University Archives
Legard family, of Ganton
The Legard family can trace its origins back to a Robert de Legard at the time of the Norman Conquest. They possessed the lordship of Anlaby circa 1100 and held it continuously until the early twentieth century. The many branches of the Legard family suffered from divided allegiance during the English Civil Wars. Robert Legard (d.1721) was master of the High Court of Chancery and was knighted in 1682. Henry Legard (d.1819), was Registrar of Deeds for the East Riding from 1772 and upon his death the male line of the family failed. The Anlaby estates were devised by will to the heir of a colateral line at Ganton. The Legards of Ganton originally bought their estates at the end of the sixteenth century. John Legard (1631-1678) was MP for Scarborough and founder of the Kiplingcoates races. He was 1st baronet Legard. The Ganton estates passed down through his descendants until Charles Legard, 11th baronet (d.1901), after whose death they were sold. Family papers consist of photocopies of historical documents and genealogical material. A separate deposit of the papers of the Reverend Cecil Henry Legard (1843-1918), a celebrated steeplechase rider, includes licenses, a manuscript poem and a dozen letters, one from the Bishop of Peterborough [DDX/16/208, 241; DDBH/31/16-23].
The main Legard family archive is held at the East Riding of Yorkshire Archives Service [DDBL].