Papers of Halford of Wistow

IDENTITY STATEMENT AREA

Reference code(s): DG.24

Title: Papers of Halford of Wistow

Date(s): 1534 - 1952

Level of description: Fond

Extent and medium of the unit of description: 1084 documents

CONTEXT AREA

Name of creator(s):

Administrative/Biographical history: Winstow is a mediaeval village a few miles south west of Leicester. The village consited on the church, the hall, two outlying farms and a few houses. Close by in Newton Harcourt is the chapeilary of Wistow, and the vicarage of Kilby. The Halford family had owned Wistow since the early seventeenth century, and in 1641 Richard Halford was created a baronet for his services to the Royalist cause. The baronetcy became extinct in 1780, with the estates passing on to Dr. James Vaughan. James Vangham was a Leicester physician of some repute, as were his descendents.

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer: MSS I was deposited by Rt.Hin.Lord Cottesloe in 1958. MSS II was depostied by Mr. And the Hon. Mrs. T. Brooks in 1974

CONTENT AND STRUCTURE AREA

Scope and content: The records of the Halford family fall into two parts. The first part of the collection (DG.24/1 - 790) consists mainly of deeds and other estate and legal papers of the Wistow estate. The second part of the collection (DG.24/ 790 - 1091) consists almost entirely of the medical, personal and estate correspondence of Sir Henry Halford, the first baronet and his son Henry, the second baronet. It contains over 300 bundles comprising at least of ten letters, covering the period 1767 - 1952.The collection contains statistics of slaves on estates in Grenada. (DG/24/1051/2). There is also mention of 'West India property' (DG24/1043/4), and in a letter from James Slade to Lady Halford in 1825, it is reported that Sir Robert Heron has suggested that Mr. Slade should go to Grenada to inspect and report on the estates, with a view to changing the system of management there.' (DG 23/1053/8).

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:

Accruals: First part of the Halford collection (DG.24/1 - 79) was deposited in 1958 and the second part was deposted 1975

System of arrangement: The second collection has been arranged in four main groups: medical matters, the personal correspondence of Sir Henry Halford (first baronet), the estate correspondence of the same Sir Henry, and fourthly, the correspondence of the second baronet, together with a few items relating to the third barnet.

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DESCRIPTION CONTROL AREA

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Rules or conventions: Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

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