Chapter 22: Family & personal records and private estate papers

Over 75,000 deeds have been deposited, many coming from firms of solicitors through the British Records Association. relating to properties in the area deposited over the last 50 years. Some of the deeds are calendared and have a card index to personal and place (mainly street) names and trades.

Of particular note are 18,000 deeds relating to the Grosvenor Estate. The main sequence of these is arranged alphabetically by street name.

Collections of personal papers include several general collections of miscellaneous material relating to Paddington and St Marylebone consisting mainly of 19th century letters from residents, some of them well-known. These collections are fully catalogued and indexed as D Misc and Acc 612 and 988. It has only been possible to list a few groups from these collections here.

The following is a summary of the more important collections of family and personal papers.

Abbot family: Deeds re New Bond Street and Claverton Street Access restricted Acc 224

Adelphi and the Strand: Deeds, including two with William Adam, 17th and 18th century Acc 228, 236

Alcock, Henrietta, wife of Sir Rutherford Alcock, British Consul at Shanghai: Correspondence to and from, 1835-1856. (Part of St James, Piccadilly in Section 15) Acc 494

Aldridge family: Deeds re property in Soho, St James's, Kensington Gore, Westbourne, etc; family legal papers, 18th-20th century Acc 290

Allitsen, Frances, composer (1848-1912): see J and E Bumpus, Section 21

Annis, Emma: Personal album, c1835-1845 Acc 1396

Anon, female: Diary of a tour in Germany, 1844 Acc 355 Baker Street Bazaar Deeds, 1822-1861, with plans Acc M: 495

Barkly, Sir Henry, colonial administrator (1815-1898): Letters and papers, 1798-1905 Acc M: 618

Bendall, Henry, (PC 90),Paddington Police Station: Notebook, 1886-1890 Acc 1496

Bernhard-Smith, Mrs A M, Twenty-One Gallery, art gallery, 3 Durham House Street, Adelphi: Diaries, correspondence, catalogues, newscuttings, biographical notes, etc, 1912-1968 Acc 1751, 1812

Bertie, Hon Peregrine, son of the 2nd Earl of Lindsey: Account book, 1686-1698 Acc 1321

Blakeby, Robert J, 29 Christ Church Buildings, Lisson Street, employee of Peter Robinson: Diaries, 1908-1946 Acc 1489

Bone, Henry, miniaturist (1753-1834): Letters and papers, c1800-1835 D Misc

Boodle family of Boodle, Hatfield, solicitors: Deeds, probate and marriage settlements, Westminster and Essex, 1772-1904. See also Boodle, Hatfield and Co in Section 21 Acc 1256

Boustead, John, Upper Gloucester Street: Diary, 1855-1861 Acc 950

British Telecom: Deeds re various properties, 1793-1970 Acc 1775, 1776

Browne, Rev Marmaduke Edmonstone: Memoirs re Christ Church, Marylebone, 1908-1922, and books of Browne and Edmonstone family records Acc1903

Browning, Robert, poet (1812-1889): Letters, 1884-1887 Acc M: 612 and 1215

Bryceson, Nathaniel, clerk in coal wharf, Upper Belgrave Place: Diary, 1846. Indexed Acc 730

Buckle, Henry Thomas, historian (1821-1862): MS of The History of Civilisation in England, published 1857, 1861

Bullock, John, churchwarden of St Clement Danes: Notebook: parish accounts with some personal notes, 1732-1733 Acc 711

Burlington House: Letters re valuation, 1807-1811 Acc 20

Butler, J W, St George's Square: Family legal papers. See Hedges and Butler Ltd in Section 21

Calmel family of Soho, (also Cornwall and Staffordshire): Deeds, account books, etc, 18th century and 19th century Acc 288

Caroline, Queen Caroline, consort of George IV: Papers relating to her, 1820-1821 Acc M: 614

Church Commissioners: see Paddington estate

Craven Estate: Plans, see Section 23

Crespigny family, Old Palace Yard: Deeds and family legal papers, 1754-1832 Acc 269

Daniell, George, St Marylebone vestryman: Typescripts of 10 articles on aspects of the history of St Maylebone, c1840-1850 Ashbridge collection

Dashwood family, the Strand area: Deeds and family legal papers, 1783-1834 Acc 269

Howard de Walden estate (formerly Portland estate): Rentals, including a rental of property in Soho, 1734, accounts, registers of deeds, plans and title deeds, c1734-1950. A large collection not yet fully catalogued. See also the John White collection. Acc M: 449, M: 458

Dodd, George and Major G L Ashley: Deeds re Norfolk Square, Kensington Park Gardens area and Regents Park area, etc, 1756-c1936 Acc1769

Duguid family of the Pimlico area: St Michael's School prize books and personal ephemera, 1889-1909 Acc 1689

