Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1837-1957 / (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
1.236 cubic metres (42 boxes, 2 rolls, 17 volumes)
Context area
Name of creator
Administrative history
The Machynlleth Poor Law Union was established in 1839 following the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, and consisted of the parishes of Caereinion Fechan, Cemais, Darowen, Isygarreg, Llanwrin, Machynlleth, Penegoes and Uwchygarreg (Montgomeryshire), Pennal and Tywyn (Merionethshire). Machynlleth Rural District Council was formed in 1894 following the Local Government Act 1894. Mallwyd Urban District Council and Pennal rural district came into being at the same time, and all of these bodies ceased to exist after the local government reorganization of 1974. The Petty Sessions were a minor court, introduced in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to reduce the burden on the Quarter Sessions by dealing with some of the minor cases and routine business. They were presided over by two or more justices or magistrates, and from 1848 they were required to send details of fines, depositions and case papers to the Clerks of the Peace at the county Quarter Sessions. The Machynlleth and Estimaner Petty Sessions covered western Montgomeryshire and southern Merionethshire.
Archival history
These records were accumulated by a number of Machynlleth solicitors during the course of their duties as clerks to the various authorities represented in the archive, and acquired by Henry Evans as their successor in legal practice.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Deposited in two groups by Mr Henry Evans, Ll.D., solicitor, Machynlleth, Powys, 1981 and 1982.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records, 1837-1955, of former local government bodies of Machynlleth, Montgomeryshire, and neighbouring parts of Merionethshire, comprising minute books, letter books, ledgers, account books, reports, valuations, registers and rate books of the Machynlleth Poor Law Union, 1837-1930, minute books, letter books, ledgers, account books, reports, valuations, registers and rate books of the Machynlleth Rural District Council, 1892-1957, a letter book and rate account books of the Mallwyd Urban District Council, 1922-1930, and minute books, account books, registers and other records of the Machynlleth and Estimaner (Ystumanner) Petty Sessions, 1853-1953, together with miscellaneous administrative, financial and personal papers, 1837-1931, from the offices of Henry Evans relating to clients, local government, local businesses, and other solicitors who practised in and around Machynlleth.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Action: All records deposited at the National Library of Wales have been retained..
Accruals
Accruals are not expected.
System of arrangement
Arranged according to record type and thereafter chronologically within the following groups: Machynlleth Poor Law Union; Machynlleth Rural District Council; Mallwyd Urban District Council; Machynlleth and Estimaner Petty Sessions; miscellaneous
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to sign the 'Modern papers - data protection' form.
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 at the National Library of Wales.
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.
Alternative identifier(s)
Virtua system control number
Project identifier
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Machynlleth Poor Law Union -- Records and correspondence (Subject)
- Great Britain. Court of Petty Sessions (Montgomeryshire and Merio. Machynlleth and Estimaner -- Archives (Subject)
- Mallwyd (Wales). Urban District Council -- Archives (Subject)
- Machynlleth (Wales). Rural District Council -- Archives (Subject)
- Machynlleth (Wales). Rural District Council. (Subject)
- Great Britain. Court of Petty Sessions (Montgomeryshire and Merioneth). . Machynlleth and Estimaner. (Subject)
- Mallwyd (Wales). Urban District Council. (Subject)
- Henry Evans, Solicitor -- Records and correspondence (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
February 2003
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
Compiled by David Moore for the ANW project. The following sources were consulted in the compilation of this description: NLW, Schedule of Henry Evans (Machynlleth) Records; Davies, David Wyn, The town of a prince: a history of Machynlleth (Machynlleth, 1991)