Papers, 1661-1926, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, including deeds, copies of court rolls, wills, and legal papers relating to the Greenhill family of Northolt; deeds and other papers relating to property in Enfield; deeds and other papers relating to property in Queen's Walk, Kingsbury and various wills and legal papers.
Young, Jackson, Beard and King , solicitorsRecords relating to property owned by the Earl of Hardwicke on Princes Street, near Drury Lane.
Yorke , Philip , 1757-1834 , 3rd Earl of HardwickeRecords of the Wright family comprising title deeds and related papers for premises in Crouch End, Muswell Hill, Hornsey, and Chiswick.
Various.Records of the Worshipful Company of Coopers, 1440-1978, including Court minute books; mark books (alphabetical lists of members practising the trade of a cooper with a representation of their marks); financial accounts; title deeds and other papers relating to property; lists of freemen; registers of freedom admissions; registers of apprentice bindings. There are also records relating to the charities of William Alexander, Nicholas Gibson and Henry Strode.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING ACCESS: These records are stored at the Guildhall Library site rather than the LMA Clerkenwell site. Researchers wishing to access these records should do so at the Guildhall Library Rare Books table. The Library is open Monday to Saturday, 9:30 to 16:45. Researchers will need to have an Archives History Card or a Library Readers Card. An archivist will be available at Guildhall Library on Thursday mornings to answer any queries.
Worshipful Company of CoopersRecords of the Manor of Worcesters, Enfield, relating to property transactions, including quitclaim, bargain and sales, wills, common recovery, and leases.
Manor of Worcesters , EnfieldRecords of Woolwich Magistrates Court, 1898-1979, including court registers; court minute books; Married Women Act orders; Guardianship of Infants Act orders and bastardy complaints.
Court registers record the date of the hearing, the name of the informant or complainant (often the police), the name of the defendant, a brief note of the offence and the decision of the magistrate. Court minute books or notebooks are rough notes of the proceedings recording the gist of the evidence given.
Domestic proceedings: A married woman under the provisions of the Summary Jurisdiction (Married Women) Act 1895 and subsequent Acts could go to a magistrates' court and apply for orders which in certain circumstances would enable her to separate from her husband, have custody of any children and receive maintenance from him. Under the Poor Law Amendment Act 1844 a mother expecting a bastard child or who had given birth to one could obtain a maintenance order against the putative father.
Woolwich Magistrates CourtRecords of Woolwich County Court, 1872-1995, including minute book; ordinary summons books; ordinary actions books; judges' note books; bills of sale and court service expenditure ledger.
Woolwich County CourtPapers collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising mortgage for the leaseholds on 20, 22, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 and 42 Whittingstall Road, Fulham, 8 Jan 1897; assignment of the residue of the leasehold terms of 28, 30 and 32 Whittingstall Road, Fulham, 2 Jan 1928; acknowledgement of right of production and delivery of a will 2 Jan 1928.
Woolsey and Woolsey , solicitorsPapers of the Wood family, including records relating to properties in Laleham, Littleton and Shepperton including title deeds, tax assessments, legal papers, rentals, court rolls and plans; family letters, particularly between Edward Wood and his London agent John Pack; family papers such as legal opinions, marriage settlements, wills, and financial accounts; and papers relating to court cases including the Chancery case of Sir Richard Lane versus Charles Wood, 1733, and the Chancery case of Wood versus Wood, 1738-1746.
The material as a whole provides a fascinating picture of the Wood family in the seventeenth century, their personal letters and papers complemented by the deeds of the property they acquired. The material is also interesting from a wider point of view. There are, for example, various references to the Elections of Members of Parliament for Middlesex, including a letter from Henry Spiller of Laleham in 1695 saying, "I have this day sent to particularly and spoken to myself every person in this parish that I thought a freeholder" (March 4th, 1695?). The results of his canvassing are given in detail. Less information has survived on the plague, however, than one might expect. Pack was apparently in the habit of sending down to Littleton the current Bills of Mortality, but unfortunately none of these have survived, although Edward Wood frequently makes pious and sententious comments on them. There are also interesting sidelights on the political scene, including two detailed accounts of the background of the 1688 deposition, and four political and satirical ballads. It is surprising, however, to see how little the family were affected by the enormous political changes taking place. Edward Wood, for example, made his fortune during the Interregnum but did not suffer from the Restoration when he set himself up as a wealthy landowner in Middlesex.
