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The Byron Family were Lords of the Manor and residents of Coulsdon from the purchase of the Manor in 1782 until the sale of the estate and its dispersal in 1921. The archive covers the entire period and continues beyond the sale of Coulsdon estate, with documents through to 1962.

The Byron Archival Collection (AR1057) is a substantial collection of papers covering the domestic, social, business and farming history of the family, their role and relationship as local squires with the wider community of Coulsdon and Surrey, and the extensive foreign travels undertaken by members of the family.

Papers relating to the early decades are relatively sparse and the strength of the archive lies with the years when Thomas and then Edmund Byron held the Manor and estate, 1845-1921, continuing with Edmund’s children through to the 1940s. During these years, the archive has the breadth and depth for thorough and detailed research into this middle squirearchy landed family who were deeply rooted in and committed to the small rural community which was their home. Attention is particularly drawn to Edmund’s six decades as Lord of the Manor. To him lies the distinction of preserving the traditional – and in many respects patriarchal – rural life of the village from 1863 until his death in 1921. The archive is very strong in its coverage of Edmund’s eventful life and that of his four children, as is indicated in the Series descriptions of the archive.

The archive was originally read, noted and arranged by members of The Bourne Society, Surrey and this work has provided a number of papers that supplement the catalogue entries. These papers include Excel spreadsheets, some of which are quite detailed, covering nearly the whole archive, and summaries of a large part of the personal family correspondence. Produced for the purpose of developing the catalogue, these entries identify only the name of the relevant Series for each item and the item accession number and there has been much further refinement in catalogue numbering since their production. They are available on request to support specific areas of interest and research.

The Collection consists of 14 series:

AR1057/1- Personal Correspondence
AR1057/2- Family and Non-Family Settlements-Marriage, Wills and Trusts
AR1057/3- Domestic and Family Expenses and Accounts
AR1057/4- Outdoor Sports
AR1057/5- Public Offices and Family Philanthropy
AR1057/6- Journal and Memoirs
AR1057/7- Personal Records and Ephemera
AR1057/8- Business Correspondence and Estate Management
AR1057/9- Property Purchases and Valuations and Property Sales Before 1921
AR1057/10- Valuations and Property Sales After 1921
AR1057/11- Leases and Deeds
AR1057/12- Ledgers, Rental Income and Account Books
AR1057/13- Shares and Bond Holdings
AR1057/14- Solicitors' Accounts

This Series covers the domestic life and running of the household of the Byron’s at Coulsdon Court. It includes a wages book covering the appointment, length of service and other information on all the core domestic staff appointed between 1890-1921. There are receipts and other papers relating to a wide range of domestic purchases and household items. Edmund Byron was a collector of fine art, furniture, and artefacts and many of these purchases are detailed, including how they were hung and distributed around the house.

There is a set of receipts detailing nursing expenses during Edmund’s final illness in 1921.

There is a valuation of the furniture and contents of Coulsdon Court, listing items room by room, produced for insurance purposes in 1905.

There is overlap between this item and AR1057/10, which covers the sale of the estate, including that of Coulsdon Court itself including more inventories and sales particulars of the contents of Coulsdon Court, with lists room by room. These documents together give an insight into the house itself and how it was furnished, both in the domestic spaces as well as the more public rooms.