Catalogue description Twemlow Papers

Fletcher-Twemlow family of Staffordshire

Twemlow, Fletcher- family of Staffordshire

Deposited by the Executors of P.V. Emrys Evans

• Dicken, Thomas, fl 1809, of Market Drayton, Banker
• Twemlow, Thomas, 1782-1872, of Tyrley, Staffordshire
• Twemlow, Francis Randle, b 1852, of Peatswood, Tyrley, Staffordshire, colonel
• Tyrley, Staffordshire
• Market Drayton, Shropshire

This collection is largely the record of the lives of two men, Thomas Twemlow and his great nephew, Francis Randle Twemlow, who between them managed Peatswood, a medium sized estate near Market Drayton, for over a century. The latter in particular kept meticulous records especially towards the end of his life. There are also a fine set of mid-nineteenth century sales catalogues collected by Thomas Twemlow.

Thomas Twemlow bought Peatswood in 1809 from Thomas Dicken, a Market Drayton banker and land speculator, and he lived there until his death in 1872. He was Sheriff of Staffordshire in 1830, as well as a magistrate, Turnpike Trustee, and Chairman of the Board of Guardians of the Market Drayton Union from 1836-1868. On his death, his nephew Francis Cradock Twemlow of Betley Court succeeded to the property. Harriet Frances Twemlow, Thomas' widow, continued to live on at Peatswood and as she outlived her nephew by six months, the latter was never resident there. Colonel Francis Randle Twemlow, his son, became the next owner. He was a professional soldier, member of the Staffordshire County Council, and an eminent local historian, taking a special interest in the history of Tyrley and of his family. He was married twice, first to Evelyn, daughter of Sir John Thomas Buller Duckworth, but she died shortly afterwards, and second to Annie Gertrude Lewis, by whom he had a daughter Evelyn Dorothy.

As two of Colonel Twemlow's books The Manor of Tyrley (Historical Collections for Staffordshire, 1945-6) and The Twemlows, Their Wives and Their Homes, are readily available both at the Record Office and adjoining William Salt Library, it has not been felt necessary to provide a detailed narrative background to the Collection. The latter mentioned book moreover, contains an excellent family pedigree on page 14A. Very brief introductions only have therefore been provided to the sections of this list on Title and Estate Papers.

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