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Papers of David Urquhart : Additional accession

PROVENANCE

The following 15 photocopied letters were given to the College by M. Stevens in 1993. The Letters were acquired by Mr. Stevens at auction from the Auctioneers, Messrs. Stride & Son, Chichester on 6th October 1993. As a philatelist, Mr. Stevens' prime interest in the letters lay in their stamps rather than in their precise contents. This explains why Mr. Stevens kindly gave to the College the originals of letters vi / x / xv, since they were accompanied by neither envelope nor stamp at the time of purchase. Mr Stevens however, generously allowed the College to photocopy the originals of the letters accompanied by their original envelope and stamp in order that they could be included within the Urquhart papers already held by the College.

ARRANGEMENT

Since the correspondence does not fall into any particular theme, it was decided to divide the letters in order of precedence in line with the rest of the Urquhart Papers. Where possible a rough description of the contents of the letters has been made.

ABBREVIATIONS

Several of the letters to Harriet Urquhart are from her sister. The full signature of Harriet Urquhart's sister was indecipherable, however her first name and the beginning of her surname were identified as Frances Walde... ? Therefore, for convenience, and since she often signed herself FW., this abbreviated form will be employed. As with the rest of the catalogue, the appropriate abbreviations will be used.

All are AMS. [Where there are no dates on the letter itself the earliest postmark dates has been given].

I .LETTERS TO DAVID URQUHART.

• i.Letter to DU. 14 May 1841 (postmark date) from Cadogan. Explaining to DU. how he had gone to the Carlton to hear the news of the day, that of Robert Peel's new ministry. He wonders however, if the Tories really knew how to form an administration.
• ii.Letter to DU. 15 July 1841 from James Davidson. Writing about his visit with the Dunlops in Liverpool and his conversation with a man who was so impressed by his encounter with DU. that he has followed his career ever since.
• iii.Letter to DU. 29 October 1869 from Robert Monteith of Carstairs. Makes reference to a Russian friend and a passing comment on Egyptology.
• iv.Letter to DU. 12 April 1882 (postmark date). Discussing Jesuit Colleges, their use for education, hospitals for the sick and as orphanages. Also discussing their growth as a colony.

II . LETTERS TO HARRIET URQUHART.

• v.Letter to HU. 31 May 1865 (postmark date) from FW.. Discussing various family matters, but also asks HU. what her opinions were on the Imperial Family?
• vi.Letter to HU. 30 May 1865 from FW.. Discussing Mr Disreali's theory, the Whigs, how Lord Palmerston looks broken and the Government of the day.
• vii.Letter to HU. 25 August 1865 from FW.. Relating the news of a death.
• viii.Letter to HU. 11 September 1866 from Henry J Wienfordsley. Concerning Captain Bolton's affair but that it has been told to her in confidence. Also how he has just had rather serious correspondence with the little man on the subject of delay in general. Also to mention to DU. that he is still interested in the Danube question.
• ix.Letter to HU. 15 August 1867 from FW and mother Fortesque. Discussing general family matters and asking whether HU. had looked at the Queen's book ?
• x.Letter to HU. 5 April 18?2 from ? in Tangier. Writing to announce a project in their head about staging a production based on the idea that all efforts to rehabilitate society by a return to law are utterly useless. It is described to resemble a truth farce.

III . LETTERS TO H. A. CURTIS.

• xi.Letter to H. Curtis 16 August 1844 from DU.. Congratulating him on his recent "labour" and feels that it might be valuable to take it up with a publisher of religious books.
• xii.Letter to H. A. Curtis 15 April 1853 from James Davidson. Discussing an article entitled "Coming Struggle" and how the author's appeared to have a very crude idea of political matters.

IV . LETTERS TO J. DAVIDSON.

• xiii.Letter to J Davidson 2 June 1842 from William Cargill. Discussing his recent article on the subject of Russian and Indian Trade.
• xiv.Letter to J. Davidson 28 January 1844 from Adelaide Taylor. Discussing the foreign affairs journal, Portfolio. Also discusses the need to find long term subscribers.

V . MISCELLANEOUS.

• xv.Letter to ? 26 August 1841? from ? Possibly discussing David Urquhart and makes reference to Lord Palmerston.

- Katrina Wilson, Modern Manuscripts Assistant, January 1994.