Papers of Admiral Sir Nesbit Josiah Willoughby (1777-1849), Captain Francis D. Willoughby...

GB 159 Mi 2C-S

Papers of Admiral Sir Nesbit Josiah Willoughby (1777-1849), Captain Francis D. Willoughby (d 1849), and additional estate papers of the Willoughby family of Wollaton, Nottinghamshire, Middleton, Warwickshire and Birdsall, Yorkshire; 1641-c.1986

1641-c.1986

Although this sub-group, as in the case of other accruals to the Middleton Collection, includes some papers of relevance to family estates, its principal significance lies in the personal papers of two notable members of the family.

The papers of Admiral Nesbit Willoughby consist chiefly of correspondence, reports and ship log books from his professional life. Unfortunately few original papers relating to his service during the Napoleonic wars have survived. There are a number of letters which concern the writing of his book, 'Extracts from Holy Writ' and several letters from family members on personal matters. Also included amongst these papers are items of biographical interest and items relating to more recent researches upon the Admiral's life and career, particularly his involvement in the campaign for Mauritius, 1809-1812.

Captain Francis Willoughby's papers include a few items concerning his cadetship at Sandhurst (1833-1835), together with letters (1840-1846) written from India to his father and his brother Henry, and letters concerning his illness and death (1846-1849).

Other papers in this sub-group include a small number of items of correspondence on estate matters, 1641-1787; 19th century maps and survey books of the Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire and Staffordshire estates; and inventories of Wollaton Hall, Nottinghamshire, 1869-1878

The papers are divided into separate groups, arranged partly by document type (e.g. correspondence) and partly by provenance and subject matter (e.g. the papers of Admiral Sir Nesbit Willoughby and Captain Francis Willoughby). Within the different sections, material is generally listed chronologically.

English

10 boxes

Correspondence; estate papers; personal and family papers

Admiral Sir Nesbit Willoughby's papers came into the hands of his executor, Captain James A Legard, whose son presented them to Lord Middleton in 1892. The present group of papers was received in three separate accruals between 1961 and 1963. Additional bundles of papers relating to Admiral Nesbit Willoughby were acquired in 2000.

Admiral Sir Nesbit Josiah Willoughby (1777-1849) was the grandson of Edward Willoughby of Aspley and Cossall, Nottinghamshire and descended from a younger son of Percival Willoughby. Sir Nesbit saw active service in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. He was severely wounded, curtailing his active service, but in later years he concerned himself with trying to further the interests of junior officers. A brief biography has been published; Michael Mason, 'Willoughby the immortal: an account of the life and actions of Rear-Admiral Sir Nesbit Willoughby, Kt., C.B., K.C.H. (1777-1849)' (Oxford, 1969)

Captain Francis Digby Willoughby was the second son of Henry Willoughby of Birdsall and Settrington, Yorkshire and brother of the 8th Baron. As an officer in the 9th Lancers, Francis saw service in India, and took part in the Sikh War of 1848-1849. Following this campaign he was taken ill and died at Meerut in April 1849.