Description compiled by Victoria Stretch, Archives Hub project archivist, March 2004 with reference to 'A Guide to the Archive Collections in the Borthwick Institute of Historical Research', David M Smith 1973, 'A Supplementary Guide to the Archive Collections in the Borthwick Institute of Historical Research', David M Smith 1980 and 'A Guide to Archival Accessions at the Borthwick Institute 1981-1996' complied by Alexandrina Buchanan, 1997.
Whilst not a record creating body in itself, the Diocesan Office has long been the administrative hub of the Diocese of York. Today, the Diocesan Office oversees all administrative matters (boards, councils & committees etc) relating to church government, property, finance, investment and communication throughout the diocese.
The records of the Diocesan Office have been arranged into 7 sub sub fonds as follows:
The system of arrangement is reflected in the scope & content.
The Diocesan Office has deposited records relating to the Diocese of York at the Borthwick Institute since c1953.
These records have been appraised in accordance with Borthwick Institute policy.
Accruals are expected
Records are open to the public, subject to the overriding provisions of relevant legislation and the wishes of the donors/owners of the records.
A reprographics service is available to researchers. Copying will not be undertaken if there is a risk of damage to the document. Copies are supplied in accordance with the Borthwick Institute University of York terms and conditions for the supply of copies, and under the provisions of any relevant copyright legislation. Permission to reproduce images of documents in the custody of the Borthwick Institute must be sought.
Where indicated, hard copy finding aids are available at the Borthwick Institute.
As a result of the 1969 Synodical Government Measure, diocesan conferences were dissolved and diocesan synods were constituted for each diocese. The York Diocesan Synod meets at least twice a year comprises of three houses; bishops, clergy and laity. The Diocesan Synod focuses on matters regarding the Church of England, religion and current affairs, and how they relate to the diocese. The Diocesan Synod debates and offers opinions on matters that have been referred to it by the General Synod and can refer matters to the General Synod through the bishop. The Diocesan Synod also facilitates communication between the diocese the deaneries and the parishes - the diocese passing information to the deaneries & parishes through the synod and vice versa.
The records have been divided into 3 series as follows:
The records of the Diocesan Synod are then further divided into the following sub sub sub fonds:
The Archbishop's Council & Standing Committee meets more frequently than the diocesan synod of which it is part. The Committee has the role of overseeing the business of the synod when it is not in session, preparing agenda, initiating proposals for action and to act in a general advisory capacity to the diocesan synod.
The Stewardship Council was established in 1960 to consider and encourage Christian giving following the foundation of the Archbishop's Christian Stewardship Committee in 1959. Originally a sub committee of the Diocesan Board of Finance, the revised constitution adopted in 1977 placed the council directly under the auspices of the Diocesan Synod. In 1986 the Stewardship Support Group replaced the Stewardship Council. The Stewardship Support Group (although still referred to as the Stewardship Council in the Diocesan Year Books) appears to have closed in c1991. From c1991 to 1997 matters of stewardship rested with the Diocesan Resources Consultant.
The records are divided into 11 series as follows:
A hard copy finding aid is available at the Borthwick Institute
The Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF) is the statutory financial committee of the diocesan synod, which manages all diocesan synod funds. Controlled by the diocesan synod, the DBF is a limited company with the power to deal with property and business transactions on the diocesan synod's behalf.
Other institutions covering financial matters preceded the establishment of the Diocesan Board of Finance. The first of these institutions was the short-lived Diocesan & Parochial Finance Committee (1876). Then, the General Diocesan Fund (established 1887 & which became the Central Diocesan Fund in 1909) and the Clergy Pensions Committee (established 1901). In 1909 the Archbishop also appointed a special committee to consider the financial arrangements of the diocese.
The Diocesan Board of Finance was set up by resolution of the York Diocesan Conference in 1912 to organise the collection of funds throughout the diocese to aid the councils and committees concerned with several departments of church work, e.g. training for the ministry, church buildings, missions, religious education, the expenses of diocesan organisation etc. At the Diocesan Conference in 1927, the Board of Finance was given a new scheme under the Diocesan Boards of Finance Measure (1925) by which were set up the Finance and General Purposes Committee and the Property and Trust Committee.
