House of Lords: Journal Office: Main Papers
Item
Country
GB
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
eng
Contact information: postal address
Houses of Parliament, London SW1A 0PW
Contact information: phone number
0044 (0)20 7219 3074
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
archives@parliament.uk
Reference number
HL/PO/JO/10
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (official language of the state)
House of Lords: Journal Office: Main Papers
Language of title
eng
Creator / accumulator
Parliament Office
Date(s)
1498/-
Language(s)
eng
Extent
14 sub-series
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
This collection is composed of the so-called "main papers" or "laid papers" of the House of Lords, that is, all sorts of records which are brought to the attention of peers during their sittings in the chamber. They include bills, petitions, appeals, reports, accounts and many documents from government departments, in a nutshell, anything which the Lords had asked to see, which institutions or private individuals wanted the Lords to see, or which the Lords needed to debate on a particular day.
Among the 14 series that compose this series, some include petitions proposed by Sephardic Jews and, even before the resettlement, Portuguese conversos. It is the case of a group of petitions submitted by António Fernandes Carvajal in 1644-1645 regarding business matters (HL/PO/JO/10/1/167, HL/PO/JO/10/1/178, HL/PO/JO/10/1/201), which were published in Wolf (1894-95). Special attention should be given to the Main Papers concerning the years 1655-56, regarding the negotiations for the readmission of the Jews in England, and 1753, on the debate about the Naturalization Bill.
Among the 14 series that compose this series, some include petitions proposed by Sephardic Jews and, even before the resettlement, Portuguese conversos. It is the case of a group of petitions submitted by António Fernandes Carvajal in 1644-1645 regarding business matters (HL/PO/JO/10/1/167, HL/PO/JO/10/1/178, HL/PO/JO/10/1/201), which were published in Wolf (1894-95). Special attention should be given to the Main Papers concerning the years 1655-56, regarding the negotiations for the readmission of the Jews in England, and 1753, on the debate about the Naturalization Bill.
Archival history
Records from 1498 to 1692 were catalogued by members of the Historical Manuscripts Commission up to 1900. Records from 1692 to 1714 were calendared by Parliamentary Clerks in summer recesses up to 1923. Records from 1714 to 1718 were calendared by Record Office clerks following the establishment of that archive in 1946, and records from 1718 onwards have been catalogued by Record Office staff on a regular basis since then.
At the end of the 19th century, the Historical Manuscripts Commission calendared these records from 1498 to 1692 in various reports. Subsequent calendars were created by the House of Lords covering the period 1692 to 1718. Concise versions of these calendar entries form the basis of the descriptions of the main papers found in this collection up to 1718.
At the end of the 19th century, the Historical Manuscripts Commission calendared these records from 1498 to 1692 in various reports. Subsequent calendars were created by the House of Lords covering the period 1692 to 1718. Concise versions of these calendar entries form the basis of the descriptions of the main papers found in this collection up to 1718.
Administrative / Biographical history
In the middle ages, a number of Chancery Masters and clerks attended upon each Parliament, some having been summoned by Writs of Assistance. One clerk had the specific title of "clerk del Parlement", or "clericus parliamenti", the implication being that he was clerk of the Parliament then sitting but was not regarded as holding a continuing office between Parliaments. In 1447, the clerks began to receive appointments by Letters Patent, and the grant was usually for life. In the early 16th century, the title of "Clerk of the Parliaments" is used, perhaps as an indication that the office was now considered a continuing one. The Clerk of the Parliaments dealt with the business of Parliament as a whole and with that of the Upper House sitting separately. The Under-clerk was responsible for the service of the Lower House, and acquired the alternative title of Clerk of the House of Commons, together with a separate staff and independent status.
The Clerk of Parliaments and his assistants in the Upper House formed the department now known as "the Parliament Office". Originally, the office was part of Chancery, but it hived off to form a separate department c. 1509. In 1497, the Clerk began to preserve the original Acts in his own office instead of transferring them with the enrolments to Chancery, and his successors in the 16th century extended this practice until by Elizabeth I's reign, nothing was so transferred except the Parliament Roll, in spite of an attempt by Chancery in 1567 to recover the entire mass of records which had by then accumulated in the Parliament Office. The staff ceased to have any connection with Chancery.