Wood , family , of LittletonRecords of the Wood family, comprising 1695 marriage settlement between Edward Wood (son of Thomas and Dorothy) and Elizabeth Bridger of Guildford, mentioning land in Harmondsworth, Stanwell, Littleton, and Yorkshire. Also probate relating to money left by Thomas Wood of Littleton, 1856.
Wood , family , of LittletonRecords of the Wombwell family relating primarily to number 68 Gower Street, Bloomsbury, but also to premises in Pinner, Harrow and Hounslow. The documents include probates, leases, assignments, grants, and mortgages.
Various.Papers, 1645-1887, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, including leases, copies from court rolls of courts baron, letters of administration and copy will and probate relating to property in Ealing, Edmonton, Chiswick and Sutton.
Withers and Company , solicitorsDocuments relating to Fulham House (also known as Stourton House), owned by Thomas Winter, including bargain and sales; fines; exemplification of recovery; releases; assignments; leases; mortgages; and copies from court rolls.
Various.Papers, 1638-1890, collected by Myers in the course of their work, comprising wills and a bond relating to Palgrave, Suffolk; Hampstead; Kensington (Old Brompton); West Twyford and Bloomsbury.
UnknownDeeds, 1580-1770, relating to property in Cowley, Edmonton, Enfield, Harefield, Harrow, Hayes, Hillingdon, Ickenham, Uxbridge, Shoreditch and Stepney; including deed of feoffment, bargain and sale, leases, mortgages and bonds.
UnknownPapers collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising probate of will of Anne Aleyn of Harefield, widow, 1724; papers arising out of Chancery Suit regarding a share in the Shadwell Waterworks Company formerly belong to Robert Bodington, including drafts, correspondence, genealogical notes and involving such families as Pitfield and Bathurst, also giving some account of the history of the company and early shareholders, 1740-1866; documents arising out of trusts under will of Dr Daniel Tuke of Lyndon Lodge, Hanwell, 1924-1934; conveyance and mortgages for West End Farm Estate, Pinner, 1914; mortgages and conveyance for number 2 Palmerston Road, Twickenham, 1929 and 1958; draft wills of Miss Sibyl Thesiger, 1931-1947.
Winckworth and Pembertons , solicitorsLegal papers, such as court rolls, feoffments, lease and releases, assignments, agreements, bargain and sales, grants, mortgages and common recoverys, relating to properties in Stanwell; Harlington; Cranford; Heston; Uxbridge; Denham, Buckinghamshire; Brentford; Hendon; Hampstead; Cowley; Rickmansworth; Willesden; Tilehurst and Bradfield, Berkshire; St. Margaret's Westminster and Shinfield, Berkshire.
Various.Papers of Samuel Henry Wilson, including will, probate and correspondence; and deeds, insurance policies, reports, and valuations for properties in Fulham, Brompton, and Ratcliff.
Wilson , Samuel Henry , fl 1871-1936Records of the Willis family relating to properties in Hackney and Clapton, including leases, marriage settlements, a will, and receipts.
Various.Papers, 1810-1824, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising assignment of lease of copyhold ground at Turnham Green, with building thereon called 'King of Boheme', and letters of administration, with will annexed, of Thomas Lewis of Turnham Green.
Williams and James , solicitorsPapers, 1825-1932, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising deeds and conveyances for properties in Chiswick, Wembley, Isleworth, and Greenford.
William Sturges and Company , solicitorsRecords ofWilliam Brass and his estate, comprising accounts, agreements, correspondence and related papers. They were catalogued by a member of Guildhall Library staff in 1987. Ms 22352 includes a schedule of Trust records drawn up in 1954.
Brass , William , d 1888 , builder and contractorRecords relating to the estate of William Willett, including records relating to properties in Hammersmith, Belsize Park, St John's Wood, Earl's Court, Kensington, Marylebone, Mill Hill, Brighton and Hove; and papers of the trustees of the estate including reports, financial accounts and statements, receipts, and allocation of income.
Various.Records of courts within Willesden Petty Sessional Division, 1873-1986. Records include court registers for Harlesden Magistrates Court; court registers, juvenile court registers and court minute books for Willesden Magistrates Court; court registers, juvenile court registers and court minute books for Acton Magistrates Court and licensing registers for Willesden, Acton and Chiswick.
