The Tharp family did not settle in Cambridgeshire until 1791-2, when John Tharp bought the Chippenham Park estate, itself largely the creation of Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford (1st creation).
For the previous century and a half Tharps had been planters in Jamaica; John Tharp remaining in Jamaica after his purchase of Chippenham Park until his death in 1804. The Chippenham estate was controlled by Chancery for much of the 19th century due to the lunacy of John Tharp’s grandson, also named John, but remained in the hands of the Tharp and Bacon families through the 20th century.
The main sequence of papers (183/[R55/7]) comprises manorial records of Snailwell and Chippenham, with title deeds, estate and family papers, extending overall from the 13th to 20th centuries.
There is also a remarkable sequence of records relating to the Good Hope plantation and to the Tharps’ seven other estates on Jamaica (R55/7/121-133). An itemised list is available in the R55 searchroom catalogue, and also as an online searchable list on the Access to Archives (a2a) website. A separate ‘handlist’ is also available in the searchroom, which includes biographical notes, a family tree and a note of publications.
Several sequences of supplementary papers (R63/20, R83/58, R84/29, R84/44, R86/33) have also been received for which summary lists are available in the searchroom.
A magnificent 1712 plan of the Chippenham estate (71/P3) is also held at Cambridgeshire Archives.
Tharp family papers are closed for 50 years from date of creation.
Listed records in this collection can be searched online on the Archives Catalogue in the left-hand menu.