Records on Spiers held in the British Library archives

Compiled by Ron Spiers - May 2006

 

The British Library is one of five legal deposit libraries in the UK.

 

Definition - Archives are records produced by individuals, families or organisations (such as local government organisations, companies or universities) during their activities or business. Archives may be in various formats, including paper files, parchment documents, bound volumes, maps, plans, audio and video recordings and photographs. They may be of any date, from early centuries up to the present day. Archives are retained by their creators, or in record offices and other repositories, because of their abiding interest for researchers - interest which their original creators might never have expected.

 

There are many records on Spiers held on the A2A database hosted by The National Archives in London. The web site is www.a2a.org.uk

 

The Sun Fire Office has records of properties which it insured against fire and their records are useful in finding out which person owned the property. It is often where he/she lived or carried on business.

 

A search for the name Spiers produced 241 catalogues, each catalogue having from 15 hits to 1 hit. Examples of a few follow –

 

Slatter Son and More, solicitors, Stratford on Avon

Catalogue Ref. DR 469

Garfield, John

File [no title] - ref.  DR 469/162  - date: 3 Oct 1822

Assignment by John Garfield, Stratford-upon-Avon, blacksmith and Sarah Garfield his wife to Thomas Tasker, Stratford-upon-Avon, gent. and Timothy Smith the younger, merchant, as trustees of one tenth share under the will (11 March 1818) of William Spiers, Haselor, gent., grandfather of the said Sarah (née Spiers), in trust to repay pay charges incurred by the Overseers and Churchwardens of Stratford-upon-Avon by the desertion of his wife and 4 children by John Garfield (since apprehended) and to invest residue and pay interest for benefit of Sarah Garfield and children free from control of John.

 

Scott, Stanley Lord Roberts

File [no title] - ref.  DR 469/381  - date: 21 November 1947

Transfer of mortgage of a legal charge (6 Nov 1937) originally by Stanley Lord Roberts to Elizabeth Spiers Fisher and now by Slatter & Son as legal representatives of Elizabeth Spiers Fisher, deceased, to Kathleen Nora Slatter, wife of Henry John Brandis Slatter, with reassignment to Scott, 9 August 1950.

 

Apprenticeship Indentures – ref. M3/9/1-613

Spiers, John 557

File - Indenture - ref.  M3/9/557  - date: 12 June 1845

William Greenhalgh, thirteen, apprenticed to John Spiers, 24, Ducie Street, Cheetham, boot and shoe maker - (Cheetham is part of Manchester)

 

Records of Sun Fire Office, 1710-1891

Exchange House Fire Office, 1708-1710

File - Policy register - ref.  MS 11936/478  - date: 1818-1820

item:  [no title] - ref.  MS 11936/478/944986  - date: 2 September 1818

Insured: William Spiers, 13 Church Lane, Whitechapel, London, coffin maker