Description:A number of letters in the Duke’s papers concern the management of his extensive estates in Staffordshire and Shropshire. A notable letter amongst these is from Oswald Mosley and concerns the management of the Duke’s estates in Staffordshire. The Mosley’s were an old Staffordshire family linked to Rolleston-on-Dove in Staffordshire. Oswald Mosley the fascist politician was also descended from this family. The letter from Rolleston Hall, dated September 10th 1838 replies to a letter which Mosley had received from the Duke. Mosley refers to a meeting arranged by the Duke of Sutherland, writing that he does ‘much regret that I cannot have the honor of meeting you at Newcastle on Wednesday next in consequence of a previous engagement’.
Mosley continues ‘the object of your meeting I highly approve, for I have long been of opinion that unless the Borough of Stoke upon Trent could conveniently be incorporated, a Stipendiary Magistrate, who should be resident on the spot, is become absolutely requisite’.
The Duke’s letter evidently requested advice on this matter from Mosley. The Mosley family were Lords of the Manor of Manchester until 1846 and Mosley advises the Duke based on his experience in this capacity. He comments ‘I should recommend as far as local circumstances will allow an Act of Parliament similar to that obtained some years since for the Town of Manchester where a Barrister is appointed as a stipendiary magistrate, to attend at the Court every week day from 12 to 3’.
He suggests ‘the plan works uncommonly well and there is no difficulty in securing the attendance of one or more County Magistrates to act with the Stipendiary Magistrate’.