Lligwy Papers

A collection of 1688 items consisting of, family papers (settlements, wills etc.) of the Irbys of Lincolnshire, represented by Sir Anthony Irby the elder, Anthony Irby, the younger, Sir Edward Irby, Sir William Irby, 1st Baron Boston; George, 3rd Baron Boston and George Ives, 4th Baron Boston, 1603-1873. It includes papers and documents relating to the Paget family, 1625-1771, and particularly to William, 4th Lord Paget; William 5th Lord Paget and William 6th Lord Paget (his second wife was a daughter of Sir Anthony Irby the elder); Henry, Earl of Uxbridge (first creation) and Henry, Earl of Uxbridge (second creation). This group includes surveys of the lordship and manor of Rugeley, co. Stafford and also of the manors of Heywood, Pagett's Bromley, Cannock, Longdon, Farewell and Chorley - all dated 1688; deeds and documents concerning the Penrhosllugwy estate, the Porthaml estate and the manor of Penmynydd, co. Anglesey and properties in Amlwch, Holyhead, Llanbedr-goch, Llanddaniel-fab, Llanfaelog, Llanfair Mathafarn Eithaf, Llanfair-yng-Nghornwy, Llanfihangel-yn-Nhywyn, Llanfwrog, Llanidan, Penrhosllugwy and Rhodogeidio, 1627-1890; rentals of the Lligwy estate, 1740-1949; estate correspondence (including letter books), 1752-1936; surveys and valuations of lands belonging to the Lligwy estate in Holyhead, Llanddona, Llandyfrydog, Llanfachreth, Llanfair Mathafarn Eithaf and Llanfwrog, 1829-1934; maps and plans, 1773-1884; and tithe apportionment maps for the parishes of Llanedwen, Llanidan, Llanfair-yn-y-cwmwd, Llanddaniel, Llanddyfnan, Llangefni and Penrhosllugwy, 1841-1937; papers relating to inclosures, including Pwllpillo Marsh (Rhoscolyn), 1825; Rhosfawr Common (Llanidan), 1858-1860; Mynydd Bodafon, 1864-1865 and Malltraeth Marsh, 1865; papers concerning the wreck of the 'Royal Charter' in Moelfre Bay, 26th October, 1859, and to subsequent salvaging operations; letters and papers relating to the extension of the Chester and Holyhead railway from Bangor to Caernarvon, 1850, and to negotiations for the building of a railway at Red Wharf Bay, 1903-1907; accounts of coal raised and sold at Taicroesion Colliery (Malltraeth), 1854-1866, and correspondence regarding the City Dulas (Penrhosllugwy) copper mine, 1872-1875, 1880 and 1906-1908. In addition to the papers relating to Lord Boston's Anglesey estate, the collection includes a small group of deeds and documents concerning properties in Berkshire, Kent, Herefordshire, Middlesex, Hampshire, Southampton (records of the court baron of the manor of Greywell, 1542-1714), Hertfordshire, Lancashire, Norfolk, Somerset, Surrey, Warwickshire and Ireland, 1455-1874.

