Notebook of James Smith of Nottingham, 1811-1834

The volume contains 80 leaves written in ink and pencil, with one loose sheet of note bearing the name Rev. R. Isham, Broad Street. The loose leaf seems to be part of a sermon. The contents of the volume are sometimes attributed to 'JS', 'RS', 'R. Smith' and others. They appear to be notes made for sermons.

The contents include the following: a page in shorthand entitled 'Recollections', dated 11 December 1813; page explaining the meaning of some of some shorthand elements and 'instructions for writing', followed by a verse in shorthand; a sermon dated 1813; note for Bible reading dated 1814; message addressed 'to my mother' in shorthand; story about a man repaying a debt with the gift of a white cow dated 1784; a sermon dated 1814; note for Bible reading dated 1815; a sermon; copy of the account of an interview with Sarah Booker about her 'conviction and conversion' dated 1814; another part of the cow story dated 1784; a sermon dated 1815; address to the Bible Society; three sermons dated 1816 and 1817; note for Bible reading, later dated 1827; prayer or hymn dated 1834; and a rhyme transcribed from a pane of glass in the Black Horse Inn, Gainsborough [Lincolnshire] dated 1811.

The notebook is autographed 'James Smith, Nottm'. The contents indicate that the writer had a strong interest in faith and religion. He was probably James Smith (1764-1847), a lay preacher at the Baptist chapels at Stoney Street and Broad Street in Nottingham. One of James Smith's daughters, Mary, married John Granger in 1815.

No archival arrangement has been necessary.

Accessible to all registered readers.

This description is the only finding aid available for the notebook. Copyright on the description belongs to The University of Nottingham.

Good

Reprographic copies can be supplied for educational use and private study purposes only, depending on access status and the condition of the documents.

Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Keeper of Manuscripts and Special Collections (email mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk).

The notebook bears a bookplate recording its presentation to the University of Nottingham by Paul Granger in January 1959.

Records of Broad Street Baptist Chapel, Nottingham (Mr).

Collection of documents with local interest to Nottingham and Lincolnshire, including reference to James Smith's property in Broad Street (ref: MS 839)

James Smith features in a collection of genealogical material collected by his descendant Bernard B. Granger, 1921-1947 (MS 115)