Description:In 1827 the Marquis of Stafford purchased the lease on York House. Huge amounts of money were lavished on completing the property and transforming York House into Stafford House. Between 1837 and 1841 the Duke of Sutherland made enquiries into purchasing the freehold of Stafford House to give him complete ownership of the property. The Duke of Sutherland wrote to Lord Melbourne, the Prime Minister on the 14th January 1841 concerning the matter. The letter tells us a great deal about Stafford House and the Sutherland family during this period.
The Duke writes that his father had ‘purchased the lease of Stafford House in the year 1827.’ He explains that on purchasing the lease, there were ’97 years unexpired’, for which the Duke paid £72644,19,1. In addition to this initial sum the Marquis of Stafford had also paid additional ground rents and parochial taxes.
The Marquis of Sutherland, who became the Duke of Sutherland in 1833 had overseen the completion of York House which was ‘entirely unfinished’ when he purchased the lease in 1827. The Duke adds ‘he was bound to complete it in a style commensurate with its position & importance, & according to the original intentions’.
Referring to the interior of Stafford House, the Duke writes ‘the improvements & decorations were accordingly carried on by my Father in a liberal manner- & I have since I succeeded to it endeavoured to follow his example’.
In addition to completing the interior decoration of Stafford House, the Duke tells Melbourne that he had added ‘a story required for the accommodation of a Family’ at Stafford House, which still required a further £4000. The lavish style of Stafford House is evident when the Duke comments that ‘the decoration & furniture have cost above £50,000 & still require further outlay’.
Owing to the amount of money invested in Stafford House, the Duke wished to secure his family ‘the fair enjoyment of such a large expenditure by a more permanent title than that of a lease’. The Duke appealed to the Board of Treasury ‘for the purchase of that portion of the Crown Lands now occupied by the House & Garden which I hold on lease’.
Click on the image on the left to find out what happened next.