Catalogue of additional papers of the North family, 1573-1916

Bodleian Library, University of Oxford

2004

Conversion to EAD supported by the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation

Department of Special Collections and Western Manuscripts
Contact Information
Search Online Catalogues

Table of Contents

Introduction
A    Estate papers of the North family, 1707-1845
B    Household and personal papers, 1680-1892
C    Estate papers of families connected to the Norths by marriage, 1573, 1629-77
D    Miscellaneous and stray papers, 1618-1916
E    Single volumes of North papers acquired at various dates
F    Diary and commonplace books, c.1804-16, of Lady Georgiana North (1798-1835)

Additional papers of the North family, 1573-1916

Abstract:
Additional papers of the North family, including estate papers, 1707-1845, and estate papers of related families, 1573-1677.

Shelfmarks: MSS. North adds. a. 1, b. 2-9, c. 12-16, d. 1, e. 3-12

Extent: 25 shelfmarks

Biographical History

The North family were Barons North and Earls of Guilford. Their principal seat was Wroxton Abbey, Oxfordshire. Details of Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford (1704-90) and Frederick North, Lord North (1726-92) are given in the Dictionary of National Biography. For further papers, see 'Related Material' below.

Scope and Content

The collection comprises additional papers of the North family, 1573-1916, including estate papers relating to properties in Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Essex, London, and Lincolnshire, 1707-1845; household and personal papers, 1680-1892; and estate papers of families connected to the Norths by marriage, 1573, 1629-77.

Acquisition

MSS. North adds. a. 1, b. 2-9, c. 12-16, d. 1, e. 3-12 bought, Sotheby's, 12 Oct. 1976, lot 439. For the North papers added subsequently (sections E and F) see acquisition information for each item.

Related Material

The lot also included seven printed pieces (North c. 2, d. 5-8, e. 4-5), including Sir Thomas Lawrence, Address to the Students of the Royal Academy, 1824, inscribed 'To Henry Fuzeli Esq. with the Authors high & affectionate Respect' (North d. 5), and Addresses ... at the Installation of ... The Duke of Wellington, Chancellor of the University of Oxford, 1834, inscribed, 'Georgina North - Trin: Coll. 14 June 1834' (North e. 4).

The main collection of North papers is described in M. Clapinson and T.D. Rogers, Summary Catalogue of Post-Medieval Western Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library Oxford. Acquisitions 1916-1975 (Oxford, 1991), vol. II, nos. 49362-710.

Family Names (NCA Rules)

North family | Barons North and Earls of Guilford

Personal Names (NCA Rules)

North | Lady | Georgiana | 1798-1835 | daughter of 3rd Earl of Guilford

Place Names (NCA Rules)

Wroxton | Oxfordshire

Subjects (LCSH)

Administration of estates -- England
Commonplace-books
England -- Social life and customs -- 17th century
England -- Social life and customs -- 18th century
England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century

A   Estate papers of the North family, 1707-1845

Shelfmarks: MSS. North adds. a. 1, b. 2-6, c. 12, c. 13 item a, e. 6


Incomplete series of half yearly accounts of Samuel Lucas, steward to William North, 6th Baron North and 1st Baron Grey, for the estates of Walton, Northamptonshire, Radbourne and Shotteswell, Warwickshire, Sezincote, Gloucestershire, and Elsfield and Wroxton, Oxfordshire, 1707-12, 1715-18
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. b. 2
Extent: 129 leaves

Scope and Content:

Audited by Humphrey Whyle. Accounts are missing for Michaelmas 1709, Michaelmas 1710, Michaelmas 1712-Lady Day 1715, Lady Day 1716, and Michaelmas 1717. At fols. 26-9 are classified abstracts of disbursements by Lucas, 1709-10.


Similar audit accounts of Samuel Lucas, 1718-23
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. b. 3
Extent: 132 leaves

Scope and Content:

With a duplicate copy of the rent accounts, Lady Day 1722-Lady Day 1723. At fols. 71-2, 91, 100, are Summaries and Memoranda of accounts, 1721-2.


Accounts of John Lucas, steward, for the same properties, Michaelmas 1723-Michaelmas 1724
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. b. 4
Extent: 41 leaves

Scope and Content:

With duplicate copies of the rent accounts, and (fols. 35-41) abstracts of the accounts. At fols. 11-13 are separate accounts of rent arrears and individual items received late, Michaelmas 1723.


