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An account book of the ?Hen (Haun, Hain) Fferm (Ferm) colliery [co. ] in which the Reverend John Conway Potter [who assumed the surname Conway in lieu of Potter circa 1825], the Reverend Dr. Richard Howard and Miss [ ] Lloyd appear to have had an interest, 1824-1832.

Forty-one holograph and other letters, 1722-1835 and undated, in two groups. (a) Fifteen letters, 1722-1745 and undated, to the Reverend Benjamin Conway [vicar of Northop, 1717-1748, and warden of Ruthin hospital, ?1713-1748] at Soughton and Northop, from Edward Edwards, Carnarvon, 17[ ] (the academic exercises to be undertaken to obtain a degree ?at Oxford), Hen[ry] Fane, 1744/5-1745 (2) (the death of the writer's wife [Mary or Anne, daughter of John Wynne, bishop of St. Asaph, 1715-1727, and of Bath and Wells, 1727-1743] and arrangements for the burial [at Northop]), Edward Griffiths, Mould, 1727 (a request for a warrant against Edward Jones of Mould who had taken the writer's horse) (endorsed with a recipe for a 'drink for Cattell'), Fr[ancis Hare, bishop of St.] Asaph, 1729 (bishop Goodman's charity), Tho[mas] Lewis, St. Asaph, 1722 (legal matters), Tho[mas] Lloyd, Chester, 1734/5 (financial matters), J. Meres, London, 1735 (transactions relating to the sale of an estate), John Tamberlain, Ruthyn, 1731 and undated (2) (a request by recipient's mother for medicine, the writer's duties? as tutor, an earthquake at Dolgelley, the coming parliamentary elections in [Merionethshire and ? Flintshire]), A[nne] Wynne [widow of bishop John Wynne, the writer of the three following letters], 1744/5 (the death of the writer's daughter Fane [Mary or Anne Fane. See letter from Henry Fane above] and arrangements for the burial [at Northop]), J[ohn Wynne, bishop of St.] Asaph [1715-1727] and of Bath and Wells [1727-1743], St. Asaph and Wells, 1726-1740 (3) (Mr. [ ] Myddelton's tenure of the cure of Flint (1726), the valuation of an estate the writer proposed to buy ? from the recipient (1734), a lease ? of minerals), and Robert Wynne, Ruthin, 1730/1 (the writer's ? financial misfortunes). (b) Twenty-six miscellaneous letters, 1743-1835 and undated:- G[eorge] F[rederick] Beltz, Lanc[aster Herald], Herald's College, to the Rev[eren]d B[ enjamin] C[onway] Conway, Soughton, Northope, 1825 (to accompany a royal licence authorising Mr. and Mrs. [John Conway] Potter and the issue of their marriage to take the surname of Conway) (endorsed with genealogical notes on Catherine of Beren and her descendants); James Conway, Flint, to the Rev[eren]d C[onway] Conway, Soughton, Northop, 1835 (personal); J[ohn] Conway Conway, Soughton, to the Rev[eren]d Francis Owen, Rectory House, Efenechtyd, 1835 (proposals relating to buildings and lands lately held by recipient's predecessor Mr. [Edward] Thelwall); Marg[are]t Conway, Cotton Hall, to Mrs. Hughes, Sughton Ucha, near Northop, undated (a recipe for an ointment); Price Davies, York River, Virginia, and York River at the Glebe in Blisland, to the Rev[eren]d Mr. Conway at Soughton, near Northop, 1763- 1765 (2) (the writer's arrival in America, his acceptance of the ministry of the parish of Blisland, the method of appointing ministers, a description of the neighbourhood and its inhabitants, a request for a copy of the scheme setting forth the subscriptions raised for clergymen's widows in the diocese of St. Asaph (1763), the writer's activities, his health, marriage, house and glebe lands, salary of '16000 pounds of Tobacco', etc., the arrival of John Pugh, curate of Llandoget, in America and his acceptance of a parish called St. James in the county of Mecklenburg [North Carolina]); Edward Potter Griffith to his wife Dorothea, undated (to accompany a parcel of pens); [Richard Grosvenor, 1st baron] Grosvenor [of Eaton, co. Chester, later 1st viscount Belgrave, co. Chester, and 1st earl Grosvenor], Eaton, to the Rev[eren]d W[illia]m Conway, 1765 (a gift of a mare with information as to her pedigree); Tho[mas] Hughes, [rector of] Llanfwrog, to the Rev[eren]d Mr. Conway, Soughton, near Northop, 1771 (an application for a right of way ?for the writer's cattle through recipient's field); C. Lloyd, Gay St[reet, ], to Miss [Benedicta] Conway, Soughton, Northop, 1831 (2) (a tenant for the writer's property at Upper Soughton and the state of the property, news of acquaintances); B[enjamin] C[onway] Potter [Oxford], to his mother, Mrs. Potter, Soughton Grove, Northop [1810] (? a degree ceremony at Oxford when degrees were