Since its formation in 1912, sub committees of the Diocesan Board of Finance have been acquired, opened & closed. Namely:
Today, in addition to managing the budgets for all administrative bodies that report to the diocesan synod, the Board of Finance has the following sub committees:
The listed material in this archive is divided into 40 series as follows:
The unlisted material in this archive is divided into 2 series as follows:
ADMINISTRATIVE
FINANCIAL
The records of the Diocesan Board of Finance are then further divided into the following sub sub sub fonds:
A hard copy finding aid is available at the Borthwick Institute for Stipends Files [DO/SF & DO/SF/2]
The Property & Trust Committee was set up in 1925 as a sub committee of the Diocesan Board of Finance. The Diocesan Board of Finance through this committee controls all property & trusts held by the diocese. In 1927, the Property & Trust Committee took over the responsibilities of the York Diocesan Trust (See Borthwick reference GB 193 YDT). In 1978 the Property & Trust Committee took over the responsibilities of the Diocesan Glebe Advisory Committee (See Borthwick reference GB 193 DO/GAC). Today the committee is known as the Property, Trust & Investment Committee.
The records are divided into 9 series as follows:
Hard copy finding aids are available at the Borthwick Institute for the following:
Parsonages Committee (1986-ongoing. Formerly the York Diocesan Dilapidations Board (1924-1974), the York Diocesan Parsonages Board of the Board of Finance (1974-1986)).
The York Diocesan Dilapidations Board (See Borthwick reference GB 193 Dilap.) was reconstituted as the York Diocesan Parsonages Board of the Board of Finance in 1974 following the Repair of Benefice Buildings Measure (1972). In 1986 the Parsonages Board was renamed the Parsonages Committee, which continues to manage the maintenance of parsonage houses today.
The records are divided into 20 series as follows:
Hard copy finding aids for the following are available at the Borthwick Institute:
Under the Tithe Act (1936) the Diocesan Board of Finance is empowered to make claims to the holder of the tithe for repairs carried out to chancels.
The records have been divided into 5 series as follows:
A hard copy finding aid is available at the Borthwick Institute for the series of parish files.
See also Parsonages Committee for files relating to the repair of chancels under the Ecclesiastical Dilapidations Measures (Borthwick reference GB 193 DO/EDM).
The Buildings Policy Committee of the Diocesan Board of Finance was established in January 1958 in order to co-ordinate the funding from various grant giving bodies (e.g. Diocesan Church Building Appeal, Church Commissioners etc) for church building within the diocese. The Committee closed in 1965 when the work and responsibility of the committee was transferred to the Council of Church Extension (which became known as the Council for Church Buildings on this transfer - see Borthwick reference GB 193 DO/DCEC).
The records are divided into 2 series as follows:
The Diocesan Finance & General Purposes Committee was set up in 1927 under the Diocesan Boards of Finance Measure (1925). The committee was responsible for the management of diocesan income and expenditure and for setting budgets for the various committees and organisations that carried out the work of the church within the diocese. The committee closed in 1971 and the responsibilities were transferred to the Diocesan Board of Finance.
Diocesan Council for the Maintenance of the Ministry (January 1965-c1971. Formerly the Council of Maintenance (1938-January 1965)).
The Clergy Aid Committee was appointed in February 1920 by the Diocesan Board of Finance to administer the Emergency Fund for the Aid of the Clergy (Clergy Aid Fund). The Council of Maintenance was established in 1938, bringing together by the end of 1939 the administration of the Clergy Aid Fund, the Living Agents Fund and the Poor Benefices Fund. This body could allocate grants and discuss matters of financial assistance for the clergy. In January 1965 the name was changed to the Council for the Maintenance of the Ministry, with two sub committees - the Clergy Stipends Sub Committee (bringing the Clergy Stipends Committee into the Council for the Maintenance of the Ministry) and the Curates and Lay Workers Stipends Sub Committee. It appears that from c1971 the work of the Council for the Maintenance of the Ministry was administered solely by the Diocesan Board of Finance.
The records are divided into 4 series as follows:
Council for Church Buildings (1965-March 1972. Formerly the Diocesan Church Extension Society (1878-1909), the Central Diocesan Fund (1909-1915), the Diocesan Church Extension Committee of the Diocesan Board of Finance (1915-1939), the Council of Church Extension (1939-1965)).
