Papers of Samuel Egerton

Samuel's papers include: financial records - including material relating to the settlement of his brother's and mother's estates, as well as general accounts and receipts reflecting all aspects of his expenditure and investments; papers relating to the wardship of his relative, Francis Egerton, the 3rd Duke of Bridgewater; a large quantity of correspondence, both of a personal and public nature.

The figure of Samuel Egerton (1711-80) dominates the history of the Egerton family of Tatton in the 18th century. The second son of John and Elizabeth, Samuel attended school in Sandbach with his brothers, although he did not follow his brother John to university. After the death of John Egerton Senior, the boys' uncle, Samuel Hill, advised Elizabeth on their education and upbringing. In 1729 he arranged an apprenticeship for Samuel with Joseph Smith in Venice. Smith (c.1676-1770) was an English merchant who took up long-term residence in Venice and in 1744 was appointed British Consul there. He was a friend of Samuel Hill and acted as his agent in Italy, buying up works of art for Hill's collection and shipping them to England. Whilst in Venice, Samuel Egerton developed an interest in the arts and he sat for a portrait by Bartolomeo Nazzari, which is still on display at Tatton Park. However, Samuel decided to leave Italy and return to England in 1734 without informing his uncle. Consequently relations between them seem to have been cut off until Samuel inherited Tatton on his brother's death in 1738.

During the first years after taking over the estate, he struggled financially and much of his time seems to have been taken up with trying to put his financial affairs in order. He was forced to lease Tatton to George Leigh [possibly George Leigh of Oughtrington] for a number of years. His finances improved, however, particularly with his marriage in 1750 to Beatrix, the daughter of John Copley of Elmley in Yorkshire. Their only daughter, another Beatrix, was born in 1754. In the following year Samuel's wife died and he was left to bring up Beatrix alone. He seems to have been close to his daughter, with whom he frequently travelled and who clearly inspired affection in many of their friends and relatives. Beatrix ultimately married Daniel Wilson of Dallam Tower, Westmorland, in 1778, but she died in childbirth the following year, a year before Samuel himself.

Samuel was elected as a Member for the county of Chester in 1754 and remained an MP for the rest of his life. He benefited from the will of Samuel Hill who died in 1758, receiving books and works of art as well as a number of new estates. During the 1760s and 1770s Samuel undertook extensive renovations at Tatton, employing the architects Thomas Farnolls Pritchard and Samuel Wyatt; he also made improvements to the gardens. By the time of his death he was a wealthy man: in addition to all his estates, he left over £36,000 in the form of gifts and legacies of various kinds [a copy of his will is held at Manchester Central Library]. Having no direct heirs he left the Tatton estates to his sister, Hester, and her descendants, with a provision that anyone who inherited should change their surname to Egerton within 6 months.