Catalogue description Signet Office and Home Office: Miscellaneous Books

The volumes in this series reflect various aspects of the work of the Signet Office and the Home Office. Most of them are either fee books, covering the period 1761 to 1871, or books of accounts, which span the years 1851 to 1871. The one fee book that was compiled in the Home Office relates to Irish instruments only; it covers the years 1851 to 1871.

Among the Signet Office entry books there is a volume which records the granting of almsmen's and almswomen's places in royal foundations (1660 to 1751). There is also an entry book of caveats lodged by interested parties against the proposed granting of letters patent to others (1661 to 1727).

The remainder of the series comprises precedent books, memoranda, ledgers (partly compiled in the Home Office), some property tax returns (1842 to 1852), a list of instruments that passed through the Signet Office in 1794, and details of reduced fees on renewed instruments, 1830 to 1839.

The entry books of Irish letters in SO 5/32-33 (1800 to 1806) have internal indexes.