INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION: A DOCUMENTARY HISTORY
Series Four: Sources from the Record Offices in the United Kingdom

Part 4: The Darby Family, Coalbrookdale Estate and the Iron Bridge – sources from Shropshire Archives

Darby of Coalbrookdale (Labouchere) Collection.  Reference Code: 1987

REEL 1

1987/1/1

Further mortgage - date: 24 November 1804
Samuel Darby of Pool, ironmaster & Mary Rathbone of Sunniside, widow.

1987/2/1

Copy lease - date: 12 May 1791
Rt Hon William Lord Craven, Baron Hampstead Marshall, Berks & Benjamin Wright of Coalbrookdale, surgeon and apothecary.

1987/3/1-27

Deeds relating to the Coalbrookdale Estate of the Darby Family, 1654 - 1827. Including: Copy will of Samuel Sprott of Ludlow, bachelor of physick. - date 24 October 1753; Copy marriage settlement; Articles of agreement; Attested copy lease and release; Copy receipts of payments; Attested copy of recovery.

REEL 2

1987/4/1-15

Deeds relating to the Coalbrookdale Estate of the Darby Family, 1763 - 1839. Including: Attested copy grant; Lease and release; Bond; Copy will; Acknowledgements of deeds of married women.

1987/5/1-5

Deeds relating to the Coalbrookdale Estate of the Darby Family, (1809) - 1839. Including: Abstract of title of Hannah Tothill wife of William Tothill, gent, and her eldest son to a house & garden at Coalbrookdale devised to them by the will of Sarah Darby spinster, deceased - date: 1822.

1987/6/1-2

Deeds relating to the Coalbrookdale Estate of the Darby Family, 1803 - 1810. Including: Building lease; Assignment of lease.

1987/7/1-15

Deeds relating to the Coalbrookdale Estate of the Darby Family, 1741 - 1839. Including: Abstract of the title to a messuage or dwelling house, garden &c at Coalbrookdale, 1773-1819 - date: 1839.

1987/8/1-13

Deeds relating to the Coalbrookdale Estate of the Darby Family, 1783 - 1836. Including: Copy will of Richard Dayus of Coalbrookdale, blacksmith date: 13 January 1799; Lease and release; Fine; Conveyance in fee.

1987/9/1-3

Lease and release - conveyance - (joined together) Enrolled in Chancery 30 August 1839 - date: 27 & 29 July 1839.

1987/10/1

Grant - date: 29 September 1848

1987/11/1-5

Deeds relating to the Coalbrookdale Estate of the Darby Family, 1819 - 1849. Including: Letter from W R Anstice of London, to George Potts - date: 5 February 1849; Copy lease, Conveyance; Deed of covenant for the production of title deeds.

REEL 3

1987/12/1-6

Deeds relating to the Coalbrookdale Estate of the Darby Family, 1791 - 1838. Including: Feoffment; Copy will of Thomas Richards of Coalbrookdale, smith - date: 3 December 1817; Lease and release - conveyance.

1987/13/1-20

Deeds relating to the Coalbrookdale Estate of the Darby Family, 1782 - 1821. Including: Conditions of sale of 5 freehold houses with brewhouses and gardens (late Mr Thorp, decd) at the upper end of Coalbrookdale (Thomas Hughes, John Hornblower, John Davies, Sarah Chilton, Thomas Wyke, Thomas Delves) to be sold by auction at the Tontine Inn 23 Nov 1798. Amended for sale 1 May 1801 at the Crown and Court House, Madeley, of 4 leasehold houses, late of Thomas Geary near the Iron Bridge - date: 23 November 1798.

1987/14/1-18

Deeds relating to Sunniside, 1738 - 1804. Including: Bond for performance. Abraham Darby to Richard Case - date: 3 May 1754.

1987/15/1-9

Deeds relating to the Coalbrookdale Estate of the Darby Family, 1803 - 1808. Including: Assignment of 2 terms - date: 1 June 1803; Lease and release and confirmation - date: 3 & 4 June 1808.

1987/16/1-15

Deeds relating to the Coalbrookdale Estate of the Darby Family, 1763 - 1810, Including: Fine - date: All Souls 26 George III (1785); Attested copy conveyance - lease and release - date: 23 & 24 May 1781.

REEL 4

1987/17/1-12

Deeds relating to the Coalbrookdale Estate of the Darby Family, 1803 - 1839. Including: […] Fine Sarah Darby, Mr Thomas and Henrietta Cranage, Hannah Thomas, defois, 6 messuages 6 gardens in Coalbrookdale […] - date: Hilary 47 Geo III.

1987/18/ Reference not used.

1987/19/1-37

“Title deeds of lands late MacMichaels called the Burnace Bank Farm cost £3500 Mch 18 1843” “to F. Darby”, 1705 - 1848.

REEL 5

1987/20/1

Counterpart lease - date: 9 March 1866.

