Thomas Wilson transcribed at least four editions of the Domesday Book related to the county of Yorkshire.

A two-volume octavo set held at the Leeds Central Library, two quarto copies, one held at the Leeds Library on Commercial Street and the other now in the Burton Collection of MSS at the Bodleian Library, Oxford. The fourth, a folio copy, is now held at the West Yorkshire Archives in Wakefield.

The Central Library two-volume set, Liber Judiciarius: Dooms-Day Book for the County of York, is believed to have been Wilson’s own copy. (See photos above). Transcribed in 1748, it is set in his best hand and written in highly abbreviated Medieval Latin. These two volumes are mentioned in a book sale catalogue produced by his son, Joseph, as being available for perusal. Viewers were invited to request their own copy for a fee. This is the copy held at Leeds Central Library.

The first quarto copy was donated, along with a number of other Thomas Wilson manuscripts, to the Leeds Library on Commercial St. by Joseph Wilson, in 1774. These now form the Wilson MSS Collection belonging to The Leeds Library.

The second quarto, held at the Bodleian, Wilson was commissioned for Dr John Burton, (1710-1771), physician and antiquary of York. This, along with two other Wilson transcriptions, was to be part of Burton’s large collection of manuscripts relating to Yorkshire only. The collection, including Wilson’s contributions, would later form the Burton Collection of Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library. A fourth transcription done by Wilson for Dr Burton, East Riding Pedigrees collected by John Hopkinson, somehow became separated from the collection and is now part of the Yorkshire Archaeological Society Collections held at the Brotherton Library, Leeds.

The fourth and final copy of Domesday for Yorkshire that Wilson was known to have transcribed was a folio version commissioned by Richard Richardson, (1708-1781), son of Dr Richard Richardson the botanist, both of Bierley. Wilson appears to have been a frequent visitor to the library of the Richardson’s and was able to make copies of a number of the manuscripts held there.

Please contact the Local and Family History department on 0113 37 86982 or via localandfamilyhistory@leeds.gov.uk to arrange a viewing of their copy of Domesday Book. Two forms of ID will be required.