The collection includes minutes (with the exception of three volumes for 1837-1843, 1866-1884 and 1896-1905 which are noted as missing in the later minute books), rules and papers from the society including reference to insuring the society silver and stories from members.
The minutes are very detailed and provide an exception insight into the pawnbroking trade; shared stories reflect concerns of the time. There are accounts of losing money on pledges, bulgaries, fraud as well as discussions on the impact of legislation on the business and the state of the trade generally. References to the type of items being pawned also show the changing value of goods over the period of time.
The minutes cover both the First World War and the Second World War and show how the pawnbroking businesses were affected during these period of time, for example during the First World War it was recorded in October 1916 that one member raised the question of whether field glasses could be taken in pledge, in February 1919 a discussion was had on the effects of demobelisation and wages and in March of 1920 they discussion the issue of being offered firearms as a pledge items and how one member had recently sold to the Ministry of Munitions two army revolvers.
The Second World War saw meetings abandoned for a short time with members raising concerns about holding what could be deemed as a 'social gathering' in war time being recorded in the February of 1940 and in May 1941 there are detailed discussions between the members concerning the effect of fire, caused by air raids on jewellery and valuables in safes which was following the next month by discussions of the position of pawnbrokers regarding war damage insurance in respect of goods that they were holding on pledge. An entry from November 1941 shows the effect of not wrapping purchased goods when a member, Mr Norris remarked that the about of pilfering by the public in the sales shops had increased since the order prohibiting the use of paper for wrapping up goods sold to customers which meant that it was not easy to detect thieving as there was noting to show at a glance whether the article had been purchased or not.