1987/21/1-4

Deeds relating to the Coalbrookdale Estate of the Darby Family, 1840. Including: Abstract of the title of Joseph Reynolds Esq to the Manor of Madeley and sundry houses and lands &c in Madeley - date: 1840.

1987/22/1

Lease - date: 26 July 1819.
Due to the fragile condition of this manuscript Shropshire Archives has requested this item not to be filmed.

1987/23/1

Building lease - date: 5 July 1803.

1987/24a/1-2

Attested copy lease and release (copied 12 July 1776) - date: 11 & 12 June 1770.

1987/24b/1-2

Deed of request and authority from the persons beneficially interested in the estate and effects of the Coalbrookdale Co to Abraham Darby Esq to convey certain of the Copartnership Estates now vested in him to Henry Whitmore, Henry Dickinson and Francis Tothill, Esqs, and covenant for indemnity. - date: 9 January 1854.

1987/25/1-8

Deeds relating to the Coalbrookdale Estate of the Darby Family, 1731 - 1759. Including: Copy will of Mary Purcell of the parish of St Andrew, Holborn, Middx, spinster. - date: 4 January 1731/2.

1987/26/1-19

Deeds relating to several houses and lands in Coalbrookdale, Mr John Cartwright to F Darby, 1720 - 1841.

1987/27/1-4

Deeds relating to the Priory Piece Sunnyside purchased from Mr Reynolds, 1806 - 1809.

REEL 6

1987/28/1-34

Green Bank Estate, Dawley, 1791-1886

1987/29/1-15

Deeds relating to the Coalbrookdale Estate of the Darby Family, 1772 - 1778. Including: Abstract of title to the Washbrook Piece in Madeley sold by Henry Goodman to Abraham Darby. 1706- 1776 - date: c1776.

1987/30/1-7

Deeds relating to the Coalbrookdale Estate of the Darby Family, 1816 - 1843. Including: A list of deeds constituting the title to lands bought of Joseph Reynolds, Esq by Francis Darby 10 February 1837 - date: 18 March 1843.

REEL 7

1987/31/1-9

Deeds relating to the Coalbrookdale Estate of the Darby Family, 1748 - 1887. Including: Copy release in fee of Sheepwash Meadow - date: 11 April 1788.

1987/32/1-5

Exchanges, 1827 - 1874

1987/33/1-2

Family Settlements, 1794, nd. Including: Attested copy - assignment of Mr Samuel Darby’s shares in certain iron and other works in Coalbrookdale and elsewhere on various trusts - date: 4 February 1794.

1987/34/1-3

Deeds relating to the Coalbrookdale Estate of the Darby Family, 1763 - 1789, n d. Including: Probate and copy of the will of Abraham Darby of Coalbrookdale, Madeley, ironmaster, proved 26 July 1763 - date: 11 March 1763.

1987/35/1-13

Leases and agreements to and with the Darbys, 1716 - 1840. Including: The Answer of John Powys Stanley, gent, defendant, to the Bill of Complaint of Joseph Rathbone, Abraham Darby, Samuel Darby and William Reynolds, complainants - date: 26 June 1786.

REEL 8

1987/36/1-18

Leases and Agreements by the Darbys, 1770 - 1880. Including: Account; Window Tax £1 11s. 6d; to Sparrow pd John Hatton ½ year Land Tax £3 7s; Total £4 18s 6d - date: 2 April 1772.

1987/37/1-2

Non-Darby wills, 1862 - 1911. Including: Administration with will annexed of James Dyster - date: 1862.

1987/38/1-10

Messuages and land in Coalbrookdale, 1779 - 1896. Including: Particulars and valuation of land at Sunniside, proposed to be purchased of Mr William M Michael by Mrs Darby - date: 9 June 1798.

1987/39/1-23

Land in Eyton, Baschurch, 1772 - 1882. Including: Extracts from Penzer family bible giving four dates of births and marriages over the period 1767-1801.

1987/40/1-4.

The Lordship of Pimhill, the manor of Fennemere and the Eyton and Fennemere estate in Baschurch and Middle, 1854 - 1866.

REEL 9

1987/41/1-60

Messuages and land in Little Ness, Ruyton-XI-Towns, and Melverley, 1740 - 1868. Including: Lease and release (conveyance): Deed of covenant for the production of title deeds; Deed of exchange; Further mortgage; Copy of court roll of the court of common pleas, etc. Continued on next reel.

REEL 10

1987/41/61-90

Messuages and land in Little Ness, Ruyton-XI-Towns, and Melverley, 1740 - 1868. Including: Lease and release (conveyance): Deed of covenant for the production of title deeds; Deed of exchange; Further mortgage; Copy of court roll of the court of common pleas, etc. Continued on next reel.

