H L BRADFER-LAWRENCE COLLECTION
Contains records with digital mediaDetails
Type of record: Archive
Title: H L BRADFER-LAWRENCE COLLECTION
Classmark: YAS/MD335
Creator(s): Bradfer-Lawrence, H. L (1887-1965)
Date(s): 12th century-20th century
Language: English; Latin
Size and medium: 130 boxes, plus maps and outsize volumes
Persistent link: https://explore.library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections-explore/452199
Collection group(s): Yorkshire Archaeological and Historical Society
Description
Collection of documents amassed by antiquarian HL Bradfer-Lawrence:
Ribblesdale papers, includes deeds etc relating to the estates of the Listers in Gisburn, Malham, Paythorne, Rimington, Skipton, Swinden and elsewhere in Craven and Lancashire, also of the Lambert family of Calton 13th-18th cent, notably for Bolton Priory 12th-16th century, Cockersand Abbey, Lancashire 1533, Guisborough Priory 1323 and Sawley Abbey 12th-13th century. Court book for manor of Gisburn 1572-1582 and other manorial records, rentals 17th-19th cent, accounts 17th-19th century, estate and personal papers 17th-20th century, notably of Thomas Lister, 1st Baron Ribblesdale. Typescript extracts from the journal of the Dowager Lady Ribblesdale, grandmother of the 4th Baron's son Thomas Lister, with additional letters, photographs, press cuttings etc, containing details of Lister's exploits in the Boer War, India and Somaliland, where he was killed.
Maps and plans 18th-20th century, notably of Gisburn Park by Francis White 1812. Business and industrial records, mainly woollen drapers accounts (London) 17th-18th century, calamine mining (Malham Moor) 18th-19th century, shipping 18th-19th century; Gisburn township and other accounts, 18th-19th century.
Wilson of Eshton (with Currer of Kildwick and Richardson of Bierley) including the court rolls of Burley in Wharfedale 1604 and 1616 and the account for alterations to Eshton Hall, 1825-1839.
Pilkington of Chevet, including deeds 12th-16th century and building account for Chevet Hall 1516; family papers including correspondence 17th -18th century, memoranda by W Pilkington and others 19th century.
Ingilby of Ripley, deeds and survey relating to Fountains Abbey 12th-16th century; stock and rent accounts 15th -16th century, account roll of Sir William Ingilby, sheriff of Yorkshire 1564; papers relating to publication of the 'Anonimalle Chronicle'; and catalogue for the sale of Ingilby of Ripley manuscripts, 1920.
Deeds, formerly belonging to Dr. E G Millar, relating to the Snaith area, 13th-14th century.
Further material relating to Craven including manor of Clapham court book, 1758-1925 and manor of Horton in Ribblesdale court roll, 1517-1518 and court papers for the manors of Ingleton and Skipton.
Deeds of estates of Byland and Jervaulx abbeys, Kirklees and and Nun Appleton priories, Rufford abbey [Nottinghamshire], Knights Templars and Hospitallers, 12th-16th century.
Small groups of papers relating to the Bolland, Tolson, Fairfax, Milner and other families.
Miscellaneous and genealogical items including Howden parish register 1543-1651, Knaresborough township book 1659-1856, valuation of East Riding estates under the Militia Act 1662, and a volume of arms and pedigrees of Yorkshire gentry 17th century.
Bradfer-Lawrence's working notes and papers.
Physical characteristics
Measurement details: YAHS Survey: outsize measurements not taken during survey. REB 06.11.2018
Biography or history
[Information from article by A.S.G.Edwards in 'The Book Collector', vol 53, no 1, spring 2004]
Harry Lawrence Bradfer-Lawrence was born on 1 April 1887. After education first at home and then in King's Lynn, he worked as a land agent in Norfolk. From his early years he was a keen antiquary; he edited various volumes for the Norfolk Record Society and the Norwich and Norfolk Archaeological Society; he also wrote 'The Merchants of Lynn' (1927) and a history of Castle Rising (1929). He moved to Yorkshire in 1935 on becoming managing director of Hammond's brewery; became chairman of United Breweries in 1960. He died in 1965.
Fellow of the Royal Society of Antiquaries (1924); member of the Roxburghe Club (1954).
Provenance
The collection was deposited at Yorkshire Archaeological Society in July 1967 by Lt. Col. P.L. Bradfer-Lawrence and Mrs B.E Gray, children of H.L. Bradfer-Lawrence, according to the wishes expressed their father's will; it was subsequently gifted to the Society in 1972. A small additional group of papers was presented in 1987.
H.L. Bradfer Lawrence acquired some of the Lister archive from Jack Robinson in 1948-49, and the post-medieval documents relating to Craven from Tot Lord of Settle.
System of arrangement
The Bradfer-Lawrence collection is, with the exception of Bradfer-Lawrence's own papers, a wholly artifical collection built up through purchase, gift or other means. It was received by the Yorkshire Archaeological Society in boxes, and when subsequently repacked into new archival boxes the old box numbers were retained. Different items deriving from one provenance, were, however, found to be scattered throughout the boxes, and recreating an original arrangement for the discrete groups is not now entirely possible. A deed relating to the Craven area, for example, could originally have derived from the Lister archive, or have been purchased at a sale room from a quite separate source. Bradfer-Lawrence had filed some items separately: for example, some papers in Box 37 were in a file labelled 'Samples of Handwriting'; these included items from the Ribblesdale and Wilson archives as well as miscellaneous Craven Manuscripts. Some groups are distinct (such as the Millar Deeds) but the
placing of some material within some of the other groups must be viewed with a measure of doubt.
The collection was re-catalogued in 2004-2005. All items are now renumbered according to the new arrangement, but their former box- and item- numbers have been noted.
All dates in this catalogue are given in New Style.
Access and usage
Access
This material is not listed in detail and has not yet been assessed for access. Access will be subject to review by Special Collections staff. Access to parts of it may be protected under Data Protection and/or other relevant legislation.