Packington Hall (Staffordshire)

For the hall in Warwickshire, see Packington Hall.

Packington Hall (grid reference SK163063) in Staffordshire, England was a country mansion designed by architect James Wyatt in the 18th century that was the home of the Levett family for many generations.[1] The Levetts had ties to Whittington, Staffordshire and nearby Hopwas for many years.

Packington Hall is located approximately two miles from Lichfield, and was likely built for Zachary Babington[2] whose daughter Mary Babington married Theophilus Levett, town clerk of Lichfield.[3] From Theophilus Levett the home passed to a succession of family members, including MP John Levett, the Rev. Thomas Levett, who was the vicar of Whittington, and Robert Thomas Kennedy Levett, DL, JP.[4]

The Levett family, many of whom also resided at Wychnor Hall in the same county, embraced vicars, MP's, barristers and soldiers.[5] Levetts of Wychnor and Packington also served as High Sheriff of Staffordshire. The family was related to the Levetts of Milford Hall in the same county, as well as to the Floyers[6] of Hints Hall, Hints, Staffordshire,[7][8] the Gresleys of Drakelow, the Arkwrights, the Disbrowes, the Wilmot-Sitwells, the Prinseps, the Repingtons, the Parkyns, the Kennedys of Culzean[9][10] and others. The several Levett byways in Lichfield are named for the family.

The last member of the Levett family to reside at Packington Hall was Rev. Thomas Prinsep Levett, son of Col. Robert Thomas Kennedy Levett, and graduate of Clare College, Cambridge, and a longserving clergyman at Richmond, North Yorkshire and Selby Abbey. Rev. Thomas P. Levett died at Frenchgate, Richmond, in 1938.[11] Rev. Thomas Levett's brother Robert Kennedy Levett attended Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and also chose a career in the ministry.[12] Another brother, George Arthur Monro Levett, went up to Christ's College, Cambridge after Clifton College, and became a land agent in Kent.[13]

Packington Hall was subsequently sold to the Bowden cable manufacturing company CTP Gills Ltd., which manufactures parts for automotive companies. The company occupied the home in the 1940s when its factory in Birmingham was bombed. CTP Gills was sold in 2006 to Suprajit, an Indian engineering firm.[14] In 2007 Gills Cables Ltd vacated the property and moved to a smaller factory in Tamworth.

References

  1. ^ History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Staffordshire and the City and County, William White, Independent Office, Sheffield, 1834
  2. ^ Zachary Babington, will of Zachary Babington, Whittington History Society, wdhs.org
  3. ^ Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry, Vol. I, John Burke, Henry Colburn, London, 1847
  4. ^ Mansions and Country Seats of Staffordshire and Warwickshire, Alfred Williams, Walter Henry Mallett, F. Brown, 1899
  5. ^ Plantagenet Roll of the Blood Royal, Marquis of Ruvigny & Raineval Staff, reissued by Genealogical Publishing Company, 1994
  6. ^ The Royal Families of England, Scotland and Wales, with Their Descendants, John Burke, John Bernard Burke, Vol. II, London, 1851
  7. ^ History of the Town and Castle of Tamworth, Charles Ferrers Palmer, Jonathan Thompson, Tamworth, 1845
  8. ^ Historical and Topographical Description of Repton, in the County of Derby, Robert Bigsby, Woodfall and Kinder, London, 1854
  9. ^ History of the Counties of Ayr and Wigton, James Paterson, Vol. II, James Stillie, Edinburgh, 1864
  10. ^ The Peerage of the British Empire, Edmund Lodge, Saunders and Otley, London, 1855
  11. ^ Levett, Thomas Prinsep in Venn, J. & J. A., Alumni Cantabrigienses, Cambridge University Press, 10 vols, 1922–1958.
  12. ^ Levett, Robert Kennedy in Venn, J. & J. A., Alumni Cantabrigienses, Cambridge University Press, 10 vols, 1922–1958.
  13. ^ Levett, George Arthur Monro in Venn, J. & J. A., Alumni Cantabrigienses, Cambridge University Press, 10 vols, 1922–1958.
  14. ^ Suprajit Engineering buys out partner for Rs 25 crore, Business Standard ,Bangalore April 26, 2006

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Further reading