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Legge family, Earls of Dartmouth

This page summarises records created by this Family

The summary includes a brief description of the collection(s) (usually including the covering dates of the collection), the name of the archive where they are held, and reference information to help you find the collection.

Date: 1200-2000
History:

William Legge (d. 1670), Lieutenant of the Ordnance under Charles II, received royal grants of property in County Louth and the Minories (London) and the lieutenancy of Alice Holt and Woolmer forests in Hampshire. His son George Legge (d. 1691), created Baron Dartmouth in 1682, gained Bromley Park (Staffordshire) through his marriage in 1667 to the heiress of Sir Henry Archbold, and purchased Lewisham (Kent) in 1673. The second Baron (d. 1750), created Earl of Dartmouth in 1711, bought Sandwell (Staffordshire) from the Whorwood family in 1701 and Morley (Yorkshire, West Riding), a former estate of the Marquess of Halifax, in 1716. He also owned property in Westminster. The Woodsome estate at Farnley Tyas (Yorkshire, West Riding) was acquired through the marriage of the first Earl's son George Legge, Viscount Lewisham, to the daughter and heiress of Sir Arthur Kaye, third Bt, in 1722. The second Earl (d. 1801), grandson of the first Earl, married in 1755 the daughter and heir of Sir Charles Gunter Nicoll, from whom came estates in Sussex (Racton, Woodmancote), Buckinghamshire (Olney, Warrington), Middlesex (Kentish Town) and London (Aldersgate, Charterhouse Square, Old Jewry), with small amounts of property in Berkshire, Hampshire, Kent, Nottinghamshire, Suffolk and Surrey.

In the 18th century the Sandwell estate was augmented by purchases in Handsworth, Smethwick and West Bromwich (Staffordshire), and other Staffordshire property (Needwood Forest, etc) was leased from the Duchy of Lancaster. Sandwell Hall (built 1703-11) was given up in the mid-19th century and a more secluded estate at Patshull (Staffordshire), including land in Pattingham (Staffordshire) and Albrighton (Shropshire), was bought from Sir Robert Pigot, fourth Bt, in 1848. Sales of Handsworth and London property occured in the 19th century, and much of the Staffordshire estate was alienated in the 20th century.

In the late 18th century property was briefly held in Florida, and in the 20th century purchases were made in Kent (Godmersham Park), Leicestershire and Rhodesia. From the mid-19th century the management of the family's estates was largely in the hands of the estate agents Thynne & Thynne of London.

Estates in 1883: Yorks WR 8,024 acres, Staffs 7,316 acres, Bucks 2,195 acres, Salop 1,096 acres, Sussex 454 acres, Kent 391 acres, Middlesex 42 acres; together worth £58, 657 a year.

Places:
  • Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire
  • Albrighton, Shropshire
  • Basingstoke, Hampshire
  • Blackheath, Kent
  • Bradwell, Buckinghamshire
  • Chilanga, Rhodesia
  • Chineham, Hampshire
  • Crondall, Hampshire
  • Farnley Tyas, Yorkshire
  • Foxton, Leicestershire
  • Godmersham, Kent
  • Gumley, Leicestershire
  • Handsworth, Staffordshire
  • Honley, Yorkshire
  • Kentish Town, Middlesex
  • Lewisham, Kent
  • Morley, Yorkshire
  • Mountjoy, County Tyrone
  • Occold, Suffolk
  • Olney, Buckinghamshire
  • Patshull, Staffordshire
  • Pattingham, Staffordshire
  • Pleasley, Derbyshire
  • Racton, Sussex
  • Sandwell, Staffordshire
  • Slaithwaite, Yorkshire
  • Smethwick, Staffordshire
  • Swallowfield, Berkshire
  • Warrington, Buckinghamshire
  • West Bromwich, Staffordshire
  • Westminster, Middlesex
  • Wigan, Lancashire
  • Wokingham, Berkshire
  • Wolverton, Buckinghamshire
  • Woodsome, Yorkshire
  • Worplesdon, Surrey
Sources of authority: Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts, Principal family and estate collections, L-Z, 1999
Name authority reference: GB/NNAF/F85407 (Former ISAAR ref: GB/NNAF/F483 )
Collections
Number Description Held by Reference Further information
1
15th cent-19th cent: Staffs (Pattingham and Patshull) manorial records 15th-18th cent, Pleasley (Derbys) manorial accounts 1425-26, misc Staffs (Pattingham, etc), Bucks (Olney, etc), London (Lewisham, etc) and Yorks (Morley, etc) estate papers 18th-19th cent and Legge family, legal, official and political papers 16th-19th cent, with Co Louth deeds and papers and Mountjoy (Co Tyrone) cartulary 17th cent, etc
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service: Staffordshire County Record Office
NRA 5197 Legge

