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Conroy Collection: Catalogue 18 - 59

Sir John Conroy, 1st Baronet

• Family matters
• Early career
• Comptroller to the Duchess of Kent
• Concerning Princess Sophia
• Honours
• Miscellaneous
• Estate

Family Matters

18. Stephen Conroy to his parents, four letters from Canada, 1838. [7A.3]

19. Correspondence (11 letters and copies) about Stephen Conroy's application for permission to exchange his Commission in the Coldstream Guards for one in a less fashionable regiment and realise the difference in value (£2000), 1840, with an explanation by Edward Conroy. Permission was refused because the exchange would have obstructed promotion within the Coldstreams. The correspondence include: The Duke of Cambridge to Sir John Conroy, 3 and 9 November 1840; Lord Fitzroy Somerset to JC, 2 and 5 December 1840. [2E.J]

20. A dozen letters, Sir John Conroy to Edward Conroy from abroad, 1839-1840. [2E.G]

21. Miscellaneous letters and papers concerning Sir John Conroy's children, 1819-1853. [2E.B, 6.I, 7A.4]

Early Career

22. An account of Sir John Conroy's military career, with copies of testimonials etc (8 folios), ND, including a copy of a letter from the Duke of Kent to the Duke of Wellington, 4 December 1818. [2E.E]

23. An account, ND, but ca 1850-1860, of Sir John Conroy's background and how he became involved with the Duke of Kent, including frequent references to the Fisher family and an allusion to the circumstances of Queen Victoria's birth. [14B+.5]

24. Testimonials and papers (6 docs) concerning office-searching by and for Sir John Conroy 1816-1823, including a letter from Lord Liverpool to the Duchess of Kent, 23 Sept 1823. [10.6]

Comptroller to the Duchess of Kent

(see also Appendix B, section b)

25. The Duchess of Kent, letters (ca 20) to Sir John Conroy, 1839-1855. [10.3; 14B.A.(a).11]

26. The Duchess of Kent to Sir John Conroy on his birthday, 21 Oct 1830. [2E.C]

27. The Duchess of Kent appoints Sir John Conroy custos of her papers in the event of her death, 1837. [2E.C]

28. Four 'Slips' - 'the papers always used in writing orders or notes by the Duchess of Kent and Sir John Conroy', ND, concerning a comment by Wellington; a statement; peerage; resignation. [6.I]

29. The Duchess of Kent to Lady Elizabeth Conroy, 20 Feb 1831. [6.H.A]

30. The Duke of Kent to Sir John Conroy, 18 Sept 1819. [6.H]

31. Copies of letters by Sir John Conroy to the Duchess of Kent and the Queen which were never sent, 1843. [6.H]

32. An account, in Sir John Conroy's hand (3 slips in an envelope annotated by Edward Conroy), of how he allegedly obstructed King William IV's attempt to prevent a visit by the Duke of Saxe-Coburg & Gotha and his sons Ernest and Albert, 1836. The visit did take place and led to the first meeting of Princess Victoria and Prince Albert. [2E.C]

33. Affidavit of Sir John Conroy (1838, 2 copies) and press cuttings (The Morning Post and unknown), concerning a criminal libel in The Times (for which the editor Lawson was committed to prison), in which it had been alleged that in order to purchase his Welsh estate Sir John Conroy had misappropriated founds belonging to the Duchess of Kent, [2E.L]

34. Copy by Edward Conroy of his letter to the Common Sergeant Moorehouse concerning the libel trial (Sir John Conroy and The Times), 9 Dec 1838. [14B.A.(b).8]

35. Lady Flora Hastings to Sir John Conroy, October 1837. [14B.A.(a).4]

36. Dowager Marchioness of Hastings to Sir John Conroy, 2 Jan 1839. [14B.A.(a).5]

37. Material concerning the Lady Flora Hastings affair, notably:

• 37.1 John Thompson to the Duchess of Kent, 15 April 1839, enclosing a cutting from the Glasgow Courier. Apparently kept as a specimen of the supportive letters received from members of the public.
• 37.2-3 Cuttings, apparently an exhaustive series, from The Morning Post, 14 Sept 1839 - 19 Oct 1839, pasted into two volumes.
• 37.4 [Anon] 'The Dangers of Evil Counsel. A Letter from the Grave of Lady Flora Hastings...' 3rd edn, London 1839.
• 37.5 [Anon, as above], 'A warning letter to the Baroness Lehzen...' London 1839.
• 37.6 JF Murray, 'Lady Flora Hastings. The Court Doctor Dissected...' London 1839.
• 37.7 The Honourable * * *, 'The Palace Martyr! A Satire.' London 1839.
• 37.8 'The Late Lady Flora Hastings. Statements of the Marquis of Hastings, Marchioness of Tavidstock, Lady Portman, Lord Portman and Sir James Clark.' 7th edn, London 1839. [2C.A-C]

