| AdminHistory | With the exception of MD149, these volumes are the accounts of the steward of the Yorkshire estates, identified as Mr Bird in MD 151/d, and from Whitsun 1678, William Turner. The estates were the property of George Savile, 1st Marquis of Halifax, a major political figure in the later seventeenth century. The family had been seated at Thornhill, (which now lies in West Yorkshire), until the house was destroyed after a short siege during the Civil Wars in 1648. The Marquis, when he became of age, took Rufford Abbey, Nottinghamshire, another property belonging to the family, (acquired through intermarriage with the family of the earls of Shrewsbury in the previous century) as the family seat. The Savile family owned extensive property in several counties, and the substantial Yorkshire estates were administered through stewards, who prepared annual accounts. Other series of accounts of these estates are to be found at Kirklees District Archives and at Nottinghamshire Archives.
These accounts seem to have passed from an unknown source into the possession of John Wilson of Broomhead, Sheffield, and then into the ownership of Sir Thomas Phillipps, the celebrated nineteenth-century collector of manuscripts and early books. They were subsequently acquired by Sheffield City Library from the sales of his manuscripts conducted by his executors. MD 151a is inscribed: ‘Phillipps Ms 35338 15 vols’.
In all cases except items MD151/d-f, which are in their original bindings in marbled paper, and MD 150a, which is in a modern card cover, the covers of coarse wrapping- paper appear to have been applied when in Wilson‘s ownership, and in some cases, noted, below, he sewed together two or more half-year accounts to make up a single volume.
The accounting period in the Turner accounts from 1678 (MD 151/d) runs from Martinmas (which falls on 11 November) to Whitsun (which can fall at various dates in May or June).
The accounts for 1686-1687, which should come between items /l and /m below have not been found.
Entries for the various members of the Savile family, including the Marquis, and for Sir Thomas Phillips can be found in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. |
| Description | Rental of the Derbyshire estates, (Unspecified Date) (MD149/1)
Accounts relating to Bolsterstone, Bradfield, Ecclesfield, etc., 1684 - 1688 (MD149/2)
Arrears of rent on the Halifax estates, 1685 - 1686 (MD149/3)
Accounts relating to Bolsterstone, Sheffield, Bradfield, Ecclesfield, 1670 - 1690 (MD149/4) |
| CustodialHistory | These items were purchased by Sheffield Libraries from Phillipps Auctioneers in 1903. |