McCrum Miller family Archives

Part of what makes Milford House collections so important is that we have all of the McCrum Miller family papers. The gift of Rev. John Miller the great grandson of Robert Garmany McCrum of Milford House. We have all the family papers. They were inherited from his father William McCrum R.M and prior to donation Rev. John Miller catalogued all the papers prior to donation.

BUSINESS PAPERS

We hold all the family business papers dating from 1786 to end of 20th century. They provide a unique insight into the riseof the family, changing fortunes and decline of high society in Ulster.

These range from Wills, Mortgages marriage contracts, documents relating to McCrum, Watson & Mercer

SUNDRY DOCUMENTS

The archives are filled with sundry receipts ranging from Armay and Navy stores account books, bills for R.G McRum carriage repairs, benefaction receipts, invoices and even chequebooks. We are fortunate that the family kept all their receipts

ROBERT GARMANY MCCRUM COPY BOOKS

Every letter (whether business or personal) Robert Garmany McCrum kept a copy of on greaseproof paper. Rev. John Miller donated the originals in the early days of the foundation of Public Records Northern Ireland. However in 2022 he donated transcript of all the letters which he copied himself to Milford House. These letters range include numerous correspondence with Girwood (who later found Salt Lake City) the New York agent for cCrum, Watson & Mercer. There is even a letter hiring a housemaid and a letter to Prime Minister Gladstone over a dispute regaridng water rates! Personal letters written to William McCrum regarding his debts and scandal over Maude McCrum's scandalous affairs.

PERSONAL FAMILY CORRESPONCE

Perhaps the most personal correspondence we have is between Robert G. McCrum and his wife Annie Riddall. In 1867 she went first to Warrenpoint and later to Bournemouth to recouperate from consumption, with her two children, a nursemaid and companion. Written three times a day over two year period the letters are intimate, entertaining a a unique resource. Sadly they have sad end as Annie died of consumption in January 1869 aged only twenty nine years old. There are one hundred and sixty nine letters and Rev. John Miller generously donated all the original letters with a transcript of each letter!