Peter,
Sometimes you get lucky and the scrappers sell stuff on, particularly aviation parts. Its a shame no-one took you up on the offer of parts, but getting a quick decision from a museum is often difficult.
The time frame was some 15 years before I came to the Shackleton Preservation Trust. In the mid - 1990's they had just paid quite a bit of money (and probably decimated their budget at the time) to do something quite impressive and unique - they bought the archive and Design Rights to the Shackleton from British Aerospace. I don't believe BAe have done this for any other aircraft they hold rights for.
We have a couple of rear propellers in the wonderful packing crates you mention; indeed most of the ex-MOD parts we come across are similarly well packed. It makes modern packing techniques seem very inadequate!
Don't worry about spoiling anyone's weekend; the fact that you sold quite a bit means that parts are out there somewhere. If they can't be found when needed, the drawings survive so things can be re-made. It just takes a little longer is all.
Kind Regards
Rich