Biographical Research and Institutional Archives: the Case of the Inns of Court

Abstract

AbstractThe Holy Grail for most biographical researchers is a large hoard of unpublished personal papers such as letters or diaries. In reality that quest will usually be in vain. Research must instead focus on institutional sources. Because of their long history and pervasive role in the English legal profession, the Inns of Court and their records are likely to be the starting point for many legal biographical research projects. They also very usefully illustrate what the biographical researcher is likely to gain (and unlikely to gain) from using institutional archives in general. This article, written by Guy Holborn, describes the main classes of records held in the Inns' archives and what they can yield.