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Does anyone know what happened to all the official papers that must have been kept my James Lowther at Wilton Castle after it was sold to ICI? I've tried the various council archives of North Yorks, Teeside and Middlesbrough to no avail.

Many thanks

Angela,
Have you tried contacting ICI. ( although it has been taken over Akzo Nobel)

What type of info., are you looking for?

James Lowther died 1904.

Regards Vera

The probate of his will states:

LOWTHER The Right Honourable James of Wilton Castle, Yorkshire and 59 Grosvenor Street Middlesx died 12 September 1904 at Wilton Castle. Probate London 24 November to the Right Honourable James William Lowther, MP. Effects 91698 pounds, 1 shilling, 11 pence.

Have you tried the nearest main library or the National Archives

Just for info (from Wikipedia):-

James Lowther PC, PC (Ire), DL, JP (1 December 1840 – 12 September 1904) was a British Conservative politician and sportsman.

Born at Swillington, Yorkshire, Lowther was the younger son of Sir Charles Lowther, 3rd Baronet, of Swillington and Isabella Morehead. He was educated at Westminster School and took a BA from Trinity College, Cambridge in 1863, and a MA in 1866.[1] He was also admitted as a barrister of the Inner Temple on 17 October 1864, but never practised law.[2]

In 1882, Lowther's third cousin once removed, Hugh Lowther, succeeded as Earl of Lonsdale and to the Lowther estates, of which James was senior trustee. Lonsdale's habits were extravagant, and James was to have great difficulty in restraining his spending, which would ultimately ruin the estate. James himself inherited Wilton Castle upon his father's death in 1894, and took great interest in managing the estate.

He died at Wilton on 12 September 1904, and left the castle to his nephew Colonel John George Lowther.[2]

Also from same source:-

Wilton Castle (Yorkshire)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wilton Castle is an early 19th-century mansion house, built on the site of a medieval castle, now converted into residential apartments, situated at Wilton, in Redcar and Cleveland, England. It is a Grade II listed building.


Wilton Castle
The Bulmer family owned the manor of Wilton in the 13th century and were granted a licence to fortify their manor house in 1210. In 1331 Ralph Bulmer was granted permission to build a castle on his manor. The estate was confiscated by the Crown following the attainder and execution of Sir John and Lady Bulmer for high treason arising out of their part in the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536. The manor was restored to their son but was lost again, by sequestration in 1644, following Sir William Bulmers opposition to Parliament during the English Civil War. It was again later restored but the castle had been slighted by Parliamentary forces and made uninhabitable.
The estate was purchased in about 1806 by John Lowther of Swillington, brother of the Earl of Lonsdale. Lowther demolished the remains of the medieval castle and built, in about 1810, an imposing mansion house on the site, to a design by architect Sir Robert Smirke. The Gothick design includes a fifteen-bay frontage with a four-storey castellated tower at the centre, flanked by castellated and gabled bays and turrets and five-bayed two-storey wings.
Lowther was created a Baronet in 1824 ( see Lowther Baronets). On the death of the third Baronet in 1894 the Baronetcy passed to his grandson but the Wilton Castle estate passed to his younger son James Lowther (1840-1904).
The family sold the property in 1945 to Imperial Chemical Industries for use as offices occupied at various times by major industrialists such as Richard Beeching and Sir John Harvey Jones. The park was developed as a golf course for ICI staff. ICI sold it in 1999. The golf club was acquired by its members and the castle was converted into residential apartments.

I'm looking for a list of employees between the 1891 and 1901 censuses. My greatgrandmother was a domestic servant at Wilton Castle between these dates and I just want clarification.

I've been in contact with the Carlisle Archives which is the nearest to the Lowther Estate in Cumbria I assume there is a connection. I'm waiting for a reply from them.

Many thanks for everyones help.

Angela