Hardy and Page (record agents) reports and transcripts,

Reports on, together with transcripts and translations, 1868-1937, of records held mainly at the old Public Record Office, now The National Archives (TNA), prepared by Messrs Hardy and Page, record agents, Lincoln's Inn, London, together with relevant legal papers, some drawn up by James G. Wood (1843-1928). The searches were undertaken at the request of solicitors, and used as evidence in legal disputes, often relating to manorial lands throughout Wales, including foreshore rights, mineral rights, and fishery rights.

James George Wood (1843-1928) was a lawyer and antiquary. Among his publications relating to the history of Monmouthshire are The Lordship, Castle & Town of Chepstow, otherwise Striguil (Newport, 1910), and The Manor and Mansion of Moyne's Court ... (Newport, 1914). With regard to his work as a lawyer in Lincoln's Inn, London, it is unclear whether he was employed directly by Messrs Hardy and Page, also in Lincoln's Inn, a firm described as 'record solicitors, record agents and translators of records', or whether he was commissioned by them to act on their behalf when dealing with specific legal cases. What is clear is that Hardy and Page were commissioned by solicitors throughout the country to report on, and prepare transcripts and translations of, records held mainly at the old Public Record Office, now The National Archives (TNA), to support the case for the defence or prosecution, often in cases involving disputed manorial rights.

Arranged at NLW into six series, as follows: foreshore rights; mineral rights; fishery rights and wreck of the sea; disputed manorial and other lands; miscellaneous historical record searches; and J. G. Wood library and manuscripts.

Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to abide by the conditions noted on the 'Modern papers - data protection' form issued with their Readers' Tickets.

Colonel William le Hardy; Hertford; Purchase; April 1947

James George Wood (1843-1928) was a lawyer and antiquary. Among his publications relating to the history of Monmouthshire are The Lordship, Castle & Town of Chepstow, otherwise Striguil (Newport, 1910), and The Manor and Mansion of Moyne's Court ... (Newport, 1914). With regard to his work as a lawyer in Lincoln's Inn, London, it is unclear whether he was employed directly by Messrs Hardy and Page, also in Lincoln's Inn, a firm described as 'record solicitors, record agents and translators of records', or whether he was commissioned by them to act on their behalf when dealing with specific legal cases. What is clear is that Hardy and Page were commissioned by solicitors throughout the country to report on, and prepare transcripts and translations of, records held mainly at the old Public Record Office, now The National Archives (TNA), to support the case for the defence or prosecution, often in cases involving disputed manorial rights.

Title created from contents. Original office file numbers, when provided, are included on file level descriptions.

January 2011.

Compiled by Alwyn J. Roberts. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: The Law List for 1896, 1915 and 1920;

Usual copyright laws apply.

Action: All records purchased by NLW have been retained..

Since some of the papers in the collection post date the death of James George Wood in 1928, it is assumed that they were removed from his chambers in Lincoln's Inn, and some possibly from the offices of Messrs Hardy and Page, record solicitors and agents, a few years later. Some of the original file numbers bear J. G. Wood's name (e.g. J. G. Wood 317). The records subsequently came into the possession of Lieutenant-Colonel William le Hardy, the Hertfordshire County Archivist and son of William J. Hardy (1857-1919), a record agent in the firm of Hardy and Page.

See relevant file level descriptions.

The records are cited in the bibliography for Welsh Manors and their Records by Helen Watt (Aberystwyth : National Library of Wales, 2000).

Published

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales