IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0074 ACC/2839
Held at: London Metropolitan Archives
Title: JERSEY FAMILY
Date(s): 16---1927
Level of description: Collection
Extent: 0.38 linear metres.
Name of creator(s): Villiers | George | 1628-1687 | 2nd Duke of Buckingham x Buckingham | 2nd Duke of
Villiers | Victor Albert George Child- | 1845-1915 | 7th earl of Jersey x Child-Villiers | Victor Albert George
Villiers | Lady | Sarah Sophia Child- | 1785-1867 | 5th countess of Jersey x Child-Villiers | Lady | Sarah Sophia
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, was born in 1628, son of royal favourite George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham. After his father was murdered George and his brother were brought up in the royal nursery with the King's children. They took the Royalist side during the Civil War, and George's brother was killed in action. After the war George fled England and became part of Charles II's court in exile. After the Restoration he gained a reputation for intrigue as a courtier and politician. He died in 1687.
The Manor of Osterley in Heston was purchased by property developer Nicholas Barbon in 1683. Barbon conveyed the Manor to two co-mortgagees including the banker Sir Francis Child the elder (1642-1718). Child took possession of the Manor on Barbon's death in 1698, while his son Robert Child (d 1721) bought out the co-mortgagee, so that the Child family owned the whole estate. The family expanded the estates by purchasing nearby Manors and commissioned Robert Adam to redesign the house. The estates and Child's Bank were inherited by Sarah Anne (1764-1793), daughter and sole heir of Robert Child (d 1782). Under the terms of Robert Child's will the estates passed to Sarah Anne's daughter Lady Sarah Sophia Fane (1785-1867), who was said to have an income of £60,000 a year. Lady Sarah married George Villiers, the fifth Earl of Jersey (1773-1859) who took the name Child-Villiers in 1812. Osterley Park stayed in the Jersey family until 1949 when it was sold to the National Trust.
Victor Albert George Child-Villiers, 7th Earl of Jersey, was born in 1845, son of the 6th Earl of Jersey, George Augustus Frederick Child-Villiers, and his wife Julia. Victor was educated at Eton and Oxford. He was the governor of New South Wales from 1890-1892, but on his return he did not hold major public office, preferring local positions in Oxfordshire and Middlesex. He was the principal proprietor of Child's Bank.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Records of the Jersey family including commonplace book of George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, 16---1687; letters and calling cards of Sarah Sophia Villiers, 5th Countess of Jersey, 1783-1843; correspondence of Francis Villiers including letters relating to property in Ceylon, 1842-1862; letters from Arthur Villiers to his mother, the 7th Countess of Jersey, while on active service in the First World War and afterwards, 1914-1927; racing and gambling papers of Victor Albert George Child-Villiers, 7th Earl of Jersey, with social correspondence and papers relating to the sale of land, 1836-1914.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
ACC/2839/A: George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham;
ACC/2839/B: Sarah Sophia, Countess of Jersey;
ACC/2839/C: Francis Villiers;
ACC/2839/D: Arthur Villiers;
ACC/2839/E: Victor Albert George Child-Villers, 7th Earl of Jersey.
Conditions governing access:
Available only with advance notice and at the discretion of the Head Archivist. Access by written permission only.
Conditions governing reproduction:
Copyright to this collection rests with the depositor.
Physical characteristics:
Fit
Finding aids:
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
Records deposited in July 1990.
ALLIED MATERIALS
Existence and location of originals:
Items ACC/2839/A/001 and ACC/2839 B/001 were withdrawn by the depositor in March 2009.
Related material:
The LMA holds a large number of Jersey family papers, catalogued in 13 collections with the following reference codes: ACC/0331; ACC/0405; ACC/0435; ACC/0436; ACC/0506; ACC/0510; ACC/1128; ACC/1275; ACC/1401; ACC/2839; ACC/3076; LMA/4195; LMA/4446.
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Archivist's note:
Date(s) of descriptions: Records prepared May to September 2011.