Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1693-1929 (accumulated 1834-1929) / (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
0.815 cubic metres (1 box, 164 volumes, 1 envelope)
Context area
Name of creator
Administrative history
Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire, became a town and a borough in the 13th century (there is a charter of 1277). Until 1834, when the borough was reconstituted, the town was governed by a court leet, which met twice a year. Its main functions were the admittance of new burgesses, the appointment of bailiffs, bellmen, coroners, the chamberlains, town clerks, scavengers, and the hearing of presentments. The leet was also responsible for the management of paving, cleansing and lighting within Aberystwyth. In 1780, an Act was obtained to repair, enlarge and to preserve Aberystwyth Harbour. The Harbour Committee became responsible for the harbour in 1873. In the 1850s, the borough established its own Burial Board to administer the local cemeteries. The public library was established around 1874. From 1835, Improvement Commissioners oversaw lighting, sanitation and water supply.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Deposited by the Corporation of Aberystwyth between 1936 and 1970.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of Aberystwyth borough, including court leet records, 1693-1882; burgess rolls, 1782-1882, including records of the Improvement Commissioners, 1835-1873; entry books of notices, 1835-1882, draft minute books, 1873-1890, treasurer's books, 1874-1897, minute books, 1883-1917; harbour records, 1780-1906; Aberystwyth Burial Board records, 1857-1927; Aberystwyth public library account books, 1874-1913; statutory registers of licences for hackney carriages, 1887-1909, 1906-1926; licences of slaughterhouses, 1873-1879.
The catalogue has not yet been transferred to the online catalogue. Please see the hard copy of the catalogue, available on the open shelves at the National Library of Wales.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
All records have been retained.
Accruals
Accruals are not expected.
System of arrangement
Arranged into the following: Court leet; Improvement Commissioners; Town Borough Council; Corporation property; Court of summary jurisdiction; Harbour; Burial Board; public library; statutory registers; and miscellanea.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Usual copyright regulations apply.
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
English.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
A hard copy of the catalogue is available on the open shelves at the National Library of Wales. The catalogue has not yet been transferred to the online catalogue.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Title supplied from contents of fonds. Some of the records pre-date the creation of Aberystwyth Borough in 1834.
Alternative identifier(s)
Virtua system control number
Project identifier
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Aberystwyth (Wales : Borough) -- Records and correspondence (Subject)
- Aberystwyth Burial Board -- Records and correspondence (Subject)
- Aberystwyth Public Library. (Subject)
- Aberystwyth Harbour. (Subject)
- Aberystwyth Burial Board. (Subject)
- Aberystwyth (Wales : Borough). Court of Summary Jurisdiction. (Subject)
- Aberystwyth Public Library. (Subject)
- Aberystwyth (Wales : Borough). Court Leet. (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Description follows ANW guidelines based on ISAD(G) 2nd ed.;AACR2; and LCSH
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
October 2004
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
Compiled by Annette Strauch for the ANW project. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: Evans, George Eyre, Aberystwyth: Its Court Leet 1690-1900 (Aberystwyth, 1902); Lewis, William John, Born on a perilous rock: Aberystwyth past and present (Aberystwyth, 1980); Ceredigion Record Office website (archifdy-ceredigion.org.uk), viewed 26 August 2003.