HOOPER AND FLETCHER ARCHIVE

HF

HOOPER AND FLETCHER ARCHIVE

1689-1962

CONTENTS

General relating to the Firm

HF 1/1/1-10 Partnership; Appointment of Clerks etc 1866-1902

HF 1/2/1-2 Out Correspondence Indexed Letter Books 1931-1939

HF 1/3/1-6 Bundles of Schedules of Deeds 1873-1953

Financial records relating to the Firm

HF 2/1/1 General Ledger (indexed) 1879-1897

HF 2/2/1-19 Bank Books (some not deposited) 1866-1949

HF 3/1/1/1-2 Half Yearly Balance Sheets 1921-1936

HF 3/2/1/1-9 Accounts and Bills due from the Firm 1867-1948

HF 3/2/2/1-3 Receipts 1918-1925

HF 3/2/3/1-4 Agents' Bills due from the Firm 1861-1936

HF 3/3/1/1-6 Statements of Account with Clients 1918-1934

HF 3/3/2/1-2 Sample of itemised Bills due to the Firm 1925-1927

HF 3/3/3/1-2 Debtors to the Firm 1876-1879; 1931

HF 3/4/1/1-2 Record of Documents taken to the Post Office for stamping 1925-1953

HF 3/5/1/1 Mortgage Interests due each half year 1931-1940

HF 3/6/1/1 Miscellaneous Letter 1879

Office Copy Wills, produced by the firm

HF 4/1/1-4/89/1 Draft Wills (gaps) 1855-1944

HF 5/0-84 Wills & Probate Papers 1840-1962

Litigation

HF 6/1-54 Legal Cases (arranged alphabetically with additions at the end) 1858-1956

HF 7/1-41 Bankruptcy & Settlement of Debt 1861-1939

Estate Administration

HF 8/1-54 Working Papers 1858-1960

Sets of Deeds for which there are a number per parish

Deeds: Arlesey

HF 9/1/1-4 Hans Sloane Estate 1804-1862

HF 9/2/1-6 David Thompson's land 1877-1889

HF 9/3/1-6 Land on east of High Street for building new Church 1876-1897

HF 9/4/1 Sale of property in Arlesey, Clifton & Henlow (to wind up the estate of G.F.Wilson.) 1906

HF 9/5/1-2 Property in Church Street and Stotfold Road 1935-1937

HF 9/6/1 Property in Stotfold Road 1935

Deeds: Bedford

HF 10/1 20-30 Argyll Street (even numbers); 29, 31 & 35 Holme Street

AND 14-18 Queen Street (even numbers) 1932

HF 10/2 14 The Crescent 1834

HF 10/3 56 Foster Hill Road 1929

HF 10/4 105-107 Howbury Street 1922

HF 10/5 Property of J.A.Boswell in Potter Street (Cardington Road) 1841-1878

Deeds: Biggleswade

HF 11/1/1-2 Cottages, Anchor Road 1884-1893

HF 11/2/1-4 Cottage, Back Street 1777-1832

HF 11/3/1-46 Bensons Row, Chapel Fields 1825-1899

HF 11/4/1 Bleak Hall 1900

HF 11/5/1-2 Boddington Piece (see also HF 44) 1871-1897

HF 11/6/1 Victoria House, Church Street 1908

HF 11/7/1-2 Henelie & Dunedin, Drove Road 1909-1919

HF 11/8/1-5 Tithe No 550, High Street 1790-1866

HF 11/9/1-2 Freehold Messuage and shop, Market Place 1713-1824

HF 11/10/1-10 57,59 & 61 High Street 1796-1945

HF 11/11/1 Properties in the High Street & Market Place (including Tithe No 550; see HF 11/8) 1862

HF 11/12/1-2 Dog & Doublet in High Street and houses in Cowfair Lands (Tithe No 540) 1892

HF 11/13/1-2 Chew Family property in Market Place & Foundry Lane 1902-1907

HF 11/14/1 Old Town Hall, Market Place 1939

HF 11/15/1a-b 45 High Street 1949

HF 11/16/1-11 Two Copyhold Houses & Shops 1840-1915

HF 11/17/1 Four Copyhold cottages in Hitchin Street 1891

HF 11/18/1 Enfranchisement of Three Houses & Builders'Shop , Hitchin Street 1896

HF 11/19/1-2 73 Hitchin Street 1938

HF 11/20/1 104 Hitchin Street 1949

HF 11/21/1 Land at Hitchmead Road 1949

HF 11/22/1-3 Land in Holme Street/Mill Lane 1742-1923

HF 11/23/1 Land on the north of Holme Mill Road 1924

HF 11/24/1 House in Langford Road 1909

HF 11/25/1 Ladbrooke House, London Road; Napton Villa, The Baulk and premises on the corner of Church Street & Shortmead Street 1907

HF 11/26/1 Tom Ferguson's house, London Road 1903-1932

HF 11/26/2 Plot of Land sold to G.E.Williams 1936

HF 11/27/1-9 Property of Palace Street & Shortmead Street 1828-1890

HF 11/28/1-3 Land, Potton Road 1927-1961

HF 11/29/1 Building land, Potton Road 1947

HF 11/30/1 44 Rose Terrace, Rose Lane 1952

HF 11/31/1 Saffron Road 1884-1919

HF 11/32/1-10 House in Shortmead Street 1752-1837

HF 11/33/1-5 Messuage and School Room , Shortmead Street 1818-1865

HF 11/34/1-9 Property built on Stanley Piece (Sun Street) 1766-1825

HF 11/35/1-4 Jeakings Property in Sun Street 1893 -1936

HF 11/36/1 29-49 Sun Street (odd numbers) 1862-1937

HF 11/36/2 Nash Property 1839

HF 11/37/1-3 Thorn Property in Biggleswade & Northill 1884-1937

HF 11/38/1-2 Two Account Books relating to Miss Ann Thorn 1883-1897

HF 11/39/1 Holme/ Mill Lane 1803

HF 11/40/1 Copyhold premises in Holme/ Mill Lane 1777-1846

Blunham

HF 12/1 Copyhold Property of Thomas Mercer 1846

HF 12/2/1-5 Property of Triplow & Jeeves 1871-1918

HF 12/3 Partition of Property, late belonging to John Barker 1900

HF 12/4 Purchase of Farm by Ebenezer Marshall 1918

HF 12/5 Garden Ground sold to Major G.A.M.Isherwood 1924

Clifton

HF 13/1/1-7 Copyhold of the Manor of Laces in Meppershall Parish 1771-1825

HF 13/2 John Arch Estate 1851

HF 13/3/1 Ivy Cottage & other land 1858

HF 13/4/1 Property in Clifton Fields & Church End 1913

HF 13/5/1-51 Bodger Property in Clifton, Meppershall, Southill 1806-1836

Dunton

HF 14/1/1-3 Cottage 1798

HF 14/2 Parslow Property 1737-1825

Langford

HF 15/1 Messuage, formerly owned by the Dobsons 1730-1808

HF 15/2/1-4 Copyhold at Flexmore End 1821-1858

HF 15/3/1 Gardener Property 1824-1859

HF 15/4/1-5 Welby Property 1815-1883

HF 15/5 Piper Property 1838-1879

HF 15/6 Gravestock Property 1879

HF 15/7 King Property in Biggleswade (near Langford) 1909

HF 15/8 Barker Property 1915-1933

HF 15/9/1 Brown Property 1905-1930

HF 15/10 Hector Rogers; Tenancy Agreement 1940

Potton

HF 16/1/1-2 Edwards Property

HF 16/2/1-7 Sale of Tebbutt Property in Norwich & Potton 1870-1895

HF 16/3/1-2 C.Peacock's Property 1871-1878

HF 16/4/1 Savile Property in Potton & Sandy 1872-1922

HF 16/5 Gertrude Kitchener's Settlement 1933

HF 16/6 4 Newtown, Potton 1944

HF 16/7/1 Property in Potton & Gamlingay 1832

Sandy

HF 17/1/1 Beeston Grange 1925

HF 17/2/1 Will of Joseph Adams 1860-1880

HF 17/3/1 1 & 2 High Street 1857-1878

HF 17/4/1-2 Lowfield Road 1887

HF 17/5/1-7 Property in Market Square 1832-1891

HF 17/6/1-2 Middle Field Road 1859

HF 17/7/1-5 Cottage called Plummers at Stratford 1733-1838

HF 17/8/1 Cheverells, 89 St Neots Road 1932

HF 17/9/1 Sandy Place

HF 17/10/1 Insurance Certificates for Sandy Place & two other farms 1809-1818

HF 17/11/1 Property in Tempsford Road 1884-1887

Ampthill

HF 18/1/1-4 Dynevor House, Church Square 1827-1883

HF 18/1/2/1 Cottage at Sluts End alias Mill Street, Ampthill 1832

Clophill

HF 18/2/1/1 Clophill Mill 1945

Dunstable

HF 18/3/1/1-2 House in Middle Street, Dunstable 1765-1770

HF 18/3/2/1-1173-79 West Street 1862-1883

HF 18/4 BLANK NUMBER

Goldington

HF 18/5/1/1 Property at Goldington Green 1838

Henlow

HF 18/6/1/1-2 Henlow Grange Estate 1884-1885

Maulden

HF 18/7/1 Allotment of land 1728-1829

Northill

HF 18/8/1/1 Land in Upper Caldecote 1933

HF 18/8/2/1 Woodlands, Upper Caldecote 1938

HF 18/8/3/1 Colemorham Farm, Ickwell 1871-1936

HF 18/8/4/1-2 Ickwell Estate Office 1915

HF 18/8/5/1 Harvey Estate 1911

Podington

HF 18/9/1/1 Hinwick Hall 1936

Pulloxhill

HF 18/10/1/1 Allotment of land in North Field c1840

Shefford

HF 18/11/1/1 Cottage in Ampthill Road 193-

HF 18/11/2/1 123 Clifton Road 1951

Steppingley

HF 18/12/1/1 Parker Property 1811-1821

Stotfold

HF 18/13/1/1 Property in Brook Street & Folly Road area 1891-1932

Totternhoe

HF 18/14/1 Two allotments of land 1866

Wrestlingworth

HF 18/15/1-3 King William 1V 1950

HF 18/15/2/1-2 Rural Telephone Exchange 1931

Wells & Winch Ltd of Biggleswade, Brewers

HF 40/3/1/1-11 Trust Deeds, Share Prospectus and Correspondence relating to the setting up the Company 1899

HF 40/3/1/12-14 Documents relating to Mortgages to Capital & Counties Bank 1900-1905

