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Archive of the North Family

 Collection

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Archive of the North Family. The largest groups of papers in the collection are the estate and personal papers of Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford, and Frederick, 2nd Earl of Guilford. There are smaller groups of personal papers of other members of the family ranging from Edward, 1st Baron North, in the 16th century, to William, 12th Baron North, in the late 19th century. Many of the title deeds and estate papers, and some correspondence (of the Doyle family) in the collection are papers of other families whose property came to the Norths by purchase or marriage. Some papers of John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, of Sir Julius Caesar, and of Clementina Walkinshaw, mistress of the Young Pretender, are also in the collection.

Dates

  • Creation: 13th-20th century

Extent

26.01 Linear metres (309 boxess)

Language of Materials

  • English
  • Latin
  • Italian
  • French
  • German

Preferred Citation

Oxford, Bodleian Libraries [followed by shelfmark and folio or page reference, e.g. MSS. North a. 1, fols. 1-2].

Please see our help page for further guidance on citing archives and manuscripts.

Full range of shelfmarks:

MSS. North a. 1-17, b. 1-29, b. 31-79, c. 1-86, d. 1-71, e. 1-45, f. 1-8, f. 10-17, g. 1-4; North music c. 1, d. 1-17; North adds. b. 1, c. 1-11, e. 1-2

Collection ID (for staff)

CMD ID 13486

Abstract

Archive of the North Family, Barons North and Earls of Guilford, 13th-20th century.

Biographical / Historical

North family, Barons North and Earls of Guilford. Their principal seat was Wroxton Abbey, Oxfordshire. The family included Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford (1704-1790) and his son, Frederick, 2nd Earl of Guilford (1732-1792), better known as Lord North. Details of Francis and Frederick North are given in the Dictionary of National Biography. For further details of the members of the family included in this collection see Scope and Content.

Other Finding Aids

M. Clapinson and T.D. Rogers, Summary Catalogue of Post-Medieval Western Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library Oxford. Acquisitions 1916-1975. (Oxford, 1991), vol. II, nos. 49362-49710.

A detailed calendar (1960) and an index to the calendar (1973) are available in the Library and at the National Register of Archives.

Custodial History

The archive was kept at Wroxton Abbey, Oxfordshire, until 1932.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The archive was bought by the Pilgrim Trust and given to the Library in 1932.

Related Materials

See also Additional Papers of the North Family (MSS. North adds. a. 1, b. 2-9, c. 12-16, e. 6-7).

Title
Catalogue of the archive of the North Family
Status
Published
Author
Collection Level Description by Emily Tarrant; EAD version 2019 by Pauline Soum-Paris
Date
EAD version 2019
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository

Contact:
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom