Manuscripts and Special Collections

Biography of Anthony Eyre (1727-1788)

 

 

Anthony was the only son of Anthony Eyre Esq. of Adwick le Street, south Yorkshire, and succeeded his father to estates at Rampton and elsewhere in 1748. He entered Christ Church College, Oxford, in 1745.

He sat as M.P. for Boroughbridge for the Duke of Newcastle's interest between 1774 and 1784 but probably never spoke in the House of Commons, being more interested in his life as a country gentleman.

Through his wife he acquired the manor and estate at Headon in Nottinghamshire. In 1762 he purchased the manor and estate of Grove in Nottinghamshire, adjacent to his other properties at Rampton, Treswell and Headon, from Mr William Levinz. He undertook alterations to Grove Hall and made it his principal residence. 

Family

He married in 1755 Judith Laetitia Bury (1731-1800), daughter of John Bury and Catherine Hutchinson, and the great-niece and heiress of Sir Hardolph Wasteneys, 4th Baronet (1675-1742), of Headon. They had:

  • Anthony Hardolph (1757-1836)
  • John (1758-1830), clergyman. Vicar and rector of various places including Treswell, Grove and Headon. Archdeacon of Nottingham 1810-30. m in 1790 Charlotte, daughter of Sir George Armytage, Baronet, and had:
    • John Hardolph (1792-1817), m his cousin Henrietta, daughter of Anthony Hardolph Eyre, no issue
    • Rev. Charles Wasteneys (1802-1862), rector of Carlton in Lindrick, inherited the manor of Rampton in 1836. m in 1827 Lucy Dorothea (d 1886), daughter of John Robinson Foulis Esq. of Buckton, Yorkshire, and had:
      • Col. Henry (1834-1904) of Rampton. Sold the Rampton estate 1893
      • Arthur Stanhope
      • Lucy Harriet
    • Anthony Gervase (b 1812)
    • Charlotte, m Henry Willoughby of Birdsall House, Yorkshire. Mother of the 8th Baron Middleton.
    • Anna Maria (1796-1826)
    • Louisa Henrietta (1809-1816)
  • Charles (1768-1796), rector of Grove and Headon
  • Sir George (1769-1839), K.C.B., Vice-Admiral, Royal Navy, m in 1800 Georgiana, daughter of Sir George Cooke, Baronet, of Wheatley, and had:
    • George Hardolph (1801-1865), clergyman
    • William (b 1805)
    • Georgiana Frances
  • Julia (c.1760-1780), m in 1779 Robert Auriol Hay Drummond, 10th Earl of Kinnoul

Archive Collections

  • Papers relating to Anthony Eyre's ownership of his estates are part of the Eyre collection held in Manuscripts and Special Collections at the University of Nottingham
  • Correspondence concerning Anthony Eyre can be found in the Newcastle and Portland collections held in Manuscripts and Special Collections at the University of Nottingham. See all catalogue records

Published Sources

  • Namier, Sir Lewis, and Brook, John (eds). 'Anthony Eyre', in The House of Commons, 1754-1790 (London: Published for the History of Parliament Trust by Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1964)

 

Manuscripts and Special Collections

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