Friends of Gloucestershire Archives

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Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Friends of Gloucestershire Archives, Charitable organisation, Gloucester.

The Friends of Gloucestershire Archives charity was founded over 25 years ago to support the work of Gloucestershire Archives, by helping to protect and promote the rich heritage of Gloucestershire, and the collections held by Gloucestershire Archives.

28/08/2026

This week's takes us to Staunton, near Ledbury.

The land of Staunton Court has been farmed by the Hawkins family for a staggering 150 years. Staunton Court was first owned by Robert de Lacy as far back as 1086 and was passed down through various families. The farm was eventually purchased by Joseph Galliers Hawkins in 1901, who, alongside his family, had lived for many years on the land as tenant farmers. The family collection (D8815) includes farm accounts, cash books and other records from 1878-1930. The volume we're looking at today offers an earlier insight into the farm.

This farm account book covers 1853-1859, making it the oldest volume relating to Staunton Court farm. It tells us the names of workers and their wages, the selling of produce including wheat, potatoes, butter and milk and rent payments. It is a fascinating look at the agricultural heritage of Gloucestershire. The volume is also a useful family history resource, as the full names of tenants and workers are listed legibly.

This volume was recently purchased by the Friends in 2025. If you would like to support future purchases, please consider visiting our website and becoming a member.

📸: D17011/1

21/08/2026

Today's document is the oldest so far!

This deed of messuage and land in Aston Magna is from 1639. It tells us that ownership of a dwelling and land was transferred from Thomas Middow the Older to Thomas Middow the Younger. Whilst this document presents a palaeography challenge, deeds followed the same formula. The most important information (e.g., the names of the land and involved parties) will appear in the first few sentences.

The seal attached to the deed was used as a form of personal authentication. This conveyed the legitimacy of the document. The type you see on this is called a "pendant seal", which is the most common type you'll see on legal documents. These seals were made from a combination of beeswax and turpentine. A stamp called a "matrix" was pressed onto the wax when warmend, leaving an impression. Unfortunately, the design of this seal has worn away but there is a small "x" impression which remains where the matrix was pressed. Remarkably, you can also still see fingerprints that have been left on the wax!

This deed was purchased as a part of a collection of documents at auction by the Friends in 2012. These purchases are only possible with the support of members and donations. Please follow the link in our bio to find out how you can support the Friends.

📸: D16762/3

14/08/2026

Today's illuminates the long history of apprenticeships.

Apprenticeship agreements were legally binding agreements where a master agreed to train an apprentice for a set term for a sum of money. The master also provided the apprentice with living arrangements, for example food and shelter. The 1709 Stamp Act taxed indentures, which meant that apprenticeships became centrally registered. This means that 18th and 19th century apprenticeship indentures survive quite well. There were some exemptions to the tax. These included if the fee was less than one shilling or the apprenticeship was organised by a charity or parish.

This apprenticeship indenture is from 1761. It tells us that Giles Tray of Cold Aston apprenticed as a joiner and carpenter with Robert Fletcher of Naunton. His apprenticeship began on the 23rd of February and would last seven years. Tray (or his guardian) paid £3 to Fletcher for his apprenticeship. That would cost around £570 today!

The indenture was purchased alongside various other papers at auction by FoGA in 2012.

📸: D12931/1

11/08/2026

📣 ‼️Unfortunately, the talk arranged for Thursday 13th August has been postponed due to the heatwave. A new date will be announced in due course.

10/08/2026

Talks are free of charge and there is no need to book. Everyone is welcome to attend, so make sure to write the date in your diary!🛩🗨

07/08/2026

Today's takes us to Painswick Manor.

These 17th and 18th century manorial manuscripts are Court Rolls. There are two types of manorial court: Court Leet and Court Baron. The Court Leet enforced law, governance (e.g., electing local officials) and the frankpledge. It was commonly held every six months. The Court Baron enforced the customs of the Manor. This included overseeing land and tenancy arrangements, for example copyhold agreements.

Painswick Manor has a long and complex ownership history. A Manor was set up as far back as 1066, and went through various owners, including the De Lacy's, Fitzjohn's, Plantagenets and even Thomas Cromwell, the Earl of Essex. These manuscripts relate to the Jerningham's. George and William Jerningham were the 6th and 7th Baron Stafford's respectively. The family took ownership of the estate in the mid 1500's, and it remained in the family until the early 1800's. Today, the manor is known as Painswick Lodge.

The manuscripts were bought at auction in 2019 by FoGA and the Painswick Local History Society.

📸: D15055/1-2

31/07/2026

For this week's , we'll be looking at a collection of 17th century correspondence.

These letters were sent to John Smyth of North Nibley, steward of the hundred of Berkeley 1597-1641, from his uncle Benedict Webb senior, a clothier, and nephew Benedict Webb junior, both of Kingswood.