conferred upon [George Nugent-Temple-Grenville, 1st] marquess of Buckingham, [Montagu Bertie, 5th earl of] Abingdon, and Mr. [ ] Tierney, a concert [held at Oxford] in which [? John] Braham, [? Samuel] Harrison, Mrs. [ ] Dickenson and [? Angelica] Catalini [sic] had taken part); Cath[erine] Potter to the Rev[eren]d Mr. Conway, Soughton, near Northop, 1771 (the death of the writer's husband [the Reverend John Potter, rector of Badgworth, co. Somerset]); John Potter, Shepton Malet, to . . ., 1754 (a proposed marriage between the writer and Miss Kitty); John Potter [as in the previous letter], Frome, to . . ., 1767 (personal, an abstract of the will of Mrs. Wickham which required that the Upper Soughton estates be sold, proposals concerning the said estates); J[ohn] C[onway] Potter, Soughton, to. . ., 1822 (legal matters) (copy); E. Roberts, Inglefield Green, to Mrs. Conway, Upper Soughton, near Northop, [17]67 (personal, news of acquaintances); E. Spencer, Horsington, to Mrs. Conway, Soughton, near Northope, 1768 (news of the writer's family and of acquaintances); Hugh Totty to [Mr. Conway], undated (legal matters); Ant[ ] Wickham, Doulting [co. Somerset], to . . ., undated (the death of recipient's father, recipient's application for the vicarage of Northope, moves and suggested moves in support of the application); Ja[me]s Wickham, Frome, to Miss Conway, Soughton, near Northop, 1767 (2) (a deed empowering recipient's 'Cosen Wickham to dispose of the Estate' [? the Upper Soughton estate. See under John Potter above], Mr. [John] Potter's intention of coming to view the property, the valuation of and title to the estate, news of the writer's family and of acquaintances), to the Rev[eren]d Mr. Conway, Soughton, near Northop, 1770 (legal matters), and to Mrs. Potter, Chester, 1772 (financial matters, the taking by the commissioners of the Frome turnpike roads of part of the court in front of recipient's house); Mary Wickham to Mrs. Conway near Northorp [sic], undated (personal); and A[nne] Wynne [widow of bishop John Wynne. See above in section (a)] to Mrs. Conway, Soughton, near Northop, 1743 (personal, references to the writer's 'Tryal' and 'Affliction', probably the death of her husband which had taken place in the previous month).

Twenty-two holograph letters, 1788-[1831] and undated, addressed to the above as the Reverend John Conway Potter and the Reverend John Conway Conway at Soughton, Northop, etc. [the surname Conway having been adopted in lieu of Potter circa 1825. See NLW MS. 12435E section (b)]. The writers include [Lewis Bagot], bishop of St. Asaph, and Mrs. Bagot, St. Asaph, 1797 (personal) (in third person), [the Reverend] L[uke] Booker, vicar of Dudley, 1825 (enclosing a poem entitled 'Votive Lines . . . on contemplating the Tomb of . . . Bishop [Richard] Hurd [bishop successively of Lichfield and Coventry, 1775-1781, and of Worcester, 1781-1808] in Hartlebury Church Yard') (in third person), T[homas] H[ugh] Clough, Hope, 1826 (the refusal of the writer's uncle Griffith to sign a conveyance of Cemmaes in favour of the writer), Will[ia]m Eccles, Manchester, 1822 (2) (legal matters), R. Howard, Cefn [1831] (advice concerning a wood, a road being constructed ?near Wygfair mansion), L. Hughes, Bronwhilfa, 1788 (a note to accompany a copy of the will of John Lloyd of Hafodunos, deceased), Rich[ard] Humphreys, Rose Hill, 1826 (payment of recipient's quota in respect of the Rhuddlan marsh embankment), G. W. Kenrick, Woor Hall, 1801 (condolences on the death of Mrs. Lloyd [? Dorothea, wife of Howel Lloyd of Hafodunos]), David Pennant, Downing [co. Flint], undated (2) (a request to recipient to go to Flint as a justice to examine Hugh Roberts, a rumour that the Halkin and other miners planned to liberate a prisoner from Flint gaol by force), Tho[mas] Pennant, Downing and Hanover Square [London], 1790-1792 (4) (roads in ?recipient's neighbourhood), Sarah Potter, Lowestoft, 1799-1803 (3) (family news especially the state of her father's health, mention of Napoleon), Mr. Roberts, Mold, 1826 (legal matters) (in third person), F. Roberts, Ty mawr, 1796 (legal matters), Mr. [ ] Stodart, St. Asaph [1816] (the purchase by Mr. [Henry] Foss at the sale [of the library of John Lloyd, deceased] held at Wygfair, of The Life of King Arthur for £320 [see the annotated sale catalogue in NLW MS 12500B], the sale of the 'Manuscripts for ab.t £50 principally purchased for Col. Vaughan') (in third person), and R. Waring, Leeswood [17]92 (the engaging of a gardener).