HF 40/3/1/15-17 Conveyances of new properties to the Trustees of the Debenture Stock (includes Bird in Hand Stondon, Admiral Clifton; Steeds Brewery and Star Beerhouse, Baldock, Herts, The Cricketers, Stotfold, White Horse Melbourn, The Fountain, Barrington, both Cambs, Messuage, Baldock, Herts and a Close , Shepreth, Cambs. 1910-1912

HF 40/3/1/18 Appointment of R.O.Shuttleworth as New Trustee 1938

HF 40/3/1/19 Release of Red Lion, Thriplow, Cambs from Trust 1938

HF 40/3/1/20-22 Additional Documents relating to the Sale of the Brewery 1897-1924

Purchases of groups of Public Houses/ Breweries BUT excluding Higgins of Bedford, Hudson of Pampisford, Newland & Nash

HF 40/3/2/1-51 Notes relating to the Title of Baldock Brewery and their individual properties (including data on Star Brewery, Cambridge1898-1905)

HF 40/3/2/52 Correspondence relating to the Sale of Days Brewery, St Neots, Hunts 1919-1921

Purchases of Individual Properties

HF 40/3/2/53-55 Land near King's Head, Caldecote, Northill (ref to Deed of 1799) 1804-1805

HF 40/3/2/56 Coach & Horses, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 1876-1913

Sales of Individual Properties

HF 40/3/3/1-5 38, Cauldwell Street, Bedford 1951-1952

HF 40/3/4/1 56, Cauldwell Street, Bedford (in Schedule reference back to 1920) 1953

HF 40/3/5/1-4 Newly enfranchised Cottages, Shortmead Street, Biggleswade 1899

HF 40/3/6/1-2 Other Lots of above 1899

HF 40/3/7/1-5 Cafe Royal, Shortmead Street, Biggleswade

HF 40/3/7/6 Land adjoining the Red Lion, Biggleswade 1938

HF 40/3/8/1-4 Land behind Green Dragon, Eaton Socon 1951-1952

HF 40/3/9/1 Ongley Arms, 12 Eyeworth 1952

HF 40/3/10/1-4 Land adjoining Royal Oak, Kempston (recites deeds 1938 onwards) 1960-1961

HF 40/3/11/1-8 Bricklayers Arms, Potton 1920

HF 40/3/12/1 79, 81 & 83 Cause End Road, Wootton 1951

HF 40/3/13/1 Piece of Land, Clophill 1900

HF 40/3/14/1-8 Dolphin Close, Biggleswade (the site of the Cinema) (ref to The Lamb, Buckden, Hunts) 1907-1912

HF 40/3/15/1-16 Baldock Brewery Site 1904-1909

HF 40/3/16/1-2 Falcon Hitchin, Herts 1914-1918

HF 40/3/17/1 Sun Inn, Brampton Hut, Hunts 1920

HF 40/3/18/1 Cottages in Fox & Hounds Yards, St Neots, Hunts 1954

HF 40/3/19/1 Ship Inn, St Neots, Hunts (references back to 1858) 1920

HF 40/3/20/1-4 Sun, St Neots, Hunts 1899-1902

HF 40/3/21/1 Hop Bine, Tooley Street, Southwark, Surrey 1906

Further Purchases

HF 40/3/22/1 Land near The Engine & Tender, Ampthill c 1920s?

HF 40/3/23/1 Land formerly belonging to the Pope Family, Biggleswade 1905

HF 40/3/24/1 Messuage & Blacksmith's Shop, Church Street (junction with Chapel Fields Lane, Biggleswade (refs back to 1899) 1928

HF 40/3/25/1 Piece of land behind Barley Mow, Eaton Ford 1939

HF 40/3/26/1-2 Cottages, Beeston Green, Sandy (ref back to 1891) 1914

HF 40/3/27/1-3 John O' Gaunt, Sutton 1939

HF 40/3/29/1-3 Cottage, near Wheatsheaf, Gamlingay, Cambs 1902

HF 40/3/29/4-5 Property near Cock Inn, Hitchin, Herts (refs back to 1881) 1934-1952

HF 40/3/29/6-11 Dog & Duck, Eynesbury, Hunts (Refs to 1888) 1921-1925

Grants of Privileges etc

HF 40/3/29/12-20 Enfranchisements, Grants of Easements, Tithe Redemptions 1900-1953

HF 40/3/30/1-4 General relating to Wells & Winch Properties 1889-1940

HF 40/3/31/1 Transfer of Licence of The Admiral, Clifton 1919

HF 40/3/31/2-11 Licensing of The Nags Head, Wilstead 1903-1907

HF 40/3/31/12 Licensing of The Green Man , Shepreth, Cambs 1907

HF 40/3/31/13 Licensing in Pirton & Weston, Herts 1919

Rating

HF 40/3/32/1-3 Local Taxation & Rating 1913 & 1919-1920

Leasing by Wells & Winch Ltd to Tenants

HF 40/3/33/1-3 Leasing to Tenants 1905-1943

HF 40/3/34/1-13 Non payment for Beer supplied: T.S.Mardlin of Rose & Crown, Chalton, Blunham 1893-1906

HF 40/3/34/14 Sugar Loaf, Vinegar Hill (non payment of Rent) 1926

HF 40/3/34/15-24 Bird in Hand, Henlow 1911-1912

Property leased by Wells & Winch as Tenants

Property leased by Wells & Winch as Tenants

HF 40/3/35/1-2 Hop Pole, 122 Tooley Street, Southwark, Surrey (reference in the Deeds back to 1893) 1906

HF 40/3/35/3 George, Hatley St George, Cambs 1879

Property Mortgaged to Wells & Winch Ltd

HF 40/3/36/1-28 Wilbury Hotel, Stotfold 1934-1945

Property encumbered with Loans from Wells & Winch

HF 40/3/37/1 Dunstable United Services Club 1934

Miscellaneous

HF 40/3/38/1 Income Tax 1908

HF 40/3/39/1-9 Rent 1830-1910

HF 40/3/40/1 Grant of the use of Drain, near White Horse, Biggleswade 1920

HF 40/3/41/1-6 Legal Cases protecting their trade 1877-1939

HF 40/3/42/1-4 Printed Annual Reports 1901-1960

HF 40/3/43/1-5 Draft Accounts etc 1912-1934

HF 40/3/44/1-4 Documents relating to Shares 1927-1962

HF 40/3/45/-1-4 Shares 1900-1927

HF 40/3/46/1-2 Application for Shares 1900

HF 40/3/47/1 Letter relating to Shares in North Beds Courier 1909

HF 40/3/48/1-9 Mortgages of former Baldock Brewery property 1904-1905

HF 40/3/49/1-6 Notices by Biggleswade RDC to supply water to houses at Vinegar Hill under Public Health (Water) Act of 1878. 1911-1912

Hudsons of Pampisford Brewery

HF 40/4/1/1 Land at Beche Road, Cambridge & land Cherry, Hinton, Cambs 1889-1894

HF 40/4/2/1-10 Swan & two messuages, Castle Street, Cambridge (References also to "The Lamb" (formerly "Four Swans") & "Bleeding Hart" (Ekins Brewery) 1842-1891

HF 40/4/3/1-7 Seven houses in Malta & Cypress Road, Cambridge 1881-1898

HF 40/4/4/1-5 Copyhold Messuage, Hildersham, Cambs 1828-1876

HF 40/4/5/1-5 Another copyhold messuage at the same 1850-1896

HF 40/4/6/1-5 Messuage, grocer's shop & bakery, Pampisford, Cambs 1829-1894

HF 40/4/7/1-2 "White Horse", Pampisford, Cambs 1831-1899

HF 40/4/8/1-7 Property in Pampisford Road near above 1889-1913

HF 40/4/9/1-5 Six copyhold cottages, Hadstock, Essex 1822-1871

Higgins Brewery of Bedford (See also GK Catalogue)

HF 40/5/1/1-7 Conveyance of the Brewery & Public Houses (including complete list of properties sold) 1931-1932

HF 40/5/2/1-6 Castle Brewery & Castle Close, Bedford 1837-1900 (duplicates of X369/2 and /5 are found in the earlier documents of this bundle)

HF 40/5/3/1-15 27 & 29 Castle Lane, Bedford 1693-1899 (formerly part of Castle Close)

HF 40/5/4/1 Ground & two Cottages, formerly part of Castle Close, Bedford (at junction of Embankment & Newnham Road) 1823-1885

HF 40/5/5/1-5 Cottages & Premises in Newnham Street and Ram Yard, 1832-1871

HF 40//5/6/1-18Swan, Newton Bromswold, Northants 1694-1846

HF 40/5/7/1-6 Correspondence regarding leasehold premises: Bedford Arms, Souldrop 1894-1925

HF 40/5/8/1 The Bull, Harrold (see also GK 79) 1808-1809

HF 40/6/1/1 Royal Oak, Woburn Sands (See also GK 152) 1889

HF 40/6/2/1 Three Tuns, Biddenham (Right of Way) 1929

HF 41/1/7/1 Insurance of Onion Loft at Clifton 1889

Edmund Powers and Powers & Sons

HF 41/3/1 Cottages, Langford Street, Biggleswade 1858

HF 41/3/2/1-3 Part of Boddington Piece, Biggleswade 1869

HF 41/3/3 Part of the Spectacles 1870

HF 41/3/4 Samuel Benson's Promissory Note 1881-1882

HF 41/3/5/1 Solicitors' Accounts 1871-1879

HF 41/3/6/1 Lewis Potter 1878

HF 41/3/7 Inventory of Holme Mills, Biggleswade 1829

HF 41/3/8 Writ against Grants of Hill Farm, Langford 1885

HF 41/3/9 Further Solicitors' Bill 1878

S.Wells & Co: E.F.Powers Bankruptcy

HF 41/4/1-13 General papers relating to the Bankruptcy 1867-1893

HF 41/4/14-22 Shoolbred, Race & Co v C.Powers & Co 1880-1886

HF 41/4/23-37 Sale of E.F.Powers's share in properties in Biggleswade to W.Shoolbred 1886-1887

S.Wells & Co:Wells, Hogge & Lindsell v E.Powers & Sons

HF 41/5/1-13 Papers relating to the Case and Biggleswade & Langford Mills 1883-1892

HF 41/5/14a-14b £350 Estate Duty claimed from C.T. & G.Powers

HF 41/5/15-20 Moveables in Biggleswade, Holme & Langford Mills 1884-1887

S.Wells & Co: R.H.Lindsell & F.Archdale v Ellen Phillips Case relates to the Estate of Edmund Powers, deceased.