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59a]
2
17th cent-20th cent: misc Staffs (Sandwell, etc), London (Lewisham, etc) and Yorks (Morley, etc) deeds and estate papers 18th-20th cent, with a few for other counties, and misc Legge family papers 17th-20th cent
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service: Staffordshire County Record Office
NRA 5197 Legge

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59a]
3
17th cent-19th cent: Staffs (West Bromwich, etc) manorial records
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service: Staffordshire County Record Office
NRA 5197 Legge

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59a]
4
16th cent-19th cent: Staffs (Abbots Bromley, Handsworth, etc) and Bucks (Olney, Warrington, etc) deeds, manorial records and estate papers 16th-19th cent, Occold (Suffolk) deeds 1735-36, London (Lewisham, etc) rentals and estate papers 18th cent, Yorks (Morley, Woodsome, etc) estate papers 17th-19th cent, Florida estate papers 18th-18th cent and Legge family and official papers 17th-18th cent, incl Tangier and Post Office papers 17th cent, etc
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service: Staffordshire County Record Office
NRA 5197 Legge

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59b]
5
17th cent-20th cent: Staffs (Patshull, West Bromwich, etc), London (Lewisham, etc), Salop (Albrighton, etc) and Yorks (Honley, Morley, etc) deeds, manorial records and estate papers
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service: Staffordshire County Record Office
NRA 5197 Legge

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59b]
6
18th cent-20th cent: Staffs (West Bromwich, etc), Bucks (Olney, etc), Kent (Godmersham), London (Lewisham, etc), Salop (Albrighton, etc) and Yorks (Woodsome, etc) deeds and papers 19th-20th cent, misc Chilanga (Rhodesia) estate papers 20th cent and misc Legge family papers 18th cent
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service: Staffordshire County Record Office
NRA 5197 Legge

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59b]
7
17th cent-19th cent: Staffs (Pattingham, etc) and Salop (Albrighton, etc) deeds and papers 17th-19th cent and misc London (Kentish Town, Lewisham, etc) and Sussex (Racton, etc) deeds and papers 18th-19th cent, with survey of Berks (Swallowfield, etc), Hants (Basingstoke, Chineham, etc) and Surrey (Worplesdon, etc) property 1797, Kentish Town particulars 1805, accounts of fee farm rents 1685-1820 and Ordnance Office papers 17th cent, etc
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service: Staffordshire County Record Office
NRA 5197 Legge

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59c]
8
17th cent-20th cent: Staffs (Abbots Bromley, Patshull, Sandwell, etc) rentals, accounts, estate corresp and papers and Legge family and official corresp and papers 17th-20th cent, incl Handsworth (Staffs) sale papers 1867, Sandwell household inventories 18th cent and garden accounts 1892-94 and Whorwood family mortgages 17th cent, with misc reports and papers rel to the Legge family estates generally 17th-20th cent, etc
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service: Staffordshire County Record Office
NRA 8863 Thynne

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59e]
9
1787-late 19th cent: misc West Bromwich (Staffs) deeds and estate papers
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service: Staffordshire County Record Office
NRA 8863 Thynne

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59e]
10
1825-1913: Staffs (Sandwell, West Bromwich, etc) estate and colliery papers
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service: Staffordshire County Record Office
NRA 8863 Thynne

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59e]
11
19th cent: Staffs (mainly Patshull), Blackheath (London) and Albrighton (Salop) estate plans and Patshull architectural plans and drawings
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service: Staffordshire County Record Office
NRA 3515 Staffs RO misc

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59f]
12
1665-20th cent: Patshull (Staffs) deeds schedule 1665-1921 and Legge family corresp 19th-20th cent
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service: Staffordshire County Record Office
NRA 5197 Legge

