The Office Archives
In addition to the Library, Sheffield Assay Office has a fascinating collection of Office Archives dating back to 1773.
The Day Books provide details of every item which has come to the Office to be assayed and marked, including the very first item ever assayed by Sheffield Assay Office.
The Office Archives also include letters and documents which build a detailed picture of the work of the Office, its growth and activities and the changing times it has operated in from 1773 to the present day.
You could, for example, view copies of correspondence between the Sheffield Assay Office and the Royal Mint about its establishment and early difficulties, 1773-1776; examine letters and papers from 1773-1816 which include the agreement for the first Guardians to rent premises in Norfolk Street for use as an Assay Office, 25 April 1774, or research the 19th and 20th century Acts of Parliament which concern the Sheffield Assay Office and other provincial offices, 1754-2000.
The archives provide a unique insight into the history of the Sheffield Assay Office and also includes pattern books from some Sheffield companies which are no longer in existence.
A full listing of all archive material available at the Sheffield Assay Office can be found on the website www.a2a.org.uk