REEL 11

1987/41/91-104

Messuages and land in Little Ness, Ruyton-XI-Towns, and Melverley, 1740 - 1868. Including: Lease and release (conveyance): Deed of covenant for the production of title deeds; Deed of exchange; Further mortgage; Copy of court roll of the court of common pleas, etc.

1987/42/1-4

Messuage in Clapham, Surrey, 1909 - 1917.

1987/43/1-9

Maps of land in Coalbrookdale, Dawley Parva and Ruyton-XI-Towns, 1772 - 1855.

REEL 12

1987/44/1-2

Maps of land near Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, and Tring, Hertfordshire, 1846.

1987/45/1-2

Personal - Abraham Darby II, 1756 - 1785.

1987/46/1-2

Personal - Abiah Darby, (wife of Abraham Darby II), 1763 - 1768.

1987/47/1-8

Personal - Abraham Darby III, 1769 - 1791. Including cash books [of Abraham Darby III], 1769-1781, 1784-1789.

1987/48/1

Personal - Francis Darby, 1811.

1987/49/1-5

Personal - Lucy Darby (wife of Edmund Darby), 1841 - 1872.

1987/50/1-3

Personal - Alfred Darby, 1873.

1987/51/1-3

Personal - Matilda Darby (wife of Abraham Darby IV), 1887 - 1892.

1987/52/1-2

Personal - Grant family of Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, 1824 - 1854.

REEL 13

1987/53/1-15

Personal - Bankruptcy of Richard Ford, [1759] - 1782.

1987/54/1-4

Personal - Bankruptcy of Abraham Ford, 1753 - 1782.

1987/55/1-16

Personal - Purchase by Mary Rathbone of the Meadow and Strethill estate, Coalbrookdale, 1803 - 1807.

1987/56/1-39

Personal - Edwards family of Coalbrookdale, 1814 - 1863.

REEL 14

1987/57/1-3

Miscellaneous, 1739 - 1874. Including: copy will of Arthur Harper of Darliston, Prees, date: 25 July 1787.

1987/58/1-54

Coalbrookdale Company, 1707 - 1896. Includes:

• Papers relating to the management of the company, [c.1774] - [1881],
  Agreements and bonds, 1707 - 1773;
• Accounts, 1739 - 1887;
• Correspondence to William Norris (Secretary to the Coalbrookdale Company) concerning its formation as a Limited Company, 1880 - 1881;
• Shares, [1718] - 1896;
• Construction of the iron bridge at Ironbridge, [1775];
• Production figures for Ketley, Horsehay and Dawley Castle furnaces,
  1799 - 1820;
• Coal mining at Arleston, 1814;
• Analysis of specimens of iron and sandstone, 1837 - 1838;
• Catalogue of steam pumping engines, 1876;
• Expenses of making railway waggons and boats, experiments on the strength of iron and wood, and diagrams of steam pumping engines and boring mills, 1794 - 1810. Continued on next reel.

REEL 15

1987/58/55-99
Coalbrookdale Company, 1707 - 1896.
See Reel 14 for description of manuscripts.

REEL 16

1987/59/1-9

Other iron founding companies, Ebbw Vale Company, 1845 - 1867

1987/60/1-5

Other iron founding companies, Madeley Wood Company, [c.1760s] - [c.1780s]

1987/61/1-3

Miscellaneous, 1880 - 1881. Including: newspaper cuttings and printed letter.

1987/62/1-2

Tithes, 1848 - [1870]. Including: Tithe apportionment for the parish of Madeley - date: 1848.

1987/63/1-3

Ecclesiastical, Quaker Meeting House, Coalbrookdale, 1881 - 1896.

1987/64/1-6

Descriptive accounts of Coalbrookdale and its environs, 1771 - [c.1850].

1987/65/1-3

Pictures and drawings, 1782 - [early 19th century]. Including: Engraving of an elevation of one set of the ribs of the iron bridge cast at Coalbrookdale and erected near that place - date: 1782.

The Iron Bridge Archive. Reference Code: x6001

REEL 17

x6001/3689

Minute Book of the Trustees of the intended bridge between Madeley Wood and Benthall, 1775 -1798.

x6001/3690

Assignment and Transfer of Shares 1779 - 1945.

x6001/3691

Book of Certificates of the Iron Bridge Trust, 1892 - 1948.

x6001/3692

Ten original Share Certificates on vellum.

REEL 18

x6001/3693

Account Book, May 1831 - December 1841.

x6001/3694

Account Book, December 1841 - June 1861.

REEL 19

x6001/3695

Accounts for the expenditure for repairs on the Iron Bridge, etc, 1861 - 1881.

x6001/3696

Accounts of dividends paid to the proprietors of the Iron Bridge, 1st June 1827 - December 1842.

x6001/3697

Minute Book of the Trustees of the Iron Bridge, June 1800 - December 1828.

x6001/3698

Minute Book of the Trustees of the Iron Bridge, 1830 - 1861.