HF 41/6/1 Papers about the Case 1876-1886

Manisty v Archdale

HF 41/7/1/1-8 Copies of documents relating to the Case, dating from before 1888 1883-1887

HF 41/7/2/1-15 Copies of Documents used in evidence in the Case 1867-1885

Edmund Powers and Powers & Sons

HF 41/7/3/1-7 First Numbered Sequence of Evidence 1885-1892

HF 41/7/4/1-42 Second Numbered Sequence of Evidence 1879-1891

HF 41/7/5/1-5 Further Miscellaneous Documents relating to the Case 1883-1888

HF 41/7/6/1-37 Documents produced in 1888 1888-1891

HF 41/7/7/1-64 Documents produced in 1889 1875-1889

HF 41/7/8/1-99 Documents produced in 1890 1890

HF 41/7/9/1-29 Documents produced in 1891 1891

HF 41/7/10/0-56 Documents produced in 1892 1874-1892

HF 41/7/11/1-23 Documents produced in 1893 1893-1894

HF 41/7/12/1-12 Documents produced in 1894 1888-1894

HF 41/7/13/1-41 Accounts made up c1890 onwards 1864- c1898

HF 41/7/14/1-53 Correspondence relating to the Case 1884-1895

Albion Mills, Kings Cross, York Road, London N.

HF 41/8/1/1-33 Documents prior to Powers & Sons v Wells etc and their undertenants ,Goode Bros. 1876-1889

HF 41/8/2/1-18 Lease of Albion Mills to Goode Bros 1887-1891

HF 41/8/3/1-71 Powers & Sons v Wells, Hogge & Lindsell and Goode Bros c1878-1890

HF 41/8/4/1-7 Goode v Archdale & Others 1892-1893

Ham Farm Brick yard, Preston near Faversham, Kent

HF 41/9/1-4 Deeds 1879-1887

HF 41/9/2/1-11 Partnership of George Powers with Frederick Safford 1880-1887

HF 41/9/3/1-7 Correspondence relating to the Ham Farm Brick Co 1879-1887

HF 41/9/4/1-14 Accounts relating to the Ham Farm Brick Company etc 1877-1885

Lindsell Family of Fairfield, Shortmead & Holme, Biggleswade

HF 42/1/1-9 Settlements & Mortgages 1816-1914

HF 42/2/1-14 Purchases by Robert Lindsell (d1856) in Biggleswade (principally in Shortmead, Stratton and Holme Streets includes partition of Holme Estate 1862) 1824-1862

HF 42/3/1-4 Purchases by Robert lindsell in Blunham 1835- 1871

HF 42/4/1-4 Purchases of Robert Lindsell in Langford 1749-1835

HF 42/5/1 Purchases by Robert Lindsell in Harlington 1834-1840

HF 42/6/1-12 Purchases by Robert Henry Lindsell in Biggleswade (mainly Common Rights but includes a Sale Catalogue of The Sun Inn in 1823) 1823-1877

HF 42/7/1-2 Purchases by Henry Martin Lindsell in Biggleswade (including house in Fairfield Lane 1891-1925

HF 42/8/1-3 Sales by the Lindsell family in Biggleswade 1909-1926

HF 42/8/4 Transfer of Lease of 63 Goldington Road, Bedford 1897-1900

HF 42/9/1-6 Personal Papers of Robert Lindsell (1790-1856) 1851-pre 1891

HF 42/10/1-9 Personal Papers of Robert Henry Lindsell (1818-1891) of Fairfield, Biggleswade 1861-1893

HF 42/11/1-10 Personal Papers of Charles Samuel Lindsell (1825-1909) of Holme, Biggleswade 1880-1918

HF 42/12/1 Personal Papers of Margaret Green (1822-1913) of Ventnor, Isle of Wight (she was born a Lindsell) 1913-1914

HF 42/13/1-9 Personal Papers of Henry Martin Lindsell (1846-1925) of Shortmead 1898-1927

HF 42 /14/1-11 Personal Papers of Arthur Knox Lindsell (1851-1924) 1894 -1946

HF 42/15/1-9 Personal Papers of Major Charles Frederick Lindsell (1853-1929) of Southern Rhodesia 1874-1929

HF 42/16/1 Personal Papers of Robert James Lindsell of St Ives, Hunts (born 1857) 1942-1943

HF 42/17/1-4 Personal Papers of Charles Thomas Lindsell (1854-1935) of Turvey 1909-1935

HF 42/18/1 Marriage Settlement of Lt Col C.B.Messiter & Miss AM Lindsell 1921-1929

HF 42/19/1-2 Personal Papers of Harold Offley Lindsell (born 1884) 1924-1927

HF 42/20/1 Personal Papers of Guy Vivian Lindsell (1886-1911), Lieutenant in the Indian Army 1942

HF 42/21/1 Personal Paers of George Frederick Lindsell (1884-1923) of South Africa 1929-1930

HF 42/22/1 Personal Papers of Sylvia Eaton Lindsell of Eastbourne (c1896-1923) 1920

Miscellaneous Papers of the Lindsell Family

HF 42/23/1 Will of Wiliam Lindsell, late of Hemingford, Hunts & then of Southampton 1861

Lindsells' Brewery at Chatteris, Cambs

HF 42/24/1 Railway Inn, Ely, Cambs 1882

HF 42/24/2 Rising Sun, Somersham, Hunts 1887-1888

HF 42/24/3 Property at Upwell, Norfolk 1833-1881

HF 42/24/4-6 Abstract of Titles etc to various properties, belonging to the Brewery (all in Cambs & Hunts) 1857-1913

HF 42/24/7 Admissions to Copyhold of the Manor of Ramsey, Hunts 1915

HF 42/24/8-9 Miscellaneous Letters 1838-1883

Hogge & Archdale Family Papers Property

HF 45/1/1 Copyhold Shortmead Street, Biggleswade 1872-1876

HF 45/1/2/1 Shefford & Campton 1840

HF 45/1/3 Stow Hall Farm, Stow Maries & Cold Norton, Essex 1899-1914

HF 45/1/4 Oke Villa, Grosvenor Square, Southampton, Hants 1901-1904

HF 45/1/5 Pirton, Herts 1714-1899

HF 45/1/6 Willian & Baldock, Herts 1875

HF 45/1/7 Setch Brewery, Kings Lynn, Norfolk 1902-1903

HF 45/1/8 Thornham, Norfolk1911

Additional Documents relating to the Hogge Family

HF 45/1/9 F.Archdale deceased 1903

HF 45/1/10 Property in Baldock, Herts 1698-1875

HF 45/1/11 Easement at Campton 1893

Reverend Martin Hogg of Southacre, Norfolk, Clerk (1803-1854)

HF 45/2/1 Personal Papers 1803-1854

William Hogge (d1862)

HF 45/3/1-7 Personal Papers 1861-1903

Frederick Hogge (later Archdale) of Baldock & Southampton 1827-1903

HF 45/4/1-27 Personal Papers 1854-1917

George Hogg of Biggleswade (later Archdale) 1807-1901

HF 45/5/1-4 Personal Papers 1842, 1901

Anna Allen Douton (nee Hogge)

HF 45/6/1 Personal Papers 1899

Louisa Emily Archdale (m i) H.E.Lindsell; ii) Henry Wing) (1866-?)

HF 45/7/1 Personal Papers 1903

Amy Katherine Gibson-Carmichael (nee Archdale) (1865-1899)

HF 45/8/1-2 Personal Papers 1892-1894

Alice Georgina, Lady Orde (later Archdale)

HF 45/9/1-2 Personal Papers 1903-1936

George Fitzroy Archdale (?-1939) of Nately Scures, Hants

HF 45/10/1-8 Personal Papers 1893-1940

John Frederick St Quintin Archdale

HF 45/11/1-2 Personal Papers 1903-1904

Brigadier Arthur Somerville Archdale & wife Mildred (nee Funnell)

HF 45/12/1-2 Personal Papers 1907-1944

William Frederick Archdale of Southampton

HF 45/13/1/1-4/3 Personal Papers 1901-1910

Papers of the Beauford Family

HF 46/1/1/1 Marriage Settlement of Henry Williams Beauford (1809-1888) of Sudborough, Northants 1838

HF 46/1/1/2 Schedule of Deeds of the Trustees of Henry Walter Beauford (d 1865) in Devon, Cornwall & Stilage Close, Radwell, Felmersham (1794-1858) 689-1866

HF 46/1/2-4 Further Papers relating to Beauford Marriage Settlement 1887-1894

HF 46/2/1-3 Correspondence relating to Beauford Marriage Settlement 1873-1893

HF 46/3/1-2 Share Certificates held by Trustees 1857-1916

HF 46/4/1-3 Estate Duty Papers of Beauford Family 1893-1924

HF 46/5/1 Mortgages to individuals using Beauford TRust money 1886-1890

HF 46/6/1-23 Case relating to Thomas Powers, debtor to the Beauford Trustees 1846-1891

HF 46/7/1 Mortgage by Beauford Trustees to James Maindley of Shefford 1868

Fred Hogg of Girtford, Sandy, Merchant (c1789-1878)

HF 47/1/1-5 Personal Papewrs 1857-1879

HF 47/2/1 Papers of his Trustees & Executors 1879-1917

Frederick Safford of Ivel House, Girtford (1841-1914) (illegitimate son of Fred Hogg of Girtford)

HF 47/3/1-45 Personal Papers 1878-1914

HF 47/4/1-4 Executors' Papers1915-1917

Manor Court Boooks & Rolls etc.Biggleswade

HF 62/1/1-5 Court Books (See also X338) 1719-1894

HF 62/2/1 Minute Book 1880-1913

HF 62/3/1-13 Draft Court Rolls 1896-1924

HF 62/4/1-10/ Bundles of Copies of Court Rolls 1811-1925

HF 62/11/1-10 Precepts to give Notice of Court 1898-1922

HF 62/12/1-18 Borough Presentments 1898-1925

HF 62/13/1-20 Foreign Presentments 1898-1925

HF 62/14/1 Book of Cottage Rights in Common Pastures 1844-1902

HF 62/14/2 List of Common Rights 1890

HF 62/15/1 List of Vesting Assents 1935

HF 62/16/1/1-7/5 Extinguishment of Manorial Incidents 1934-1950

HF 62/17/1-33 Conveyances of Mineral Rights 1939-1951

HF 62/18/1-14 General Correspondence 1843-1952

HF 62/19/1-10 Books of Fees 1829-1925

HF 62/20/1-7 Quit Rent Register & Rolls 1869-1925

HF 62/21/1 Bill for search in the Court Rools 1827

HF 62/22/1 Appointments of Deputy Stewards for specific occasions 1908-1923

Blunham Manor

HF 63/1/1-2 Draft Minute Books (gaps) 1864-1922

HF 63/2/1-40 Draft Court Rolls (gaps) 1836-1899

HF 63/3/1-208 Copies of Court Roll 1836-1934

HF 63/4/1-12 General Correspondence 1897-1950

HF 63/5/1 Notice of Manor Court 1862

Beadlow Manor in Clophiil Parish.