Court registers record the date of the hearing, the name of the informant or complainant (often the police), the name of the defendant, a brief note of the offence and the decision of the magistrate. Court minute books or notebooks are rough notes of the proceedings recording the gist of the evidence given.
Willesden Petty Sessional Division Harlesden Magistrates Court Willesden Magistrates Court Acton Magistrates CourtPapers, 1575-1792, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising legal documents relating to properties mainly in Edgware, Hendon and Willesden. Documents include bargain and sales, bonds, quitclaim, mortgages, will and probate, covenants and final concords.
Willes and Gladstone , solicitorsRecords relating to the Wild family, including mid 18th century presentments at the Manorial Court, assessments for land tax and house tax and deeds and indentures for the manors of Harmondsworth, Harlington, Hamworth, Cranford and Colham dating from 1550 to 1840.
Wild , family , of HarmondsworthRecords relating to the Whitton Park estate, Twickenham, owned by Archibald Campbell, (1682-1761), 3rd Duke of Argyll, including admissions, surrenders, leases, bonds, and extracts from the court rolls of the manors of Isleworth Syon and Twickenham.
Various.Records of Whitbread Properties Limited, a subsidiary of Whitbread and Company Limited, brewers, including corporate registers, accounts and estate ledgers.
Whitbread and Co Ltd , brewers Whitbread Properties LtdPapers, 1926-1933, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, relating to 101 High Street, Plumstead, including leases, assignment, plan and sales catalogue.
Whatley, Weston and Fox , solicitorsRecords of the Wetherall family relating to their Castlebar and Castle Hill estates in Ealing, including leases, conveyances, abstracts of title, agreements, plans of the estate, and papers relating to a Chancery case regarding part of the estate.
Wetherall , family , of EalingRecords enrolled or filed with the Clerk of the Westminster Quarter Sessions of the Peace, 1552-1885. The records classified as WR/A are concerned with the registration of foreigners; WR/B are records produced by Building Surveyors; WR/F are returns of those eligible to serve on juries; WR/L/P covers the licensing of printing presses; WR/LV relate to Licensed Victuallers; WR/ML are concerned with Militia and Lieutenancy; WR/O are Oaths of Office; WR/P are papers concerning Parliamentary Elections; WR/PLT Land Tax; WR/R contains the records produced from the control and recording of all non-conformists; WR/S contains records concerned with Societies; and WR/U records deposited with the court concerning Public Undertakings.
Note on the Quarter Sessions records: Although Westminster has fewer surviving records than Middlesex, the City's sessions would have produced similar records to those of the County, but they would have been smaller in quantity, and have included less administrative material. Also, as with all Quarter Sessions records, "seeing that the Custos Rotulorum was a private gentleman or nobleman and the Clerk of the Peace an attorney with a private practice it is likely that many county records were (if not lost or destroyed) handed down to their families or their professional successors" and many may still remain to be found in private hands (Emmison and Gray, County Records, 1987). Those records that have survived are often difficult to read or understand because of the handwriting, use of Latin (until 1733), or legal jargon and abbreviations; although standardised legal formats were used and printed pro formas introduced by the nineteenth century.
For the Middlesex and Westminster records there may also be confusion over the records' arrangement resulting from the attempts at classification by previous generations of archivists which have left many records split up into unnatural groupings. Originally they would not have been sorted into any cohesive arrangement. These were records that were "kept for administrative convenience rather than as sources for future generations" (G. Jones, Quarter Sessions records in the Leicestershire Record Office).
Because of this overlapping between many classes of record, any study of the Westminster records should include consultation of those for Middlesex. There was in any case a lot of co-operation between the two courts during the period covered by the records. Judicial (Gaol Delivery Sessions for example) and administrative functions were shared, as were court personnel (including justices). Westminster prisoners could elect to be tried at the Middlesex sessions, as these were held more frequently than their own.
