The records in this collection have been divided into the papers of the Jarrold family and its members and the archives of the family business, Jarrold and Sons Ltd, with its related companies.

The family papers comprise papers belonging to, or associated with, prominent members of the Jarrold family, some of which relate to their involvement in the business.

The business records comprise records relating to the company's main divisions of Retail, Printing, Publishing and Office Supplies. It includes series of records such as management papers, financial and accounting records, property records, records relating to staff, and records relating to the main business of the division, such as printing or retail sales. There are also records relating to aspects of the company which were administered centrally rather than by individual division, such as shareholding or staff magazines. Although material exists on a wide range of aspects of the company, survival has been patchy and few complete series survive. There is also a small amount of material relating to minor divisions and affiliated organisations: Jarrold Wholesalers, PrePress Solutions, Software, the John Jarrold Trust and the John Jarrold Printing Museum.

The volumes record details such as the block number, the owner of the block or blocks, the type and quantity of blocks, the date that the blocks were received by the company, the printing job that they were used in, the date they were given out for use in a job, the date that they were returned to the Block Room, the publication or product they were used for, the date they were sent back to their owner and whom they were received by.

As well as blocks used for external printing jobs, the book records the blocks used in the printing of works published by the Jarrold and Sons publishing division.

Much of the material is likely to have originally formed part of the printing and publishing archives, but been re-used by museum members, or belonged to Peter Salt, who was closely involved in the museum.

File of printing correspondence, comprising mainly letters from customers, as well as orders. File is labelled 'Letters and orders A-L, May 1935' and is arranged alphabetically.

Inventory of printing plant and machinery held by Jarrold and Sons 1897-1904. Although the ledger appears to largely relate to the printing division of the company, the inclusion of inventories of areas such as the readers' room indicates that it could relate in part to the publishing division. Found loose inside the ledger was a schedule of insurance amounts dated 1948 and four cards dated 1951-2 with details of machinery on them.

Inventory and valuation of the letterpress, offset and lithographic printing plant and machinery, bookbinding plant, composing room and stereo foundry equipment, and related items at The Empire Press, as the printing division at St James' Mill was known at this time. Volume includes two maps of the premises. The inventory was made for fire insurance purposes.

Includes publishing as well as printing departments. One volume covers Blocks B and C, the other covers Blocks D, E and F. Block A is missing.