Egerton family: Family correspondence, see Grosvenor family

Englefield family, Tilney Street: Deeds and family legal papers, 1791-1835 Acc 1185

Erlam family, Pimlico and Spa Fields: Deeds and family legal papers, 1821-1885 Acc 226

Everest, Robert L, Mayor of Westminster: Papers re his mayoralty, 1960-1961 Acc 1654

Ewart, William, MP: Letter re opening of the first Free Library in Westminster, 1857 Acc 1350

Eyre estate, St John’s Wood: Deeds, c1750-1950 Acc M: 287, M: 320, M: 595, 765, 864, 901 and 1029

Fisher, Alfred Hugh, artist (See also Bernhard-Smith): Letters; papers; portraits, c1901-1942 Acc 1812, 1968

Foxall: see Westmacott

Frith family, Jermyn Street: Family papers, 1742-1800 Acc 377

Gallati, Mario, of the Caprice Restaurant: Family personal papers and photographs, c1900-1977. See also Mario Gallati in Section 21 Acc 896

George, Prince of Wales, (later George II): Household establishment account, St James's Palace, 1717 Acc 48

Germany: see Anon

Grosvenor family estates in Mayfair, Belgravia and Pimlico: Trustees minutes, correspondence, accounts, deeds, plans, photographs, c1760-1960 Large collection. Access restricted

Harraden, Ethel, composer: Ms songs and correspondence, 1877-1894 Acc 1215

Harrington, Earls of: see Stanhope

Harry Lewis Hart, foreman of Charing Cross Electricity Supply Co Ltd: Biographical notes, obituary, etc, 1916-1937 Acc 1829

Benjamin Haydon, artist (1786-1846): Letters, c1840-1845 and sketches, including re Nelson's Monument Acc M: 612, 1817

Hedges: see Butler

Hellyer family of Coleshill Street: Private correspondence; journals and sketchbooks; photographs, 1665-1976 Acc 1580

Octavia Hill , housing reformer (1838-1912): c350 letters to Sir Sidney Cockerell, Paula Schuster and others, c1865-1912 D Misc and Acc 1605, 1928

Hinde Estate: Deeds re Hinde Street, Charles Street and Thayer Street, 1827- 1962 Acc 1774

H E W Hollobone, tour guide: see Section 21

Howard family of St Martin-in-the-Fields parish: Deeds, 17th and 18th century; notes for St Martin's churchwardens, 19th century Acc 233

Howard de Walden estate: see de Walden estate

J C Hunter, surgeon, of 30 Wilton Place: Diary, 1832-1836 Acc 182/4

Lady Hunter of 8 Stanhope Street: Diaries re London, Brighton and Patching, 1840-1846 Acc 1621

Colonel Leslie Grove Jones, radical politician (1779-1839): Correspondence, c1830-1832 D Jon

Thomas King of King Street, St Paul Covent Garden: Financial and property deeds, [1783]-179. Client of Frederick Booth, in Section 21

Kingston House Estate, Princes Gate and Ennismore Gardens: Rental, deeds, plans, letters, family legal papers, 1760-1952 Acc 943, 1004

Walter Lewis Kirk, Clifton Gardens: Papers of the Kirk family, 1779-1921 Acc 1356

William Knollys: Petition for pedigree of Earldom of Banbury, 1808-1809 Acc 57

Sir James Knowles the younger, architect and editor: Letters and papers, many re The Nineteenth Century, c1850-1920 Acc 716

Earl of Lindsey: see Hon Peregrine Bertie

Earl of Listowel: see Kingston House Estate

Thomas McCrerie, Lisson Grove Academy: Arithmetic teaching manual for adult evening classes, c1825 Acc 731

Manners family: Deeds of estates at Rutland Gate and Warwick, [1752]-1904 Acc 1188

Richard Edward Martyr, civil servant: Memoirs, chiefly re early life in Westbourne Terrace, Board of Trade and Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and photograph, 1873-1922 Acc 1832

Mellish family of Eaton Place: Deeds and family legal papers, 1798-1896 Acc 312

MEPC: Deeds mainly re Maida Vale area, 19th and 20th century Acc 1647, 1681-1684, 1686, 1698-1701, 1703-1704, 1711-1712, 1714-1716, 1720-1722, 1728-1729, 1755-1756, 1806, 1870, 1872, 1874, 1880, 1886, 1899

Dr S Merriman, physician: Acc 399

Ethel Merston, 51 Finchley Road: Typescript of her unpublished autobiography re St John's Wood, the start of the WRNS, India and travels world wide, 1880's to 1960's ff 920 Merston

Midddlesex Deeds Register: Indexes. Copies on microfilm, originals at London Metropolitan Archives

