parish rate or tax for that purpose.

Petty Sessions: the lowest tier in the English and Welsh court system, now known as magistrates' courts, where most crime is dealt with. From the 16th century onwards Petty Sessions were held for specific areas or divisions of a county, and separately in boroughs.

Petty Sessions archives typically relate to criminal cases heard by the magistrates or justices of the peace for each division or borough. They may also include documents such as plans relating to the licensing of public houses, clubs and other bodies.

Poor Law: the law which related to the public relief and support of poor people in England and Wales, before the establishment of the modern social services and benefits system. Relevant Acts of Parliament include the Poor Relief Act 1601.

Production: the term used to describe the retrieval of archives from storage for research use. Archives may not be fit for production if they are damaged or fragile. Individual files, volumes, boxes or documents may be treated as 'producible units' by a repository.

Quarter Sessions: the main judicial and administrative bodies of the English and Welsh counties from the 16th century onwards. Their administrative function was replaced by county councils, established in 1889, but their judicial function was not abolished until 1971. Members of Quarter Sessions courts were known as justices of the peace. Quarter Sessions typically met four times a year. There were separate Quarter Sessions courts for boroughs.

The principal Quarter Sessions archives relate to criminal cases, but there are administrative papers too. The archives reflect the wealth of human experience from birth to death: for example apprenticeship, work, poverty, transport, land use, religion, and all sorts of misdemeanours are among the subjects which they cover.

Recognisance or recognizance: an obligation or bond acknowledged in court or in the presence of an officer authorised by law.

Repository: a record office, archives unit, library or other institution where archives are held, cared for and made available for researchers and members of the public.

Sacrament certificate: a certificate proving that an individual has received Holy Communion according to the usage of the Church of England. Required from all those appointed to public office in England and Wales in the period 1672-1828, under the Test Act of 1672.

Scope and Content: information in a catalogue summarising what all or some of the archives described in that catalogue are about. Scope and Content may include details on relevant time periods, subject matter, documentary forms or administrative processes. It may also include details of people or places mentioned in archives.

Series: part of an archival fonds. Archive documents maintained as a unit because they result from the same activity or filing process or have a particular form; or because of some other relationship arising from their creation, accumulation or use.

Settlement: the Poor Law required the authorities of a parish to be responsible for the maintenance of poor people settled there. Settlement certificates were issued to those who moved to another parish. If the need for maintenance arose, the authorities could make a removal order to send them and their dependents back to their parish of origin, after carrying out an examination (or interrogation) as to their settlement. Settlement certificates, removal orders and settlement examinations may be found in the archives of Quarter Sessions courts and of parishes.

Sub-fonds: part of an archival fonds. All the documents created by a specific part of the organisation which created the fonds; or corresponding to geographical, chronological, functional or other groupings.

Sub-series: part of an archival series, consisting of closely related documents.