Fifty-eight holograph letters addressed to the Reverend John Conway Potter at Hafodunos, at Em[m]anuel College, Cambridge, and at Soughton or Soughton Grove, Northop, by [the Reverend] R[obert] Potter [schoolmaster at Scarning, co. Norfolk, 1761-1789, canon of Norwich cathedral, 1788-1804, vicar of Lowestoft, 1789-1804] from Scarning, Norwich, and Lowestoft, 1778-1801 (progress made by the writer with his 'new Edition of Aeschylus' which was to be published the following February [The Tragedies of Aeschylus. Translated, Norwich, 4to edition, 1777. Another edition, London, 8vo, in 1779], the notes [on the tragedies of Aeschylus] which had been sent to Mr. Mountain and were being published by the [Cambridge] University Press, an eight day stay in London with visits to Vaux Hall, the Haymarket Theatre, and Kensington Gardens, and rambles from painter to painter, the painting of Jack's [? John Potter, the writer's son] picture by Mr. [William] Doughty described as 'a very pretty young man at Sir Joshua Reynolds', a head of the writer [painted] by [George] Romney, Romney's wish to exhibit this picture in his gallery, an intended 'attack on Euripides', the recipient's visit to Dublin, advice to recipient to pursue his studies (1778); a legal action in which the writer was involved ? relating to the rectory of Badgworth, trouble at Scarning [? school] 'from little and great Masters and their Papas and Mammas', the deaths of five of the seven trustees [? of Scarning school] and a request by 'Mr. Lombe, our new Lord' that the trust be renewed, news from Mr. Hopkins of Tenby concerning a legacy due to ? recipient and his sisters, expectations of being moved from Scarning, work on Euripides the first volume of which was advertised in December [The Tragedies of Euripides. Translated, 1781], an accident to the writer when his horses shied and his chaise overturned (1779); the death of 'a great man' from whom the writer had hopes of preferment, ? sarcastic comments on recipient's lack of opportunity to hunt and his presence at Chester races, legacies bequeathed by the writer's sister-in-law, the death of the writer's sister at Frome and his visit to Frome ? in connection with the estate, the Puddimore estates (1780); Dr. [ ] Parr's civility to recipient, affairs at Puddimore, the bishop's [? Philip Young, bishop of Norwich] recovery, the writer's hopes that he would be able to fix his son in curacies near himself, the young man's ordination at Norwich [probably the son] and his acceptance of a curacy at Southwold on the Suffolk coast, the death of Lady L'Estrange [? Lady Mary, widow of Sir Henry L'Estrange, 6th bart. of Hunstanton, co. Norfolk] (1781); the recipient's intention of taking orders, expenses in connection with ?the Puddimore estate, comments on the ancestors of the Lloyd family of Havodynos, the institution of [the Reverend] John Crofts to the vicarage of Bradenham [co. Norfolk], a law suit between Mr. Crofts and [Mr.] Betts at Thetford [co. Norfolk] assizes ( 1782); the marriage of the writer's cousin Eliza, reflections on the attitudes of bishops who had tender consciences when a young man omitted 'any trifling and insignificant circumstance', but who were themselves in the habit of being absent from their dioceses in town in the winter and at some watering place in summer, estates held by Mrs. Daltera 'of the rectory of Badgworth', a proposed valuation of estates held by the writer and recipient at Puddimore (1783); electioneering activity in co. Norfolk, involving Sir John Wodehouse [6th bart. of Kimberley, co. Norfolk, later 1st baron Wodehouse of Kimberley, co. Norfolk] and Sir Ed[ward] Astley [4th bart. of Melton Constable, co. Norfolk], who were elected as members for the county, and Mr. [? Thomas William] Coke [of Holkham, co. Norfolk, successful candidate in 1780], who withdrew from the contest, the death of the writer's daughter, benefices obtained by John Crofts and [ ] Paley, the marriage of the writer's son to 'his Mrs. Sheldrake' (1784); a visit by the writer to London to try to get some of the money due for Euripides on which occasion he had seen [Francois] Blanchard ascend in his balloon, Mrs. [Sarah] Siddons playing Rosalind [in 'As You Like It'], and Sir Joshua [Reynolds's] painting of Venus, a reference to the writer's work entitled An Inquiry into some passages in Dr. Johnson's Lives of the Poets . . . which he had published two years previously, comments on Dr. Johnson's character and his critical ability, the publishing of the writer's two odes The Oracle concerning Babylon [and the Song of Exultation, 1785 ], congratulations on the birth of recipient's child (1785) (continued)

