Cyfres JF - Mathafarn estate letters

Letters mainly to John Pughe of Mathfarn, MP from his family, agents, solicitors, friends and acquaintances, with copies of his replies and forwarded third party letters, 1704-1734. They reflect the private life of John Pughe among the Welsh gentry and his position as MP for the Montgomery Boroughs, containing news of Parliamentary and county affairs, together with expressions of local political support. Many of the letters discuss the household supplies, servants, livestock, sale of rabbits and estate management at Mathafarn, the trust of William Vaughan of Caethle, debts and mortgages, emphasising the difficulty of securing money on estates in Wales, the solicitation of John Pughe’s influence to gain employment or ecclesiastical preferment, appeals for legal help and requests for money. The latter demonstrate both the precarious system of credit, and the financial dependency of widows and single women in the eighteenth century. Specific subjects of interest are described at file level.