Thanks to a second generous grant from the National Manuscripts Conservation Trust in 2024, the following archives were con lt
served in 2025 prior to digitisation in 2026:
· Copy book of legal documents, late 16th century
· Leases of the third Salters’ Hall in Bread Street, 1645, 1658, 1668
· Plan of Salters’ property in Moore Lane, 1674
· Rental of all Salters’ properties, 1822-1840s
· Plans and elevations x2 of the Salters’ almshouses and grounds in Maidenhead, 1805
As well as legal documents, the copy book includes intriguing and miscellaneous Bible quotations, prayers and a list of women from classical mythology with a precis of their qualities, making it relevant in key historical study areas of law, literature, religion, Classical Reception and women. The first legal document is dated 2 October 1572 and there is a later one dated 1577; the remaining documents are undated but are most likely also late 16th century in origin. There is no firm evidence of a connection with the Salters’ Company, but it was most likely used by the Salters’ Clerks, who were scriveners during this period. A 17th century Salters’ Beadle, Robert Prick, was also a publisher and translator – perhaps it belonged to him. Beadles’ duties in those days were wide-reaching and included some clerical work.
The leases, rentals and plans provide a good source for the study of London’s historic buildings and streets and the Salters’ historic almshouses in Maidenhead. In particular, the leases provide the only surviving written detail in the archives to show what the third Salters’ Hall in Bread Street looked like – in the absence of any pictures, these details are invaluable. The Salters’ almshouses in Maidenhead, built in 1661, are still in use today.
Content added in May 2025
· Plans, Elevations and Drawings of the former Salters’ Hall in St Swithin’s Lane, c. 1823
· Court Minute Book, 1747-1753
· Albums of Past-Masters and Clerks, 1919-2007
The 1823 plans, elevations and drawings of the former Hall in St Swithin’s Lane were used during major refurbishment work in the 1820s. The enlarged and refurbished sixth Salters’ Hall was completed in 1827.
Content added in October 2024
· Index to Plans of Salters’ Estates, 1828-1848
· Albums of Past-Masters and Clerks, 1849-1918
The 1828-1848 Index to Plans provides useful additional detail to the 1829 Plan Book and the 1709-1814 Plan Book and Survey, relating to tenants, leases, rent paid etc.
Content added in December 2023 and January 2024
· Accounts, 1599-1600, 1659-1708. (Note: in places these records are very faint and hard to read, most likely owing to water and fire damage sustained at the former Salters’ Hall in St. Swithin’s Lane during the Second World War Blitz.)
· Court Minute Books, 1627-1747
· Plan Book and Survey of the Salters’ Estates in the City of London, 1709-1814
· Thomas Weston’s Salt Trade Books, 1778-1808
· Will and Lease Book, compiled in 1611, including leases from 1560 and updated sporadically to 1668.
· Lease Book, compiled c.1653, including one lease from 1593 and continued to 1701.
The Salters’ Company Court, or Court of Assistants, is similar to a board of trustees and led by the Master (a position normally held for one year, with ‘Election Day’ for the role taking place each June). The Court Minute Books provide valuable detail on all aspects of Salters’ Company activities including its members, charitable activities, former estates and its role in the life of the City of London and beyond.
The 1709-1814 Plan Book and Survey focuses on the Salters’ former buildings and tenancies in the City of London.
Thomas Weston was a member of the Salters’ Company who took several apprentices, including two of his sons, from 1777 to 1790. He was a leading member of a group of salt importers in the City of London who met regularly at the City coffee houses and at his house in Lower Thames Street to set prices and discuss the trade. One of his principal suppliers was a Mrs Amelia Stewart, whose salt works were located at Great Salterns, on the Solent near Portsmouth. The second salt trade book (X/TW/2) also records the annual purchase of lottery tickets and includes a list of ships importing salt. At the back of the volume are annual lists of Captains’ names and the amounts owing to them, 1790-1799.
Content added in 2022
Prior to being digitised, the first tranche of archives to be made available to view on this site required a programme of intensive conservation work. Thanks to generous financial support from The National Manuscripts Conservation Trust, the conservation project Salters’ Benefactors, Beneficiaries and Buildings, 1609-1929 came to life in 2018. It was completed in 2020, and of most of the archives included in the project were digitised in 2022, as follows:
· Distribution Book, 1609-1782
· Distribution Book, 1783-1929
· Book of Hyde’s Gifts, 1630-1692
· A selection of 19th century petitions for financial assistance
· View Reports of the Salters’ former City of London almshouses in Bow Lane, 1824-1863
· View Reports of the Salters’ former City of London almshouses in Monkwell Street, 1824-1863
· Plan Book of the Salters’ Estates in the City of London, 1829
The Distribution Books, the Book of Hyde’s Gifts, the petitions for assistance and the View Reports all provide wonderfully detailed insights into the charitable activities of a Great Twelve Livery Company and also of the beneficiaries of those activities. As both the largest capital city in the UK and a major global city, London makes an ideal focus for specialist historical studies. Furthermore, studies on past charitable activities are becoming ever more relevant in the 21st century, as are studies focussing on the lives of the poor in earlier centuries.
The 1829 Plan Book provides detailed information on the Salters’ former buildings and tenancies in the City of London.
