This collection comprises documents relating mainly to the East Riding of Yorkshire which had been in the possession of Gillyatt Sumner before becoming part of a larger artificial private collection belonging to the Milnes-Coates family. It has been catalogued geographically with a section of wills at the end and a small section of miscellaneous material.
The collection in detail is as follows: Arnold (1827-1835) including title papers of the Tennison family; Atwick (1655) being a lease of the rectory; Barlby (1693); Barmston (1601, 1756) including a report about a wreck at sea; Beeford (1673-1829); Benningholme (1661, 1807); Bentley (1833); Beswick (1611-1765) including a draft of the marriage settlement of William Draper and Anne Daniel (1697) and a lease of the rectory; Beverley (1550-1859) including mid-19th century translations of 13th century title deeds of the archbishop of York and 1585 letters patent granting houses and lands in support of St Mary's church, a few papers of the Coulson family (17th century) and also Gillyat Sumner including copies of his tenancy agreements and rentals 1817-49, a copy of the 1685 charter of the incorporation of James II, the marriage settlement of William Tong and Mary Cass (1720), the will of Matthew Ashmole (1725), an 1806 list of boys at Beverley Grammar School, the certificates of baptism of Samuel Sigston 1771 and Mary Stimson 1823; Beverley Parks (1545-1836) including extracts on the history of tithes and more title and tenancy papers of Gillyat Sumner; Bewholme (1812-1828); Bilton (1723); Bishop Burton (1813); Bishop Wilton (1744); Boreas Hill, parish of Paull (1672, 1840); Brandesburton (1835); Bridlington (1664-1825); Brigham (1712) being the marriage settlement of William Stephenson and Anne Waldby; Broomfleet (1710-1768) including the marriage settlement of Thomas Simpson and Anne Weedley (1723); Bubwith (1826); Burton Pidsea (1462) being a medieval feoffment; Catwick (1822-1839); Cherry Burton (1823-1837) including an abstract of the title of Robert Gray; Cottingham (1665-1828); Driffield, Great (1667-1805) including the marriage settlements of Peter Knags and Ann Gillson (1677) and John Pinder and Mary Clitherow (1756); Driffield, Little (1669-1738) including papers of the Gray family and the marriage settlement of John Peck and Elizabeth Witty (1733); Eastrington (1571-1729) including 18th century papers of the Johnson family; Ellerby (1831); Etton (1818) being extracts relating to the rectory and including a 1535 ecclesiastical survey and the 1785 glebe terrier; Everthorpe (1826); Faxfleet (1607-1750); Filey (1624, 1835) including the 1624 lease of the parsonage, glebe and tithes to Lancelot Alured; Flinton (1717) being manor court minutes; Flotmanby (1764); Fraisthorpe (1812); Garton on the Wolds (1677-1775); Gembling (1776-1841); Gilberdyke (1683, 1703); Great Hatfield (1743-1800); Halsham (1432-4, 1851) including a 15th century court roll of the manor of East Halsham; Hemingborough (1708); Holderness (1850) including a 19th century engraving of the arms of the earls of Holderness; Howden (1717); Hull (1670-1851) including a 1670 customs grant and a 1673 apprenticeship indenture, the 1836 laws and regulations of Kingston College; Hunmanby (1632-1754) including a 1632 decree in the court of wards; Hutton Cranswick (1737-1820); Keyingham drainage (1850); Kilham (1641-1825); Kilnwick (1738) being the award of Hugh Bethell and James Gee in the dispute between the inhabitants of Beswick and Kilnwick over the upkeep of the church; Langtoft (1704); Laxton (1647); Lebberston (1681-1684); Leven (1723-1840) including 18th century verdicts and surrenders in the manor court; Little Weighton (1811); Long Riston (1786-1840); Lowthorpe (1794-1796); Market Weighton (1763-1825); Morton, parish of Osbaldwick (1824); Melbourne (1717); Middleton on the Wolds (1811-1837); Millington (1790); Muston (1743-1745); Myton (1841); Nafferton (1787); Newbald (1838); Newland, parish of Cottingham (1824) being a tenancy agreement; Newton upon Derwent (1835) being some title papers of the Paxton family; North Burton (Burton Fleming) (1795); North Cave (1812); North Dalton (1787); North Newbald (1794-1831); Ottringham (1673); Owsthorpe (1621); Patrington (1676); Pocklington (1694, 1831); Reighton (1679); Riston (1581); Rysome, parish of Holmpton (1772); Sandholme, parish of Eastrington (1727); Sculcoates (1806-1838); Sewerby (1608-1673); Skerne (1768-1775); Skidby (1659, 1833); South Cave (1811-1837); Southcoates (1822); Speeton (1647-1772) being pains in the manor court; Sunthorpe (1328-1379); Sutton in Holderness (1598, 1815); Sutton upon Derwent (1639-1640); Thorngumbald (1758); Tibthorpe (1640-1777) including the marriage settlements of Jonathan Harrison and Frances Newlove (1717) and John Harrison and Jane Holliday (1769); Tickton (1732-1792) being surrenders and admissions in the manor court; Tunstall (1675-1768); Walkington (1726-1822) including papers relating to the award made to John Lockwood at enclosure; Wallingfen (1827); Wharram Percy (1649) being a demise of Dame Elizabeth Buck; Withernwick (1718, 1833); Woodmansey (1826-1832); Yeddingham (1713).
