| AdminHistory | The Ronksley Collection consists of materials for the history of the chapelry of Bradfield, compiled by Mr J.G. Ronksley of Sheffield, from whose executors the collection was bought by the Sheffield Libraries Committee in August 1916.
Apart from the original documents, the most important part of the collection is the set of volumes of abstracts and notes from documents, particularly from the Wilson manuscripts. These notes would seem to be, so far as concerns the Wilson manuscripts, a copy of the classification and abstracts which the Rev Joseph Hunter, FSA, made of them about the years 1806-1808, and which are now amongst the Hunter papers in the British Museum marked Add.MS.224,467. Also of abstracts made by Mr Ronksley from a large portion of the original collection itself, which was lent to him for the purpose by the late Mr C Macro Wilson, and from the deeds and manuscripts belonging to the Rev WR Wilson, vicar of Bolsterstone.
The principal collection, that made by Mr John Wilson, the possessor of Broomhead from 1753 to 1783, was sold in one lot in the year 1843, and was unfortunately lost to this neighbourhood, the purchaser being a London bookseller named Thorpe. From him the collection shortly passed into the hands of Sir Thomas Phillips, Bart, of Middle Hill, Broadway, Worcestershire, but whether in its entirety or not, it is now impossible to say. After the death of Sir Thomas Phillips, and when his collection of manuscripts and books had been at varied intervals offered by public auction, a few items were purchased by the Sheffield Libraries Committee, and it is presumed that the manuscripts alluded to above as the property of Mr Macro Wilson were brought back into the family by him at the same time.
In speaking of the Wilson manuscripts, Hunter says:- "Such a collection, as I hardly exaggerate when I say has not, I believe, been made for any other part of the Kingdom; I at least, never saw anything like it".
In addition to the Wilson manuscripts, Ronksley's volumes contain numerous notes and abstracts of deeds, wills and other documents gathered from other sources, and from his own collection. Copies of the Bradfield, Bolsterstone and Midhope parish registers are included, and elaborate indices have been compiled of persons, places, field names and dates.
An account of the Wilson family, with pedigree, may be seen in Gatty's edition of Hunter's "Hallamshire", where there is a portrait of John Wilson, and also in the Yorkshire Archaeological and topographical Journal, vol 5, p63. |
| Description | The collection consists of materials for the history of the chapelry of Bradfield, compiled by Mr J G Ronksley. It comprises a small number of original documents, volumes of abstracts and notes, and intricate indexes. There are some original documents, but much of the collection consists of Ronksley's transcipts of documents.
Records, and copies of records, of the manor of Sheffield, 16th - 17th cent (RC/1)
Bradfield township records, 1711 - 1837 (RC/2)
Apprenticehip indenture, 1766 (RC/3)
Papers relating to the vicarage and charitable business of Ecclesfield, 1716 - 1775 (RC/4)
Copies of court rolls, 1603 - 1743 (RC/5)
Deeds directly concerning the family and possessions of the Ronksleys of Rivelin, Moorwood and Thornsett etc , 1449 - 1807 (RC/6)
Deeds and papers concerning lands and families for which the Ronksleys acted as executors or trustees, etc. , 1717 - 1842 (RC/7)
Indentures of apprenticeship and other deeds of the family of Fox of Sheffield, 1742 - 1775 (RC/8)
Deeds relating to Bradfield, Sandall Magna, Norton Lees and Sheffield, 1573 - 1873 (RC/9)
Deeds and papers concerning a dispute between Francis Ronksley and James Wingfield and relatives, about a title to the Spout House [Bradfield] estate, 1692 - 1754 (RC/10)
Accounts of William Ronksley, Feoffee of Bradfield Church lands, 1814 (RC/11)
An account of persons and places of abode with the marks of their sheep, 1767 (RC/12)
Volumes containing Ronksley's manuscript transcripts of documents, 19th cent (RC/13)
Synopsis of the Wilson Manuscripts, 19th cent (RC/14)
Manuscript copies of the Bradfield Parish Registers, 1559 - 1767 (RC/15)
Manuscript copy of the Registers of Bolsterstone and Midhope, 1691 - 1814 (RC/16)
Copies of parish records (RC/17)
Ronksley's transcript of Harrison's survey of the manor of Sheffield, 19th cent (RC/18)
Part of the analytical guide to the manuscripts, 19th cent (RC/19)
Transcript of the Registers of Sheffield, St James, Anglican Parish, 1789 - 1808 (RC/20-21)
Copies of material included in St Nicholas, Bradfield Parish Registers, 1559 - 1722 (RC/22-23)
Monumental Inscriptions, 19th cent (RC/24)
Pedigrees and material for pedigrees, 19th cent (RC/25)
Indexes, 19th cent (RC/26)
Notes on records of the Bradfield Feoffees, 19th cent (RC/27)
Newspaper cuttings, 19th cent (RC/28)
Transcripts of abstracts of title, 19th cent (RC/29)
Extracts from court rolls, 19th cent (RC/30)
Letters, 1886 - 1911 (RC/31-32)
Recipe / remedy book, 1825 (RC/33)
In memoriam cards, 1886 - 1912 (RC/34)
Stannington Unitarians, 19th cent (RC/35)
Richard Spooner's charity, 1858 - 1861 (RC/36)
Oddments, 19th cent (RC/37-44) |