Reference code: GB-0033-CRHS
Title: Red House Surtees Manuscripts
Dates of creation: 1757 to early 20th century
Extent: 10 files
Held by: Durham University Library, Archives and Special Collections (5 The College)
Origination: Robert Surtees (1779-1834) & Sir Henry Conyers Surtees (1858-1933), creators
Language:
English
Robert Surtees (1779-1834) was the only surviving child of Robert Surtees of Mainsforth and his wife Dorothy, daughter of William Steele of Kent, and was born in Durham in 1779. He was educated at Kepier Grammar School, Houghton-le-Spring, and
then by Dr Bristow at Neasdon. He matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford, in 1796, graduating BA in 1800. A legal career beckoned as he became a student of the Middle Temple but he returned to Mainsforth in 1802 on the death of his father.
A collector of coins and folklore as a child, he now dedicated himself to researching and writing a history of Durham, travelling around the county with a long-suffering groom. Ill-health made publication progress slow. First advertised in 1812,
volumes of
History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durhamappeared in 1816, 1820 and 1823, with his friend James Raine being left to produce the concluding volume in 1840. The work contains much genealogical information,
and accurate at that, stemming from Surtees's ready access to many family collections. The text was lavishly illustrated, and also interpolated with Surtees's own poems, which gained him the acquaintance of Sir Walter Scott. Surtees remained much at
Mainsforth, where he attracted quite a circle of like-minded enquirers into antiquities who were allowed ready access to his own materials. His eminence and esteem were recognised by the foundation of the Surtees Society shortly after his death in
1834, to publish manuscripts prior to the Restoration to illustrate the history of the area between the Humber and the Forth.
Brigadier General Sir Herbert Conyers Surtees (1858-1933) was a descendant of the Redworth branch of the Surtees family. He inherited the remainder of Robert Surtees's library at Mainsforth on the death of his father, Charles Freville Surtees,
in 1906. He was a not inconsiderable antiquarian himself. As well as his interest in his antecedent Robert Surtees, and indeed in all branches of the family, which led to his collaboration with H.R. Leighton in
Records of the family of Surtees : its descents and alliances (Newcastle upon Tyne 1925), he also published a number of parish histories for Co Durham, and on the heraldry of Durham Cathedral.
A text of Robert Surtees's
History of Durham, with some variations from that finally published, along with some other notes of Surtees, and some lectures and letters of Sir Henry Conyers Surtees. The Robert Surtees text includes portions which
were not in a publishable state at his death, and so did not appear in the published 1840 volume. The papers also contain occasional notes by and even papers of Sir Cuthbert Sharp, Christopher Hunter, Thomas Woodness, James Raine, and printed sheets
lifted from William Hutchinson's
History.
Loaned in 1986 and formally deposited on loan from Red House School, Norton, Co Durham, in 1999.
Transferred into custody of Durham University Library at 5 The College, July 2016 (accession Misc.2013/14:66)
The collection probably belonged to Herbert Conyers Surtees and then his kinsman Bertram Surtees Raine
Open for consultation.
Permission to make any published use of material from the collection must be sought in advance from the Reprographics Officer at Durham Cathedral Library (library@durhamcathedral.co.uk). The Library will assist where possible with identifying
copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material.
Box list by R.C. Norris available with the manuscripts.
The Surtees manuscripts comprise the main bulk of the Surtees material in the Cathedral Library. Durham Cathedral Additional MSS 203 and 204 also comprise a number of H.C. Surtees's texts of proposed works on parishes and Durham Cathedral.
Much of Robert Surtees's material was sold off after his death in 1834 to pay his debts, and what descended to H.C. Surtees was also subject to dispersal after his death in 1933. So there are some of Robert Surtees's manuscripts in Durham
University Library ASC in the Surtees Raine Collection, and others are now in Lambton Park (Box 22), Borthwick Institute York (UL.MSS 4), Durham County Record Office (D/X 1022), and the Bodleian Library Oxford (MS Top Oxon c 73). Correspondence of
his is in Northumberland Record Office (M12: B25, M17: 5-6), the National Library of Scotland (MS 9309 and, correspondence with Walter Scott, MSS 852-870, 3877-3916, 9308) and Yorkshire Archaeological Society (MS 109).
