Catalogue description Home Office: Creations and Writs of Summons Warrant Books

Up to 1851 these volumes contain chiefly entries of warrants to the Law Officers to prepare king's bills for the creation of peers, baronets and knights. After 1851, owing to the change in procedure effected by the Great Seal Act 1851, they are entry books of warrants to the Law Officers to prepare sign manual warrants, addressed to the Lord Chancellor, commanding him to pass letters patent for such creations. They contain also, for the whole period, warrants to the Lord Chancellor for settling the precedence of new creations and for writs of summons to peers to attend Parliament. There is also a classified index in each volume.

For files on hereditary extinct peerages and deceased life peers see LCO 57