Description: When James Smithson wrote his will on October 23, 1826, he made several bequests to people before adding the contingent clause that created the Smithsonian Institution. One bequest was to a resident of London’s notorious East End.
Description: Great Durnford Manor is one of the largest and most sought-after properties described in the Hungerford Deed. In the division of lands, it was awarded to Elizabeth Macie, James Smithson’s mother. Despite battling for years to obtain the manor, Macie sold it to an acquaintance within four years instead of keeping it in the family to pass on to her sons.1 The parish of Durnford
Description: Much has been learned and uncovered about the Hungerford Deed—but what is still out there to learn? Dig in with us to explore a few of these unanswered questions!
Description: When James Smithson claimed in his will that “the best blood of England” ran through his veins, he was referring primarily to his family connection to the medieval Hungerfords.1 The Hungerfords were royal companions and powerful politicians in their heyday, and this good fortune managed to endure for centuries before dwindling away. Their family estates, passed down in some
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