Although the Clerk of the Parliaments had probably always had assistance at the Table of the House of Lords, the names of assistant clerks do not appear until the time of Sir Thomas Smith (Clerk 1597-1609), who employed Owen Reynolds as "Under-clerk". This office then seems to have continued under the title of "deputy Clerk". After 1660 various subordinate officers were named with specific titles, notably the Clerk Assistant and the Reading Clerk, who, with the Clerk of the Parliaments, sat at the Table of the House. In addition, there were Committee Clerks, a Clerk of Ingrossments, a Clerk of the Journals and various writers or copying clerks.
By the middle of the 19th century, the establishment comprised, as well as three Clerks at the Table, a Clerk of the Journals and a Chief Clerk, with seven other first-class clerks, seven second-class, and fourteen third-class clerks, a copyist and a summoning officer.
All assistants in the Parliament Office were appointed solely by the Clerk of the Parliaments, and a number of deeds of appointment by him survive. The House, however, in the 18th century was frequently petitioned by junior clerks for support against the Clerk of the Parliaments, and the House came to concern itself increasingly with its own clerical staff, normally by appointing a Select Committee to inquire into some specific issue and then to report back to the House, which thereupon made an Order. From 1824 onwards, a Select Committee on the Parliament Office (usually known as the "Offices Committee") has been appointed each Session, and this Committee exercises general supervision over the work of the office.
The Clerk of Parliaments and his assistants in the Upper House formed the department now known as "the Parliament Office". Originally, the office was part of Chancery, but it hived off to form a separate department c. 1509. In 1497, the Clerk began to preserve the original Acts in his own office instead of transferring them with the enrolments to Chancery, and his successors in the 16th century extended this practice until by Elizabeth I's reign, nothing was so transferred except the Parliament Roll, in spite of an attempt by Chancery in 1567 to recover the entire mass of records which had by then accumulated in the Parliament Office. The staff ceased to have any connection with Chancery.
Although the Clerk of the Parliaments had probably always had assistance at the Table of the House of Lords, the names of assistant clerks do not appear until the time of Sir Thomas Smith (Clerk 1597-1609), who employed Owen Reynolds as "Under-clerk". This office then seems to have continued under the title of "deputy Clerk". After 1660 various subordinate officers were named with specific titles, notably the Clerk Assistant and the Reading Clerk, who, with the Clerk of the Parliaments, sat at the Table of the House. In addition, there were Committee Clerks, a Clerk of Ingrossments, a Clerk of the Journals and various writers or copying clerks.
By the middle of the 19th century, the establishment comprised, as well as three Clerks at the Table, a Clerk of the Journals and a Chief Clerk, with seven other first-class clerks, seven second-class, and fourteen third-class clerks, a copyist and a summoning officer.
All assistants in the Parliament Office were appointed solely by the Clerk of the Parliaments, and a number of deeds of appointment by him survive. The House, however, in the 18th century was frequently petitioned by junior clerks for support against the Clerk of the Parliaments, and the House came to concern itself increasingly with its own clerical staff, normally by appointing a Select Committee to inquire into some specific issue and then to report back to the House, which thereupon made an Order. From 1824 onwards, a Select Committee on the Parliament Office (usually known as the "Offices Committee") has been appointed each Session, and this Committee exercises general supervision over the work of the office.
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
Within slipcases, the main papers are generally ordered by the date of laying on the table, not by the date of creation of the document.
Access, restrictions
Open
Finding aids
At the end of the 19th century, the Historical Manuscripts Commission calendared these records from 1498 to 1692 in various reports.
Subsequent calendars were created by the House of Lords covering the period 1692 to 1718.
Subsequent calendars were created by the House of Lords covering the period 1692 to 1718.
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2023
Published primary sources
Linked resources
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