This is a collection of personal, social and business records of three generations of Potts: William senior (c.1800-1867) , John (c.1830-1892) and William junior (1868-1949). Between them, they edited the Banbury Guardian newspaper from its founding in 1838 until William junior's death.
It includes documents from the early days of the newspaper, records of Masonic branches and lodges based in Banbury (with whom William Potts junior was involved), and family correspondence and prizes.
Most of the material was deposited by the Banbury Guardian office in July 1969 (accession 819), but a bank book of William Potts was donated via the Centre for Banburyshire Studies in November 1997 (accession 4297). One of the boxes, which consisted of photographs and proofs belonging to the newspaper, was transferred to Oxfordshire Studies in October 2010.
Related and complementary material is also held at Oxfordshire Record Office in collection P393
Catalogued by Mark Priddey, October 2010