Archives and Special Collections: Subject guides - Religious Archives

Sykes family papers

The Catholic material in this large landed family collection relates to (Christina Anne) Jessica Sykes (1856-1912), wife of the 5th baronet, Tatton Sykes (1826-1913), who was himself a Protestant and great church restorer. In 1882 she converted to Catholicism with her son, Mark Sykes (1879-1919). There are letter books for Mark Sykes covering the years 1902-1919 [DDSY/101/112-115] and DDSY(2) solely comprises his papers. There are over 400 letters to his wife, Edith ne้ Gorst, who was also a Catholic [DDSY(2)/1/2]. There are letters from the Bishop of Middlesborough and the duke of Norfolk [DDSY(2)/1/47], though Sykes was not involved in Catholic religious politics. Embedded in his correspondence are some letters of his mother and these include one letter from the duke of Norfolk to Cardinal Manning about the building of Westminster Cathedral and two letters from Jessica Sykes to Cardinal Manning with two replies 1883-1885 [DDSY(2)/1/54]. There is also a report of St William's Catholic School in Market Weighton 1910 [DDSY/44/1].