The once powerful family of the Lloyds of Lligwy, came to a rather inglorious close with Thomas Lloyd of Llanidan, Anglesey and the lands came into the possession of Sir William Irby. The Irby family derives its name from Irby on Humber, Lincolnshire, and during the reign of Henry VIII they were settled at Gosberton. Anthony Irby of Gosberton, co. Lincoln married Alice, daughter of John Bunting. He died in 1552 having had five daughters and seven sons by her. His fourth son, Thomas Irby, of Whaplode, who married Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir of Thomas Sarjeant, of Moulton, finally inherited the estate. Thomas Irby's heir by Elizabeth was Anthony Irby. He was the M.P. for Boston in the reigns of Elizabeth and James I, an eminent lawyer, as well as a bencher of, and Autumn reader to, the Society of Lincoln's Inn. He was appointed one of the Masters in Chancery, in the reign of James I. On 22 December 1575 Anthony Irby married Alice, daughter of Thomas Welbye, of Moulton. He died September 1625 having had issue, and his heir was Sir Anthony. Sir Anthony Irby, M.P. and High Sheriff of the county of Lincoln in the reign of Charles I, married Elizabeth, February 1602/3, daughter of Sir John Peyton, Baronet of Isleham, co. Cambridge. Sir Anthony Irby died in 1632 and was succeeded by his son, Sir Anthony Irby, M.P for Boston, and recorder of the borough. He was also High Sheriff for the county of Lincoln. He married firstly Frances, daughter of Sir William Wray, Bart. of Glentworth, co. Lincoln, and had an only daughter, Elizabeth. He married secondly, Margaret, daughter of Sir Richard Smyth, Bart. of Osterhanger, Kent; and thirdly, Margaret, daughter of Sir Edward Barkham, but had no children from these marriages. He married fourthly, Catherine, daughter of William, 5th Baron Paget, and had a son and five daughters. He was succeeded by his son, Anthony Irby in 1670. Anthony Irby, married Mary, daughter and heiress of John Stringer, of Ashford, Kent, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Sir Edward Irby, 1st Bart, M.P. for Boston, who was created a baronet on 13 April 1704. Sir Edward married, in 1706, Dorothy, daughter of the Hon. Henry Paget, and granddaughter of the aforementioned Baron Paget. Sir Edward was succeeded by his only son, Sir William Irby, 2nd Bart, 1st Baron Boston. Born 8 March, 1706-7, he was elevated to the peerage as Baron Boston 10 April 1761. He filled several high offices about the court during the reigns of George I and George II, and while a commoner, sat in parliament for Launceston and Bodmin. He married, 26 August 1746, Albinia, daughter of Henry Selwyn, of Matson, co. Gloucester and by her had a daughter, Augusta Georgina Elizabeth and two sons, Frederick who was 2nd Baron and William Henry (1750-1830). Frederick, 2nd Baron Boston, F.A.S. and D.C.L. was born on June 9, 1749. He married on May 15, 1775, Christian, the only daughter of Paul Methuen, of Corsham House, Wiltshire, and by her had issue. His heir was George, 3rd Baron Boston, D.C.L., born December 27, 1777. On October 17, 1801, George married Rachel Ives, eldest daughter and co-heir of William Drake, of Amersham (descended from the Drakes of Shardeloes, and the Garneys of Boyland Hall) and by her had issue. The eldest son and heir was George Ives, 4th Baron Boston. He was born on September 14, 1802. He married firstly, in 1830, Fanny Elizabeth, eldest daughter of W. R. Hopkins-Northey, of Oving House, Bucks, and by her had issue, his heir being, Florance George Henry, 5th Baron. Lord Boston married secondly, on July 30, 1861, Caroline Amelia, eldest daughter of 3rd Lord De Saumarez, and had an issue by her also. His heir, Florance George Henry, 5th Baron, was born March 9, 1837 and married on October 17, 1859, Augusta Caroline, second daughter of John St. Vincent, 3rd Lord de Saumarez, and by her had issue, his heir being, George Florance, 6th Baron. The family seats were, Hedsor in Bourne End, Bucks and Lligwy in Moelfre, Anglesey.

Chronologically mainly, although not always the case. The system of arrangement in the first volume is unclear.

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Deposited in 1942, 1953 and 1955 by the Lord Boston and Major, the Hon. C. E. Irby.

Catalogue at item and series level

Usual copyright conditions apply. Reprographics made at the discretion of the archivist.

None expected

Bangor Manuscripts 28800-28802, 37205, 29441-29463, 37124-37138.

Burke, Sir Bernard, A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage and Baronetage, the Privy Council, Knightage and Companionage , (Pall Mall, London, 1913). J. E. Griffith, Pedigrees of Anglesey and Carnarvonshire Families; with their Collateral Branches in Denbighshire, Merionethshire and other parts , (Horncastle, 1914), pp. 108, 128, 135. Access Points