Accounts, 1727-8, 1746-51
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. b. 5
Extent: 74 leaves

Scope and Content:

Comprises

  • (fols. 1-12) accounts for Radbourne, Sezincote, Shotteswell and Wroxton, signed by Francis North, later 1st Earl of Guilford, Michaelmas 1727-Lady Day 1728
  • (fols. 13-38) similar accounts with calculation sheets for the same estates and for Harlow and Lindsell, Essex, Walton and Chipping Warden, Northamptonshire, Elsfield, and Brownlow Buildings, London, 1746
  • (fols. 39-64) annual accounts of John Wyatt, steward, for Elsfield, 1748-9, and for Elsfield, Walton and Chipping Warden, 1750-1
  • (fols. 65-6) rental for Chipping Warden, Michaelmas 1748-Lady Day 1749, and a rent account, Lady Day 1750
  • (fols. 67-74) draft accounts for Shotteswell, Radbourne and Wroxton in the hand of Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford, 1750

Accounts, 1752-88
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. a. 1
Extent: 48 leaves

Scope and Content:

Comprises

  • (fols. 1-24) annual accounts of John Wyatt, steward, for Walton, Sezincote, Elsfield and Chipping Warden, 1753-4, and (fol. 25) Wroxton, Michaelmas 1760
  • (fols. 26-36) half yearly sheets of rent accounts for
    • (fols. 26-8) Wroxton, Lady Day 1752, Michaelmas 1753, Lady Day 1788
    • (fols. 29-30) Shotteswell, May Day 1753, May Day 1761
    • (fols. 31-2) Shotteswell, Drayton and Neithrop, Lady Day 1787, Michaelmas 1787
    • (fols. 33-5) Sezincote, February 1756, with a related letter, and Sezincote and Radbourne, Michaelmas 1787
    • (fol. 36) Chipping Warden, Michaelmas 1787
  • (fols. 37-48) 'General Accounts' of John Duffell, steward, 1774-5

'Land Accounts' in the hand of Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford, 1750-5, 1757-62
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. b. 6
Extent: 49 leaves

Scope and Content:

Comprises memoranda of calculations of receipts from the estates of Elsfield, Sezincote, Walton, Chipping Warden, Shotteswell, Radbourne, Drayton, Wroxton, Harlow, Lindsell, Ashley, Cambridgeshire, Brownlow Buildings, London, Todkills Close in Londonthorpe, Lincolnshire, and a house in Grosvenor Street, London.


Miscellaneous estate papers, 1732-1842
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. c. 12
Extent: 108 leaves

Scope and Content:

Comprises

  • (fols. 1-11) five letters from stewards, Robert Cheyne, 1732, Francis Wise, 1744, Thomas Kidd, 1757 and William Girling, 1836, 1842, with one to John Duffell, steward, 1777
  • (fols. 12-47) vouchers, 1741-54, mainly relating to payment of wages and of taxes by Shotteswell tenants, and to work on farm buildings
  • (fols. 48-78) accounts of hay, grain and beans, c.1743-6
  • (fols. 79-108) rough memoranda of Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford, relating to unfinished accounting of John Wyatt, steward, and to accounts with Wyatt's executors, 1749-56

Notebook containing estimates of monthly expenditure on wages, fodder and miscellaneous items, 1843-5
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. e. 6
Extent: 44 leaves, 33-44 blank

Lease of a farm in North Newington by Frederick North, 5th Earl of Guilford, to John Greaves, 1824, with very full details of husbandry practice
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. c. 13 item a

B   Household and personal papers, 1680-1892

Shelfmarks: MSS. North adds. b. 7-8, c. 13 items b-e, c. 14


Wroxton household accounts, 1746-50, 1828
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. c. 14
Extent: 163 leaves

Scope and Content:

Comprises

  • (fols. 1-4) weekly accounts, in the hand of Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford, listing totals of payments to various types of tradesman, 1746-8
  • (fol. 5) receipted bill for tea, 1748
  • (fols. 8-33) lists of weekly disbursements of Mary Allen, the housekeeper, for the year, 1749-50
  • (fols. 34-160) Mary Allen's vouchers for the same period comprising
    • (fols. 34-59) bakers' bills, weekly vouchers listing daily purchases with one quarterly receipted bill
    • (fols. 60-117) similar meat bills with quarterly receipted bills
    • (fols. 118-160) vouchers for other household provisions
  • (fols. 161-3) receipted bill for 'work done to ... Pictures received from Wroxton' for the Marquess of Bute, 1828

