| Description | Title deeds relating to purchases by the Bell family in Thirsk and district 1317-1874, Thornton le Street 1602-1800, Helperby 1582-1756, Sandhutton and others 1478-1914, Wildon Grange 1692-1856, Loftus 1765-1816, Thirsk Church 1677-1809, Riccall in the East Riding 1615-1672, Catton 1200-1756, miscellaneous deeds 1624-1928;
Wills, settlements and mortgages relating mostly to the Bell family 1598-1876;
Estate records including leases 1609-1895, surveys and terriers 1652-1818, rentals and accounts 1645-1875 including accounts of John Carr for alterations to Thirsk Hall 1773-1775, records of Bell as Agents of the Earl of Derby 1654-1716, vouchers and rentals 1699-1852, other vouchers and papers 1718-1886;
Records of personal, executorial and financial affairs including papers of the Bells as executors and trustees 1638-1876, papers relating to money borrowed and lent 1647-1822, papers of Bell as steward of gamekeeper to the Marquess of Granby for Bumper Castle 1765-1802, letters to the Bell family 1711-1915, papers concerning the lunacy of Josephine Henrietta Smith 1894-1933;
Office records including lieutenancy and other military appointments and Letters Patent 1727-1932;
Quarter sessions records, papers relating to parish affairs and rates 1629-1906;
Political and parliamentary papers 1821-1885;
Turnpike roads and railway records including papers of the Thirsk to Masham Road Turnpike Act 1755-1886;
Diaries, notebooks and inventories 1705-1941;
Manorial records including Thirsk court papers 1602-1876;
Legal documents 1738-1941;
Miscellaneous 19th century documents and printed material 1821-1924;
Religious and ecclesiastical circulars and publications 1784-1821;
Literary documents 1769-1915;
Maps and plans 1758-1802;
Records of other families including a Patent of Baronetcy of Sir Gervase Clifton of Clifton 1611, and an account book of Charles Turner in account with R and H Drummond and Company 1773-1787;
Thirsk Hall Estate records including rentals 1855-1944, office terrier 1905, Thirsk Hall account book 1905-1914, cash books 1898-1905, weekly estate accounts 1905-1911, journals 1906-1928, account book of receipts and payments by cash and by bank 1897-1898, wages books 1932-1945, receipts books 1929-1941, draft ledgers 1875-1904, ledgers 1897-1928, maps and plans 1893-1950, photograph of the Marquess of Zetland 1946;
Little Stukeley Lodge Farm ledgers 1912-1919;
Maps, plans and surveys of Bagby and Balk, Carlton Miniott, Sand Hutton, Kirby Wiske, Thornton le Street, Kilvington, Low Kilburn, Coxwold, Thirsk, River Swale, River Ure 1758-19th century. |
| Administrative history | The first Bell to be mentioned among these documents appears to have been Henry, a yeoman in Thirsk at the time of Queen Elizabeth I. From that time the family have always lived in or near Thirsk, have steadily accumulated land over three centuries and risen from being mercers in the 17th century to gentlemen and esquires. The most important purchase, from the point of view of prestige, was perhaps the manor, bought of the Earl of Derby in 1723. But for many years before that the family had been prominent in local affairs, primarily as the bailiffs of the Earls for the same manor as well as in many other local affairs. In the 18th century they took up other offices, being among other things Sheriff for the Riding in 1742-1743, agents for the Marquess of Granby at Bumper Castle, and prominent local justices in the 18th century. |