Description:In 1838 the architect Benjamin Wyatt (1775-1855) brought a lawsuit against George Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower (1786-1861) the second Duke of Sutherland concerning unpaid bills for drawings he had done during his work on Stafford house. The Sutherland Papers contain many documents relating to this high profile case including legal correspondence.
The notes featured above describe the case in detail. The papers state that ‘this action is brought by Mr. Wyatt to recover from the Duke of Sutherland the sum of £1772, 14s, 11d being the balance which he (Wyatt) claims to be due to him for certain designs & drawings supplied by him to his Grace in conducting the works & improvements at Stafford House’.
These case notes include the particulars of Wyatt’s claims including correspondence relating to the claim explaining ‘the circumstances under which it arises & the grounds on which it is objected to by the Duke’.
The notes relating to the case include copies of correspondence between Wyatt, the Duke of Sutherland and the Duke’s chief agent James Loch. A copy of a letter sent by Wyatt to the Duke on 16th June 1838 features, in which Wyatt refers to his account for ‘all the designs & drawings’ which he produced for Stafford House. Wyatt sent his account to the Duke ‘with a view to the same being balanced’, claiming that the Duke had failed to pay him what he was owed.
Click on the images on the left to learn more about this high profile legal battle.