HF 64/1-2 Agreements relating to Compensation for loss of Manorial Incidents 1935

Clophill with Cainhoe Manor

HF 65/1/1-10 Bundle of Surrenders 1903-1925

HF 65/2/1-3 Dispute over right of the Lady of the Manor to levy a double fine 1926

HF 65/3/1-6 Agreements relating to Compensation for the loss of Manorial Incidents 1927-1936

HF 65/4/1-3 Draft Conveyances of Mineral Rights 1939-1943

HF 65/5/1-2 Miscellaneous Items 1851-1860

HF 65/6/1-5 General Correspondence 1927-1952

Flitton Manor

HF 66/1-5 Compensation for the loss of Manorial Incidents 1936-1950

Gravenhurst Manor

HF 67/1/1-23 Copies of Court Roll 1884-1926

HF 67/2/1 Agreements for Compensation for the loss of Manorial Incidents 1930-1935

HF 67/3/1-2 Bundles of Correspondence 1924-1936

Harrold Manor

HF 68/1/1-2 Draft Court Rolls 1844-1845

HF 68/2/1-3 Correspondence relating to the ownership of the Manor 1925

Henlow Grey Manor

HF 69/1/1-16 Copies of Court Roll 1907-1923

HF 69/2/1-11 Agreements for Compensation for the loss of Manorial Incidents 1927-1937

HF 69/3/1 Declaration by Lady of the Manor 1933

HF 69/4/1a-4 Correspondence 1886-1947

Henlow Llanthony Manor

HF 70/1-4 Enfranchisement 1902

Langford Manor

HF 71/1 Fines on Admission 1840

HF 71/2 Correspondence relating to a gift to the Glebe 1884

Potton Burdetts

HF 72/1 Table of Fees 1867

Potton Rectory Manor

HF 73/1/1 Account of Fees 1880-1898

HF 73/2 Correspondence relating to an Admission 1895-1896

Pulloxhill & Greenfield Manor

HF 74/1 Redemption of Quit Rents 1927

HF 74/2 Agreement for Compensation for the loss of Manorial Incidents 1935

Pulloxhil Rectory Manor

HF 75/1 Agreement for Compensation for the loss of Manorial Incidents 1936

Sandy Rectory Manor

HF 76/1/1 Valuation of Sandy for Rating 1800

HF 76/2/1/1-28/1 Draft Court Rolls & Minutes 1790-1887

HF 76/3/1-7 Draft Notices of the holding of a Manor Court 1833-1883

HF 76/4/1-18 Unsorted Copies of Court Roll 1807-1905

HF 76/5/1/1-5/4 Copies of Court Roll arranged by individual property 1833-1894

HF 76/6/1/1-11/10 Enfranchisements 1844-1920

HF 76/7/1/1-24 General Correspondence 1857-1885

HF 76/8/1/1-17 Bills of Fees payable 1839-1859

HF 76/9/1 Quit Rents c1810-1823

HF 76/10/1-2 Seizure of Copyhold lands by the Lord of the Manor 1859-1868

Shillington Rectory Manor

HF 77/1/1 Draft Abstract of Title 1754-1822 1881

HF 77/2/1-7 Correspondence about R.Long's Admissions 1881

Silsoe, Wrest & Broybury Manor

HF 78/1/1-3 Agreements for Compensation for the loss of Manorial Incidents 1934-1936

Southill Manor

HF 79/1 Orders, Pains & Byelaws 1741

Stotfold Manor

HF 80/1/1-6 Agreements for Compensation for the loss of Manorial Incidents 1935

HF 80/2/1 Fines payable 1932

HF 80/3/1-4 General Correspondence (gaps) 1931-1952

Wrest Manors: Silsoe, Wrest & Brobury, Blunham, Clophill with Cainho & Beadlow, Henlow Grey, Gravenhurst, Pulloxhill Rectory, Pulloxhill with Greenfield, Flitton and Harrold.

HF 81/1/1-4 Draft Minute Book 1838-1848

HF 81/2/1-2 Miscellaneous Court Records 19C

HF 81/3/1-2 Draft Deeds 20C

HF 81/3/3 Agreements for Compensation for the loss of Manorial Incidents 1935

HF 81/4/1-24b General Correspondence 1836-1950

HF 81/5/1-4 Fees Books (gaps) 1814-1925

HF 81/6/1-3 Quit Rents 1917-1918

HF 81/7/1 Deputy Steward's Expenses 1836

HF 81/8/1-6 Appointments of Stewards and Deputy Stewards 1894-1923

HF 81/9/1-5 Purchase of 9 Manors by W.F.A.Fletcher 1919

HF 81/10/1-2 Lists of Manor Court Rolls and Books 1920s

Tithe Records Biggleswade

HF 82/1/1-2 Tithe Award 1840

HF 82/1/3/1-27 General Correspondence etc 1863-1927

HF 82/1/4/1-48 Tithe Redemption Certificates 1893-1924

HF 82/5/1/1-10 Corespondence with The Great Northern Railway Co 1879-1902

HF 82/1/6/1-2 Collectors of Tithes for the Governors of Queen Anne's Bounty 1927

HF 82/1/7/1-30 Official Tables showing the Value of Tithe Rentcharges 1860-1896

HF 82/1/7/31-34 Printed Leaflets etc re Tithes 1914-1926

Biggleswade Rectorial Tithes

HF 81/2/1/1 Sale of Lease for Lives on the Prebend & Rectory of Biggleswade1859

HF 82/2/1a-15 Tithe Account Books 1920-1936

HF 82/3/1-6 General Correspondence 1919-1938

Biggleswade Vicarial Tithes

HF 82/3/1/1-7 Tithe Account Books 1883-1937

HF 82/3/2/1-63 Rental 1859-1925

HF 82/3/1-65 Tithe Accounts 1860-1927

HF 82/3/4/1-16 Half Yearly Tithe Accounts 1860-1875

HF 82/3/5/1-6 Assessments for Vicarial Tithe 1893-1927

HF 82/3/6/1-99 General Correspondence c1871-1930

HF 82/3/7 Vicar's Liability to Poor Rate 1918-1921

HF 82/3/8/1-7 Vicar & Income Tax 1870-1920

Enclosure Papers Ampthill

HF 83/1/1-2c Act & extract from Award 1806-1808

Clifton

HF 83/2/1-2 Act & extract from Award 1832

Langford

HF 83/2/3/1 Minute Book (including Act) 1827-1829

HF 83/3/2 Legal Opinion relating to an awarded private carriageway 1894

Corn Rents Blunham

HF 83/4/1 Correspondence 1925

Great Northern Railway

HF 84/1-8 New road from Beeston to Sandy Goods Station 1883-1886

Hooper Family Personal Archive

Papers of T.J.Hooper of Biggleswade, Solicitor.

HF 85/1/1a-11 Personal Documents 1833-1886

HF 85/2/1-9 Marriage Settlement 1856-1903

HF 85/3/1-7 Purchases of Propertyy in Biggleswade 1862-1869

HF 85/4/1-4 Tenancy Agreements etc 1884

HF 85/5/1-5 Insurance Policies 1866-1904

HF 85/6/1-6 Shares 1877-1884

HF 85/7/1-6 Private Correspondence 1885-1890

HF 85/8/1-4 Miscellaneous Letters sent to him 1885-1889

HF 85/9/1-6b Bank & Account Books 1892-1904

HF 85/10/1-21 Private Vouchers 1876-1904

HF 85/11/1-16 Wills and his Executors Papers 1864-1920

T.J.Hooper's Stow Maries Estate, Essex(Henry Sewell of Chigwell)

HF 86/1/1-5 Letters & Accounts with T.J.Hooper before Sewell's Bankruptcy 1866-1884

HF 86/2/1-14 Case Hooper v Sewell 1882-1883

HF 86/3/1-6 Correspondence re Stow Maries, Essex 1886-1896

HF 86/4/1-6 Farmer's Account Books, Stow Maries Farm, Essex 1890-1896

HF 86/5/1-3 Accounts & Vouchers, Stow Maries Estate, Essex 1886-1890

HF 86/6/1-4 Fire Insurance, Stow Maries, Essex 1883-1900

HF 86/7/1-2 Local Taxation , Stow Maries 1882-1885

HF 86/8/1-3 Printed Sale Catalogues fot property in Essex and Hounslow, Middlesex 1891-1905

HF 86/9/1-5 T.J.Hooper as Mortgagee 1876-1880

HF 87/1/1-9 T.J.Hooper as Mortgagor 1873-1902

HF 87/2/1 Security for his Banking Account 1894-1896

Organisations of which T.J.Hooper was a Member

HF 88/1/1-16 Association of Union Clerks 1864-1892

HF 88/2/1-2 Union & R.D.C.Clerks Association 1903

HF 88/3/1 National Poor Law Officers' Association 1890

HF 88/4/1 Cambridgeshire Law Society 1879

HF 88/5/1 The Law Society of the United Kingdom 1886

John Jefferies Hooper (died 1845) of Lower Swell, Glous

HF 89/1/1-8 Will and Executors Papers 1838-1901

Henrieta Hooper(died 1882) of Ilfracombe, DevonDraft

HF 89/2/1-7 Draft Wills etc 1857-1882

Miss Elizabeth Sarah Hooper(died 1914) of Ilfracombe, Devon

HF 89/3/1 Draft Will 1857

HF 89/3/2-17 Deeds of property in Biggleswade mortgaged to her. 1843-1898

HF 89/3/18 Deed of a property in Dunton mortgaged to her 1884-1918

HF 89/3/19 Blank Number

HF 89/3/20a-22 Miscellaneous Papers 1884-1896

John Turton Hooper (born 1918) of County Durham

HF 89/4/1- Mortgage 1882

HF 89/4/2-3 Insurance of House at Catchgate, Durham 1892

HF 89/4/4-6 General Correspondence 1875-1904

HF 89/4/7a & b Account with Hooper & Fletcher 1897-1904

William Joseph Hooper of North Dumfries, Canada

HF 89/5/1-2b Letter & Promissory Note 1868 & 1889

Canon William Hooper (born c1838) and Mary Priscilla his wife (died 1929)

