A PAIR OF LATE VICTORIAN OAK ARMCHAIRS

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VA… Read more

The sale of the contents of Bostock House, near Middlewich marks the end of an era, for the France-Hayhurst family have been at Bostock for over 200 years, and it is only the death of Dinah France-Hayhurst who died without children last year that prompts this sale. What was the main house on the estate, Bostock Hall, is a large brick mansion built in 1775 for Edward Tomkinson, the eldest son of James Tomkinson a prominent and successful lawyer who bought the Dorfold Estate, near Nantwich in 1754. A full length portrait of Edward and his younger brother by Gainsborough is now in the Taft Museum, Cincinnati, Ohio. Bostock was built to the design of Samuel Wyatt who also redesigned several rooms at Dorfold for James Tomkinson. Edward was a bachelor and after his death in 1792 Bostock Hall and its estate, at one time extending to 7500 acres, was sold to James France, a descendant of an ancient Lancashire family who were Liverpool merchants. It then passed down in the France-Hayhurst family to Dinah, daughter of George Carnegie, who died last year having assumed her mother's maiden name. The France-Hayhursts extensively remodelled and built onto the house in the 19th Century. After the last war the Hall was considered unmanageable and the family moved to Bostock House, formerly the agents house on the estate, in 1950. Bostock Hall became a school run by Manchester Corporation until it was sold in 1980, and converted into flats. The France-Hayhursts were large landowners in Cheshire; at one time as well as Bostock also having seats at Davenham Hall and Whatcroft Hall, both also near Middlewich. Several of the family were involved with the Cheshire Yeomanry; they hunted with The Cheshire Hounds and several were members of The Tarporley Hunt Club, the oldest hunt club in England.

Details

A PAIR OF LATE VICTORIAN OAK ARMCHAIRS
Each bearing the painted armorial and motto Virtus Semper Viridis of the France-Hayhurst family and with an intertwined monogram 'CH FH'
43in. (109cm.) high, 25in. (63cm.) wide (2)

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis This lot is subject to Collection and Storage charges

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