These letters are an incredible palaeography challenge! Helpfully, the letters come with a transcript so we can delve into Webb's story. The letters are mainly concerned with mortgages, mills, crops and Webb senior's financial difficulties.
They begin in 1630, where Webb writes of being under immense pressure from his landlord to pay his mortgage, asking Smyth to pay it. These difficulties largely stem from Webb's attempt to patent the use of local rapeseed oil in his cloth mills, rather than imported oil. The patent was never successful, so Webb did not reap the rewards of his potential monopoly. However, Webb's troubles do not end there. Subsequent letters tell of failed enterprises in Wales and threats of jail time for not paying his rent. Eventually, Benedict Webb junior takes up writing to Smyth, leaving Webb senior's fate unknown.

Local Historian Russel Howes delves into the life of Benedict Webb in an article (SR24.71GS) and this is a fantastic additional resource for those interested in this fascinating story.

These letters were purchased at auction by the Friends. If you would like to support additional purchases, please consider becoming a member by following the link in our bio.

📸: D12960/1

24/07/2026

For today's , we'll be looking at a collection of collotype photographs covering various towns, villages and people of Gloucestershire in the early 20th century, printed by Cotswold Collotype Company.

Cotswold Collotype Company began as a section of Francis Frith of Reigate which made prints of photographs. Three employees, C. R. Bagwell, F. Jeater and J. H. Russell, bought out and registered the business as the Cotswold Publishing Company in 1909. In 1942 the Company amalgamated with the Berkshire Printing Company and was a part of the Brooke Bond Liebig organisation, until November 1980 when it was sold to Capel & Co. of London. In 1980 the Company was the only one in Britain still practising collotype printing.

Collotype printing is a complex, continuous-tone process which does not use a screen, and which even under a magnifying glass shows no loss of detail. A gelatine substrate is hardened onto glass plates, then covered in dichromated gelatine. The plate is dried carefully at around 50 °C so the mixture breaks up when washed later in 16 °C water. The plate is then exposed using a UV light source and developed by washing out the dichromate salt and leaving to dry for 24 hours.

A print is produced by dampening the plate with a glycerine/water mixture which is inked with collotype ink. Paper is placed on top of the plate and covered with a tympan (a sheet which distributes the weight of the press), before being printed with a press. Output speeds are lower to achieve quality and both black and white and colour prints are made.

The Millennium Festival Awards for All and the Friends funded a project in 2000 to package the glass plates and produce contact prints of them. Where only a glass plate positive image survived, a new film negative was made to run off a copy print. This means that researchers can access the photographs without any risk to the original glass plates.

📸: GPS/379/50, GPS/601/57, GPS/124/27,
GPS/46/45, GPS/330/31, GPS/601/58, GPS/366/7, GPS/287/59, GPS/287/54, GPS/213/14,
GPS/208/7, GPS/78/55, GPS/50/6

17/07/2026

This week’s takes us to South Gloucestershire in 1848.

This map shows the New Lodge and Stover estates of Iron Acton and Yate, which were owned by Reverend John Wadham.

These estates surrounded the Newlodge and Stover farms, which on the map are plots 1 and 21. These farms have since been lost, having been replaced by the Stover Trading estate and Iron Acton Way. You can see this change using Know Your Place and selecting the 1844-1858 OS 2nd edition map and comparing it with the 2019 OS map.

The map also shows us the industrial heritage of Yate and the surrounding area. The estates sat around the Yate No.1 and No.2 Collieries. These coal mines were open during the 19th century and were owned by Long, Howell and Co. until their closure in 1886. Having a closer look, we can see that plot 27 was "occupied by the Coal Company", and this shows us the expansive nature of these Collieries. We can also see infrastructure like the Bristol and Gloucester railway, which played a part in moving the resources mined in Yate.

The map was purchased at auction by FoGA and the South Gloucestershire Mining Research Group in 2019.

📸: D15148/1

10/07/2026

It’s time for another Friday. This week we'll be looking at a map of Gloucester during the English Civil War.

In 1643 Gloucester, a Parliamentarian city, was besieged from 10th August to 5th September by the Royalists. Royalist encampments were positioned to the North, South and East, as the Severn River created a natural defence around the West of Gloucester. This month-long siege ended in Parliamentarian victory, as the Royalists could not breach Gloucester’s defences, despite intense mining campaigns.

So, what did Gloucester’s defences look like? Thanks to this plan, we have some idea. The plan has been folded amongst a bound volume of contemporary printed pamphlets regarding various plots and events which happened in Gloucester during the Civil War. It measures 54cm by 42cm and shows internal and external defences. These include each “Gate” and the internal “College Walls”. We can also see the position of now lost buildings, such as Gloucester Castle and Northgate prison. Have a look at “Alvin Gate” to the North – this is very close to where the Archives stands today!

There is some ambiguity, however. With no indication of who made it or when, it raises the question whether it depicts the actual fortifications or whether it illustrates a proposal. Researcher Michael Atkin suggested that the plan represents a later scheme described by engineer David Papillon in 1646, which was never built. Nevertheless, the plan gives us an idea of what the city could have looked like when the Royalists arrived.

The plan, alongside the volume it is bound with, was purchased at auction in 2012 with the support of FoGA, The Friends of the National Libraries, The Sealed Knot and GADARG. A digital access copy has been made available for research.

📸: D12862/1

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