The sessions records are a very useful source for family history, studying trends in law and order, and the life of the City and its inhabitants over a relatively long period of time. The capital was an area with high levels of crime, the natural place for riot and conspiracy, and attracted a wide variety of people from the whole country and abroad. The main record of proceedings at the sessions will be found in the sessions rolls (MJ/SR and the uncatalogued WJ/SR - index in WJ/CB); the (partially uncatalogued) sessions books (WJ/SB, MJ/SB); and the (partially uncatalogued) sessions papers (WJ/SP, MJ/SP). City administrative work is in the records of the County Day sessions (WJ/O), and for one particular type, in the records of the street surveyors (WJ/SS). Records of judicial procedure are in the records of court fines (WJ/E), writs to summon juries (WJ/W), and the trial process (WJ/Y); Lists of prisoners made at various times during the trial process are in WJ/CC and WJ/CP.
Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the City and Liberty of WestminsterDocument relating to a plea heard at Westminster, 1807: Crichton Horne and Edward Finch, (plaintiffs) v John Moore.
UnknownRecords of Westminster Magistrates Court, 1896-1943, including court registers; rates registers; means enquiry summonses; summonses indexes; Married Women Act orders; bastardy complaints and letter book.
Court registers record the date of the hearing, the name of the informant or complainant (often the police), the name of the defendant, a brief note of the offence and the decision of the magistrate. Court minute books or notebooks are rough notes of the proceedings recording the gist of the evidence given.
Domestic proceedings: A married woman under the provisions of the Summary Jurisdiction (Married Women) Act 1895 and subsequent Acts could go to a magistrates' court and apply for orders which in certain circumstances would enable her to separate from her husband, have custody of any children and receive maintenance from him. Under the Poor Law Amendment Act 1844 a mother expecting a bastard child or who had given birth to one could obtain a maintenance order against the putative father.
Westminster Magistrates CourtDocuments relating to the Westminster Bridge inquisitions, 1739-1746. The documents relate to the acquisition of land in Westminster. For each case there is a precept for summoning a jury, a list of jurymen and their resulting inquisition. The list records the general location of the property and the owner or leaseholder concerned.
Westminster Bridge CommissionersRecords of Westminster Bridge Commissioners, comprising volume of draft contracts and papers relating to the Bridge, including 'Act for building a Bridge cross the River Thames, from the New Palace Yard in the City of Westminster, to the opposite Shore, in the County of Surry' and articles of agreement and contracts for various aspects of building the bridge and provision of materials.
The volume is a later re-binding, possibly of the 19th century. The contracts had been paginated, and so, presumably, bound together at an earlier date. The pagination runs from 153 to 261, the right hand (odd) pages only being numbered; the surviving items thus appear to be part only of an earlier compilation. From the note made and signed by Taylor White on p.207, and the endorsements on pp [194] and [208], it appears likely that the papers were among the working papers of the Commissioners themselves.
Westminster Bridge CommissionersPapers collected by the bank in the course of their work, comprising recovery relating to 1/3 part of 10 messuages, 1 court, and ½ acre in Saint Marylebone and Saint Pancras, with seal and portrait of George IV, 1828; and counterpart lease for premises on Tottenham Court Road, 1859.
UnknownRecords of the Western (Cannel) Gas Light Company, including half yearly reports and accounts submitted by the Directors of the Western Gas Light Company Limited to the shareholders; certificates of registration of the company; return of schedule to the deed of settlement, showing name, address and profession of shareholders; list of proprietors of the company, showing name, address and number of shares held by each; assignment of debts and shares as security for repayment; contract for lighting part of Notting Hill lighting district; agreements and licences for laying mains in various districts; schedule of deeds, drafts and correspondence for company premises in various locations including Kensington, Westminster, Marylebone and Kensal Green.
Western (Cannel) Gas Light CompanyRecords of the Westen family relating to property in Staines and Stanwell, including leases, lease and releases, copies of wills, bonds, conveyances, and deed of feoffment.
Various.Records of West London Magistrates Court, 1877-2001, including court registers; registers for means enquiries, Small Tenement Act cases, civil debt cases, ex-parte cases, and licence renewals; Married Women Act orders; bastardy orders; domestic court proceedings; maintenance registers and Guardianship of Infants Act orders.
Court registers record the date of the hearing, the name of the informant or complainant (often the police), the name of the defendant, a brief note of the offence and the decision of the magistrate.
Domestic proceedings: a married woman under the provisions of the Summary Jurisdiction (Married Women) Act 1895 and subsequent Acts could go to a magistrates' court and apply for orders which in certain circumstances would enable her to separate from her husband, have custody of any children and receive maintenance from him. Under the Poor Law Amendment Act 1844 a mother expecting a bastard child or who had given birth to one could obtain a maintenance order against the putative father.
