Archives
Overview
Our archives hold Company records dating from the early 17th century and collections of members' private papers. The archives comprise minute books, financial records, letters, diaries, memoirs, pamphlets, press cuttings, printed ephemera, photographs, maps and plans, rare books, prints, drawings, watercolours, reels of film, video and audiotapes and a growing number of digitised as well as born-digital items. We also preserve collections of medals, silver, oil paintings, uniforms, weapons and other artefacts acquired by the Company or donated by members and their families.
Researching HAC History
Although nearly all of the Company’s earliest records were lost during the Civil War period, the minutes of the Court of Assistants survive unbroken from January 1657 to the present day.
In 1889 a royal warrant gave the secretary of state for war full control over the Company’s military affairs. For this reason, most records held in the HAC archives after that date mainly concern only civil matters, although there are some records covering the service of members in the South African War, the First and Second World Wars and subsequent Regimental activity. The collections of members' private papers cover their involvement in Company affairs, their Regimental careers within HAC sub-units and sometimes also their military service elsewhere or civilian careers.
Visit the summary history pages or view our select bibliography for further reading.
Researching HAC Members
We have a treasured roll of members, probably begun in the 1630s, which lists those admitted between 1611 and 1682, known as the Ancient Vellum Book. Later records of admissions of members and brief accounts of regimental service have also survived and are useful when researching members of the Company. Most of these records can be found online.
Four content sets from the HAC Archives are available online via commercial family history website Findmypast. These can be used for researching HAC membership and regimental records from the early 17th century up to c. 1945:
- A main general search page for indexed HAC records covering 1848-c. 1945, especially useful for researching members who served in WWI and WWII;
- A ‘browse’ page for these records and much earlier membership registers, dating back to the early 17th century;
- HAC Journal search page for the first 500 issues, from October 1923 until Autumn 2021; the Journal contains much useful information relating to the activities of the HAC and its membership.
- The Cardew-Rendle Roll search page for biographies (especially 1611 to 31 March 1908).
You might find it useful to consult the following two guides if you are researching HAC members who served during WWI and/or WWII: WWI Researcher's Guide and WWII Researcher's Guide.
Publications
Three HAC publications are available for purchase by emailing an order form found via the following links:
- J. Taylor and I. Denning, eds, Reflections of a Regiment: the Honourable Artillery Company and the Great War in Pictures (2016)
- J. Taylor, ed., Remembered with Honour (2014), a two-volume guide to HAC graves and memorials, 1900-1923
- K. Bennett, ed., The Cardew-Rendle Roll (2013), with much useful introductory matter and around 17,000 members' biographies from the earliest times to 31 March 1908. The biographical entries can also now be searched online via a dedicated page on Findmypast.
These books will also be found in a good reference library and members can also access copies in the Members’ Library at Armoury House.
Online Catalogues
We are currently working on a long-term project to deliver a new online catalogue of our archives. Until this becomes publicly available, listings up to 2002 can be researched via the National Archives. Members can see a list of more recent accessions within the annual report of the spring edition of the Journal. Or please contact the Archivist (details below) for more information.
The HAC’s collection of early printed books and pamphlets on military subjects covering the period 1616-1800 are also held in our archives. Most of this early printed material is included in the British Library’s English Short Title (ESTC).
Enquiries and Access*
Members are welcome to consult the HAC Archives during working hours (usually a Tuesday and Wednesday) by booking an appointment in advance with the Archivist. Enquiries from academics and other researchers should be made in writing by email or letter to the Archivist. A donation to the Archives Fund is much appreciated for answering a complex or lengthy enquiry. Note that some records, such as those for the Benevolent Fund, are subject to data-protection legislation and lengthy closure rules.
If you have an enquiry or would like to book an appointment, please contact the Archivist via the Company Office.
*If you are researching an HAC member, please explore the Researching HAC Members section above in the first instance.