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Papers relating to Bedford's business matters and personal affairs, 1766-1789, comprising outgoing letters to various individuals and organisations, 1766-1789, petitions to organisations on matters concerning premiums for his work, 1769-1786, and miscellaneous notes recording his thoughts on matters largely unrelated to the iron industry.

Correspondence, 1766-1789, mainly comprising draft letters from John Bedford to various correspondents concerning both personal affairs and business matters. It is not clear how many of these letters were sent.

Correspondence, 1766-1778, including draft letters concerning the process of making cast and bar iron and its supply, and rights over tolls and land. The file also includes notes on subjects such as gun-making and an account of Aberavon forges.

Correspondence, 1779, including draft letters intended for various trading companies and the Board of Ordnance concerning Bedford's work, and a letter regarding the use of charcoal and various coals in the iron-making process.

Correspondence, 1780-1781, including draft letters concerning the principles of iron ores and the science of forging, and Bedford's search for an agent in the South West of England.

Correspondence, 1785, concerning Bedford's personal affairs and business, including a letter regarding the receipt and payment of bills.

Correspondence, 1786, largely relating to business matters, including a petition on account of Evan Giles regarding money, letters concerning the drawing up of a settlement, and offers to various individuals of some chaises.

Correspondence, 1787, relating to Bedford's personal affairs, rent arrears and general business matters.

Correspondence, 1788-1789, including letters concerning papers intended for the Board of Ordnance, a tenement in King's Norton, legal business, and the sale of a 28-acre farm.

Petitions and notes to official institutions, 1769-1786, concerning improvements to iron-forging techniques and the potential uses of the produce for the needs of the institutions. Bedford's long-standing interests in producing iron for naval employment and perfecting white iron are reflected here.

Petitions and notes, 1796-1779, intended for the Royal Society of Arts, including papers relating to the manufacture of guns and ship anchors; petitions concerning premiums offered by the Society for white iron; and an undated fragment referring to Bedford giving a lecture at the Society.

Petitions and notes, 1780-1786, intended for the Admiralty, the Board of Ordnance, and the Crown, including fragments addressed to John Ibbetson Esq., of the Admiralty, concerning Bedford's development of a more durable metal for the production of ship anchors, rudder irons and guns, 1780-1782; a petition addressed to the Board of Longitude noting possible improvements to the quality of iron used to manufacture compass needles, 1780; a petition to the Crown concerning the Steel and Iron Bill and Bedford's endeavours in the iron trade, 1785; and a copy of a petition to the Board of Ordnance, 1786. The file also includes some items bearing annotations and manuscript music by Iolo Morganwg.

Notes by John Bedford, [1775]-1788, on a number of different subjects. They record his thoughts on matters unrelated to the iron trade.

Notes, entitled 'proverbs', 1787-1788, relating to various matters, such as human nature, libraries, business conduct, and languages.

Notes relating to the relationship between the Arts and Sciences, and comments on the social behaviour of the lower classes, 1787-1788.

Notes, [1775]-[1788], concerning Bedford's own writings. The file also refers to the Admiralty and some maps.

Quarry papers, 1762-1789, comprising notes and observations on Bedford's own quarries, as well as other quarries, 1762-1789, together with notes on quarry produce and business, 1774-1789. Bedford owned quarries at Pantyllwydrew and Park Field and also opened clay-pits for making firebricks, roof tiles and pan tiles. The papers within this group reflect Bedford's long-standing interest in stone-quarrying and they record his plans for selling surplus flagstone and building stone in South West England.

Notes and observations relating to quarries, 1762-1789, including notes on the quality of the stone produced and the uses to which it was put at quarries in Nantyglo, Llantrisant and Aberavon; observations comparing tile manufacture at Birmingham and Yardley with what could be achieved at Cefn Cribwr; and an account of the stone quarry trade in the Forest of Dean. The file also contains papers relating to the proposed lease of one of Bedford's quarries.

Notes on quarry produce and business, 1774-1789, including observations on heating, sizing and cutting stones and on polishing marble at the water mills at Cefn Cribwr; notes concerning the various uses of flagstone and tile stone in roofs, windows and flooring; and notes on exporting excess flagstone and tile stone to South West England, including Somerset, Devon and Cornwall. The file also includes unrelated notes on dry stone walling in Oxfordshire.