HF 89/6/1 Charges for Marriage Settlement 1892

HF 89/6/2 Correspondence on her death at Mussoorie in India 1930-1931

Mrs Sarah Hunt Hooper (c1833-1930)

HF 89/7/1-4 Sale of Camden House, Stratton Street, Biggleswade 1904

HF 89/7/5-11 Mortgage on Share in the Will of S.Taylor Ellen Taylor Turner, the Mortgagee) 1879-1898

HF 89/7/12-17 Mortgage on property at Henlow 1904-1913

HF 89/7/18 Mortgage on property in Biggleswade 1913-1925

HF 89/7/19-21 General Correspondence 1883-1930

HF 89/7/22-33 Financial Affairs 1904-1930

HF 89/7/34-49 Wills & Executors' papers 1929-1931

Matthews Family Archive

John Matthews(died 1852) of Lower Swell, Glous

HF 90/1/1-3b Executors' Accounts & Papers 1852-1853

Martha Matthews, John's Wife

HF 90/1/4a-5 Will and Executors' Papers 1853-1865

William Robins Matthews(died 1868) of Newport, Monmouthshire

HF 90/2/1-6 Purchase of property in Monmouthshire 1850-1867

HF 90/2/7-8 Sale of Property in the same 1865-1868

HF 90/2/9-10 Insurance of properties held 1860-1868

HF 90/2/11-18 Financial Affairs 1846-1867

HF 90/2/19-25 Birth Certificates etc of his children 1849-1861

HF 90/2/26-55 Executors Papers 1868-1903

HF 90/2/56-57 Financial Accounts (additional) 1843-1870

Henrietta Ann Matthews (died 1901)

HF 90/3/1 Mortgage 1874

HF 90/3/2-8 Purchase of 31 York Place, Newpoprt, Monmouthshire 1883

HF 90/3/9-15 General Correspondence (including some financial) 1868-1902

Joseph Henry Matthews(1853-1875)

HF 90/4/1 Letter relating to the Estate of the above (deceased) 1876

Mary Matthews (born 1854)

HF 90/5/1 Apprenticeship to learn the Art of Schoolmistress 1870

Miscellaneous Document probably relating to the Matthews Family.

HF 90/6/1 Advance of £200 to Richard Gould of Newport, Monmouthshire 1868

Fletcher Family Archive

HF 91-97 These documents have not yet been listed and therefore there are no catalogue sheets for these numbers.

Waters Family Archive

Avery Clough Waters (1903-1985)

HF 98/1/1-2 Practising Certificates 1930-1953

HF 98/1/3 Correspondence relating to his appointment as Justice's Clerk to Biggleswade Petty Sessions1938

HF 98/1/4-5 Accounts Various 1937 & 1940

HF 98/1/6-7 A.C.Waters's Austin 8 1947-1952

HF 98/1/8-13 Miscellaneous items (including Bills) 1937-1952

Beatrice Huthwaite Waters

HF 98/2/1 General Correspondence 1947-1952

HF 98/2/2 Mortgage to Mrs D.J.Waters 1949

HF 98/2/3 Letting of 19 Amherst Road,Bexhill on Sea, Sussex 1952

HF 98/2/4 Power of Attorney 1952

HF 98/2/5 Marriage Trustees allowed to pay of Mortgage on th above property 1936

Hugh Clough Waters (born 1907) of Calcutta,India & Purley,Surrey

HF 98/3/1-2 General Correspondence 1949-1953

HF 98/3/3-8 Separation and Divorce from his first wife 1943-1951

HF 98/3/9-11 Dorothy Jane Waters 1947-1948

HF 98/3/12 Hire of Gents Cycle 1945

HF 98/3/13 Purchase of Furniture 1947

HF 98/3/14-19 Mortgages 1941-1946

HF 98/3/20-21 Draft Wills 1943

HF 98/3/22-24 Insurance 1932-1951

HF 98/3/25 Death Certificate of Leslie Eric Barton 1952

HF 98/3/26-28 H.C.Waters Additonal Items 1947-1948

Averil & Robin Hugh Waters., Children of Hugh Clough Waters

HF 98/4/1-4 Details of Inoculation 1940-1942

HF 98/4/5-6 Expenditure on the Chidren 1945-1950

HF 98/4/7 Robin at Carn Brea Preparatory School, Kent c1945-1950

Mary Sarah Waters (died 1934)

HF 98/5/1-2 Executors Accounts etc (including Sources of Income 1930.) 1934

Walter Henry Moore (1930s at 37,Pemberley Avenue, Bedford)

HF 98/6/1-7 Marriage Settlement 1913-1948

HF 98/6/8-9 Insurance under the Marriage Trust 1946-1947

HF 98/6//10-11 Bequest of Miss Edith Salt to Dorothy Moore 1945-1946

HF 98/6/12 Bill for furniture, Shrewsbury, Salop 1913

HF 98/6/13a & b Building Wenlock, Downs Wood, Epsom (Architect H.J.Busbridge) 1936-1946

HF 98/6/14 Financial support for Hilda Moore 1941

HF 98/6/15 Income Tax papers of W.H.Moore 1932-1945

HF 98/6/16 Appointment of his son Philip to post of Assistant Organist to St George's Windsorc 1945

Dorothy Moore, wife of W.H.Moore.

HF 98/6/17 Letter relating to her Share Certificates 1934

HF 98/6/18 Sale of an unidentified property 1946

Alan Huthwaite Moore (1917-) son of W.H.Moore.

HF 98/6/19-20 R.A.F. Discharge Papers 1941

Further Papers of W.H.Moore.

HF 98/6/21 Note of Income 1935

HF 98/6/22 Suggestions for his Will 1947

Miscellaneous Items relating to other members of the Firm Francis Prideaux Allbuttt

HF 99/1/1 Share Certificate in Orchosol Gramophones Ltd 1930

HF 99/1/2 Income Tax 1937-1938

Henry Charles Walmisley- Dresser

HF 99/2/1 Practising Certificate 1938

Arthur John Hills

HF 99/3/1 Account Book 1878-1902

HF 99/3/2-4 Financial affairs of his brother, A.P.Hills of Battersea 1893-1909

Bedfordshire Law Soiciety

HF 100/1/1-19 Printed Annual Reports and Treasurers Accounts 1930-1956

HF 100/1/20-21 Printed Rules c1922 & 1948

HF 100/1/22-23 Printed Rules relating to Conveyancing Charges 1937& 1954

HF 100/1/24 List of Officers & Register of Members 1947-1954

T.J.Hooper as Insurance Agent

HF 101/1-4b Equity & Law Life Insurance Society 1868-1876

HF 102/1a & b Law Life Assurance Society 1874

HF 103/1 Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society 1871

T.J.Hooper as Clerk to Biggleswade Poor Law Union

HF 104/1-10 Emigrants Office Circulars relating to Emigration to Australia & South Africa 1886

HF 105/1-3 Miscellaneous documents relating to Biggleswade Union 1840-1876

HF 106/1-8 Elections to Biggleswade Board of Guardians 1894

HF 107/1/1-3/5 Elections to Arlesey School Board 1883-1889

HF 108/1-2/28 Elections to Biggleswade School Board 1888-1894

HF 109/1/1-2/9 Elections to Campton School Board 1887-1893

HF 110/1/1-6/18 Elections to Everton and Tetworth United School Board 1879-1894

HF 111/1/1-26 Election to Langford School Board 1885

HF 112/1/1-2 Election to Potton School Board 1884

HF 113/1/1-14 Election to Shefford School Board 1887

HF 114/1/1-2/25b Elections to Stotfold School Board 1890-1893

HF 115/1-8 Elections to Parish Councils 1894

HF 116/1-14 Elections to Rural District Coouncils 1894

HF 117/1-5 Elections to Biggleswade U.D.C. 1894 & 1945

T.J.Hooper as Clerk to Biggleswade District Highway Board.

HF 118/1/1-14 Attempt to stop up Mill Lane, Tempsford 1875

HF 118/2/1 Disagreement over two Hertfordshire Roads 1893

T.J.Hooper as Clerk to Biggleswade Rural District Council

HF 119/1/1 Printed Letter convening of the Council 1894

HF 119/2/1 Arlesey Sewerage 1874, 1894-1897

HF 119/3/1-3 Correspondence as payment of Clerk's fees 1903

HF 119/4/1a & b Moggerhanger Water Supply 1898

HF 119/5/1-15 Bedford Corporation Water Act 1902

HF 119/6/1-2 Reports of Inspector of Nuisances 1899

HF 119/7/1-3 Scavenging Contracts 1899-1900

HF 120/1a-5b Great Northern Railway Extension (including Correspondence relating to a footpath at Biggleswade) 1885-1899

T.J.Hooper as Clerk to both Biggleswade R.D.C. & U.D.C. St Neots Water Bill (Parliamentary Session 1899)

HF 121/1/1-7 Printed Bills, Act, Plans etc 1898-1899

HF 121/2/1-4 Main Correspondence Bundles 1898-1899

HF 121/3/1-20 Correspondence etc Individual items 1896-1899

HF 121/4/1-6 Petitions v Bill 1899

HF 121/5/1-8 Evidence for Enquiry 1899

HF 121/6/1-9 Proof of Evidence 1899

HF 121/7/1-3 QCs' Papers 1899

HF 121/8/1 Account of Proceedings of the Select Committee of Enquiry 1899

HF 121/9/1-4 Bill of Costs etc1899

T.J.Hooper as Clerk to both Biggleswade R.D.C. & U.D.C. Biggleswade Water Board Bill

HF 122/1/1-20 Printed Bill, Act, Deposited Plans 1899-1901

HF 122/2/1-4 Main Correspondence Bundles 1899-1903

HF 122/3/1-38 Correspondence etc, individual items 1897-1904

HF 122/4/1-22 Notices to Owners 1899-1901

HF 122/5/1-3 Petitions against the Bill 1901

HF 122/6/1-23 Evidence 1897-1901

HF 122/7/1 Draft Minutes of Joint Committee 1899-1900

HF 122/8/1 Bill of Costs 1899-1901

T.J.Hooper as Clerk to Arlesey School Board

HF 123/1/1-3 General Correspondence 1879-1882

HF 123/2/1-4 Correspondence about Staff (mainly Appointments) 1881-1883

HF 123/3/1 Financial(Bills) 1879-1886

HF 123/4/1 School Attendance (Jemima Dear) 1881

HF 123/5/1 Draft Minute Book 1877-1881

T.J.Hooper as Clerk to Biggleswade School Board

HF 124/1-2 General Correspondence 1881-1887 & 1903

HF 124/2/1 Correspondence about Staff 1880 & 1883-1885

HF 124/3/1 Financial (Bills) 1880s

HF 124/4/1 Bundle of Correspondence relating to a boundary wall 1887

T.J.Hooper as Clerk to Campton School Board

HF 125/1-2 Bills & Receipts 1879-1881

T.J.Hooper as Clerk to Everton School Board

HF 126/1 Bills & Receipts 1875-1876

T.J.Hooper as Clerk to Langford School Board

HF 127/1/1 General Correspondence 1881 & 1883

HF 127/1/2 Correspondence relating to allegedly harsh treatment of pupils 1884-1885