Personal papers, 1680, 1728-51
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. b. 7
Extent: 26 leaves

Scope and Content:

Comprises

  • (fols. 1-2) appointment of Francis White, steward at Wroxton, as attorney for renewal of a lease from Christ Church, Oxford, of Wroxton and Balscott rectories, 1680
  • (fols. 3-10) notebook containing accounts of withdrawals and deposits at Hoare's bank of Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford, 1728-31
  • (fols. 11-24) valuation by W. Shurlbourne, bookseller, of the library of William North, Lord North and Grey, listing the books partly by pressmark and partly by title, 1735
  • (fols. 25-6) mortgage by Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford, of a property in Banbury, 1751

Bills and receipted bills of Susan North, Dowager Countess of Guilford, mainly for jewelry, furniture, books, building and entertainment at Putney Hill, 1815-34
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. b. 8
Extent: 318 leaves

Scope and Content:

With

  • (fols. 1-19) a receipted bill of Thomas Coutts, her father, for 'upholstery', listing work done in each room at his Piccadilly house, 1810
  • (fols. 315-18) letters from Machel Stace, bookseller, relating to sales of books, 1831, 1833, (cf. fols. 252-5)

Papers of Colonel John Sidney North, formerly Doyle, 1831-54, 1882-92
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. c. 13 items b-e

Scope and Content:

Comprises

  • (item b) part of a letter about purchase of property in Wroxton, apparently re-addressed by him, 1836
  • (item c) tax and rate assessments and receipts for 13 Farm St. and 16 Arlington St., London, 1882-92
  • (item d) counterfoils of cheque book, 1890
  • (item e) two printed items which probably belonged to Colonel Doyle, damaged map of Belgium endorsed, 'Pays bas', 1831, and a leaflet by James Lindsay, Memorandum upon the Memorial of the Brigade of Guards, n.d. [c.1854]

C   Estate papers of families connected to the Norths by marriage, 1573, 1629-77

Shelfmarks: MSS. North adds. c. 13 item f, c. 15, e. 7


Bond given to John Kay of Woodsome, West Riding of Yorkshire, relating to property in Highburton, Yorkshire, 1573
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. c. 13 item f

Accounts of the Pope family, Earls of Downe,
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. c. 15
Extent: 77 leaves

Scope and Content:

Comprises

  • (fols. 1-8) accounts of Anthony Lichfield, steward to Thomas Pope, 1st Earl of Downe, of rents and allowances for Cogges, North Leigh, Enstone, Swerford, Southrop, Hook Norton, Wigginton, Tadmarton, Wroxton, Balscott and Ardley, Oxfordshire, and Lighthorne and Shotteswell, Warwickshire, 1629
  • (fols. 9-10) accounts of Wroxton 'Abby Rent' due, Michaelmas 1672
  • (fols. 11-75) farm accounts and receipted bills of William Shepherd and William Raubone, servants to Frances Pope, Countess of Downe, 1670-7
  • (fols. 76-7) household food accounts, endorsed (fol. 76) 'att Uxbridge', n.d. [early 17th cent.]

Volume of accounts of Sir Thomas Pope for his London house, 1639
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. e. 7
Extent: 78 leaves, 6-56, 65-72 blank
Binding: limp vellum covers with leather ties

Scope and Content:

Comprises

  • (fols. 2-4) stable and personal expenditure
  • (fols. 64vrev. -57vrev.) accounts of daily purchase of provisions
  • (fol. 73vrev.) weekly summaries of payments

At fol. 56 is an apothecary's bill, 1639, originally loose in the volume.

D   Miscellaneous and stray papers, 1618-1916

Shelfmarks: MSS. North adds. b. 9, c. 13 items g-h, c. 16


List of arrears of perpetuities, annuities and pensions granted by Elizabeth I and James I, due at Michaelmas 1618
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. c. 16
Extent: 14 leaves

Scope and Content:

Possibly a paper of Sir Julius Caesar.

