About the Lincoln Record Society

The Lincoln Record Society was founded in 1910 by the Reverend Canon Charles Wilmer Foster who recognised that there was, and still is, a great volume of original documents held in the Public Record Office, now the National Archives, the British Library, Lincolnshire Archives and elsewhere including in private collections. Except for the dedicated researcher this material is often difficult to access and to use.

Following the recent receipt of a generous bequest from the estate of the late Miss Kathleen Major, one of the Lincoln Record Society’s most distinguished scholars and supporters, the Society is now able to extend considerably its work in achieving its charitable objective, being “the advancement of public education in the history of the diocese of Lincoln and the ancient county of Lincolnshire especially by the transcription, editing and publication of original historical documents…”

The original aim of the Society was to publish historical manuscripts, but over time it has extended its remit to publish all types of original documents including maps and drawings. It does not publish authors’ texts but many volumes include scholarly introductions and interpretative notes.

The Society is managed by its Council which is elected annually at the Annual General Meeting, usually held in Lincoln. Following the formal part of the meeting there is a lecture on an aspect of Lincolnshire history, usually relating to a forthcoming volume. This is followed by tea where members have chance to meet each other and to talk to officers and members of the Council.