the death of the writer's wife, a visit to Southwold, changes in the writer's household ( 1786); the writer's 'labours in the Athenian Theatre', Mrs. Punchard's transfer of the school to Sarah [ ], the completion of the writer's [ translation of] Sophocles [The Tragedies of Sophocles. Translated, 1788] which he had undertaken at the request of a countess who had advanced the money for publication [? Georgiana, Countess Dowager Spencer, to whom the work is dedicated], thoughts of a visit to the recipient at Soughton Grove with the proposed route, the knighting of Mr. Fenn for publishing two 'Vols. of old Letters' [Sir John Fenn, the first two volumes of whose work Original Letters written during the reigns of Henry VI, Edward IV and Richard III . . ., which included letters of the Paston family, were published in 1787] (1787); the loss of recipient's son, relations with parishioners at Badgworth and occasional thoughts of going to reside there, a visit by Mr. [ ] Rash and his daughter to Ireland and an inclination on their part to visit Wales, the progress through the press of the writer's [translation of] Sophocles, an offer to the writer by the Lord Chancellor [Edward Thurlow, 1st baron Thurlow of Ashfield, co. Suffolk, later 1st baron Thurlow of Thurlow, co. Suffolk] of a vacant prebend in Norwich [cathedral] and his installation into that dignity 'worth more than 300 £ a year', the writer's taking of his M.A., degree at Cambridge 'necessary on this occasion' [i.e., his installation as canon], and the offer of a doctorate which he had declined, the two months residence at Norwich [cathedral] in June and July, the appearance of Mrs. [Sarah] Siddons on the stage at Norwich for ten nights in September, a visit to the same city in the same month by the singer Madam [Gertrud Elisabeth] Mara [née Schmeling], oratorios and concerts at St. Peter's church and St. Andrew's hall, Norwich, on this occasion (1788); the death of Mrs. Daltera which gave Mrs. Griffith possession of the two estates at Badgworth, the conditions of the lease of the said estates showing the interest the writer's son had therein, the possibility that the late bishop [Jonathan Shipley of St. Asaph] would be succeeded by Dr. Watson known as 'B[isho]p Bluster' [? Dr. Richard Watson, bishop of Llandaff], Mr. Griffith's attitude towards the lease of the Badgworth estate, the loss of recipient's son, the writer's collation [by Lewis Bagot, bishop of Norwich] to the livings of Lowestoft and Kessingland 'the united Vicarages are at present worth 470 £ a year and increasing under an Act of Inclosure', comments on the town of Lowestoft and plans for buying a house and settling there in the following spring, the writer's joy in being rid of Badgworth which had been bestowed upon [the Reverend William] Wainhouse, a claim by [John Warren] bishop of Bangor that he had helped in obtaining the prebend [at Norwich] for the writer (1789); the move from Scarning and the furnishing of houses at Norwich and Lowestoft, the situation of the house at Lowestoft, letters from Mr. Wainhouse, the writer's successor at Badgworth [ see above], about dilapidations, the election of a successor to the writer at Scarning [? as schoolmaster], the new bishop [of St. Asaph, Lewis Bagot translated from Norwich in 1790] (1790); the death of the writer's son, a draft for twenty five guineas sent by Mr. Griffith to the writer's deceased son for his interest in the rectorial estates at Badgworth, a visit from [Charles Manners Sutton, bishop of Norwich], comments on improvements and bathing activity at Lowestoft, the appointment of a neighbour [the Reverend] Hugh Hill as rector of Southampton (1792); [George] Romney's portrait of the writer's son, rumours of the writer's marriage spread by, inter alios, Harry Hobart 'Member [of Parliament] for the City' [of Norwich], an invitation from the mayor [of Norwich] to the writer to preach the Fast Sermon and a request by the court of