Description
The collection consists of personal, family, legal and business correspondence of Herefordshire
landowner and lawyer William Brydges (1681-1764) and his gentry family, who had strong ties to the London legal community.
The correspondence chiefly reflects news about the social activities and family matters; a
long-running dispute over the repair of the chancel of Tibberton's church; and the buying and selling
of various estates and other lands, chiefly as an investment.
Background
William Brydges (1681-1764) of Tibberton (or Tyberton) in Herefordshire and London,
landowner and lawyer, was the son of Francis Brydges of Castle Street, Hereford (d.
1727) and a cousin of James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos (1673-1744). He was
admitted to the Middle Temple in 1702; the admissions register for Gray's Inn lists
William Brydges in 1713 as one of the Six Clerks of Chancery, but other sources
suggest that that office was held by his father Francis or by a Thomas Brydges.
William married as his first wife Jane, the daughter of Chandos's longtime lawyer
Andrew Card; a daughter Elizabeth was born in 1718. His uncle, another William
Brydges (1663-1736), stood unsuccessfully for the constituency of Wells (Somerset)
in a Parliamentary by-election in 1719.
Restrictions
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to
quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such
activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is
one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Availability
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services
Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.