University of London Archives | Details

Sidebar content	Main content
Actions Help FAQs Can't find what you're looking for? Browse Collections A-Z University of London	Newton family papers Remove from selection Add to selection Request this item TitleNewton family papers Held atSenate House Library, University of London Reference codeMS523 Date1680-1920 Creator Newton family, of BarbadosMore Info on CreatorLess Info on Creator The earliest mention of the activities of the Newton family in Barbados dates from 1654, when Samuel Newton acquired his first piece of property in the Christ Church parish on the island. By the time of his death in 1684 Samuel was a substantial landowner. His property was left half to his wife Barbara and half to his son John, although provision was made that the property should be managed jointly. John Newton was also the owner of an estate of Kings Bromley in Staffordshire, England. After John Newton's death in c. 1706 the estates were inherited by his son Samuel, and subsequently by Samuel's son John (died 1783). On John Newton's death the plantations came into the possession of his sisters, Sarah Holte and Elizabeth Newton. After the deaths of the two sisters the land passed, in 1794, to Elizabeth's cousins, John Lane a barrister of King's Bromley in Staffordshire and Thomas Lane who was a solicitor in private practice of Leyton Grange in Essex. On his death Samuel left two plantations, referred to as the Newton's plantations, which were inherited by John Newton and Barbara Newton. By the mid-eighteenth century one of these plantations had been sold or otherwise disposed of, but the Lanes eventually inherited the other. This land is referred to variously as 'Newton's', 'Newton's Lower plantation' or just the 'Lower plantation'. Mount Alleyne plantation which came into the possession of John Newton (died 1783) on his marriage to Elizabeth Alleyne in October 1740. The family also owned the Seawells plantation from at least 1784, but it may have come to the Newton family from the same source, as Elizabeth Alleyne's great-grandmother's maiden name was Seawell. Thomas Lane took on the management of the brothers' inheritance because he was based in London. In 1803 the estates were divided, John Lane taking Seawells and Thomas taking Newton - however Thomas continued to manage the estates for them both. The Lanes were absentee landlords. The brothers both died in 1824, and from that time it is difficult to trace the ownership of the estates. Richard Stuart Lane and his wife appear to have owned the estates between 1870 and 1894. Scope and ContentThe earliest material in the collection (the second deposit, from file 1054 onwards) are the papers of Samuel and Barbara Newton (1680-1699). Samuel's correspondence is mostly concerned with shipments to and from Barbados and with the management of his estates in England. The majority of his wife's correspondence relates to her attempts to obtain the rents she was owed by tenants in Barbados. The material contains information about the production of sugar and the management of the plantations, references to slaves and to crops grown other than sugar-cane. There are also inventories of belongings, including slaves and some legal documents. The first deposit consists mainly of material gathered together and created by Thomas Lane in his management of the estate. This includes accounts from 1706 onwards (with a thirty year gap from 1726), and from 1794 correspondence from plantation managers and merchants including copies of his outgoing correspondence. The material contains information about slavery, the life and climate in Barbados, trade conditions and the wars with America and France. After the death of the Lane brothers the material again consists mainly of accounts, with some correspondence to Richard Stuart Lane and subsequently his widow dating from between 1871 and 1894. NotesThe Newton papers have been consulted by various researchers, including examples such as Justin Roberts, in Slavery and the Enlightenment in the British Atlantic, 1750-1807, (2013). Conditions governing accessOpen for research. At least 24 hours notice is necessary for research visits. Extent2 boxes, 29 volumes and 1 oversized folder System of ArrangementThe material was received in three separate deposits. The three deposits have been listed consecutively, the second beginning at reference code A988, and the third at reference 1054. Within these 3 groupings the material has been arranged according to type of document, and chronologically within these types.The following abbreviations are used in the descriptions:n.a. no addressn.d. no date Finding aidsCatalogued online (click on the "contains" icon below). A pdf version of the hard-copy catalogue is also attached to this description. In addition, C. E. Micklem, 'The Newton Papers: a hand-list', 1969 and R. Watson, 'The Newton Papers: a hand-list of the second deposit with an index to the whole collection', 1975, are available in the Special Collections reading room, Senate House Library. These handlists contain a more extended introduction to the papers and to the history of the Newton family. The handlist of the second deposit contains an index to personal names and some places in both deposits. Related files http://archives.ulrls.lon.ac.uk/resources/MS523.pdf The Barbados Museum and Historical Society, Bridgetown, holds four volumes of accounts relating to the Newton plantation, 1805-1867. A collection of Newton Family papers (including a map of the Seawells estate) held at the Staffordshire County Record Office. Senate House Library also holds two letters written to Barbara Newton, 1686-1689 (MS1255). Level of descriptionfonds Hierarchy browser contains 13 parts Newton family papers MS523 \| 1680-1920 fonds