HF 127/2/1-18 Correspondence relating to Staff 1881-1886

HF 127/2/3/1-5 Financial:Statement & Bills etc 1874-1889

HF 127/4/1 School Attendance Statistics & Reports 1881-1887

HF 127/4/2 Correspondence relating to schol attendance & unlawful employment of children 1882-1886

HF 127/5/1 Agendas (gaps) of Meetings of the School Board 1880-1887

HF 127/6/1 Bundle of Correspondence relating to Repairs to the School Building 1879-1884

HF 127/6/2 Inventory of Furniture etc,Langford Girls Board School 1880

HF 127/7/1a-10b Deeds etc supplementary to CCE/SB/25 relating to the School Site 1875-1876

T.J.Hooper as Clerk to Shefford School Board

HF 128/1 Bills & Receipts 1882-1883

1902 Education Act and the end of the School Boards

HF 129/1/1-2 Correspondence relating to T.J.Hoopeer's claim for Compensation following the abolition of the School Boards. 1903-1904

Managers of Biggleswade National School

HF 130/1 Minute Book (indexed) 1903-1922

HF 130/2 Printed Memorandum relating to Foundation Managers 1902

HF 130/3 Printed Directions.......Elementary Schools (Beds CC Education Committee) 1911

HF 130/4 Report showing Average School Attendance (the same) 1915

HF 130/5 Proposed Sale of old Schools to build a new Infants School 1897

HF 130/6a & b Draft Contract for new National School for Boys 1903

HF 130/7-8d Building Natioal School for Girls & Infants 1907-1910

HF 130/9 Correspondence relating to Miss Gretton's Mortgage 1911-1913

HF 130/10 Abstract of Title and Bundle of Charity Commission Orders relating to Edward Peake's Charity, Biggleswade 1879-1923

Superintendent Registrar of Biggleswade Registration District

HF 131/1-2 Quarterly Return of Marriages 1886-1933

HF 132/1-2 Applications for Birth Certificates 1955-1959

HF 133/1 Requisition for a Certificate of Marriage 1956

HF 134/1 Bundle of Requisitions and Applications for Death Certificates 1955 & 1957

HF 135/1 General Correspondence 1956-1959

HF 136/1-6 Certified Places of Worship Registered for Marriage 1911-1961

HF 136/7 Certificates of Appointments of Authorised Persons to register Marriages 1951-1952

HF 137/1-4 Printed Instructions 1926-1950s

HF 138/1 Printed Papers relating to the 1951 Census 1950-1951

Biggleswade Burial Board

HF 139/1a & b Rough Minute Book 1869-1876

HF 139/2/1 Notices to summon Vestries to appoint new members of the Burial Board 1875-1881

HF 139/2/2-3 Two Miscellaneous Letters 1877 & 1882

HF 139/3/1 Financial :Journal (Grave Numbers given) 1876-1879

HF 139/3/5 Financial: Draft Balance Sheet 1874-1879

HF 139/3/7 Estimates of Costs 1881

HF 139/3/8A-15 Bills 1875-1881

HF 140/1-2 Notices of Interment 1871-1877

Various members of the firm as Clerks to Biggleswade Petty Sessions

HF 141/1-19 Registers of the Magistrates'Court 1880-1915

HF 142 Special Sessions Minute Book (including Licensing Alehouses) 1871-1903

HF 143/1-6 Registers of Licences (gaps) 1872-1901

HF 143/7 Annual Returns of Licensed Club Premises 1920s-1930s

HF 144/+ Register of Bastardy Bonds 1875-1909

HF 145 Plaint Minute Book (complaints about Wages and Breach of Contract) 1878-1903

HF 146/1-8 Financial Records 1883-1934

HF 147/1-10 Depositions 1880s on

HF 147/11-44 Interesting Cases on specific subjects c1881-1938

Various members of the firm as Under Sheriff of Bedfordshire

HF 148/1/1 List of Sheriffs 1835-1932

HF 148/1/2-6 Correspondence relating to Sheriffs 1893-1934

HF 148/1/7-9 Printed List of Sheriffs in England & Wales 1897,1930,1937

HF 148/2/1-31 Appointments made by the Sheriff 1870-1938

HF 148/3/1-3 Miscellaneous Documents relating to Sheriff's Officials 1883-1932

HF 149/1/1-28 General Correspondence 1865-1938

HF 149/2/1-6 Out Letter Book(one gap) 1922-1938

HF 149/3/1-6 Statements of Account of Sheriff's Year of Office, made by the Under Sheriff. 1870- 1938

HF 149/4/1 Totals of Outpayments of Sheriffs 1885-1903

HF 149/5/1-8 Claims for Cravings (mainly expenses at Assizes) 1870-1938

HF 149/6/1-11 Receipted Bills 1883-1938

HF 149/7/1-15 Poundage Accounts, prepared by the Sheriff's Officer 1892-1937

HF 149/8/1-6 Bill of Costs of London Agencies etc 1869-1913

HF 149/9/1 Account of Profit for Mr Hooper 1885-1886

HF 149/9/2 Account of the High Sheriffg of Bedfordshire re Case Lloyds Bank v H.T.Church 1933-1934

HF 149/10/1 Quietus for Bedfordshire (many gaps) 1893-1938

Assizes

HF 150/1/0-27b Jury Lists 180-1938

HF 150/2/1-17 Correspondence relating to Jurors 1870-1938

HF 150/3/1-49 Calendars of Prisoners 1870-1938

HF 150/4/1-8 Miscellaneous items relating to Assizes 1885-1936

Sheriff's Judicial Work

HF 150/5/1a-4 Hanged Felons 1871-1937

HF 150/6/1-2 Ordinary Felons 1871

HF 150/7/I-2 Committal Orders 1914 & 1936

HF 150/8/1 Lists of Justices of the Peace 1903,1909

County Court

HF 151/1/1-20 Correspondence relating to the seizure of goods for debt 1901-1937

HF 151/2/1 List of Parishes in Bedford Court District c1900

Collection of Debts from other Courts

HF 152/1/1-31 Writs of Fieri Facias 1885-1938

HF 152/2/1a-27 Schedule of Warrants 1883-1938

HF 152/3/1-18 Writs of Inquisition 1881-1933

HF 152/4/1-2 Estreat Roll 1917, 1932-1933

HF 152/5/1-2 Bankruptcy 1932-1933

HF 152/6/1--7 Order for Seizure for Goods 1933-1937

HF 152/7/1 Return of Goods insufficient to pay Poundage & Fees 1926

Circulars, Proclamations from Official Bodies

HF 153/1/1a-36 Royal Proclamations 1897-1936

HF 153/2/1-3 Circulars from the Home Office 1898-1921

HF 153/2/4-9 Circulars from County Courts Branch, Lord Chancellor's Department 1927-1933

HF 153/3/1-5 Circulars from the Local Government Board relating to changes of boundaries between Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire 1897

HF 153/4/1-4 Circulars from the Privy Council 1892-1924

HF 153/5/1 Circulars from Treasury 1898

HF 153/6/1-4 Orders in Council 1884-1911

HF 153/7/1-2 Printed Booklet 1888, 1920-1930s

Official Associations to which Under Sheriffs belong.

HF 153/8/1-15b Under Sheriffs Asssociation c1888-1937

HF 153/9/1 County Court Registrar's Association 1904

HF 153/10/1 Justice Clerks Association und Elections a) 1885 General Election

HF 154/1/1-9 General Administrative Correspondence 188o-1886

HF 154/2/1-60 North Bedfordshire Seat 1884-1886

HF 154/3/1-64 South Bedfordshire Seat 1884-1886

Elections b) 1886 By Election

HF 155/1/1-19 South Bedfordshire Seat 1886

HF 155/2/1-5 Dispute as to Sheriff's Costs in above Election 1886

Elections c) 1892 General Election

HF 156/1/1-12 General Administrative Correspondence 1891-1893

HF 156/2/1-46 North Bedfordshire Seat 1892

HF 156/3/1-42 South Bedfordshire Seat 1892

Elections d) 1892 By Election

HF 156/4/1-48 South Bedfordshire Seat 1892

Elections e) 1895 General Election

HF 157/1/1-2 General Administrative Correspondence 1894-1895

HF 157/2/1-30 North Bedfordshire Seat 1895

HF 157/3/1-56 South Bedfordshire Seat 1895

Elections f) 1900 General Election

HF 158/1/1-4 General Administrative Correspondence 1898-1900

HF 158/2/1-9 North Bedfordshire Seat 1900

HF 158/3/1-43 South Bedfordshire Seat 1900

Elections g) 1918 General Election

HF 159/1/1-9 Mid Bedfordshire Seat 1918-1923

Elections i) 1922 General Election

HF 159/2/1-14 Mid Bedfordshire Seat 1922-1923

Elections j) 1922 General Election

HF 159/3/1-12 Mid Bedfordshire Seat 1923

Elections k) 1924 General Election

HF 159/4/1-11 Mid Bedfordshire Seat 1924-1925

Elections; County Council 1888-1889

HF 160/1/1-2 Memoranda re County Election & Table of Polling Stations 1888-1889

HF 160/1/1-7b General Administrative Correspondence 1888-1892

Elections; County Council 1892

HF 160/2/8-13 Biggleswade North Seat 1892

HF 160/2/14-17 Biggleswade Soputh Seat 1892

HF 160/2/18-23 Langford 1892

HF 160/2/24-33 Northill 1892

Various members of the firm as Under Sheriff of Bedfordshire Scale of Charges of Deputy Returning Officer

HF 160/3/1-6 Correspondence 1894

Elections: County Council 1895

HF 160/4/1-3 General Administrative 1895

The Archive itself (mainly created between 1855 & 1952)

The bulk of the Archive starts with the takeover of the Firm by T.J.Hooper in 1855. It covers the period from then to 1952.The series of draft wills (HF 4) start in 1856 and papers of legal cases, in which the Firm was involved (HF 6) in 1858. The important set of Bankruptcy Cases (HF 7) start in 1861. The Firm's accounts date back to the 1860s (HF 2 & 3) and a Schedule of all the deeds processed by the Firm begins in 1873 (HF 1/3/1-6).

