Catalogue description Documents relating to Tamworth

This record is held by Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service: Staffordshire County Record Office

Details of D5368
Reference: D5368
Title: Documents relating to Tamworth
Description:

There are a large number of deeds relating to Tamworth, some medieval [D5368/1/1-8]. Among the early papers, there is a 15th century account of the bailiff of Tamworth, a volume containing copies of 16th and 17th century decrees, wills and grants benefiting the people of Tamworth, and a copy of a petition to the House of Commons, c.1640, signed by all the burgesses of Tamworth [D5368/1/9-11]. Other sections cover the Ferrers family, owners of Tamworth manor and castle [D5368/2] and the Comberford family [D5368/3], owners of the Moat House. The Ferrers papers include a valor and grant of special livery by Philip and Mary of Tamworth Castle and lands, and a grant of title to the court baron of Tamworth Castle [D5368/2/2-3]. The Moat House section [D5368/4] covers owners from 1663, Sir William Boothbie, the Littleton and Wolferstan families, and the Marquess Townshend. Later owners were Robert Woody and his grandson Edward Hollins, an ancestor of the depositor [D5368/5].

 

The largest series of documents have come from the solicitor's office Thomas Holmes, of Lichfield Street, Tamworth [D5368/6]. It contains large numbers of original, copy and draft wills, abstracts of title and sale particulars, relating to lands in Tamworth and elsewhere, including many for Warwickshire. Many of the abstracts relate to land bought by or mortgaged to Sir Robert Peel. The last section relates to the England family of Alder Mills, Tamworth, mortgagees and owners of land in Hampton-in-Arden, Warwickshire. Sir Robert Peel held a mortgage on some England family property, and also purchased another estate in Hampton-in-Arden. The England papers contain a number of 18th century documents relating to the manor of Hampton-in-Arden [D5368/6/7/2], including surveys, rentals and valuations, and there is also a collection of 18th and 19th century letters [D5368/6/7/4] to Alder Mills from Maryland U.S.A., where John England set up an ironworks. The correspondence covers family, business and technical matters. They were Quakers, and this may explain the presence of a copy of "a poetic correspondence between Mrs. Knowles, the celebrated Quaker, and Captain Morris" [D5368/6/7/3/5].

 

The final section of the collection is from another Tamworth solicitor's office, John Wright of Church Street, and consists of 19th century sale particulars and sale notices for properties in Tamworth, elsewhere in Staffordshire, and in other neighbouring counties, particularly Warwickshire.

Date: 1319-1922
Arrangement:

Arrangement of documents

 

D5368/1 Medieval deeds and other documents relating to Tamworth

 

D5368/2 Ferrers family papers

 

D5368/3 Comberford family papers

 

D5368/4 The Moat House, Tamworth

 

D5368/5 Papers of the Woody and Hollins family

 

D5368/6 Papers from the solicitors office Thomas Holmes

 

D5368/6/1 Abstracts of title

 

D5368/6/2 Other papers relating to Sir Robert Peel

 

D5368/6/3 Quarter Session and Assize briefs

 

D5368/6/4 Wills and copy wills

 

D5368/6/5 Draft wills

 

D5368/6/6 Sale particulars and notices

 

D5368/6/7 England family papers; Hampton-in-Arden, Warwickshire

 

D5368/7 Sale particulars and notices from the solicitors office John Wright

Related material:

The documents held at the Staffordshire Record Office are only a part of those originally collected from different sources. Documents relating to Cartmel in Cumbria are held at the Barrow branch of the Cumbria Record Office, and papers relating to the Cater family of Coventry are held at the Coventry City Record Office.

Held by: Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service: Staffordshire County Record Office, not available at The National Archives
Language: English
Creator:

Woody family of Tamworth, Staffordshire

Hollins family of Tamworth, Staffordshire

Ferrers family of Tamworth, Staffordshire

Comberford family of Tamworth, Staffordshire

Physical description: 7 series
Immediate source of acquisition:

Deposited by Mrs. Hollins of Blackburn per Cumbria Record Office (Barrow branch)

Custodial history:

The documents in this collection were originally acquired by the Woody family of the Moathouse, Tamworth, particularly by J.F. Woody in the 1830s. It is an artificial collection, with no single provenance. Most documents originate from a solicitor's office, while one was "borrowed" from Tamworth Corporation Chest [D5368/3/4]. Other sources are unknown.

Subjects:
  • Tamworth, Staffordshire
Link to NRA Record:

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