Correspondence and Papers

Scope and Content

The individual archbishops' records are as follows (the dates given are those of each pontificate, not the dates covered by the records):

  • John Sharp (1691-1714) [BP.C&P I]. A microfilm of the Sharp correspondence in the Lloyd-Baker muniments at Hardwicke Court, Gloucestershire, is available at the Borthwick.
  • Sir William Dawes (1714-24) [BP.C&P II].
  • Lancelot Blackburn (1724-43) [BP.C&P III].
  • Thomas Herring (1743-47) [BP.C&P IV].
  • Matthew Hutton (1747-57) [BP.C&P V].
  • John Gilbert (1757-61) [BP.C&P VI].
  • Robert Hay Drummond (1761-76) [BP.C&P VII].
  • William Markham (1777-1807) [BP.C&P VIII].
  • Edward Venables Vernon Harcourt (1808-47) [BP.C&P IX]. The majority of the Vernon Harcourt correspondence can be found in the Harcourt papers at Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire.
  • William Thomson (1863-90) [BP.C&P X].
  • William Dalrymple Maclagan (1891-1908) [BP.C&P XI].
  • Cosmo Gordon Lang (1909-28) [BP.C&P XII].
  • William Temple (1929-42) [BP.C&P XIII].
  • Cyril Forster Garbett (1942-55) [BP.C&P XIV].
  • Arthur Michael Ramsey (1956-61) [BP 1/RAM].
  • Frederick Donald Coggan (1961-74) [BP 1/COG].
  • Stuart Yarworth Blanch (1975-83) [BP 1/BLA].
  • John Stapylton Habgood (1983-95) [BP 1/HAB].

The remaining records consist of the following:

  • Thomas Wilson, bishop of Sodor and Man (1716-51) [BP.C&P XV].
  • Collegiate Church of Ripon [BP.C&P XVI]. 17th-18th centuries.
  • Collegiate Church of Southwell [BP.C&P XVII]. 1585-1769.
  • Collegiate Church of Beverley [BP.C&P XVIII]. 1548-1770.
  • Papers relating to the Dean and Chapter of York [BP.C&P XIX]. 18th century.
  • Papers relating to the Courts and Officials [BP.C&P XX]. 16th-18th centuries.
  • Accounts, receipts and muster rolls of East and North Riding companies of foot soldiers during the 1745 rebellion [BP.C&P XXI].
  • Lists of licences and institutions during the archiepiscopates of Sharp, Dawes and Blackburn [BP.C&P XXII].
  • Papers relating to Convocation [BP.C&P XXIII]. 18th century.
  • Papers concerning consecration of bishops [BP.C&P XXIV]. 16th-18th centuries.
  • Box of printed material: Bills and Acts of Parliament, Convocation [BP.C&P XXV]. 19th century.
  • York Redundant Churches [BP.C&P XXVI]. 1884-1931.
  • Miscellaneous [BP.C&P XXVII]. 16th-17th centuries.

Administrative / Biographical History

The correspondence of archbishops was usually considered a personal possession and has, therefore, sometimes remained amongst family papers. Consequently what remains here must be seen as only a small proportion of the total output of each prelate. It is probable that much of the correspondence has been destroyed: in 1926 the former secretary of Archbishop Thomson described the burning of much of this material due to lack of space. A further small collection of personal papers may be found in GB 193 ABP.

Papers relating to other aspects of the archiepiscopate, such as Convocation, are also included here.

Other Finding Aids

Summary lists are available at the Borthwick Institute.

Physical Characteristics and/or Technical Requirements

Unbound volumes, loose papers, bundles of correspondence, photographs.