Catalogue description PAPERS OF THE PARSONS FAMILY LAND AGENTS, AND OTHER SOMERSET FAMILIES

This record is held by Somerset Heritage Centre (South West Heritage Trust)

Details of DD\PR
Reference: DD\PR
Title: PAPERS OF THE PARSONS FAMILY LAND AGENTS, AND OTHER SOMERSET FAMILIES
Description:

This collection was deposited during the Second World War when the Record Office was not staffed. As a result, there is no correspondence relating to the deposit and nothing to explain the background to the accumulation.

 

Jury lists and directories indicate that several generations of the family of Parsons were land agents in the 19th and 20th centuries and some, if not all, of the records listed below were accumulated in the course of this business. This is certainly true of the records of the Portman estates [DD\PR 50-64], the parish records [DD\PR 65-71], all of which come from parishes where the Berkeley Portmans were strong, and the miscellaneous records at the end of the collection [DD\PR 72-81].

 

This leaves unexplained the presence of the bulk of the documents deposited - the deeds and business and personal papers of the Donn family of Odcombe and Yeovil. These may have been acquired in the course of business or through personal connections (e.g. a late marriage), but there is no evidence either way. As the largest identifiable unit in the accumulation the Donn papers have been catalogued first [DD\PR 1-49].

 

The surviving records show the Donn family established at Odcombe in the middle of the 17th century and appearing at Yeovil at the end of that century. Unfortunately, there are insufficient records to produce a comprehensive pedigree to link both sides, nor has it proved possible to make a continuous pedigree of the Odcombe family. However, a relationship must be presumed, for Robert (b.1807), the last of the Odcombe line, inherited the Odcombe property from his father, William, and the Yeovil properties from his kinsfolk there [from his father's 'cousin', Robert (d. c.1810), who in turn had inherited from his 'cousin', Henry (d.1794-5)].

 

Three generations at Yeovil, Hugh (d.1741), his son, William (d.1755-9) and his grandson Henry (d.1794-5) and Henry's 'cousin', Robert of Exeter and Yeovil (d. c.1810) were mercers and glovers and some business records and correspondence have references to this activity within the period 1750 to 1800.

 

The Portman records include plans made for the extensions to Hestercombe House immediately after the purchase from Lord Ashburton, parish records of Downhead, Pylle and Closworth and several maps by Samuel Donne of Melbury Osmond (co. Dorset), nr. Yeovil (not apparently closely related to the above family).
Date: 1641-1908
Arrangement:

Introductory note

 

DONN FAMILY AND THEIR ESTATES

 

1-20 Deeds of Yeovil

 

21-22 Deeds of Odcombe

 

23-24 Deeds of Compton Pauncefoot and Henstridge

 

25-49 Personal and business papers

 

ADMINISTRATION OF PORTMAN ESTATES

 

50-55 Surveys, etc.

 

56-62 Maps

 

63 Court book (East Chinnock)

 

64 Misc. items

 

PARISH RECORDS

 

65-67 Downhead on microfiche

 

68-70 Pylle

 

71 Closworth

 

OTHER BUSINESS RECORDS (PARSONS)

 

72-75 Documents relating to real or personal estate

 

76-81 Maps, surveys and business papers
Held by: Somerset Heritage Centre (South West Heritage Trust), not available at The National Archives
Language: English
Physical description: 7 boxes
Immediate source of acquisition:

W/51 h
Subjects:
  • Parsons family of Somerset
  • Donn family of Odcombe and Yeovil, Somerset
  • Portman family of Somerset
  • Somerset
Link to NRA Record:

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