Gell family of Hopton Hall, Wirksworth The Gell of Hopton papers reflect the part the family played in local society with members serving as MPs, High Sheriffs, Justices of the Peace and parish officers as well as promoting local railway and canal initiatives at a national level. The records include much material dealing with matters leading up to the Civil War as well as the prominent role played by Sir John Gell I and his brother Thomas for the Parliamentary side during the Civil War and Commonwealth. The records include papers relating to Sir John's involvement with the Derby Committee 1644-1645 and his later trial for high treason. The letters of Sir William Gell (1777-1836) to members of his family reflect his interests in history especially Pompeii, near Naples (Italy), diplomacy, gardening and his life in Italy where he spent most of his life after leaving England in 1814 as part of the entourage of Caroline, estranged wife of the Prince of Wales (later George IV). There are papers, photographs etc. reflecting the military career of Brigadier-General Harry Chandos-Pole-Gell, particularly during the Boer War and World War I The records also show the development of the estate by acquisition of properties by purchase or marriage, in some cases including deeds back to the 13th century. There are manorial records for Hopton and Carsington, Wirksworth, Hognaston, Hope, Hulland and Middleton by Wirksworth. Lead was an important factor in the family's wealth and there are many records showing the family's careful protection of its interests Reference Description Dates D258/1/1-62 Title deeds including lead ore tithe 1549-1872 D258/2/1-44 Title deeds 1657-1875 D258/3/1-11 Title deeds [1281]-1783 D258/4/1-7 Accounts 1672-1777 D258/5/1 Accounts 1641-1788 D258/5/2-11, 6/1-2 Philip Gell 1790-1840 D258/7/1 Medieval deeds including court case 1786 [1247]-1360 D258/7/2-5 Various [1624-1812 D258/7/6 Assessments for ship money etc 1635-1678 D258/7/7-7/13/1-18 Various 1552-1784 D258/7/13/19-35 Assessments 1676-1687 D258/7/13/36-40 Various 1577-1718 D258/7/13/41-48 Assessments 1682-1704 D258/7/13/49-62, 7/14-19 Various 1553-1684 D258/7/20 Mining [1540]-1708 D258/8/1 Correspondence Christian-Gell re lead ore 1672 D258/8/2-56 Various [1549]-1748 D258/9/1-17 Thomas Gell including election 1626-1658 D258/10/1-90 John Gell, civil war etc including court cases [1580]-1781 D258/11/1-30 Various 1594-1824 D258/12/1-43 Various 1603-1682 D258/13/1-76 Title deeds etc [1309]-1718 D258/14/1-16 Various 1764-1834 D258/15/1-3 17th cent printed 1628-1705 D258/16/1-36 Title deeds etc [1288]-1688 D258/17/1-9 Quarter Sessions 1820-1841 D258/17/10 Business - Canals and railways 1813-1841 D258/17/11-29 Miscellaneous 1552-1840 D258/17/30-31 Correspondence 1553-1720 D258/17/32 Philip Gell correspondence including Cromford Canal [1778]-1838 D258/17/33-44 Various 1531-1839 D258/17/45 Philip Gell correspondence etc 1777-1836 D258/18/1-3 Manor of Hope 1699-1819 D258/18/4 Ashbourne lectureship 1633-1693 D258/18/5-18/7/1-4 Estate papers 1643-1709 D258/18/7/5-29 Wirksworth School 1584-1796 D258/18/7/30-38, 18/8 Estate papers 1651-1783 D258/18/9 Hopton and Carsington manor court 1752-1801 D258/18/10 Wirksworth manor court 1754-1776 D258/18/11 Hognaston manor court 1752-1801 D258/18/12 Middleton by Wirksworth manor court 1752-1811 D258/18/13 Hulland manor court 1796 D258/18/14-19 Title deeds etc 1538-1771 D258/18/20 Assessments 1611-1686 D258/18/21-34 Title deeds etc 1540-1729 D258/18/35-38 Miscellaneous printed items 1831-1839 D258/19/1-30 Various 1571-1816 D258/19/31/1-23 Ashbourne lectureship 1690-1691 D258/19/31/24-33, 