The records of smaller estates administerd by the Firm mainly cover the late 19C to 20C but occasional earlier documents are found there. The Executors of R.J.Parker of Ampthill owed John Shaw for cloth, silk, buttons etc in 1819. (HF 8/34.). Other items of note in this section are the papers of the Daniels of Biggleswade 1892-1898, including acatalogue of the contents of St Andrews,Biggleswade (now the Conservative Club)(HF 8/13); tradesmen's bills issued to Maythorn, Coach Builder & Painter 1875-1879 (HF 8/31) and the sale of Hillside House, Church Street to the Miss Wingfields (HF 8/39) 1900, which includes a Catalogue of household goods and two maps of the site.

HF 9-17 are groups of deeds for individual parishes for which there arte more than one or two bundles. These deeds were unmarked and do not appear to fit into any of the series of Clients files. HF 18 contains Bedfordshire deeds for parishes for which there are only one or two bundles. The as yet uncatalogued out County deeds are grouped at reference HF 19. As knowledge of the Clients of the Firm increases this section could be reduced, as the deeds are moved elsewhere in the Archive

Highlights in HF 9-19 include the conveyance of land for a new St Andrews Mission Church, Arlesey (opened June 1900- see Commercial Directory for 1903)(HF 9/3/6), a Sale Notice of 14 The Crescent, Bedford in 1834 (HF 10/2), the deeds of Bensons Row, Chapelfields, Biggleswade, showing its development 1843-1845 (HF 11/3) and deeds relating to a Malting in the High Street, Biggleswade, where the title is traced from the 18C to 1866 (HF 11/8). Evidence for title going back to the Eighteenth Century is to be found here for property in Biggleswade, Clifton, Dunton, Langford and Stratford in Sandy in HF 9-17 and Dunstable & Maulden in HF 18.Very useful insurance certificates exist for Sandy Place and farms on that estate 1809-1818. HF 18/1/1-4 provides furthetr evidence on the history of Dynevor House, Ampthill. The two Henlow Grange Sale Catalogues give a detailaed picture of Henlow aqt the critical moment that the Estate was being broken up.

HF 20 contains the papers of individual pieces of work for Clients, arranged chronologically and covering the years 1860s -1952. Often, however, they will contain information going back much further. Every so often papers may be from four or five different transactions & relating to as many clients would be parcelled together and given a running number. This bundle number is included in the County Record Office number eg HF 20/353 originally formed bundle 353 in Hooper & Fletcher's offices. The series is not complete but it is bundle listed up to HF 20/433 (dated 1905) in 67 boxes. A further 75 boxes, dated 1905-1952 are totally unlisted. None of the items in HF 20 have been indexed.

HF 21-61 are the papers of major clients of the Firm. Material relating to them is also to be found in HF 20 above. HF 21-39 are Clients with initial letters A-K, are housed in nine boxes and are uncatalogued. Items of particular interest are records relating to Dan Albone, COPO, the fraudulent applegrowers of Cockayne Hatley and Henry Franklin of Biggleswade Mill. The Harvey papers of Ickwell Bury in HY relate to those in HF 35.

HF 40-41 are the records of Wells & Co Bank & Brewery. Theyare fully catalogued. This section is placed here under the letter L for Lindsell.

HF 40/1-3 are the records of the Biggleswade Brewery, both when owned by Wells & Co and Wells & Winch. HF 40/4-5 are the records of two breweries bought up by Wells & Winch

These documents relate to the Greene King (Biggleswade) Archive (GK). The HF documents are particularly useful for Abstracts of Title for properties for which there are no original deeds in the Record Office. The sale to Winch is covered in detail.

As a subsidiary of the Brewery, Samuel Wells II set up the Biggleswade Bank. It was later called Wells, Hogge & Lindsell.HF 41 are the solicitor's records relating to it. Using these papers, clients' papers (HF 20) and Bankruptcy paper (HF 7), it is possible to get an unrivalled picture of the effect of the Agricultural Depression on not only the rural areas but also the market town of Biggleswade that served it. While only some actually went bankrupt, many more struggled to pay Mortgages and Overdrafts. In some cases the Bank foreclosed on the land used as security. In Biggleswade there was a substantial turnover of retail businesses (see CRT 130 Biggleswade 63: A Study of the Survival of Firms 1877 & 1914, where it is estimated that out of a 179 firms trading in 1877, only 52 (28%) survived to 1914.

Among the prominent people in the area, having financial troubles, whose records apppear in hf 41 are J.W.Kingsley, William Why of Girtford, who owned 1 & 2 High Street, Sandy and Robert Gresham of Shefford, Tanner and Fred Newbery of Milton Ernest Mill.

By far the largest financial collapse, recorded in these documents is that of the allied Milling firms of C.Powers & Co and E.Powers & Sons in 1884 , involving the bankruptcy of E.F.Powers and the ruin of his two cousins, Hugh & Walter. (see Introduction to HF 41/3). An interesting comparison could be made with the more financially prudent Millers Hipwell of Sharnbrook, whose experience of the last quarter of the Nineteenth Century was so differnet from the Powers.

Papers relating to the sale of the Bank to Capital & Counties Bank in 1893 are found at HF 41/1/6/1-6b.

HF 42-47 are the papers of the Lindsell and Hogge (later Archdale) families, partners of the Bank & Breweery or their relations (see Introduction to HF 42). These include the papers of Robert Lindsell when he was Solicitor and contain useful detail on the enclosure of Steppingley (HF 43). The cousins of the Biggleswade Lindsells settled at Broom in Southill (HF 44) Apart from HF 43 & HF 44, all these papers are cataloguied.

The papers of the Taddy family of Caldecote Lodge (HF 48)are uncatalogued (3å boxes) and relate to the Lindsell documents as Mrs Annie Frances Glynn Taddy was the daughter of Charles Samuel Lindsell. Annie's daughter Evelyn Frances married Charles William Archdale in 1903. (See Contemporary Biographies at the Opening of the XX Century, edited by W.T.Pike (1907) page 353.

HF 49-59 are the client's papers , letters L-W (14 boxes). Similar to HF 21-39 above. The Shuttleworth papers (HF 56) dovetail in with the Shuttleworth Archive (SL). The Pope Family of Biggleswade (HF 53) were prominent corn & timber merchants based at Middle Wharf, Shortmead Street. The Longs (HF 49) were substantial landowners, living at the Manor Farm, Upper Stondon. The Smiths of Langford were market gardeners. A bundle of documents (HF 54) relate to John Powers, an equally impecunious cousin of the Powers, Millers (HF 41/3 above).

HF 60 is a bundle of deeds and papers concerned with Church of England Parochial Church Councils. HF 61 are papers of miscellaneous clients. They have not got an original Hooper & Fletcher bundle number on them.

Hooper was Steward to a number of Manors including Biggleswade and those of the Wrest Park Estate. Fletcher succeeded to these. Some of the Manors he bought for himself. In consequence there is a wealth of Manorial documents in the Hooper & Fletcher Archive. (HF 62-81) Earlier deposits of Manor Court Books were made between 1951 & 1966 (X192-3, X195 & X338). Extensive coverage therefore survives for Biggleswade, Blunham, Sandy Rectory, Stotfold and the Manors around Wrest Park.

The Biggleswade Manor Court Books are split between HF 62 & X338. Their coverage over a period from 1651 to the Twentieth Century and the fact that much of the centre of the town was held by copy of Court Roll, means that they are records of exceptional importance to the local historian. Particularly useful are the references to the Great Fire of Biggleswade in 1783, which helps one identify the area of devastation.

Hooper & Fletcher's work collecting Rectorial & Vicarial Tithes is covered in HF 82. There are 48 Tithe Redemption Certificates (HF 82/1/4/1-48).The official tables (HF 82/1/7/1-30) show the value of Rentcharges as well as the yearly fluctuation of the price of wheat, barley and oats from 1860-1896, providing useful instant national figures for the Years of High Farming as well as the Agricultural Revolution.

Miscellaneous items relating to Parliamentary Enclosure are to be found in HF 83. The Minute Book of Langford (HF 83/2/3/1) covers the years 1827-1829 and shows in detail the arrangements, claims and agreements that had to precede the making up of the formal Award. HF 84 is a bundle of Correspondence, dating from 1883 to 1886 relating to the making of a new road from Beeston to Sandy Goods Station.

HF 85-99 contain the papers of the various partners of the firm and their families.

HF 85-88 are the personal papers of T.J.Hooper (1833-1904). Bundles of private Correspondence cover the years 1885-1890 (HF 85/7) and private vouchers 1876-1904. (HF 85/1O). Hooper became involved in finacial speculations with a friend, Henry Sewell of Chigwell, Essex. Sewell went bankrupt in 1882 & Hooper gained the equity of redemption on property at Maswell Park, Hounslow and Stow Maries Farm, Essex, for which there is correspondence 1886-1896 and Account Books 1890-1896 (HF 86). The sale documents of Hooper's Executors include lists of furniture & books in Camden House.(HF 85/11/7-11)

As a result of the official posts he held, Hooper was a member of a number of National Associations (HF 88). He was the first Treasurer oof the Association of Union Clerks. Correspondence covers the years 1890-1892(HF 88/1/1-6). Draft Accounts and Receipt books for Subscriptions exist 1890-1891.(HF 88/7-11).

HF 89 contains the papers of Hooper's immediate family: his parents, his brothers, sister & wife. The family came from Moreton in the Marsh, Gloucestershire. They had land at Bledington in Oxfordshire and in 1902 sold land to extend the Churchyard (HF 89/1/3-6). Some deeds have been transferred to Oxfordshire Record Office.

One of Hooper's brothers, J.T.Hooper went to live in Durham at Catch Gate & Lanchester. His letters to his brother gives a good picture of his life from 1875-1904 (HF 89/4/4). Another brother went to Ontario, Canada. He complained of his crops failing in 1868. He borrowed £50 from Hooper in 1889. (HF 89/5). Hooper's wife Sarah Hunt Hooper sold Camden House to the Fletchers in 1904 (HF 89/7/1-4. Some of her money was lent out on Mortgages on local properties. (HF 89/7/5-18). Very detailed information is given by her Executors' papers (HF 89/7/34-49)

Hooper's sister, Henrietta Ann, married William Robins Matthews of Newport, Monmouthshire, Tea Dealer, Grocer, Provision Merchant and Wholesale and Wine & Spirit Merchant. The Matthews family papers are part of the Hooper & Fletcher Archive, because they used Hooper as their Solicitor (HF 90). The Matthews family originated from Lower Swell in Gloucestershire.

