Records of Challinor and Shaw, Solicitors, of Leek
- Located At: Staffordshire Record Office
- Document Reference Number: D3359, 5338, 5779 pt, D6053, 6082, 6240, 6498, 6871, 6883, 6932, 7251, 7258, 7296, 7485, 7801, 7806/3, 7822; 7918, 8053, SD 1015
- Date: 15th cent-20th cent
- Level: Collection
- Extent: Main collection D3359 is 291 boxes and 94 maps. A small number of additional items of negligible size are also included in this catalogue.
- Administrative History: Challinor and Shaw was a well-established firm of Leek solicitors, located at 10 Derby Street, Leek. William Challinor was a solicitor in Leek from the 1780s and took over the business of John Davenport on his death in 1786. On William Challinor's death in 1800 the practice was continued by his partner George R Killmister, who later went into partnership with William Challinor's son William. In the mid-19th century the firm was called Challinor Badnall & Challinor. The firm was known as Challinor and Challinor from the 1860s and became Challinor and Co in 1868. From c 1890 the firm became Challinor and Shaw [Victoria County History of Staffordshire, vol VII, p123]. A case handled by William Challinor was the model for the complicated legal case that appears in Dickens' novel 'Bleak House'. [Victoria County History of Staffordshire, vol VII, p212]
- Format: Businesses
- Description: This collection contains a good cross-section of the records one would expect to find in a market and manufacturing town's solicitor's collection, although there is relatively little material about the firm itself. The real strength of the collection is the very good records of some 52 family clients. The majority of these records are deeds to property but they also include financial and personal papers.
Another strength of this collection is the records of various local institutions for which the firm acted as solicitors, including schools, churches and charities, as well as the Leek Petty Sessions and local Turnpike Trusts.
Uncatalogued material in the D3359 collection:
There are 291 boxes of records in this collection. There is not yet an online catalogue available for about 72 boxes. The uncatalogued material is mainly for family clients including other solicitors. The records of the WW1 military appeal tribunal for Leek appears in this catalogue but without detailed listing. The names of all the clients are listed in the catalogue in alphabetical order, and include a very brief summary pf uncatalogued material.
In addition 6240 is an additional 2 boxes of papers relating to various clients which are not yet sorted or catalogued. The nature of the material is very miscellaneous. Accession 6498 includes various copy legal papers and correspondence (0.125 box). Please ask for further information.
There is also a collection of records belonging to the late Mr Robert Stones of Chester, much of which was originated from the Challinor & Shaw company. This is a large collection of uncatalogued material, reference 7318, consisting of 40 boxes, 16 volumes and some plans. Series of interest include personal records of the Sneyd family; business records of Leek Building Society. Please ask for further information.
The majority of the collection is held at Staffordshire Record Office, but SD 1015 (1 box) is held at Stoke-on-Trent City Archives. This consists of 3 folders of documents relating to Marsden Tile Company Limited in Burslem, 1895-1902, and various other deeds relating to property in the Potteries, 18th-20th centuries.
Cataloguing note: the draft lists originally allocated the code A to the family clients and B to the business and official clients. These have not been retained in the final numbering, but the code C for the firms' records and other Challinor material has been retained. - Category:Law firms
- Related Organisation:
- Access Conditions: If you would like to access uncatalogued sections of this collection, please contact Staffordshire Record Office (www.staffordshire.gov.uk/archives)
- Accession Number: SD 1015
- Accession Number: SRO 6240
- Accession Number: SRO 7485
- Accession Number: SRO 5779
- Accession Number: SRO 6498
- Accession Number: SRO 7801
- Accession Number: SRO 6871
- Accession Number: SRO 6932
- Accession Number: SRO 6082
- Accession Number: SRO 6053
- Accession Number: SRO 7296
- Accession Number: SRO 7258
- Accession Number: SRO 7251
- Accession Number: SRO 7806
- Accession Number: SRO 7822
- Accession Number: SRO 7918
- Accession Number: SRO 8004
- Accession Number: SRO 8010
- Accession Number: SRO 8053
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