TitleNewton family papers

Held atSenate House Library, University of London

Reference codeMS523

Date1680-1920

Creator
- Newton family, of BarbadosMore Info on CreatorLess Info on Creator
  The earliest mention of the activities of the Newton family in Barbados dates from 1654, when Samuel Newton acquired his first piece of property in the Christ Church parish on the island. By the time of his death in 1684 Samuel was a substantial landowner. His property was left half to his wife Barbara and half to his son John, although provision was made that the property should be managed jointly. John Newton was also the owner of an estate of Kings Bromley in Staffordshire, England. After John Newton's death in c. 1706 the estates were inherited by his son Samuel, and subsequently by Samuel's son John (died 1783). On John Newton's death the plantations came into the possession of his sisters, Sarah Holte and Elizabeth Newton. After the deaths of the two sisters the land passed, in 1794, to Elizabeth's cousins, John Lane a barrister of King's Bromley in Staffordshire and Thomas Lane who was a solicitor in private practice of Leyton Grange in Essex. On his death Samuel left two plantations, referred to as the Newton's plantations, which were inherited by John Newton and Barbara Newton. By the mid-eighteenth century one of these plantations had been sold or otherwise disposed of, but the Lanes eventually inherited the other. This land is referred to variously as 'Newton's', 'Newton's Lower plantation' or just the 'Lower plantation'. Mount Alleyne plantation which came into the possession of John Newton (died 1783) on his marriage to Elizabeth Alleyne in October 1740. The family also owned the Seawells plantation from at least 1784, but it may have come to the Newton family from the same source, as Elizabeth Alleyne's great-grandmother's maiden name was Seawell. Thomas Lane took on the management of the brothers' inheritance because he was based in London. In 1803 the estates were divided, John Lane taking Seawells and Thomas taking Newton - however Thomas continued to manage the estates for them both. The Lanes were absentee landlords. The brothers both died in 1824, and from that time it is difficult to trace the ownership of the estates. Richard Stuart Lane and his wife appear to have owned the estates between 1870 and 1894.

Scope and ContentThe earliest material in the collection (the second deposit, from file 1054 onwards) are the papers of Samuel and Barbara Newton (1680-1699). Samuel's correspondence is mostly concerned with shipments to and from Barbados and with the management of his estates in England. The majority of his wife's correspondence relates to her attempts to obtain the rents she was owed by tenants in Barbados. The material contains information about the production of sugar and the management of the plantations, references to slaves and to crops grown other than sugar-cane. There are also inventories of belongings, including slaves and some legal documents.
The first deposit consists mainly of material gathered together and created by Thomas Lane in his management of the estate. This includes accounts from 1706 onwards (with a thirty year gap from 1726), and from 1794 correspondence from plantation managers and merchants including copies of his outgoing correspondence. The material contains information about slavery, the life and climate in Barbados, trade conditions and the wars with America and France. After the death of the Lane brothers the material again consists mainly of accounts, with some correspondence to Richard Stuart Lane and subsequently his widow dating from between 1871 and 1894.

NotesThe Newton papers have been consulted by various researchers, including examples such as Justin Roberts, in Slavery and the Enlightenment in the British Atlantic, 1750-1807, (2013).

Conditions governing accessOpen for research. At least 24 hours notice is necessary for research visits.

Extent2 boxes, 29 volumes and 1 oversized folder

System of ArrangementThe material was received in three separate deposits. The three deposits have been listed consecutively, the second beginning at reference code A988, and the third at reference 1054. Within these 3 groupings the material has been arranged according to type of document, and chronologically within these types.The following abbreviations are used in the descriptions:n.a. no addressn.d. no date

Finding aidsCatalogued online (click on the "contains" icon below). A pdf version of the hard-copy catalogue is also attached to this description. In addition, C. E. Micklem, 'The Newton Papers: a hand-list', 1969 and R. Watson, 'The Newton Papers: a hand-list of the second deposit with an index to the whole collection', 1975, are available in the Special Collections reading room, Senate House Library. These handlists contain a more extended introduction to the papers and to the history of the Newton family. The handlist of the second deposit contains an index to personal names and some places in both deposits.

Related files

http://archives.ulrls.lon.ac.uk/resources/MS523.pdf

The Barbados Museum and Historical Society, Bridgetown, holds four volumes of accounts relating to the Newton plantation, 1805-1867. A collection of Newton Family papers (including a map of the Seawells estate) held at the Staffordshire County Record Office. Senate House Library also holds two letters written to Barbara Newton, 1686-1689 (MS1255).

Level of descriptionfonds

Item request date
Expected return date
Destination