The Staffordshire Record Society originated in 1879 as the William Salt Archaeological Society. It took its name and inspiration from William Salt, a banker of a Staffordshire family whose antiquarian collections form the core of the holdings of the William Salt Library at Stafford, which opened in 1872. The Society, however, was the brain-child of General George Wrottesley, a younger son of the 2nd Baron Wrottesley of Wrottesley Hall, Tettenhall, and a veteran of the Crimean War. He was the Society’s mainstay as secretary and editor until his death in 1909. He was succeeded by Josiah Wedgwood, the future Lord Wedgwood.

General The Hon. George Wrottesley

The purpose of the society has always been the publication of documents, both local and national, relating to the history of Staffordshire, although articles and monographs have also been included. The Society’s name was changed in 1936 to the Staffordshire Record Society as being more suited to its work. The series of publications, which has the title Collections for a History of Staffordshire, includes pipe rolls, plea rolls and feet of fines, episcopal, cathedral and monastic records, heraldic visitations, hearth tax returns, quarter sessions records, parish and family histories, the minute book of the parliamentary committee at Stafford 1643–5, biographies of Staffordshire MPs to 1841, and a facsimile edition of William Yate’s map of Staffordshire, 1775. A well stocked pipeline of future volumes will continue the series well into the 21st century.

Staffordshire Histories Celebration: 150 years of Staffordshire Record Society 3rd and 4th June 2027

We invite proposals for papers and presentations on changing approaches to Staffordshire’s history and to the sources we use to understand and communicate it. Staffordshire’s boundaries are taken to be those of the historic county, thus including Stoke, Wolverhampton, Walsall, and the Black Country.

Papers are welcome on all aspects of Staffordshire’s history and archaeology, and on how changing approaches to the county’s history contribute more generally to local studies.

Speakers may focus specifically on developments within the county, use Staffordshire sources to address broader themes, or explore how changing approaches to Staffordshire’s history contribute to general developments in local history.

We also encourage presentations from community-based groups/projects.

The proceedings will form the basis for a volume to be published in 2029 to celebrate the society’s 150th anniversary.

Expressions of interest followed by abstracts of up to 300 words for papers of up to 25 minutes should be sent to Matthew Blake at matthew.blake@btinternet.com