Ormathwaite (BRA Group),

Deeds and documents received from Farrer & Co. of Lincolns Inn Fields, London, solicitors, per the British Records Association (parcel 2749) in October 1999 (NLW acc. no. C1999/12). These papers are supplemental to the Ormathwaite Papers, and mainly relate to the marriage settlement, mortgages, bankruptcy, receivership and executorship of Arthur Henry John Walsh (1859-1937), third baron Ormathwaite. The papers were accumulated by partners of Farrer & Co. who acted for Marquis Camden, Ormathwaite’s brother-in-law and main creditor, as well as acting as Ormathwaite’s estate receiver after his bankruptcy, and acting for his executors after his death. Included are papers relating to estates in Radnorshire, the Warfield Park estate (Bracknell, Berkshire), the Ormathwaite Hall estate (Keswick, Cumberland) and various freehold and leasehold properties in London and Middlesex, as well as a very few papers relating to the unsaleable remnants of an Irish estate (Counties Cork and Kerry). For a history of the estate, see the introduction to the schedule to the NLW, Ormathwaite Papers, pp. i-xi.

The following details have been compiled from these papers, supplemented by Debrett’s Peerage, 1951. Further biographical details and a genealogical table can be found in the schedule (1965) to the India Office Ormathwaite Collection (copy in NLW reading room). The title of Baron Ormathwaite is said to have become extinct in 1984.
(I) John Benn, assumed surname Walsh 1795, created baronet 1804, succeeded by his son: (II) Sir John Benn Walsh (1798-3 Feb. 1881), m. 1825 (Lady Jane Grey (d. 1877), dau. of sixth earl of Stamford and Warrington), created baron Ormathwaite 1868, had issue: (i) Arthur, second baron, see (III) below; and (ii) Rev. M. A. Walsh / Digby (d. 1869), who had issue: (ii/a) Rev. Arthur George Digby (fl. 1921); (ii/b) Harry John Digby (d. 1912); (ii/c) Walter Charles Digby (d. 1873); (ii/d) Jane Grey Digby (d. unm.); and (ii/e) Katherine Maud Digby (d. 1895).
(III) Arthur Walsh, second baron Ormathwaite (1827-27 March 1920), m. 1858 (Lady Katherine Emily Mary Somerset (marr. settlement, 19 July 1858; d. 20 May 1914), dau. of seventh duke of Beaufort), succeeded 1881, had issue: (i) Arthur Henry John, third baron, see (IV) below; (ii) Charles Edward, dsp. 17 June 1909; (iii) George Harry William, fourth baron, see (V) below; (iv) Gerald (d(sp?) 1925), m. 1916 (Averil (fl. 1951), dau. of Col. W. T. Markham); (v) Guy Robert (d. 11 May 1883); (vi) Nigel Christopher (1867-1931), m. 1904 (Pauline, dau. of Henry Francis Makins), had issue (vi/a) Emily Barbara (b. 1905, fl. 1951), and had issue, and (vi/b) Geraldine Lettice (b. 1909, fl. 1951); (vii) Reginald, fifth baron, see (VI) below; (viii) Margaret Blanche, described in 1896 as of unsound mind (dsp. 1 Feb. 1925); (ix) Edith Katherine (fl. 1951); and (x) Emily Gertrude (dsp. 1920).
(IV) Arthur Henry John Walsh, third baron Ormathwaite (1859-13 March 1920, dsp), sometime lieutenant in the First Life Guards (pre-1881), sometime MP (1881), m. 1890 (Lady Clementine Frances Anne Pratt (d. 13 Jan. 1921), dau. of third marquis Camden), succeeded 1920, succeeded by his brother: (V) George Harry William Walsh, fourth baron Ormathwaite (1863-1943, dsp; succeeded 1937), succeeded by his brother: (VI) Reginald Walsh, fifth baron Ormathwaite (1868-1944), m. 1908 (Margaret Jane Douglas-Home (fl. 1951), dau. of twelfth earl of Home), succeeded 1943, had issue (i) John Arthur Charles, sixth baron, see (VII) below; (ii) Jane Emily Mary (b. 1910, fl. 1951); and (iii) Anne Elizabeth (b. 1911, fl. 1951; m. 1948 (Peter Edward Bromley-Martin)).
(VII) John Arthur Charles Walsh, sixth baron Ormathwaite (b. 25 Dec. 1912, succeeded 1944, fl. 1951).