A memoir of Robert Surtees, esq., F.S.A., author of the History of the county palatine of Durham, by George Taylor. A new edition, with additions, by James Raine. (Surtees
Society 24, 1852).
RHS 1 [early 19th century]
Drafts and notes for Robert Surtees's
History concerning Herrington, Ryton, Thornley, Pittington, Tursdale, Haswell, Trimdon, Hurworth, Wheatley Hill, Horden and Wingate, and including pedigrees of the families of Wharton, Conyers, Baynbrigg, Warde of
Trimdon, Trollop of Crossgate, Bulmer of Tursdale, Wilkinson, Ayton of West Herrington, Byers, Darcy.
Paper file
RHS 2 [early 19th century]
Drafts and notes for Robert Surtees's
History concerning Coxhoe, Castle Eden, Houghton-le-Spring, Newbottle and Sherburn Hospital, and including pedigrees of Machon, Ironside and Hutton of Houghton-le-Spring, Silvertop, Nesham, Griffith, Welbury of Castle
Eden, Kennet of Sellindge, and Heath of Little Eden, and transcripts of the will of Bernard Gilpin 17 October 1582 and a statement by the tithe commissioners of tithes in the township of Bondgate in the parish of uckland St Andrew, received 12
December 1835.
Paper file
RHS 3 [early 19th century]
Drafts and notes for Robert Surtees's
History concerning Wolsingham, Rogerley, Dalton-le-Dale, Seaham, Seaton, Holbeck, Sunderland and Wearmouth, including pedigrees of Hutton, Williamson, Ironside, also a topographical and miscellaneous index booklet for
Dalton-le-Dale, and a booklet of notes on the bishops of Durham.
Paper file
RHS 4 [early 19th century]
Drafts and notes for Robert Surtees's
History concerning Hartlepool, Witton Castle, a booklet on a general introduction, also Sheraton, Utton Henry, Eppleton, Hesldeon, Thorp Bulmer, Kelloe, Escomb, Durham Castle, with a pedigree of Forcer of Kelloe, with
also occasional notes by James Raine.
Paper file
RHS 5 [early 19th century]
Drafts and notes for Robert Surtees's
History concerning seals, Ford, Durham, Ufferton, pedigrees, Silksworth, Turasdale, Biddick and Penshaw, with a letter from Thomas Woodness to Robert Surtees, and pedigrees of Widdrington of Monkwearmouth, Wycliffe of
Ufferton, and Smith of West Herrington.
Paper file
RHS 6 [early 19th century]
Drafts and notes for Robert Surtees's
History concerning Trimdon, Sherburn, Hesleden, Seaham, Castle Eden, Dalton-le-Dale, Sunderland, Eppleton, Bernard Gilpin, Houghton-le-Spring, Bishopwearmouth, Hardwick, and bishops with various editions of a chapter
on the palatinate jurisdiction and some original documents:
list of jury panels in the county's wards 1699, 1706, 1724,
bill for groceries from Solomon Barber 10 June 1768,
letter from Nicholas Swainston at Stockton to Gilbert Spearman 1 March 1698 about the status of George Burdon's house,
2 bills of Richard Spenceley in London for armozeen etc 22 June 1768 and 26 May 1770,
Rud transcripts of cathedral charters.
Paper file
RHS 7 [early 19th century]
Draft and notes for Robert Surtees's
History concerning Cleadon, Biddick, Marsden, Boldon, Jarrow, Hebburn, Usworth, Barmston, Fatfield, Whitburn, Tanfield, Muggleswick, Wearmouth, Fulwell, Southwick, Hilton, Washington.
