Bristol 'Particular' Accounts and Port Books of the Sixteenth Century, 1503-1601

<P>Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.</P><br>Transcription and translation of thirteen Exchequer 'particular' accounts and port books of sixteenth century Bristol written originally in Latin. These customs accounts cover eleven complete accounting years, running from Michaelmas (29 September) to Michaelmas. The years covered are: 1503/4, 1516/7, 1525/6, 1541/2, 1542/3, 1545/6, 1550/1, 1563/4, 1575/6, 1594/5 and 1600/1. The original documents are all in The National Archives in London. They were transcribed as part of the ESRC-funded project: 'Ireland-Bristol trade in the sixteenth century'.<br>
<br><br><B>Main Topics</B>:<BR><br>The customs accounts were intended to be complete records of all the overseas trade of the Port of Bristol. As such, they list every ship entering or leaving the port that was engaged in overseas trade, its port of registration, the shipmaster's name and the date of entry/exit. Below each shipping entry are listed all the merchants who laded goods on the ship concerned, the goods they were trading and the customs valuation/customs paid. The Bristol customs accounts constitute one of the most detailled quantitative resource for examining trade in 16th century Britain