Molyneux, eams of sefton

As it was desirable to retain the individuality of old groupings of these archives, the classification under township headings has not been rigidly adhered to, particularly as regards the class of "General Evidences" where may be found documents relating to all parts of the estate.

DDM 1. Accounts.

DDM 2. Alt Drainage.

DDM 3. Appointments and Royal Grants.

DDM 4. Coal.

DDM 5. Contract Books.

DDM 6. Correspondence.

DDM 7. Court Rolls, etc.

DDM 8. Estate Memoranda.

DDM 9. Free Warren.

DDM 10. Lease Registers.

DDM 11. Miscellaneous.

DDM 12. Rentals.

DDM 13. Legal Suits etc.

DDM 14. Surveys, Plans, etc.

DDM 15. Wills.

DDM 16. Wreck of the Sea.

DDM 17. General Evidences.

DDM 18. Aintree.

DDM 19. Altcar.

DDM 20. Ashton-in-Makerfield.

DDM 21. Aughten

DDM 22. Charnock.

DDM 23. Clayton-le-Woods.

DDM 24. Crosby, Great.

DDM 25. Crosby, Little.

DDM 26. Croxteth.

DDM 27. Eccleston and Heskin.

DDM 28. Ellel.

DDM 29. Euxton.

DDM 30. Fazakerley.

DDM 31. Halsall.

DDM 32. Hoole, Much.

DDM 33. Huyton.

DDM 34. Ince Blundell.

DDM 35. Kirkby.

DDM 36. Kirkdale. Knowsley, see 53.

DDM 37. Leyland.

DDM 38. Litherland.

DDM 39. Liverpool.

DDM 40. Lunt.

DDM 41. Lydiate.

DDM 42. Maghull.

DDM 43. Melling.

DDM 44. Netherton.

DDM 45. Orrell and Ford.

DDM 46. Sefton.

DDM 47. Simonswood.

DDM 48. Torbock.

DDM 49. Thornton.

Thornton-le-Fyl

DDM 50. Toxteth Park.

DDM 51. Walton-on-the

DDM 52. West Derby

Wheelton, see

DDM 53. Addenda.

Deposited October, 1943, by Sir Hugh William Osbert, 7th Earl of Sefton, 14th Viscount Molyneux of Maryburgh, 15th Baronet, and 31st Lord of Sefton. Bequeathed to LRO 1972

Molyneux archives - a summary of available records

At Lancashire Record Office

The main archive, deposited 1943 by Earl of Sefton (accession 346; also smaller deposits between 1946 and 1954). Bequeathed to Record Office 1972. Accession 346 fully catalogued, as are most smaller deposits, reference DDM; summarised in Guide to Lancashire Record Office, p 243. Mainly early documents (ie before 1800) but a few later.

Also DDM acc 8564, deposited April 1999 by Trustees of Countess of Sefton (c/o Bremner, Sons and Corlett, solicitors, Liverpool) as a gift to LRO. Mainly later documents (after 1800) but some earlier. The records were stored in the original muniment room at Croxteth Hall and have not been catalogued by LRO. However, a detailed box list was made in 1995 by Rosemary Hayes of the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts. This list is behind the issue desk in the searchroom. The documents are on open access.

Further deposit: DDM acc 8832, deposited in August 2000 by Bremner, Sons & Corlett. Comprises one register of deeds. This is particularly useful as an index to the 19th and 20th cent deeds in acc 8564 above. See summary, behind issue desk in searchroom.

There are also copies of 19th/20th cent Molyneux estate leases in the Arkle and Darbishire archive (DDX 437 acc 8832). A summary list is available in the catalogue binder.

See also DP 495 for a 1798 abstract of title and sale catalogue of Sefton estates.

At Liverpool Record Office

Gamebooks, diaries etc (their acc no 2547); list in back of Lancs Record Office 'DDM' catalogue binder. Also 1749 rental and 1794 account book.

At Croxteth Hall

About 30 boxes of family and estate papers including antiquarian material and prints; also some plans. Although stored at the hall, they are in the care of Liverpool Record Office (contact David Stoker 0151 233 5817).

The name Molyneux is said to derive from Moulineaux in the French department of Seine Inferiure. Be this as it may, Roger of Poitou, about 1100, granted to Robert de Molyneux a large estate consisting of the manors of Sefton, Thornton, Cuerden and half of Down Litherland. Croxteth came to the family in 1473, Toxteth Park in 1605, Simonswood in 1507, as well as many other properties. Richard Molyneux was one of the first baronets created in 1611; his son Sir Richard became viscount Molyneux of Maryborough in 1628 and the eighth viscount was created earl of Sefton in 1771, both these being in the peerage of Ireland. A United Kingdom barony of Sefton of Croxteth was conferred on the second earl in 1831.