Reference
Z599/2
Title
Papers of the Monoux Family, relating to Cardington, Southill, Turvey and Wootton
Date free text
c1685-1708
Admin/biog history
The Monoux family originated in Worcestershire in the Middle Ages, and the family fortunes were made by one George Monoux, who became Lord Mayor and founder of the Walthamstow Grammar School. The first property in the county he purchased was Bosoms Manor, Wootton, in 1514. The acquisition of small properties in Wootton was continued by each generation of the family. George Monoux died without a male heir and his property passed to his nephew, George. The Monoux's came to live in Wootton during the sixteenth century. George's son, Humphrey, who was sheriff of Bedfordshire in 1635, and member of the Bedfordshire Committee of Parliament, (responsible for county affairs during the Civil War) was given a baronetcy in 1660. Sir Humphrey Monoux died in 1675, leaving two sons, Humphrey who took the title and remained at Wootton, and Lewis, who was a lawyer and appears to have become interested in the family's property in Sandy. When Humphrey died in 1675 Lewis became the guardian of his children and took over the management of the estates, which included land in Bedfordshire in the parishes of Wootton, Sandy, and Cardington. The abstract of title (ref. Z599/2/1) shows that Lewis went on to purchase land in Broom and Southill in 1681. Lewis Monoux died in 1720, leaving two sons, Humphrey and Lewis.
Lewis' nephew, Philip, became the 3rd Baronet, and it is he who is the originator of a number of the documents in Z599. He died in 1707, and his title passed to his son Humphrey, then the 4th Baronet. A valuation of Sir Philip's silver plate has survived among the papers, see reference Z599/2/8.
Level of description
sub-fonds