These papers reached NLW in five boxes numbered 584 (parts 1 and 2), 585 and 586 (parts 1 and 2). Some of the material in each box was bundled, but most was loose. Much of the loose material undoubtedly represents bundles that had fallen apart. No defining distinction could be made between the contents of the various boxes: all the boxes contained deeds (mostly drafts and copies) relating to each of the Berkshire, Cumberland and Radnorshire estates, as well as letter files and papers relating to mortgages, and all but box 586 (part 2) contained papers relating to the Inland Revenue. Papers relating to more than one estate, or to indeterminable estates, have been collected together under ‘Whole estate’. --The whole collection has been arranged: family papers (F), correspondence (C), mortgages (M), whole estate (W), Berkshire estate (B), Cumberland estate (A), Irish estate (I), London and Middlesex properties (L), Radnorshire estate (R). Surviving bundles have been preserved, and are noted as original bundles; all other files are collections of loose papers. A number of maps and plans were transferred to the Department of Pictures and Maps (2000-08-17, acc. no's 0200008293, 8295, 8298, 8301, 8303, 8307, 8311 and 8321); one is a plan (two copies) of the northern portion of the Melchbourne estate, co. Beds, offered for sale by auction, 1931; the others are described in the appropriate part of the schedule.

The following details have been compiled from these papers, supplemented by Debrett’s Peerage, 1951. Further biographical details and a genealogical table can be found in the schedule (1965) to the India Office Ormathwaite Collection (copy in NLW reading room). The title of Baron Ormathwaite is said to have become extinct in 1984.
(I) John Benn, assumed surname Walsh 1795, created baronet 1804, succeeded by his son: (II) Sir John Benn Walsh (1798-3 Feb. 1881), m. 1825 (Lady Jane Grey (d. 1877), dau. of sixth earl of Stamford and Warrington), created baron Ormathwaite 1868, had issue: (i) Arthur, second baron, see (III) below; and (ii) Rev. M. A. Walsh / Digby (d. 1869), who had issue: (ii/a) Rev. Arthur George Digby (fl. 1921); (ii/b) Harry John Digby (d. 1912); (ii/c) Walter Charles Digby (d. 1873); (ii/d) Jane Grey Digby (d. unm.); and (ii/e) Katherine Maud Digby (d. 1895).
(III) Arthur Walsh, second baron Ormathwaite (1827-27 March 1920), m. 1858 (Lady Katherine Emily Mary Somerset (marr. settlement, 19 July 1858; d. 20 May 1914), dau. of seventh duke of Beaufort), succeeded 1881, had issue: (i) Arthur Henry John, third baron, see (IV) below; (ii) Charles Edward, dsp. 17 June 1909; (iii) George Harry William, fourth baron, see (V) below; (iv) Gerald (d(sp?) 1925), m. 1916 (Averil (fl. 1951), dau. of Col. W. T. Markham); (v) Guy Robert (d. 11 May 1883); (vi) Nigel Christopher (1867-1931), m. 1904 (Pauline, dau. of Henry Francis Makins), had issue (vi/a) Emily Barbara (b. 1905, fl. 1951), and had issue, and (vi/b) Geraldine Lettice (b. 1909, fl. 1951); (vii) Reginald, fifth baron, see (VI) below; (viii) Margaret Blanche, described in 1896 as of unsound mind (dsp. 1 Feb. 1925); (ix) Edith Katherine (fl. 1951); and (x) Emily Gertrude (dsp. 1920).
(IV) Arthur Henry John Walsh, third baron Ormathwaite (1859-13 March 1920, dsp), sometime lieutenant in the First Life Guards (pre-1881), sometime MP (1881), m. 1890 (Lady Clementine Frances Anne Pratt (d. 13 Jan. 1921), dau. of third marquis Camden), succeeded 1920, succeeded by his brother: (V) George Harry William Walsh, fourth baron Ormathwaite (1863-1943, dsp; succeeded 1937), succeeded by his brother: (VI) Reginald Walsh, fifth baron Ormathwaite (1868-1944), m. 1908 (Margaret Jane Douglas-Home (fl. 1951), dau. of twelfth earl of Home), succeeded 1943, had issue (i) John Arthur Charles, sixth baron, see (VII) below; (ii) Jane Emily Mary (b. 1910, fl. 1951); and (iii) Anne Elizabeth (b. 1911, fl. 1951; m. 1948 (Peter Edward Bromley-Martin)).
(VII) John Arthur Charles Walsh, sixth baron Ormathwaite (b. 25 Dec. 1912, succeeded 1944, fl. 1951).

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