West London Magistrates CourtRecords of West London County Court, 1847-1948, including minute books; ledger of equity proceedings; plaint book; default summons books; ordinary summons books; bankruptcy administration ledger; Workmen's Compensation Act register; judge's register; register of agreements and committal summons book.
West London County CourtDeed of gift of Cook's Almshouses and conveyance of land in Stoke Newington to the West Hackney Almshouse.
West Hackney AlmshousePapers, 1845-1954, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising deeds and legal documents relating the leasing of Whitelands Lodge to the National Society and the sale of the lease in the late 1920s.
Wellingtons , solicitorsRecords of the Weld family relating to property in Friern Barnet, Edmonton, Arnos Grove, Southgate and Tottenham.
Weld , family , of Arnos GroveRecords of the Wegg family of Acton and the Round family of Essex and Acton, relating to estates in Acton. The documents are arranged in 14 bundles with the following contents:
- Marriage Settlement: Samuel Wegg and Elizabeth Lehook. 1745-1767.
- Descent of land in Acton, by exchange with the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's to Samuel Wegg. 1719-1759.
- Descent of land in manor of Acton, via Somerset, Lethieullier and Fetherstonhaugh to Samuel Wegg. 1712-1802.
- Descent of Fordhook Estate, Ealing via Crowcher, etc., to George Samuel Wegg. 1718-1813.
- Descent of house and land in Acton via Sir Joseph Ayloffe Houlding, etc. to Samuel Wegg. 1661-1750. Partition of inheritance of Elizabeth Wegg and Sarah Prosser, sisters and coheirs of George Samuel Wegg. 1817.
- Descent of land in the manor of Acton via George Samuel Wegg to Elizabeth Wegg. 1759-1817.
- Descent of property in Acton via Lutyens, etc. to Elizabeth Wegg. 1661-1830.
- Descent of Bank House, Acton and Pew in Acton parish church (and Fordhook, Ealing) to Elizabeth Wegg. 1633-1837.
- Land in manor of Ealing: Elizabeth Wegg. 1830.
- Miscellaneous Documents: receipts, accounts, letters, etc., Elizabeth Wegg. 1604-1864.
- Descent of land to Charles G. Round from Elizabeth Wegg and further documents relating to Charles G. Round. 1842-1856.
- Plans.
- Documents re Land Tax on Acton and Ealing property. 1799 & 1840.
- Acton Charities. 1855.
Papers of the Way family relating to their London property in Bermondsey, Rotherhithe, Peckham, Camberwell, and Deptford.
Way , family , of Denham, BuckinghamshireRecords relating to property ownership, including lease of the Goldsmith's estates in East Acton and leases of premises in Chiswick, Enfield, Heston, Highgate, Sunbury, and Kilburn. Also marriage settlements and lease and release of plantations in Antigua and St Christopher's [St Kitts] with lists of slaves.
Various.Records of Watney Combe Reid and Company Limited, comprising deeds and documents relating to Victoria Tavern, Willesden Lane, Kilburn, Willesden, 1865; deeds and documents relating to The George Public House, near the Pig Market, Finchley, 1828, 1850; deeds relating to 'The Three Bowls' Public House, Acton, 1796-1810 and deeds and documents relating to The Cock Public House, Kilburn, Willesden, 1766-1800.
Watney Combe Reid and Co Ltd , brewersPapers, 1899, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising legal documents relating to the lease of a shop and basement at 4, Spring Bridge Road, Ealing.
Waterhouse and Company , solicitorsPapers relating the the estate of Stephen Warwick, including deeds for property in Bow, Poplar and Stepney; wiils; correspondence; bills; and judicial records for Chancery case Thomas and Sarah Eames v. Louisa Warwick.
Various.Papers, collected by the solicitors in the course of their work, comprising assignment of lease for 3 rooms forming back portion of ground floor of 133 Fenchurch Street, 1930; agreement for sale and purchase of land and buildings in Park View Road and Southwood Road, Eltham, 1938; agreement regarding 12 greenhouses and other material on land in Park View Road and Southwood Road, New Eltham, 1941; abstract of title for land and buildings in Park View Road and Southwood Road, Eltham, 1942.
Warner, Goodman and Streat , solicitors