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59g]
13
1615-1780: Pattingham (Staffs) manorial records 1615-1780, with Staffs militia corresp 1817 and postal service and Ordnance Office papers 1645-86
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service: William Salt Library
See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59i]
14
1783, 1817: misc Patshull (Staffs) estate papers
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service: William Salt Library
NRA 7279 Salt coll

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59i]
15
19th cent-20th cent: London (Kentish Town and Lewisham), Yorks (Morley, etc) and misc Leics (Foxton and Gumley) deeds, wills, settlements, legal and trust papers
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service: Staffordshire County Record Office
NRA 5197 Legge

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59d]
16
18th cent-20th cent: London (Blackheath, Kentish Town, Lewisham, Westminster, etc) rentals, accounts, vouchers and estate papers, incl Lewisham tithe and glebe accounts, and Bucks (Olney, etc) and Sussex (Racton, etc) estate papers 18th-20th cent, with misc estate papers for Berks (Wokingham, etc), Hants (Chineham, etc) and Staffs (Patshull, etc) 18th-19th cent, Sandwell (Staffs) letter book 1861-62 and Legge family and legal papers 18th-20th cent
The London Archives: City of London
See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59n]
17
13th cent-20th cent: Yorks (Farnley Tyas, Morley, Woodsome, etc) deeds, rentals, accounts and estate, mining and cloth working papers 13th-20th cent, with deeds and papers for Bucks (Bradwell, Wolverton, etc) and Hants (Crondall) 16th-18th cent and Wigan (Lancs) 14th cent and Woodsome (Yorks) household inventory 1813 and papers 1878-86, etc
West Yorkshire Archive Service, Leeds
NRA 16328 Legge (Leeds)

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59j]
18
15th cent-16th cent: Yorks (Slaithwaite, Woodsome, etc) manorial records
West Yorkshire Archive Service, Kirklees
NRA 26729 Kirklees Arch misc

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59k]
19
1804-1810: Yorks (Morley, etc) estate letter book and audit memoranda
West Yorkshire Archive Service, Kirklees
NRA 26729 Kirklees Arch misc

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59l]
20
18th cent-20th cent: Yorks (Honley, Morley, etc) leases and estate accounts and papers 1789-20th cent, incl manorial records (Slaithwaite, etc) 18th-19th cent, with misc Legge family abstracts, wills and settlements 18th-20th cent, etc
Wakefield Libraries and Information Services, Local Studies
NRA 23594 Legge (Wakefield)

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59m]
21
20th cent: Legge family wills, settlements and trust papers
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service: Staffordshire County Record Office
NRA 5197 Legge

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59d]
22
1686-1821: Legge family commonplace books 1686, 1821 and journal of the 3rd Earl of Dartmouth 1795-98
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service: Staffordshire County Record Office
NRA 3515 Staffs RO misc

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59h]
23
19th cent: Legge family corresp and papers, mainly of Lady Caroline Legge (d1885) and Lt Col EH Legge (d1900)
The London Archives: City of London
NRA 40391

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59o]
24
1672-1689: corresp and papers of the 1st Baron Dartmouth (d 1691)
National Maritime Museum: The Caird Library and Archive
NRA 28836 Legge

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59p]
25
1765-1782: North American papers of the 2nd Earl of Dartmouth 1765-82 and papers of Francis Legge, governor of Nova Scotia, 1773-82
Library and Archives Canada
NRA 25410 Legge

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59q]
26
17th cent: corresp of William Legge (d 1670) and the 1st Baron Dartmouth (d 1691) (copies)
Yale University Libraries: Beinecke Library
NRA 18661 Osborn coll

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59r]
27
1775: letter book of the 2nd Earl of Dartmouth (d 1801)
Boston University Library: Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center
See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59s]
28
1775: MS vol rel to offices in America and the West Indies (from the Legge family archive)
University of Michigan: William L Clements Library
See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59t]
29
1682: Thomas Gardiner's 'Generall Survey of the Post Office' (from the Legge family archive)
British Library, Manuscript Collections
See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59u]
30
19th cent-20th cent: papers of Mary, Countess of Dartmouth (d 1929), and of Lady Joan Legge (d 1939)
Collection held privately: enquiries to The National Archives, Archives Sector Development
See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [59v]
31
1820-1965: additional surveys and rentals
West Yorkshire Archive Service, Leeds
See Annual Return 2005