mayoralty that the sermon be published [A Sermon preached before the . . . Mayor of Norwich and the Corporation . . . the day appointed . . . as a General Fast, Norwich, 1793], ships and visitors at Lowestoft, the visitors including earls, barons, and [Charles Manners Sutton], bishop of Norwich, and Mrs. Sutton, a sermon preached at Lowestoft by the bishop, the enlargement of the churchyard at Lowestoft and the consecration of the additional area (1793); a visit to Norwich by [Lewis Bagot], bishop of St. Asaph, and Mrs. Bagot, a meeting of the county called at Norwich by [George Townshend, 1st] marquess Townshend [of Raynham, co. Norfolk], the gathering by the democrats of 'a numerous Mob together of the lowest of the people', the deaths of Samuel Rash and Sir John Fenn, changes in the appearance of Lowestoft, structural alterations adjacent to and affecting the writer's house (1794); the election of members of parliament for the city [of Norwich], the violent contest against Mr. [William] Wyndham [one of the two members returned] and the defeat of the 'Democratic Quakers', the election of members [of parliament] for the county [of Norfolk] and the return of the former members Sir John Wodehouse [see above] and [Thomas William] Coke 'without opposition for want of time only', flooding in the Norfolk area, Miss Kitty Potter's marriage [? the writer's daughter], Mr. [John] Lloyd's candidature for the parliamentary representation of recipient's county [of Flint], the death of the two members of parliament for Yarmouth since the general election [of May 1796] and the election of two new members on 26 October, the efforts of the Presbyterian Democrats to secure one of the seats (1796); the writer's belief that there would be no invasion at Lowestoft, the protecting of the coast by Admiral [Adam] Duncan [later 1st baron Duncan of Lundie, co. Perth, and viscount Duncan of Camperdown], with fourteen ships of the line and six frigates (April 1797); chapter meetings at [Norwich] (1800); throughout the letters there is copious news of the state of the writer's health, news of the health and activities of various members of the writer's family, news of mutual friends and acquaintances, and enquiries after and comments on news concerning recipient's family).

Miscellaneous papers relating to mining matters, including a letter from John Wynne to Howell Lloyd at Havodynos [18th cent.] concerning the affairs of the Aled Level Mine; a memorial by C. B. Dyer, as agent of the Gwernymynydd Mines Company, to the lords of Mold, 31 March 1831, with regard to the drainage of mines and difficulties encountered in obtaining additional land for driving a deep level (addressed on the outside to the Rev[eren]d J[ohn] C[onway] Conway, Soughton, Northop); an agreement, 1848, whereby the Rev[eren]d Richard Howard of Llanrhaiadr yn Cinmerch, co. Denbigh, granted to David Evans of the parish of Llandudno, and Evan Evans, Edward Evans, John Jones and George John Newton, all of Liverpool, mineral rights on Trecastell farm in the parish of Llangelynin, co. Carnarvon (draft copy); an account of payments in respect of the Trawsfynydd Mine, 1815-1817; an account of the sale of coal and slack at Argoed Colliery [ ] for the half year ending 26 June 1824; notes on a speltre furnace; accounts between the Llandidno Mine Company and Messrs. Roe and Company, smelters of copper ore, 1793-1801; two accounts - the Llandidno New Mine Co. in account with the proprietor of Mona mine in respect of copper ore delivered to the Mona smelting works, 1830-1831 (both are addressed on the dorse to Thomas Jones, mine agent, New Mine, Llandidno, and the first is accompanied by a covering letter from Evan Evans, Mona Lodge Office, January 1831); an account relating to the Trecastell [co. Caernarvon] mine, 1811-1812; and extracts from a letter from John Wynn of Gwedir [sic] [later Sir John Wynn, 1st. bart.] to [Ralph Eure, 3rd] lord Eure, [lord] president [of the Council] of Wales, 30 November 1607, and from an undated letter from the said John Wynn to Sir Thomas Middleton [Kt., of Chirk Castle], both relating to Anglesey mineral water and experiments in connection with the production of copper.

A valuation made in 1820 by William Williams of the Wygfair estate belonging to the Rev[eren]d J[ohn] C[onway] Potter.