Londonderry Corporation Minute Books
Londonderry Corporation Minute Books have now been digitised and are available to view online. The Corporation and Council minutes richly add to knowledge of the city.
What the Minute Books contain
Each minute book begins with the date of the meeting of the Common Council and a list of those members in attendance. In the late 17th and 18th centuries, the city’s business life consisted of merchants and craftsmen such as butchers and bakers, tailors and shoemakers, smiths and saddlers, joiners and coopers. The Corporation leased out the quay, the cow market, the general market (and collection of tolls), the mills and the ferry. The main market was in the Diamond and the Corporation settled a scale of market fees.
Example excerpts from the earliest volume include:
’...in 1674 a scavenger was appointed to keep clean all the streets.’
‘Car men were appointed to draw loads from the quay to the market place.’
‘For the defence of the city it was agreed, in 1674, to employ a workman to repair and maintain the walls.’
‘In 1676, a new gaol was erected over Ferry gate.’
View the Londonderry Corporation Minute Books
To investigate the minute books further, and to view the digital images, select a link from the list of volumes below.