The volume, entitled Memoirs of the family of Bradshaw of Marple in Cheshire; an account of the ancient barons of Stockport, appears to be an early copy of several works by the Reverend John Watson, namely:
- (i) Memoirs of John Bradshaw, with some additional notes by Hugh H.L. Bellot, folios 1-10. (See also John Britton and Edward Wedlake Brayley, Beauties of England and Wales (1801-18), vol. 2, pp. 264-8);
- (ii) An account of Henry Bradshaw, the regicide's brother with copies of letters, folios 10v-27. (See Bodleian MS Top. Cheshire e. 3 (SC 25573), and Thomas Helsby's revised edition of George Ormerod, History of the county palatine and city of Chester (1882), vol. 3, pp. 844-7);
- (iii) Copy of the order under which the Earl of Derby was tried at Chester, folio 27;
- (iv) Copy of a letter from John Bradshaw to Mr Rushworth, Secretary to the Army, 30 August 1647, folios 28-29;
- (v) Pedigree of Dukenfield of Dukenfield [Dukinfield], parish of Stockport, folios 31-37;
- (vi) Copies of notes by [William] Davenport of Bramhall, 1 January 1643 - 25 August 1645, folios 38-41;
- (vii) Account of Bramhall, folios 41-44;
- (viii) Account of Marple Hall, with copies of letters by John Bradshaw, folios 45v-48v, made by Hugh H.L. Bellot;
- (ix) The Names of the Gent. & Freeholders in Cheshire with the number of Men which each of them were able to make for the service of King Henry the 8th, folios 53-54;
- (x) The Names of Gent. and Freeholders in Cheshire not appointed to be in readiness to serve K[ing] Henry 8th, folios 54-55;
- (xi) The Sheriffs of Cheshire (to Charles I.), folios 57v-58v;
- (xii) An account of the ancient Barons of Stockport, taken from the late reverend John Watson's Memoirs of the ancient Earls of Warren and Surry, printed in 1779, folios 62-86 (numbered pp. 1-49);
- (xiii) A View and Account which states and sets forth the Original & beginning of the Barony of Stockport, together with the original and Continuation of the Office of Mayor there, and the authority, power and trust of the said Mayor in his Office within the said Town and Barony, folios 87-89 (numbered pp. 51-55);
- (xiv) An Account of the Foundation of the Free School of Stockport taken from Papers in the possession of Mr. Clarkson, folios 89v-90 (numbered pp. 56-57);
- (xv) Extracts from the MS. intitled Baronagium Cestriae, concerning the arms of the families of Venables, Aston and Leigh, folios 90-93 (numbered pp. 57-63);
- (xvi) Grant of a crest to Lawrence Swettenham of Somerford, folios 92b-93 (numbered pp. 62-3);
- (xvii) Copy of a Petition from the High Sheriff, Justices of the Peace, etc., of Cheshire, folios 93, 102 (numbered pp. 63-65);
- (xviii) Copy, with translation, of the charter of foundation of the abbey of Newbo [near Grantham], Lincolnshire, by Richard Malebyse, [original dated 1234/5], folios 95v-96;
- (xix) Copy, with translation, of the King's Commission of Array for the North Riding of Yorkshire to William Malebys, John de Colevill and Ankeline Salvayn, 25 March 1284, folios 96v-98;
- (xx) Copy, with translation, of a grant by John Malbys to St Mary's Abbey, York, folios 98v-99;
- (xxi) A charter of Hugh Malbyse, copy with translation, folios 99v-100;
- (xxii) Copy, with translation, of a quitclaim concerning Nicholas de Cantelou, from 'among the Deeds of the Earl of Rutland at Beavoir Castle in Sir Christ' Hatton's Book of Seal', [original dated 1354/5], folios 99v.100;
- (xxiii) Copy, with translation, of a deed of security from Sir William Malebysse, knight, to the abbot and convent of Whitby, concerning the chapel at Atton parva, folios 100v-101;
- (xxiv) Notes on the foundation of Spin[n]ey priory, Cambridgeshire, and on the Malebiche family, folios 100v-101v;
- (xxv) Copy of a Grant of Arms to Richard Blackwall, 9 Hen. 7th, [original 1493/4], folios 102-103v (numbered pp. 65-68).
Pasted onto folio 46v is a black and white photograph of Marple Hall, late 19th century? Enclosed loose between ff. 49v and 50r are three small photographs of Wybersley Hall near High Lane, Stockport, early 20th century?
The manuscript is annotated on folio 1v 'Watson MS. 16. MS. Top. Cheshire E.7'. However, the contents do not match the description of Watson MS 16 in Maddan's Summary catalogue of Western manuscripts in the Bodleian Library (SC 25577). There are a few twentieth-century additions to the manuscript by Hugh H.L. Bellot.