The Diocesan Church Extension Society was established in 1878 in order to promote by financial aid the building, enlargement and repair of church buildings, the endowment of newly erected church buildings and the increase of endowments of existing churches. In addition to the central committee of the society there were local committees for each district of the diocese to which all applications for aid were initially made.
From 1909 to 1915 this administrative body was known as the Central Diocesan Fund after the amalgamation of the Diocesan Church Extension Society and the General Diocesan Fund. As a result, in addition to its work in financing the building, repair and endowment of church buildings it now also administered financial funds to the clergy.
In 1915 the Central Diocesan Fund was renamed the Diocesan Church Extension Committee of the Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF). The name changed again in 1939 to the Council of Church Extension after the function of administering financial aid to the clergy was transferred to the Council of Maintenance in 1938 (see Borthwick reference GB 193 DO/CM). In 1965 it became known as the Council for Church Buildings of the DBF, having taken over the work and responsibilities of the Buildings Policy Committee of the DBF (see Borthwick reference GB 193 DO/BPC). The Council for Church Buildings was closed on 8 March 1972 and its activities were taken over solely by the DBF.
The records are divided into 9 series as follows:
A hard copy finding aid is available at the Borthwick Institute.
The Diocesan Pastoral Committee was established in 1950 in accordance with the Pastoral Reorganisation Measure of 1949, with responsibility for making a general survey of the diocese from time to time and with the power to make recommendations regarding better provision for the cure of souls in the diocese. In 1969 the Diocesan Pastoral Committee took over the responsibilities of the Diocesan Reorganisation Committee (See Borthwick Reference GB 193 DO/DRC).
Under the 1983 Pastoral Measure, provision has been made for the Pastoral Committee to ensure that the pastoral organisation of the diocese works in accordance with the needs of those communities it serves. A review of the pastoral organisation of the diocese can produce recommendations regarding changes in benefices, pastoral supervision and reorganisation as well as the creation of new parishes and the establishment of team ministries. The Pastoral Committee also works closely with the York Diocesan Redundant Churches Uses Committee (See Borthwick reference GB 193 DO/PC) to resolve cases of church redundancy within the diocese. After a period of consultation, the Pastoral Committee can make the appropriate recommendations regarding pastoral organisation to the bishop.
The records are divided into 5 series as follows:
A hard copy finding aid is available at the Borthwick Institute for the Redundant Churches Files, 1-198 [DO/PC & RC]
Churches that are no longer required for public worship can be formally closed. The Redundant Churches Uses Committee is responsible for finding suitable alternative uses for churches no longer required by the diocese. The Uses Committee does not have the power to dispose of church property, but can make recommendations to the Church Commissioners when a suitable use for a church building has been found. The York Diocesan Redundant Churches Uses Committee was established in 1969 as a result of the Pastoral Measure (1968), and today works closely with the Pastoral Committee (See Borthwick reference GB 193 DO/PC) to resolve cases of church redundancy within the diocese.
The records are divided into 2 series as follows:
See also Pastoral Committee: Redundant Churches files [GB 193 DO/PC & RC]. These files contain Redundant Churches Uses Committee papers in cases where the two bodies worked in conjunction with each other to resolve occurrences of church redundancy within the diocese.
The Ordination Candidates Council was established in 1909 to provide assistance (training etc) to those candidates for ordination, connected with the diocese, who would be willing to work for five years in the diocese after ordination. Today, the Diocesan Ordination Candidates Council works to promote ordination and gives support to those involved in the process of ordination within the diocese.
The records are divided into 4 series as follows:
A hard copy finding aid is available at the Borthwick Institute
Constituted under the Diocesan Boards of Patronage Measure (1932), the Diocesan Board of Patronage is entitled to acquire, hold, transfer and exercise rights of patronage to benefices. Under the Patronage (Benefices) Measure (1986), the Diocesan Registry is required to keep a register of patrons to benefices. If there is no registered patron of a particular benefice, then the Diocesan Board of Patronage becomes patron.
The records are divided into 2 series as follows:
Diocesan publications ensure that members of the diocesan administration and congregation can have access to information regarding the role of individuals, organisations and committees within the diocese. Most newsletters and other circulars produced for the public domain now appear on the diocesan web site
The records are divided into 4 series as follows: