Sir John Leveson-Gower and the Navigation of the Waterways: The Disadvantages of the Canals
Sir John Leveson-Gower was a prominent social and political figure in the House of Lords. Notable amongst his papers are two letters relating to Parliamentary Bills concerning the development of navigable ...
Sir John Leveson-Gower at Home: Building a Library at Trentham
Amongst Sir John’s personal papers is a document entitled ‘An Estimate for the workmanship of the Carcase of a building design’d for a Library and Servants Room for the Right Honourable Lord Gower at ...
Sir John Leveson-Gower, a Sporting Fellow: Cock Fighting in the Early Eighteenth Century
Sir John was also involved in cock fighting. A letter from the 3rd Duke of Rutland, dated 2nd July 1722 refers to ‘our Cocking’. Sir John and Rutland were active participants in cock fighting, organising ...
Sir John Leveson-Gower, a Sporting Fellow: Fox Hunting and Horse Racing in the Early Eighteenth Century
Many of Sir John’s personal papers refer to his leisure activities. Letters and bills of expenses suggest that Sir John was a keen sportsman, involved in fox hunting, cock fighting and horse racing.
Sir ...
Sir John Leveson-Gower, a Sporting Fellow: Hunting Parties
Amongst Sir John’s papers are a number of accounts relating to his personal and household expenses on fox-hunting. Much of Sir John’s correspondence refers to fox hunting, his letters from Henry Vernon ...
Sir John Leveson-Gower, Estate Owner: Letters from George Cookes
Many letters in Sir John’s papers relate to the management of the Leveson-Gower estates. Sir John’s papers include correspondence from various agents working on his Staffordshire and Shropshire estates, ...
Sir John Leveson-Gower, Estate Owner: Letters from Reverend George Plaxton (1647/8-1720), Chief Estate Agent
Sir John also received regular correspondence from Reverend George Plaxton, the Chief Agent on the Leveson-Gower estates. These letters refer again to estate business. However, unlike George Cookes’s ...
Sir John Leveson-Gower, Estate Owner: Problems with a Drunken Tenant
Sir John’s responsibilities as an estate owner extended beyond the management of land and overseeing of leases. As Sir John’s letters from agents George Cookes and George Plaxton suggest, the financial ...
Sir John Leveson-Gower, Estate Owner: Problems with Tenants and Deer on Lilleshall Park
Sir John’s papers include letters which he received directly from tenants on his estates in Staffordshire and Shropshire, often sent when they felt they had been unfairly treated.
A letter dated May ...
Stafford House of Correction
This document, dated 31st January 1716-1717, is addressed to ‘ye Constable of Trentham’and ‘ye Keeper of ye House of Correction at Stafford’.
Signed by E. Mainwaring, the document is a warrant committing ...
The Crompton Family of Stone in the Sutherland Papers
The Marquis of Stafford became the Lord of the Manor of Stone in 1798
when an Inclosure Bill led to the Leveson-Gower family acquiring considerable land and property in Stone which had once belonged ...
The History of Barlaston Curacy
Reverend George Plaxton was closely associated with the Leveson-Gower family throughout his life. After resigning his curacy at Sheriffhales in Shropshire, he was granted the curacy of Barwick in Elmet ...
The Hordern Family: The History of a Family Business in North Staffordshire
The Hordern family of Newcastle-under-Lyme were candle makers, or tallow chandlers. The Sutherland Papers feature documents relating to the family’s business and its development over a century between ...
The Manor of Longton and the Court Baron of Obadiah Lane
The Manor of Longton was owned by a number of wealthy Landowners between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. J. H. Y. Briggs writes about the Foley family who were ironmasters from Birmingham. The ...
The Will of Randall’s youngest son, Randall Podmore of Namptwich
The Sutherland Collection also contains copies of the will of Randall Podmore’s youngest son, ‘Randle Podmore of Namptwich’ who was a ‘feltmaker’. Randle’s will reveals that he left the property he owned ...
The Williamson Family and Stafford
The Williamson family of Stafford played an important role in the local politics of the Borough. Owning substantial lands in Staffordshire, Ralph, John, Thomas, Gervais and William Williamson all served ...
Thomas Gilbert’s Observations on Mr. Cobb’s Accounts
The local elections of the late 1740s and 1753 cost the Gower-Anson party a great deal of money, particularly in rallying support by treating voters to free food and drink at local public houses. Examining ...
Trentham Estate Accounts in the Sutherland Papers
The Estate Accounts in the Sutherland Papers form one of the most fascinating sections of the collection. Spanning over hundreds of years, these papers and volumes kept by agents working for the Leveson-Gower ...