Held at the Barber-Surgeons Hall in London, the Barbers’ Archives are divided into five sections:
- Records of External Authority and Regulation includes: Characters; Acts of Parliament; Bye-Laws; Illuminated Arms, etc.
- Records relating to the Government of the Company Includes: Minutes of the Court, Examiners and Committees; Summoning Books, etc.
- Membership Records Includes: Annual Lists of Court and Livery listing Members details; Registers of Freedom Admissions; Turnover Books; Orphans books, etc.
- Records relating to Professional Activities Includes: Naval Surgeons Certificates.
- Records relating to Charities, Company Property and Estates Includes: Charity Fund Accounts; Pension Accounts: Book of Property and Estates; Inventory, Records of the Irish Estate, etc.
43 reels
Reference: BAR
Contents
| Reel | Description |
| A (colour) | List of masters and wardens |
| Charter Act & Ordinance Books 1604 – 1745 A/6/1 – 3 | |
| Copy of charter of Edward IV, 1461/1462 | |
| Extracts from Acts of Parliament relating to: the practice of surgery; land allocation to City companies | |
| 1606 Ordinances | |
| Bye Laws of the Company | |
| Act of 1745 separating the barbers and surgeons | |
| 1 | MS 5257: Minutes of the Court 1551 – 1890 – Minutes of the Court of Assistants. Minutes of the Court of Examiners, and of Committees. Minutes of the Courts of the Company. Minutes of Monthly Courts. Volumes 1 – 5 |
| 2 | Volumes 6 – 9 |
| 3 | Volumes 10 – 12 |
| 4 | Volumes 13 – 14 |
| 5 | Volume 15 (1941 – 1961) |
| 6 | MS 5258: Court minutes books (rough) 1709 – 1890 – Rough Minute Books of the Court of Assistants and Examiners Rough Minutes of the Monthly Court. Volumes 1 – 4 |
| 7 | Volumes 5 – 9 |
| 8 | Volumes 10 – 12 |
| 9 | MS 5260: Summoning books 1746 – 1849 – Clerks’ combined Summoning and Agenda books Clerks’ Summoning books. Volumes 1 – 3 + 5260A |
| 10 | MS 5265: Registers and freedom admissions 1522 – 1801 – Indexed registers of freemen Register showing stamp duty impress |
| 11 | MS 5265: Registers and freedom admissions 1522 – 1801 – Indexed registers of freemen Register showing stamp duty impress |
| 12 | Volumes 1 – 4 |
| 13 | Volumes 5 – 7 |
| 14 | MS 5266: Apprentice bindings books 1657 – 1786 – Showing father’s name, occupation and place of origin. Volumes 1 – 3 |
| 15 | Volumes 4 – 6 |
| 16 | MS 5267: Apprentice bindings and turnover books 1722 – 1829 – Rough Books showing turnovers with signed consents |
| Orphans’ books 1716 – 1862 – These show a levy of 2s. 6d. for each apprentice bound, payable to the Chamberlain of London for the care of orphans. Volumes 1 – 4 | |
| Volumes 5 & 6 | |
| 17 | MS 5275 & MS 9815: Quarterage books 1717 – 1860 – Showing members’ addresses, occupations and quarterage paid. Arranged by court, livery, freemen and freewomen. Volumes 1 – 8 |
| 18 | Volumes 9 – 23 |
| 19 | Volumes 24 – 41 |
| 20 | Volumes 42 – 58 |
| 21 | Volumes 59 – 87 |
| 22 | Volumes 88 – 94 |
| Master’s account 1654 – 1655 – Master’s Draft Accounts, audited with reference to debts owed to and by the company. Master’s Rough Accounts, with receipts and payments | |
| 23 | MS 5255: Wardens’ account and audited books 1603 – 1881 – Contains receipts from rents, quarterages, admissions of freemen, presentations of apprentices etc., with names and ordinary and extraordinary payments. Volumes 1 – 2 |
| 24 | Volumes 3 – 4 |
| 25 | Volumes 5 – 6 |
| 26 | Dinner account books 1676 – 1791 – Account for election, court and anatomy dinners |
| 27 | Fine and fees accounts 1832 – 1856 – Accounts of fees for apprentice presentations, freedom admissions and fines for offices. Company ledger 1879 – 1880 |
| Cash accounts 1878 – 1890 | |
| 28 | MS 5269: Tradesmens’ and sundry receipt books 1722 – 1818 – Containing signed receipts for accounts settled. Volumes 1 – 3 |
| 29 | MS 9814: wardens’ accounts for ingress money 1734 – 1772 – Contains accounts of money received at Court meetings for freedom admissions, apprentice presentations and fines, also some potation accounts. Volumes 1 – 3 |
| 30 | MS 5256: Rough audit books 1719 – 1789 rough annual account books 1711 – 1745. Volumes 1 – 4 |
| 31 | Volumes 5 – 6 |
| 32 | MS 5268: Charity fund accounts 1764 – 1890 – Contains accounts of charities and scripture funds and lists of pensioners. Volumes 1 – 2 |
| 33 | MS 5273: Pension accounts 1716 – 1890 – Containing lists of pensioners and date of distribution of money from various charities. Volumes 1 – 7 |
| 34 | Petitions for relief 1754 – 1776 – Various petitions and other papers relating to pensioners |
| Memorandum book regarding property and estates circa 1817 – Contains memoranda on company property, estates, bequests etc. | |
| Inventory of property 1711 – 1745 – Annual inventory | |
| The Irish estate 1833 – General survey and report giving a description of town lands, tenants’ holdings and estimates of value |