188
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
would defend Belgium such an understanding might probably
have prevented War . . .
The first paper in the Local History Section (which I attended)
was at 10 a.m. on July 8th, when Miss E. M. Hampson (of Cam-
bridge) addressed the meeting. Professor A. Hamilton
Thompson (of Leeds) was in the Chair. The subject was "On
the importance of Local Records from the Archivist's (or the
Keeper of records) point of View." It may be stated here
that the late Master of the Rolls—Lord Hanworth—did more
than any other man to preserve our ancient documents. Miss
Hampson referred to the increasing development of interest
in the preservation of local records, especially those relating
to the past century in connection with manorial, municipal and
county histories. She urged that more work could be done in
the wide field of parochial records, and she regretted that many
manorial documents are still to be found buried among chaotic
parish papers. Also, that the records of towns and cities, un-
incorporated prior to 1835, are still retained by a variety of
separate authorities. As one example she mentioned the early
archives of Manchester. She deplored the fact that the majority
of parochial records are still mouldering in church chests and
many are to be found in pigeon-holes within belfry walls un-
classified, unindexed and decaying. She added that recent
legislation had constituted the county authorities to be the legal
custodians of the Archives of the Local Government bodies
which had been superseded. She referred, in particular, to the
importance of preserving the County records, such as those of
Quarter Sessions, those relating to Land Tax Assessments,
Enclosure awards, documents dealing with highways, bridges,
turnpikes, canals and Railways. Also there was much
information obtainable from Parish Registers, in Vestry minutes,
Churchwardens', Constables' and Surveyors' accounts, in terriers,
maps, awards and Poor Law documents and even the records
of petty Sessions and other divisional meetings.
Professor A. H. Dodd (of Bangor) read a paper on "Business
records," pointing out the value of securing a fuller knowledge
of documents relating to the Local Industries of a distric , and
the reasons found for changes that had taken place in these in
the course of time. He detailed his own researches into the
working of Provincial Record Offices.