Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 164--1854 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
3 production units.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The fair was founded at Smithfield by Rahere, founder of the Priory and Hospice dedicated to St Bartholomew. Following a royal charter of 1133 the Priory received the tolls of the cloth fair, held annually for three days from the eve of St Bartholomew's Day. The Corporation of London held a cattle fair at the same time and constantly disputed the rights to tolls. In 1445 the City became joint Lords of the Fair, taking full control from 1604. In the seventeenth century the fair became more important as a centre of general entertainment than a cloth fair, and there were numerous booths offering different attractions. The City authorities, however, increasingly saw the fair as encouraging public disorder, and the fair was suppressed in 1855. It was replaced in 1866 by Smithfield Market.
A Court of Piepowders was organised by the local government of an area specifically to handle cases arising from events at a fair; such as disputes between merchants, thefts, and acts of violence.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 CLC/308 164--1854 Collection 3 production units. Bartholomew Fair , market and entertainments at Smithfield
The fair was founded at Smithfield by Rahere, founder of the Priory and Hospice dedicated to St Bartholomew. Following a royal charter of 1133 the Priory received the tolls of the cloth fair, held annually for three days from the eve of St Bartholomew's Day. The Corporation of London held a cattle fair at the same time and constantly disputed the rights to tolls. In 1445 the City became joint Lords of the Fair, taking full control from 1604. In the seventeenth century the fair became more important as a centre of general entertainment than a cloth fair, and there were numerous booths offering different attractions. The City authorities, however, increasingly saw the fair as encouraging public disorder, and the fair was suppressed in 1855. It was replaced in 1866 by Smithfield Market.
A Court of Piepowders was organised by the local government of an area specifically to handle cases arising from events at a fair; such as disputes between merchants, thefts, and acts of violence.
Deposited in the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section, which merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.
Records relating to Bartholomew Fair, inclduing pie powder court book, 1790-1854; historical notes, press cuttings and other notes, ca. 1641-ca. 1848; and accounts of receipts and expenditure for Bartholomew Fair, 1671. They were catalogued at various dates by members of Guildhall Library staff.
Records arranged by MS number, assigned during cataloguing at the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section.
Restricted access: please see staff.
Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.
English
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
August to October 2010. Bartholomew Fair , market and entertainments at Smithfield Information sources Records and correspondence Records (documents) Court records Leisure Smithfield Leisure time activities Cultural events Fairs (entertainment) Administration of justice Courts Piepowder courts Trade Domestic trade Fairs (trade) City of London London England UK Western Europe Europe
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Deposited in the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section, which merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records relating to Bartholomew Fair, inclduing pie powder court book, 1790-1854; historical notes, press cuttings and other notes, ca. 1641-ca. 1848; and accounts of receipts and expenditure for Bartholomew Fair, 1671. They were catalogued at various dates by members of Guildhall Library staff.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Records arranged by MS number, assigned during cataloguing at the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Restricted access: please see staff.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English