Sources for women's work in England 1500-1700

This list compiles specific records which have been assessed for their utility to a study of women's work as well as men's work in England in the period, by the Occupational Structure of Britain project. These types of sources are not available for Wales, Scotland or Ireland in the same period. This list is arranged alphabetically by region of England, within each region by type of source, and chronologically within each type of source. We are very grateful for information on other potential sources: please contact Amy Erickson on ale25 at cam.ac.uk.

East Anglia

Accounts

1571-1575, Lady Elizabeth Kytson of Hengrave Hall household accounts, Cambridge Univ Library

1578-1597, Bacon of Stiffkey estate accounts, printed

1669-1694, Katherine Windham household accounts, Norfolk RO, together with husband's in print

Apprenticeship

1500-1700, Norwich, King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth apprentice registers, Norfolk RO

1600-1700, Essex poor law apprenticeships, Essex RO

1619-1700, Cambridgeshire poor law apprenticeships, Cambs RO

Depositions

1532-1700, Norfolk Quarter Sessions, NRO

1562-93, 1629-54, Great Yarmouth Market court rolls, sessions and rentals, Norfolk RO

1593-1682, Vice-Chancellor's Court, Cambridge Univ Library

1621-1658, Essex Quarter Sessions, Essex RO

Listings

1570, Norwich Census of the Poor, HPSS

1597, Ipswich Census of the Poor, HPSS

1692, King's Lynn Tas assessments, HPSS

1693-4, Norwich Tax assessments, HPSS

London

Accounts

1563-1700, Christ's Hospital minutes, LMA

1580-1700, St Bartholomew's Hospital minutes, SBH Archive

1614-1788, Lambeth Palace domestic accounts, Lambeth Palace

1640-1700, Lord Steward's Dept accounts, TNA

1674-1694, Countess of Warwick's bills, TNA

Apprenticeship

1551-1700, City of London freedoms (fragmentary until 1668), LMA

1563-1700, Christ's Hospital Admission/Discharge registers, Guildhall Library

Depositions

1552-1719, London Consistory Court, LMA

1562-1700, Commissary Court, LMA

1580-1700, Mayor's Court, LMA

1640-1700, Westminster Quarter Sessions, LMA

1660-1700, Southwark Quarter Sessions, LMA

Listings

1568-1620, Returns of Aliens, printed

1687, Westminster Return of Papists, LMA

1695, Marriage Duty Act returns for six parishes within the walls, HPSS

Midlands

Accounts

1638-1648, Joyce Jeffries of Hereford, in print

1645-1649, Writtewrong accounts, Herts RO

1650-1700, Monson accounts, Lincs RO

1688-1696, Herrick accounts, Leics RO

Apprenticeship

1550-1700, Coventry apprentice registers, Coventry RO

1612-1689, Henley charities apprenticeships, Oxon RO

1617-1700, Poor law apprenticeships for 12 parishes, Beds & Luton Archive

Depositions

1515-1635, Archdeaconry of St Albans, Herts RO

1537-1700, Archdeaconry of Bedford, Beds & Luton Archive

1560-1700, Archdeaconry Court of Nottingham, Nottingham Univ Library

1589-1700, Hertfordshire Quarter Sessions, Herts RO

1597-1700, Archdeaconry of Huntingdon Hitchin Division, Herts RO

1625-1700, Lindsay Quarter Sessions, Lincs RO

1635-1700, Warwickshire Quarter Sessions, Warks RO

Listings

1660, Knowle, Warks, HPSS

1678, 1697, 1701, Stoke on Trent, Staffs, HPSS

1695-1702, Marriage Duty Act returns for 7 parishes including Shrewsbury, Salop, HPSS

Northeast

Accounts

1641-1645, Henry Best farming accounts, printed

1648-1660, Naworth household and estate accounts, printed

Apprenticeship

1500-1700, register of the Freemen of York, British History Online

1679-1739, Holy Trinity Goodramgate apprentice indentures, Borthwick

Depositions

1531-1700, Durham Consistory Court, Durham Cathedral Archive

1550-1700, Archbishop of York, Borthwick Archive

1550-1700, Archdeaconry of Richmond Consistory, West Yorks RO

1670-1700, Newcastle and Northumberland Quarter Sessions, Northumberland RO

Listings

1576-1585, Campsall Easter books, Doncaster Archive

Northwest

Accounts

1564-1577, German miners in Keswick, printed

1582-1621, Shuttleworth household and farm accounts, printed

1669-1675, Lady Anne Clifford household accounts, Cumbria RO Kendal

1673-1678, Sarah Fell accounts, printed

1693-1699, Lowther housekeeping account book, Cumbria RO Carlisle

Apprenticeship

1538-1700, Chester register of freemen, Cheshire RO

Depositions

1500-1700, Chester Quarter Sessions, Cheshire RO

1529-1700, Chester Consistory Court, Cheshire RO

1663-1684, Carlisle Consistory Court, Cumbria RO Carlisle

1667-1700, Carlisle Quarter Sessions, Cumbria RO Carlisle

Listings

1565-1586, Blackburn Easter books, Lancs RO

1581-1584, Glossop Easter books, Sheffield Archives

1612, Huddersfield list of the poor, West Yorks RO Kirklees

1650-1685, Eskdale, Mitterdale and Wastdale Easter books, Cumbria RO Whitehaven

1686-1699, Bolton list of paupers

Southeast

Accounts

1655-1679, Giles Moore account book, printed

1681-1684, Lavington accounts, West Sussex RO

Apprenticeship

1585-1700, a range of parish apprenticeships, East Sussex RO

1603-1700, New Romney overseers of the poor indentures, Kent RO Dover

Depositions

1527-1575, Winchelsea Corporation court book, East Sussex RO

1532-1695, Winchester Consistory Court, Hants RO

1550-1694, Diocese of Canterbury, Canterbury Cathedral Archives

1580-1694, Archdeaconry of Lewes, plus 3 deanery courts, West Sussex RO

1594-1700, Quarter sessions rolls, East Sussex RO

1630-1659, Dover quarter sessions, Kent RO Dover

1640-1660, Quarter sessions papers, Centre for Kentish Studies Maidstone

Listing

1599, Ealing, HPSS

Southwest

Accounts

1627-1659, Devon Household Accounts (four families), printed

1632-1637, Thomas Smyth, Ashton Court, Bristol RO

1648-1700, Alice Cole's charity, Bristol RO

1689, Bruce household accounts, Wilts RO

Apprenticeship

1532-1700, Bristol apprentice register, printed

1605-1700, Okehampton overseers of the poor indentures, Devon RO

1612-1685, Barnstaple overseers of the poor indentures, North Devon RO

1665-1700, Wimborne Minster overseers of the poor indentures, Dorset History Centre

Depositions

1530-1700, Diocese of Bath & Wells, Somerset RO

1546-1693, Salisbury Consistory Court, Wilts RO

1570-1579, Barnstaple Archdeaconry Court, North Devon RO

1594-1694, Trowbridge Court, Dean of Salisbury, Wilts RO

1603-1700, Wiltshire Quarter Sessions, Wilts RO

1607-1700, Somerset Quarter Sessions, Somerset RO

Listings

1570-1629, Christ Church Bristol Easter books, Bristol RO

1584-1599, North Tawton Easter books, Devon RO

1635, Salisbury census of the poor, HPSS

1692-1698, Bristol tax listings, Bristol RO

National

1686, Inns and alehouses: Returns of accommodation for men and horses, TNA