38. Further newspaper material concerning the Lady Flora Hastings affair:

• Complete newspapers of 1838-1840:
  • The Age: 1838, weekly, complete except 28 Jan, 11 Feb and 17 June; 1839, 9 issues Jan - June; 1840, 8 Mar only.
  • The Dublin Evening Mail: 11 Jan and 10 June 1839
  • The Globe: 21 Dec 1838 & 3 Jan 1839
  • The Morning Post: 20 & 21 Dec 1838, 6 May 1839, 28 Jan 1840
  • The Satirist: 12 May 1839
• Newspaper cuttings (ca 25) from a great variety of newspapers, concerning the Lady Flora Hastings affair 1838-1839. [2C.Residue.A & B]

39. Correspondence on Sir John Conroy's resignation as Comptroller of the Duchess of Kent's household. 1839, copies (contemporary, 2 sets, one annotated by Sir Edward Conroy):

• J Abercromby to JC 25 May 1839
• Duke of Wellington to JC 5 June 1839
• JC to Duke of Wellington 5 June 1839
• Duchess of Kent to JC 10 June 1839 [14.B.A.(a).1]

40. Extract (contemporary), Sir John Conroy to unknown, 12 June 1839. [14B.A.(a).2]

41. A note with comments by Edward Conroy on Sir John Conroy's friends and enemies in 1839. [14B.A.(b).2]

Concerning Princess Sophia

42. Papers (ca 20 docs, including bulky legal briefs) concerning some mines in Nova Soctia and their assignment to Sir John Conroy, 1839-1841, including two copies of 'An Epitome of facts relative to the Grant to HRH the late Duke of York of Mines in the Province of Nova Scotia,' dated 5 Feb 1841, and a summary by Edward Conroy of the history of the mines and the Royal family's business with them, 1788-1840. [3C.11 & 12; 3C.15]

43. Indenture between Princess Sophia and Sir John Conroy, assigning to JC for a nominal ten shillings consideration her benefits under the will of Frederick Duke of York, 1841; the envelope is endorsed 'Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Mines assignment.' [10.2]

44. Correspondence (ca 10 docs) between Sir John Conroy and others concerning the above, 1841, including Lord John Russell to Sir John Conroy, 27 Feb 1841. [10.2a]

45. Correspondence between Sir John Conroy and WD Adams referring to a statement which had been inserted in the Morning Post, alleging that the former had not been appointed Comptroller of the HOusehold to the Princess Sophia, 1842. [2E.H]

46. Two statements by the 3rd Baronet, ND but about 1875, relating to (a) the 1st Baronet's alleged misappropriation of Princess Sophia's money, and (b) concerning money received by the 1st Baronet from the Royal Family. [3E.C]

Honours

47. Correspondence and papers concerning foreign orders and Sir John Conroy's right to wear them, 1827-1854 (ca 30 docs), including Lord Palmerston to Sir John Conroy, 2 May 1836. [6.D & E; 10.5; 14B+6.(a)]

48. Material concerning the Royal visit to Oxford in 1832, when Sir John Conroy was made an Honorary DCL. [14B+.6(a) & (b)]

49. Correspondence and papers relating to an Irish Peerage promised to Sir John Conroy but never conferred, 1837-1844, including:

• Baron Stockmar to JC, 11 July 1837
• Prince Albert to JC, 1 June 1844
• Lord Melbourne to JC, 26 June 1837 (2) and 24 June 1844
• Robert Peel to JC, 2 June, 14 June and 28 Oct 1844. [2E.A.; 6.Q; 14B.A.(a).6&7; 14B.A.(b).7]

Miscellaneous

50. Princess Feodora to Sir John Conroy, 18 Feb 1828. [14B.A.(a).9]

51. Sir Charles Napier to Sir John Conroy, 3 Aug 1838 [14B.A.(a).8]

52. Basil Hall to Sir John Conroy, 1838 (2 letters) about the coronation. [14.B.A.(a).10]

53. A cutting from The Times, 14 Mar 1852, concerning Sir John Conroy's farm at Arborfield. [9A.13.2]

54. Copies of letters passing between Sir John Conroy and notable persons (Melbourne, Wellington, Peel, Prince Albert etc) 1837-1854, with a transcript of The Times obituary of Sir John Conroy. 1 vol, 80 folios. [6.Q]

55. A photograph of Sir John Conroy, ca 1850. [14B.A.(a).12]

Estate

56.Sir John Conroy's will made in 1848, proved 1854, contemporary copy. [14B+.3]

57. An inventory for probate duty purposes of the contents of Arborfield Hall, 1854. 1 vol. [3D.1]

58.Sir Edward Conroy to Lady Elizabeth Conroy concerning the settlement following Sir John Conroy's death (with a recitation of his grievances, partly autobiographical; mentions his time at Charterhouse and attempts at starting a diplomatic career) and her reply, 1854. [6.B]

59. Other papers concerning Sir John Conroy's estate and the family problems arising from it. [3D.1; 3E.B & D; 6.I; 7.B; 14B.A.(b).6]

- John Jones