Fonds BL/CS - Bradfer-Lawrence Collection: Philip Case Papers

Identity area

Reference code

BL/CS

Title

Bradfer-Lawrence Collection: Philip Case Papers

Date(s)

  • [1423]-20th century (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

1 binder, 7 booklets, 4 boxes, 26 bundles, 5 envelopes, 50 files, 24 folders, 33 gatherings, 4 notebooks, 6 packets, 18 volumes, 2, 060 papers, 309 parchments, 1 ring binder

Context area

Name of creator

(1887-1965)

Biographical history

Born in King's Lynn in 1887. He became a land agent and worked in Norfolk until 1935 when he was appointed managing director of Hammond's brewery in Yorkshire. He was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1924 and published a number of works connected with the history and archaeology of Norfolk. From his youth, he was an avid collector of books and manuscripts. His successful career as a businessman enabled him to make substantial purchases from the leading London dealers, and to build up a massive and important collection by the time of his death in 1965. According to his wishes, his executors deposited those manuscripts relating to Norfolk in the Norfolk Record Office in 1967, a similar gift of his Yorkshire manuscripts being made to the Yorkshire Archaeological Society at the same time. Died 1965.

Name of creator

(1712-1792)

Biographical history

Born c 1712 in Great Fransham, and died on 11 April 1792 in King's Lynn. He was the son of Thomas Case and Hester Freeman.
The most successful attorney in King's Lynn in the eighteenth century. The son of a farmer at Fransham, he set up his practice on completion of his articles in 1733, became a freeman of King's Lynn by the end of the year, was elevated to the council on the same day, and married into a local gentry family in the following year. His outstanding abilities soon brought him a large clientele. While still in his twenties he was acting for the second viscount Townshend and Sir John Turner of Warham, and was deputy clerk of the peace. By mid-career he was acting as 'man of business' to many of the landed families of north-west Norfolk, not only as an attorney but often as land agent and steward of their manors - being described as 'the greatest and cleverest court keeper in England' in 1768. He became comptroller of customs at King's Lynn in 1754, and clerk of the peace in 1760.
Throughout his life he purchased property, eventually accumulating estates at Stradsett, Crimplesham and Fincham, Gayton Thorpe and East Walton, Grimston, and Gaywood, Mintlyn and Bawsey. Although he had manor houses at Stradsett and Gaywood, he continued to live at King's Lynn, where he was mayor in 1745, 1764, 1777, and 1786. He had three daughters - Pleasance and Hester who married Thomas Bagge and Samuel Browne, both prominent Lynn merchants, and Sarah, the only one to survive him, who married Anthony Hamond of Westacre. He died worth approximately £100,000 in land and investments.

Name of creator

(1730-1792)

Biographical history

Son of Charles Laval Molineux of St Kitts by Margaret, daughter of Colonel Joseph Crisp of St Kitts. Baptized 7 September 1730. Settled in England, 1754, and purchased Garboldisham estate soon after that. He contested a King's Lynn Parliamentary election in 1768, in opposition to Sir John Turner, but was defeated. However, he served as MP for Castle Rising, 1771-4 and King's Lynn, 1774-90. Opposed the abolition of the slave trade. Died St Kitts, 4 December 1792.

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

This is an artificial collection. Harry Bradfer-Lawrence acquired these papers from at least twenty different sources which are listed in BL/CS 11/1/1. They therefore only document part, and probably a very small part, of Case's total business. Bradfer-Lawrence arranged many of these acquisitions in a single chronological run, which he transcribed. Later acquisitions were added, some were arranged in separate runs. Researchers are not advised to use these transcripts. Case's papers have been identified throughout the Bradfer-Lawrence collection and assembled here, and it is likely that further material which will eventually be added to this catalogue. As far as possible, the collection has been reassembled into the original bundles, so that all Case's dealings with each client are now together. These are listed separately from his general correspondence. They include a good run of letters to Case from the third viscount Townshend, and his papers as one of Townshend's executors; papers as land agent to William Paston of Appleton, and to Cyrill Wyche of Hockwold; papers as one of the trustees for the property of the daughters of Isaac Leheup, with correspondence from Mary Leheup's husband, Sir Edward Williams of Llangoid. There is also correspondence and accounts relating to Case's comptrollership of the customs at King's Lynn, his correspondence as mayor and alderman of King's Lynn, papers relating to the 1747 election in King's Lynn, and letters from Thomas Walpole and Crisp Molineux, candidates in the 1767 election. Case's papers as executor to his son-in-law Samuel Browne have been listed separately as BL/BR, but BL/CS includes his papers as executor to his nephew Thomas Younge, grocer and farmer of Watton.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