Clearly the sorting and arrangement of so large an Archive was likely to prove both mind-bogglingly complicated and immensely time consuming. The task was tackled in the late 1970s by a team of Archivists working in the Stackroom. Firstly bundles of documents marked with blue numbers were arranged in order. This formed the basis for the huge HF 20 class of which- only the first part is bundle listed. There emerged in sorting some smaller Archives, mostly unnumbered by the firm. The principal one of these was Wells of Biggleswade, Brewers & Bankers. Their records were intimately related to the papers deposited by Greene King (Biggleswade) (GK). These were listed by the same Archivist who had listed GK. The Wells items in Hooper & Fletcher were given the refernce HF 40 & 41. Other principal clients were given reference numbers in the general Cataloguing scheme. While the sorters tried to keeep blue bundle numbers in HF 20, some are included in the principal clients files.If you want to find out all there is relatng to a principal client, you must search HF 20, as well as the relevant principal client reference. Ultimately this will all come together in the Record Office Subject Index when HF 20 is fully listed and indexed.

In addition to clients files the members of the Firm held a number of official positions, such as Deputy Sheriff , Clerk to the Magistrates. The records created were grouped together and given their own reference numbers. The firms own records were treated in a similar way.

Breaking down the Archive into manageable blocks of material meant that individual sections could now be listed. One Archivist started listing the bundles of documents in HF 20, another listed the Maps, a third catalogued the papers of Wells of Biggleswade and the fourth dealt with the official records. Subsequently Volunteers listed Draft Wills prepared by the Firm and the small groups of Deeds where the identity of the Client was not obvious.

The resulting Catalogues mirror this piecemeal approach. Some sections of the Archive are fully listed. Others are completely untouched. A key sheet following this Introduction indicates whether a section is fully cartalogued or not.

Naturally in so large an Archive there are duplicates & routine correspondence, which are not worth keeping permanently. In the early 1980's a major cull of the Twentieth Century Papers in HF 20 took place. Mundane correspondence relating to clients making wills , for instance, was destroyed with only the Will being kept and any letters relating to major alterations desireed by the Client. Similarly conveyancing files were stripped of most Correspondence, leaving draft Conveyances, Abstract of Title, Land registry Certificates and any letter, making a substantial concession that is not found in the surviving title deeds. As a result of this cull, the size of the Archive was reduced by a quarter.

The 1990's have seen the typing of a number of lists, prepared earlier and the indexing of sections of the Archive, apart from HF 20, which was considered to be so large a job that it needed to be treated as an independant project to be tackled when staff time and resources became available.

English

17 sub-fonds

The Archive's Deposit and relationship with other Archives held at the Bedfordshire Record Office

On 23 September 1971 two pantechnicons of totally unsorted papers were deposited by Hooper & Fletcher, Solicitors of Shortmead Street, Biggleswade. These represented the working papers of the firm. Many of the original title deeds were not deposited and some at least were sold privately. Occasionally in the last 25 years the Record Office has heard of small groups of deeds that came from the Hooper & Fletcher strong room. When the Biggleswade Court House was refurbished in 1988, further strays from Hooper & Fletcher's Archive were found. Two deposits had already been made by the firm prior to 1971 (see X19 & X338. The latter contains a number of the Court Books of the Manors bought by W.F.A.Fletcher from clients.

History of Hooper & Fletcher

Lindsell & Argles, precursors of Hooper & Fletcher

In the early Nineteenth Century Robert Lindsell (1790-1856), formerly of St Ives, Huntingdonshire, set up as a Solicitor and Auctioneer in Biggleswade. The earliest reference to him being in Biggleswade is in 1813 (X440/252). A deed of 1818 (SA 294) suggests that he may well have been in partnership with his brother William (d 1861). In the 1823 Commercial Directory Robert is recorded as being a Solicitor of Stratton Street, Biggleswade. He is still there in 1830. In 1832 he was almost certainly the partner of Edward Argles, who came from Maidstone in Kent (HF 40/213/40.) Following the death of his father in law Samuel Wells II in 1831, Lindsell became a partner with his co son in law William Hogg in the Biggleswade Brewery & Bank. In 1838 he is recorded as a practising Solicitor for the last time (L12/170). In 1839 only Argles is listed and in 1840 Lindsell sold the premises in Stratton Street to his arch rival William Chapman. Lindsell probably retired from the practice at this stage. Some of his working papers as a Solicitor are found in HF 43.

Argles however set up practice two doors down from Chapman in what was later Hooper's private house, Camden House, Stratton Street, Biggleswade. In 1847 Argles was practising on his own but by 1850 he had formed a partnership with William Smith of Potton. The partnership was short lived and by 1854 Argles was on his own. In 1855 he retired, handing the business over to Thomas James Hooper (1833-1904) from Moreton in the Marsh, Gloucestershire, who was newly qualified. Argles recommended Hooper for the job of Clerk to the Poor Law Union. He was duly appointed on 26 September 1855 (see HF 85)

T.J.Hooper (1833-1904) and Hooper & Raynes

Initially Hooper worked on his own at Camden House. Crucially he retained Lindsell and Argles chief clients, Wells & Co of the Biggleswade Brewery & Bank.(HF 40-41) In addition he looked after the family affairs of the partners (HF 42, 45-47) and the Lindsell's cousins, the Lindsells of Broom in Southill (HF 44.) The Powers family, Millers were also clients (HF 41.)

Hooper collected a considerable number of local appointments. The 1885 Commercial Directory for Bedfordshire lists themas follows: Under Sheriff, Clerk to the Magistrates, Registrar of the County Court, Clerk to the Guardians, The Rural Sanitary Authority, the Highway Board, the School Attendance Committee, the School Board, the Burial Board, Gas Inspector and Commissioners of Taxes, Commissioner for Oaths and Superintendant Registrar for Births etc. In addition Hooper was Clerk to a number of School Boards outside Biggleswade and after 1894 Clerk to both Biggleswade Rural & Urban District Councils (see HF 104 following). He was also an Insurance Agent (HF 101-103.)

In 1866 Hooper entered into a partnership with William Race Raynes of Potton (see HF 1/1/1-3.)Interestingly Hooper reserved the lucrative Wells & Co account for himself as well as that of John Lindsell of Broom, the collecting of Biggleswade Tithes and the Clerkship of the Magistrates. Raynes was to work four days a week at Biggleswade and two at Potton. The Solicitors' List of 1868 (CD 1102/34) shows the partnership was still in existence. Although subsequent Directories would sugggest that the partnership was ended soon afterwards. Account Books of Hooper & Raynes with Wells, Hogge & Lindsell (HF 2/2/1-3) indicate that the name lasted until 1879 at least.

Hooper & Co

The firm then was renamed Hooper & Co. The de facto junior partner was Arthur John Hills. He is recorded in the Solicitor's List for 1894 as being a qualified Solicitor working with Hooper & Co. The partnership broke up in disarray sometime before 1898. The 1880s-1890s saw an increase in legal work as a result of the spectacular financial collapse of the Powers Family, as well as a number of failures in the Biggleswade area caused by the Agricultural Depression

By 1903 Hooper had added the Clerkship of the Biggleswade Burial Board to his portfolio of jobs. The years 1898-1900 saw the preparation of numerous Abstracts of Title prior to the Sale of the Biggleswade Brewery and its hundred or so properties to George Winch to form Wells & Winch (HF 40.) By late 1903 Hooper's health had given way. He died on 27 February 1904 at Biggleswade.

W.F.A. Fletcher (1873-1931)

According to his Obituary in the Bedfordshire Standard of 15 May 1931, William Frederick Ashby Fletcher (1873-1931) came from the North Country (probably Cumberland) to be Hooper's junior partner. On Hooper's death, he took over Camden House as offices and succeeded Hooper in many of the posts he had held. By 1906 he was the Commissioner of Oaths, the Clerk to the Magistrates and the Registrar of the County Court. By 1920 Fletcher had become Under Sheriff and by 1924 he was Clerk to the Commissioners of Taxes. His & his family's personal papers are as yet uncatalogued but are filed under the refernce HF 91-97.

Crucially Fletcher inherited the Stewardship of the Wrest Manor Estates. He was therefore heavily involved in the sale of the estate after the First World War. He bought their nine manors in 1919 (HF 81/9.) The Law of Properyty Act of 1925 involved Fletcher in enfranchising the copyholders of these manors.

Fletcher died on 9 May 1931 as the result of a heart attack while he was playing Golf at Letchworth. The Obituary referred to above gives details of Fletcher's many interests.

Francis Allbutt

Francis Prideaux Allbutt was Fletcher's junior partner at least by 1928 (see Commercial Directory of that year). On Fletcher's death in 1931, Allbutt took over the Firm and probably moved to 9 Shortmead Street, Biggleswade. By 1936 Allbutt was Commissioner for Oaths, Under Sheriff for Bedfordshire, Clerk to the Magistrates and to the Commissioners of Taxes. Allbutt lived at Rippington Manor in Huntingdonshire. In 1938 he retired from Hooper & Fletcher.

Avery Clough Waters (1903-1985)

Avery Waters became sole partner of Hooper & Fletcher on Allbutt's retirement. He had come from Bexhil on Sea in Sussex.He had joined the Firm by at least 1936. By 1940 he was Commissioner for Oaths, Clerk to the Magistrates and Clerk to the Commissioners of Taxes.He remained as CLerk to the Magistrates until 1972. In the 1960s Biggleswade Magistrates were amalgamated with Bedford Division, Bedford Borough and Sharnbrook Division and run from 3 St Pauls Square, Bedford.

Henry Charles Guy Walmisley-Dresser

Walmisley-Dresser joined Hooper & Fletcher by at least 1938, when his practisibng Certificate shows that he was based at 9 Shortmead Street, Biggleswade. (HF 99/2/1.) In 1939 he was commissioned in the Bedfordshire Yeomanry Field Regiment, RA (TA),(Z 910/1/8.) After the War he continued to be a partner of Hooper & Fletcher until at least 1956.

Takeover of Hooper & Fletcher

The firm was taken over by Motley & Hope post 1986. They continue to practice at Manor House, Shortmead Street, Biggleswade.