H N Middleton, banker: Private correspondence, 1816-1821 (Indexed) Acc 796

John Stuart Mill: Correspondence re his portrait by G F Watts, 1873-1906 Acc 365

T J Miller, MP, deputy lieutenant of Middlesex: Papers re his estate, 1859-1938 Acc 1520

Paddington estate of the Bishop of London: Title deeds relating to some of the properties in Paddington built by William Kinnaird Jenkins, James Ponsford and John Wright Treeby, c1840-1910. Uncatalogued. See also Section 21 and Section 23 Acc 922

Pennington-Bickford family, (Rev W Pennington-Bickford, rector of St Clement Danes): Parish and personal papers and papers re his and his wife's estate, c1900-1960's Acc 1301

Mrs G M Politzer and Mrs Max Shaw, St John's Wood High Street: Household accounts, c1900-1950 Acc 1044

Portland estate: see Howard de Walden estate

Portman estate: Deeds and legal papers, 18th-20th centuries, indexed by property. Marylebone Deeds. See also Section 23 DD and D Misc

Kerrison Preston, Trustee of the William Blake Trust: Letters and papers re William Blake, 1871-1972 Acc 924

Prince of Wales: see George, Prince of Wales

Joan Pritchard, Shouldham Street: Diary and household accounts, 1952-1986 Acc 1564

Admiral Sir Thomas Pye: Accounts and letters, 1773-1785. Client of Frederick Booth, in Section 21

Queen Caroline: see Caroline

Major William John Richardson: Deeds and family papers re Portland Place and Gloucester Place, 1785-1881 Acc 990

Mary Richardson-Eyre (died 1922): Typescript of her unpublished autobiography Poor Mary; or from my youth up until now, 1904 D Misc

Rigby family: Deeds re property in the Strand and Soho, 1782-1875 Acc 265

Mrs E C Samuel, St Marylebone Society: Extensive notes re the history of St Marylebone, c 1950-1965, including lists of the residents of all the houses in Regent’s Park Terraces, c1825-1960

Dr Ann Saunders: Working notes for Regent's Park, 1969 and The Art and Architecture of London, an illustrated guide, 1984 Acc 954 and 1495

William Arthur and Dorothy Snarey of Cambridge Street, Little Newport Street, Raphael Street and St Martin’s church: Family papers, badges, photographs, 1911-1950 Acc 1929

E A Sothern of Park Street: Deeds, business interests and family papers, 1873-1891 Acc 1480

Joanna Southcott, prophetess (1750-1814): Letters and papers (10), 1803-1808 Acc M: 538

South Lodge: Scrapbook re purchase by the future Lord Llangattack Acc 262

Stanhope family, Earls of Harrington: Marriage settlements and deeds re property in St Clement Danes, St George Hanover Square, St James Piccadilly and St Martin-in-the-Fields, 1626-1834 Acc 1694

William Stone, merchant: Scrapbook, c1790-1830

C Sturgeon, barrister: Correspondence and writings re trade union and political activity, 1829-1872 Acc 247

Tattersall family of Albert Gate: Family legal and business papers, 1771-c1931 Acc 1175, 1186

James Taylor, land agent, 19 Chancery Lane: Rough account book and diary, 1791-1795 Acc 1561

2nd Baron Teignmouth (1796-1885): Election papers, 1837-1838 D Misc

Tenterden Street: Deeds, 1720-1804 Acc 161

R Thresher, outfitter: Private papers. See Thresher and Glenny Ltd in Section 21

Twenty-One Gallery: see Mrs A M Bernhard-Smith

Benjamin Webster, actor and theatre manager: Correspondence, 1822-1886 Acc 498, 1834, 1992

Wegg family: Papers re 15 Hertford Street, 1832-1951 Acc 1005, 1344, 1570

Councillor John Wells: Papers re Westminster City Council and other organisations (especially arts and planning), invitations, programmes, correspondence, papers re tailoring, letters as prisoner of war, c1930-1994 Acc 1839

Westmacott (Family of the sculptors): Papers re settlement of Westmacott estate on Martin Foxhall, 1729-1861 Acc 271

Dukes and Marquesses of Westminster: see Grosvenor family

John White senior and John White junior, both successively agents to the Duke of Portland: Correspondence, plans and papers, 1771-1833 D Wh

Robert Wigram, shipowner, shipbuilder and brewer: Papers re marriage settlement, 1867-1919. See also Reid's Brewery Co Ltd in Section 21 Acc 1230

Earl of Wilton: Family correspondence, see Grosvenor family

Wise estate, Pimlico and elsewhere: Deeds, etc, 17th century-19th century. (Some are copies in lease books) Acc 181/1, 326

Christopher Wright, art historian: Books and drafts, offprints of articles and exhibition catalogue entries Acc 1628

Wyatt family of Ebury Street and elsewhere: Deeds, correspondence, etc, 1887-1956