Papers for locations outside the East Riding are as follows: Bewerley, West Riding (1810); Cottingham, County Northamptonshire (1610-1676) being surrenders and admissions in the manor court of Cottingham cum Desborough relating to the property of the Alwincle family; Middleton, in Lonsdale (?) (13th century); various townships (1615-1844) including surrenders and admissions in the manor courts of Easington, Kilnsea, Skeffling and Burstwick, the marriage settlements of Ralph Rand and Mary Taylor (1693) and Charles Grimston and Jane Trench (1823) and the abstracts of title of tithes in Beverley Parks, Woodmansey, Thearne, Weel and Tickton 1544-1627.
Wills in the collection are those of John Collingson (1661); Robert Howden (1679); Edmund Barton (1706); William Taylor (1707); William Simpson (1709); John Gunby (1722); John Scobut (1728); Matthew Gill (1729); Catherine Mihill (1732); Robert Burton (1736); John Dale (1736); John Knags (1738); Joshua Green (1740); Sarah Boothby (1785); John Boothby (1803); William Ashmole (1740); John Draper (1743); Thomas Simpson (1748); Mary Cannan (1750); Thomas Ellis (1755); Richard Holderness (1756); William Jefferson (1764); Margaret Appleyard (1766); Richard Holderness (1766); John Knags (1768); Thomas Sumner (1744); William Leake (1776); Thomas Vickerman (1766); Gillyat Sumner (1776); Thomas Howden (1777); Peter Sharp (1779); William Paul (1779); William Iveson (1785); Mary Midgeley (1791); William Sigston (1795); John Hall (1802); Edward Matchan (1804); Richard Gee (1806); Helen Stephenson (1812); James Kirk (1810); John Almack (1818); Ann Powley (1819); John Webster (1819); John Longbone (1819); Francis Burton (1820); William Botterill (1822); William Owston (1822); Thomas Galland (1822); John Gray (1822); William Collinson (1822); William Appleton (1825); George Smith (1825); Edward Fewson (1825); George Witty (1826); John Richardson (1826); William Boothby (1828); William Craven (1828); William Stephenson (1827); Peter Dales (1816); Hugh Carr (1831); Benjamin Holland (1831); Jane Burgess (1831); William Johnson (1832); Benjamin Everingham (1832); Robert Wise (1832); Christopher Palmer (1833); Christopher Muschamp (1833); George Smith (1836); Mary Palmer (1835); Edward Summers (1837); Richard Fewson (1841); John Hugh Brown (1844).
Miscellaneous material (1772-1831) in the collection includes some genealogical notes about the family of William Parker of Beverley 1760-92; epitaphs of the Nanby family of Nettleton, Lincolnshire; miscellaneous bonds; the marriage settlements of Joseph Armistead and Elizabeth Robinson (1778) and Chaloner Arcedeckne and Catherine Long (1795) and a copy of a letter from John Whitaker to R Taylor of Beverley saying that he is sailing from America and that Taylor will get his money though Gillyatt Sumner will not because 'he has not acted like a man' (1819).