EDITORIAL NOTE

The present volume was planned in 1949 at the same time as the second, third, and fourth volumes of the Leicestershire set. Originally, therefore, it was under the local superintendance of the Leicestershire Victoria County History Committee, whose composition is described in the editorial note to Volume II. Dr. W. G. Hoskins was at that time the local editor in Leicestershire, and, with co-operation of Mr. R.A.McKinley, the then assistant local editor, began work upon it. Owing, however, to the need to press forward with the other three volumes, progress at first was not rapid.

After Dr. Hoskins had left Leicester, Mr. McKinley, as his successor, continued with the work, aided by Mrs. Janet D. Martin, who had been appointed assistant local editor in 1953. In 1956, when Volume IV was sent to press, he found it possible to quicken the pace. Shortly after this, however, it became apparent that the various patrons in Leicestershire, who, as mentioned in the editorial note to Volume IV, had been co-operating with the University of London in the production of the Leicestershire History, would be unlikely to continue their grants to meet the local expenses beyond 1958. Mr. McKinley resigned in 1957 and during the course of 1958 Mr. J. M. Lee acted as local editor. On his resignation it was found that there was not enough local money to provide the salary of another full-time local editor and it was agreed with the Leicestershire Victoria County History Committee towards the end of 1958 that the best course would be for the volume to be completed by the general editor and his staff with some aid from Mr. Lee. In carrying out this task thus falling upon him the general editor has fortunately been able to rely upon the attentive collaboration of his senior assistant, Dr. K. J. Allison, who has performed most valuable services in preparing the 'copy' for the press. Some expenses associated with the completion of the volume have been met partly out of the residue of the local Victoria County History fund, which is now exhausted, and partly out of the funds of the Institute of Historical Research.

Sincere thanks are due to Mr. J. C. Davies, of Market Harborough; Mr. and Mrs. Brian Simon, of the University of Leicester; Dr. L. A. Parker, the Leicestershire County Archivist; Mr. G. A. Chinnery, the Leicestershire City Archivist; and Mr. V. R. Webster, of Linby, Notts., who in various ways helped with the progress of this volume, and to Professor Nikolaus Pevsner, who kindly gave access to the proofs of his book on Leicestershire in the Buildings of England series before publication.