Medical papers of Dr. Edward Sergeant of St. Thomas's Hospital, London, and Bolton Infirmary, c.1861-91
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. b. 9
Extent: 96 leaves

Scope and Content:

Comprises

  • (fols. 1-50) medical notes and diagrams, n.d.
  • (fols. 51-63) case papers relating to individual patients, 1861-9
  • (fols. 64-82) letters to Sergeant, 1868-91, with (fol. 83) one professional letter concerning his own health, 1916
  • (fols. 84-96) printed leaflets, 1868-76, and n.d. [1917], including
    • (fols. 86-93) Sergeant's printed application for the post of Medical Officer of Health for the borough of Bolton, 1874
    • (fol. 94) an examination paper for a fellowship of The Royal College of Surgeons, 1876

Copies, c.1700, of deeds of the Atterbury family of Milton Malsor, Northamptonshire
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. c. 13 items g-h

Scope and Content:

Comprises a sale of property in Milton Malsor, 1668, and the will of Alice Atterbury, 1691; and (item h) typescript lists of some of the collection described as in seven packets, n.d.

E   Single volumes of North papers acquired at various dates

Shelfmarks: MSS. North adds. d. 1, e. 3-5


Maps and descriptions of Wroxton and Elsfield, 1778
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. d. 1
Extent: 28 leaves, 6-8, 21-28 blank

Scope and Content:

Contains

  • (fols. 2-5) map of Wroxton, with a description of the parish
  • (fols. 9-24) map and survey of Elsfield
Acquisition: Bought from Anglebooks Ltd., 1978.

Dudley, third Baron North: Characters, [1625], essays and verses printed in A Forest of Varieties, 1645, pp. 77 and 85-114
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. e. 3
Extent: i + 49 leaves

Scope and Content:

Secretary's copy, with additional passages in the same hand and in that of Lord North. The same secretary wrote part of MS. North e. 41, which, with this manuscript, gives very nearly the whole of the first part of A Forest.

Acquisition: Bought with MS. Eng. misc. e. 875, 1976.

Notebook containing accounts of Francis, Lord Guilford as Lord Chancellor, 1682-4
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. e. 4
Extent: 35 leaves, 7-31 blank
Binding: marbled paper covers

Scope and Content:

With (fol. 6) notes of personal expenditure.

Acquisition: Bought, Sotheby's, 22 June 1976, lot 82.

Account book of Lady Anne Jekyll's account with Messrs. Hoare, 1754-66
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. e. 5
Extent: iv + 26 leaves
Binding: vellum covers
Acquisition: Bought, Sotheby's, 20 July 1976, lot 395.

F   Diary and commonplace books, c.1804-16, of Lady Georgiana North (1798-1835)

Shelfmarks: MSS. North adds. e. 8-12

Acquisition: Bought from Henry Bristow of Ringwood, cat. 278 (1982), item 106.

Printed diary (Court and Royal Lady's Pocket Book) for 1804
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. e. 8
Extent: 67 leaves
Binding: calf wallet binding

Scope and Content:

Contains a few entries, mainly of a domestic nature and apparently by Lady Georgiana, although almost certainly added at a later date, with some (contemporary?) childish pencil scribbles.


Commonplace book, c.1816
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. e. 9
Extent: 74 leaves
Binding: red calf, gilt-ruled border

Scope and Content:

Contains entries in English, French, Italian and Spanish, mainly verse, including (fols. 33-35v) 'Sketch from Private Life' by Lord Byron, and prose passages concerning philosophy and the classics, with a few sketches.


Commonplace book, n.d.
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. e. 10
Extent: 41 leaves
Binding: limp calf

Scope and Content:

Contains entries in English and (fol. 41) Italian verse (including some by Lady Georgiana?), with a sketch.


Commonplace book, n.d.
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. e. 11
Extent: 60 leaves
Binding: limp calf

Scope and Content:

Contains entries in English concerning religious matters, Biblical quotations and philosophical subjects.


Commonplace book, n.d.
Shelfmark: MS. North adds. e. 12
Extent: 56 leaves
Binding: limp green calf, blind-stamped border

Scope and Content:

Contains entries in French, with a few in English, concerning subjects such as justice and government.

Transformation from XML to HTML by Lawrence Mielniczuk
19 May 2011