BL/CS 1 Clients' Papers and Correspondence

BL/CS 1/1 George Clay's Bankruptcy
BL/CS 1/2 Davy of Ingoldisthorpe
BL/CS 1/3 Emerson of Burnham Thorpe
BL/CS 1/4 Captain Richard Gardiner and Elizabeth Tayler
BL/CS 1/5 Elizabeth Goodwyn's Trust
BL/CS 1/6 Sir Thomas Hare of Stow Bardolph
BL/CS 1/7 Margaret Hawley of King's Lynn
BL/CS 1/8 Robert Knopwood of Threxton
BL/CS 1/9 Revd Thomas and Elizabeth Lowe
BL/CS 1/10 William Mason of Necton
BL/CS 1/11 William Paston of Appleton
BL/CS 1/12 Sir Charles Peyton of Grimston
BL/CS 1/13 Joseph Phillips of Bridgnorth
BL/CS 1/14 Townshend of Honingham
BL/CS 1/15 Townshend of Raynham
BL/CS 1/16 Trinity Hall Cambridge
BL/CS 1/17 Sir John Turner of Warham
BL/CS 1/18 Walpole of Houghton
BL/CS 1/19 Walpole of Wolterton
BL/CS 1/20 Williams and Lloyd (Leheup Trust)
BL/CS 1/21 George Wright of Ashwicken and Leziate
BL/CS 1/22 Cyrill Wyche of Hockwold

BL/CS 2 Correspondence and Papers as Comptroller of Customs

BL/CS 3 Correspondence and Papers as Alderman and Mayor of King's Lynn

BL/CS 4 Miscellaneous Correspondence and Papers

BL/CS 5 Legal practice and Clerk of the Peace

BL/CS 5/1 Law Notebooks
BL/CS 5/2 Accounts and Miscellanea
BL/CS 5/3 Apprenticeship Indentures
BL/CS 5/4 Cases and Opinions
BL/CS 5/5 Sale Particulars
BL/CS 5/6 Clerk of the Peace
BL/CS 5/7 Appointments

BL/CS 6 Estate Papers

BL/CS 6/1 Stradsett
BL/CS 6/2 Gaywood and Mintlyn
BL/CS 6/3 Grimston
BL/CS 6/4 East Walton
BL/CS 6/5 Gayton Thorpe
BL/CS 6/6 Estate and Financial Correspondence
BL/CS 6/7 Accounts, Bills and Receipts

BL/CS 7 Title Deeds

BL/CS 7/1-13 Stradsett, Fincham and Crimplesham
BL/CS 7/14-19 Gaywood and Mintlyn
BL/CS 7/20-27 Grimston

BL/CS 8 Personal

BL/CS 8/1 Accounts
BL/CS 8/2 Family
BL/CS 8/3 Personal Miscellanea
BL/CS 8/4 Other Branches of Case family
BL/CS 8/5 Hepburn and Harvey
BL/CS 8/6 Younge and Burslem
BL/CS 8/7 Browne

BL/CS 9 Politics

BL/CS 10 Miscellanea

BL/CS 11 Bradfer-Lawrence Notes and Transcripts

BL/CS 11/1 Notes
BL/CS 11/2 Calendars and Transcripts

Conditions of access and use area

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Status

Catalogued

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Accession area