Using the Guide to the Yorkshire Archaeological Society archives

The Guide provides an overview of the contents of the YAS’s collections. It currently covers all items deposited or gifted to the archives between 1867 and 2008.

It is divided into three sections: DD, MD and MS. The division is broadly between collections deposited with the Society (DD) and collections owned by the Society (MD and MS). For more information on these series see the Introduction. Additional deposits to collections are given the suffix “Add.” to differentiate them from the original deposit. Related collections are cross referenced.

The collection descriptions derive from the two published guides to YAS records; “Catalogue of Manuscript and Deeds in the Library of the Yorkshire Archaeological Society 1867-1931” by E.W. Crossley and “Guide to the Archive Collections of the Yorkshire Archaeological Society 1931- 1985” by Sylvia Thomas, plus details of new collections drawn up by previous and current archive staff.

The following guide is a consolidation of the two printed guides and lists of more recent accessions. Please excuse any formatting or stylistic inconsistencies or typographical errors which may have occurred in the process of compiling this guide. We hope to be able to address any such problems in due course.

Some collections are only one item, in other cases one collection may extend to hundreds of boxes. In this guide the contents of each collection is summarised; the degree of detail given depends on to what extent the collection has been catalogued.

Please contact the archives on 0113 245 6362 or yas.archives@gmail.com to find out if more information is available on particular collections. When enquiring about collections please quote the Collection Reference.