Paper file
RHS 8 [early 19th century]
Pedigrees drawn up by Robert Surtees for the familes of Ellison, Chamber, Peareth, Grey, Lawson, Hickes, Hodgson, Shadforth, Mascall, Hadham, Musgrave, James, Eppleton, Booth, Carlile, Spearman, Robinson, Maire, Middleton, Fawcett.
Paper file
RHS 9 1757 - later 19th century
Documents of Robert Surtees and others.
Paper file
RHS 9/1 [1785 - 1788]
Notes by Robert Surtees from
Hermes or a philosophical inquiry concerning universal grammar by James Harris (1786), with extracts also from Lady Riddell's Letters, Joseph Butler's The Analogy of Religion and James
Burnet Lord Monboddo's 4th volume of Of the Origin and Progress of Language.
On the back cover: “Robt Surtees Oct. 11 1786” .
Paper booklet, in card covers with a coloured image of “The Macaroni Schoolmaster” on the front
RHS 9/2 12 February 1757
General release from James Atkinson to Mrs Elizabeth Surtees.
Paper 1f
RHS 9/3 4 March 1780
Attested copy of the renunciation of the executorship by William Rudd esq under the will of Ralph Hopper esq deceased to John Cuthbert and Robert Hopper esq
Paper 2f
RHS 9/4 12 October 1778
Copy will of Ralph Hopper late of Bishop Middleham esq.
Paper 2f
RHS 9/5 16 March 1697
Copies by Ralph Shaw of:
A. 23 August 1642 covenant of John Wilkinson of Escomb esq to levy a fine in favour of John Shaw sr of Ferryhill gent for two grants of 9 May 1642 by John Wilkinson, firstly to John Shaw sr of a messuage or
cottage and detailed lands in Ferryhill occupied by George Gray, and secondly to John Shaw sr and John Shaw jr of 4 messuages etc occupied by John Shaw sr.
B. 9 May 1642 grant by John Wilkinson of Escomb esq to John Shaw sr of Ferryhill gent of a messuage or cottage with detailed lands in Ferryhill.
C. 7 August 1620 fine of John Wilkinson gent to Antony Trotter gent and his wife Gertrude for a messuage etc in Ferryhill given to John for £80.
D. 31 July 1615 fine of John Wilkinson gent son and heir of Lawrence Wilkinson gent, and Elizabeth, John's wife to Lawrence Wilkinson and his wife Ann over 3 messuages etc in Spennymoor and Ferryhill given to John by Lawrence for £200.
E. 15 August 1603 fine of Lawrence Wilkinson gent to Thomas Jackson gent and John Jackson gent for a messuage etc in Ferryhill given to Lawrence for 200 marks.
Paper 7f
RHS 9/6 [c.1800]
Copy will of Sir Thomas Hilton kt of 8 November 1558.
Paper 2f
RHS 9/7 [early 19th century]
Notes of pedigrees by Robert Surtees for Dalton-le-Dale, Seaton and Bowes.
Paper file
RHS 9/8 [later 19th century]
Estimates, design and inscription by J.G. Wilson of Sunderland for Robert Surtees's grave at Bishop Middleham.
Paper file
RHS 9/9 [later 19th century]
Notes on Escomb church.
Paper 1f
RHS 10 1881-1917
Paper of Herbert Conyers Surtees (1858-1933).
Paper file
RHS 10/1 1881-1914
Passports of Herbert Conyers Surtees and his family, mainly for their time at Constantinople and Athens where Surtees was military attaché 1905-1909.
Paper file
RHS 10/2 [early 20th century]
Typescript lectures of Herbert Conyers Surtees: the kidnapping of Louis de Beaumont bishop of Durham; meals in the monastery; the layout of the monastic buildings in Durham and the monk's daily routine.
Paper file
RHS 10/3 1917
Letters to Herbert Conyers Surtees, mostly about and with pedigrees, from: ?Averil F.P. Aman, Edith Laurence, Leo Culleton.
Paper file
RHS 11 31 October 1986
Report by Roger Norris on the collection, with some correspondence.
Paper file
