Pre-foundation records, 1764 - 1837
Scope and Contents
This series comprises records created prior to the founding of Downing College yet fundamentally connected with it. They do not cover law suits concerning recovering estate assets and revenues, but rather the legal processes and work and discussion involved in obtaining a charter and thus founding Downing College.
Dates
- Creation: 1764 - 1837
Conditions Governing Access
Open
Biographical / Historical
The death of Sir George Downing's final heir was followed by years of legal wrangling between his heirs-at-law who now tried to bring Downing College into being, and the wife and descendants of Jacob Garrard Downing. As a result it was a painfully slow process gaining the charter for Downing College.
Extent
5 archive box(es) (5 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This is an artificial record group, split between correspondence, pedigrees and legal papers and organised in the main chronologically
Former / Other Reference
D/F
Originator(s)
Heirs-at-law of George Downing; Annesley, Francis; Solicitors
Repository Details
Part of the Downing College Repository
Downing College Archive
Downing College
Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB2 1DQ United Kingdom
+44 (0)1223 762905
archivist@dow.cam.ac.uk