19/32-34 Various 1953-1901 D258/20/1-66, 21/1-20 Various [1470]-1798 D258/21/21-24 Philip Gell correspondence 1792-1796 D258/21/25 Quarter Sessions 1826-1833 D258/21/26-46/1-23 Various 1671-[1800] D258/21/46/24-35 Philip Gell correspondence 1769-1792 D258/21/47-66, 22/1-23 Various 1574-1849 D258/23/1-19/1-5 Title deeds etc including Wirksworth manor court, Witton (Durham) manor court 1562-1823 D258/23/19/6-26, 23/20-22 Correspondence 1556-1735 D258/24/1-5 Sir Philip Gell [1606]-1737 D258/24/6/1-26 Ashbourne lectureship 1689-1693 D258/24/6/27, 24/7-8 Various 1693-1717 D258/24/9/1-61 Wirksworth Hundred land tax assessments 1705-1711 D258/24/10 Wirksworth Hundred poll tax assessments 1689 D258/24/11-29 Various 1625-1816 D258/24/30-47 Sir Philip Gell 1625-1811 D258/24/48 Fogg v Gell case 1671-1719 D258/24/49-54 Sir Philip Gell 1996-1781 D258/25/1-25 Miscellaneous legal, financial and other papers 1420-1835 D258/26/1-23 Title deeds etc [1288]-[c1820] D258/27/1-4 Medieval deeds [1200]-1546 D258/27/5-17 Various [1493]-[1688] D258/28/1-53 Title deeds [1279]-1828 D258/29/1 Thomas Browne bankrupt 1804-1818 D258/29/2-4 Joseph Watson's estate accounts 1813-1827 D258/29/5 Quarter Sessions 1765-1782 D258/30/1-49 John Gell including High Treason charge [1579]-1687 D258/30/50-53 Thomas Gell 1504-1654 D258/31/1-16 Title deeds [1510]-1822 D258/32/1 John Gell 1650-1653 D258/32/2 Estate 1415-1639 D258/32/3-13 Honour of Tutbury 1554-[1800] D258/32/14-52 Various 1571-1827 D258/33/1-2/1-24 Correspondence 1552-1718 D258/33/2/25, 33/3-21 Various [1546]-1703 D258/33/22-23 Overseers of the Poor Hopton 1692-1715 D258/33/24-38 Various [1550]-1783 D258/34/1-86 John Gell including Wirksworth Hundred assessments 1511-1711 D258/35/1-55 Various accounts, deeds etc including Wirksworth Hundred land tax assessments [1547]-1812 D258/36/1/1-34 Anthony Gell 1559-1592 D258/36/1/35-36, 36/2-8 Title deeds 1394-1604 D258/36/9/49 Various [1525]-1905 D258/37/1-6 Title deeds [1297]-1737 D258/37/7-25 Various [1546]-1664 D258/38/1-8 Correspondence etc 1567-1729 D258/39/1-10 Title deeds 1318-1794 D258/41/1-21 Various 1583-1856 D258/41/22-23 Cromford and High Peak Railway 1769-1830 D258/41/24-38, 42 Various 1680-1828 D258/43 Hopton receipt papers 1804-1877 D258/44 Sir John Gell c.1680 D258/45/1-10 Philip Gell's estates, deeds etc 1310-1897 D258/45/11-38 Deeds and papers re Jessop family of Broomhall (Yorkshire) 1320-1842 D258/45/39 Philip Gell 1745-1841 D258/45/40 Chandos Pole Gell 1724-1898 D258/45/41 Wirksworth School 1817-1826 D258/45/42 Miscellaneous 1641-1731 D258/45/47 Wilkinson: collection of taxes 1718-1730 D258/45/48 Anthony Gell School 1584-1834 D258/45/49 Miscellaneous 1620-1818 D258/45/50 Wilkinson lands in Boroughbridge and Aldborough 1598-1703 D258/45/51 Miscellaneous 1634-1701 D258/45/52 Drax 1535-1536 D258/45/53-55 Miscellaneous 1637-1856 D258/46 Staffordshire estate paper 1834-1879 D258/48/1-11 Philip Gell 1791-1877 D258/48/12-28, 49 Various 1597-1868 D258/50/1-155 Sir William Gell (1777-1836) family letters 1801-1834 D258/51 Various 1825-1923 D258/52 Volume of bound letters and other documents 1673-1828 D258/53 Printed pamphlets 1612-1825 D258/54 Isabella Thornhill 1850s-1870s D258/55 Pedigrees and other papers 1671-1966 D258/56 Gell family papers series A-D 1569-1912 D258/57 Family papers 1643-1918 D2258/58-62 Various 16th cent-1951 D2258/64 Boer War 1899-1902 D258/65/1-17 Henry Chandos Pole Gell 1722-1919 D258/65/18-21 Family papers 1819-1907 D258/67 Masque by William Browne 1614-20th cent D258/68-70, 72 Pedigrees, plans and other 1711-19th cent D258/71 Diary of Isabella Thornhill 1200-1905