Indexed and Non-Indexed Correspondence Series, 1791-1899 and undated, bulk 1809-1857

Extent:

13 boxes

Scope and content:

The description of the collection's correspondence given in the Collection Overview generally describes the content of both the Indexed and Non-Indexed Correspondence Series, which were acquired and processed at different times. Two research tools resulted from the processing and description of the earliest letters, which resulted in the Indexed Correspondence Series. The first of these tools, the cards in the library's Signature File, provides a comprehensive record of all the authors found in the Indexed Series. These cards list the author's name, the date for each item written, and the collection in which the items may be found. As the cards are arranged by author and not collection, however, it is necessary to approach the Signature File with prior knowledge of Croker's correspondents. The second of these tools, a paper index for which the series receives its name, lists the notable persons, places, and subjects mentioned in the Indexed Correspondence. The Selective Index does not, however, list the authors of the letters in the series. Although the intensive descriptive work that resulted in the Signature File and the Selective Index was not continued when the non-indexed portion of the Croker Papers was arranged and described, a list of significant correspondents, or correspondents with whom Croker had extensive communication, for each of the Indexed and Non-Indexed Correspondence Series is now available in the Inventory File in the Research Room. For access to any of these resources, see the reference archivist.

The writings of William Beresford, William Henry Ellis, Alexander Grant, Edmund Hopkinson, William Lowther (Second Earl Lonsdale), James Major, Anthony George Perrier, and Charles William Stewart Vane (Third Marquess Londonderry), appear in both the Indexed and Non-Indexed Correspondence Series. Those of Joseph Crowley, John Leslie Foster, John Hignett, Spencer Horsey de Horsey, Francis Egerton (First Earl Ellesmere), Henry Goulburn, Bramley Moore, Graham Moore, George Francis Seymour, and William Young, are predominately found in the Indexed Series. The writings of Robert Saunders Dundas (Second Viscount Melville), Davies Gilbert, M. E. Graham, William Richard Hamilton, H. Hardinge, Robert Banks Jenkinson (Second Earl Liverpool), Bartholomew Lloyd, and Frederick William Trench III, as well as legal correspondence regarding the Hertford estate, are more predominately found in the Non-Indexed Series.

There are few items in the Indexed Series for the years 1826 and 1829, while the correspondence decreases in the Non-Indexed Series for the years 1834, 1840, 1849, 1850, 1855, 1856, 1858, and 1863-1899. The correspondence in both the Indexed and Non-Indexed Series increases in the early 1810s, early 1820s, and the 1840s. The correspondence in the Indexed Series also swelled in the early 1850s and in the Non-Indexed Series in the late 1820s.

The letters to or from William Beresford are found throughout the Indexed and Non-Indexed Series. There are several folders of letters related to Beresford, however, that are located at the end of the Non-Indexed Series. The materials contained in these folders were accessioned together and have been kept separate due to uncertainty in specifying their dates. Also, a number of the letters of Robert Jenkinson (Liverpool) were accessioned together and microfilmed. This microfilm reel is contained in the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library microfilm collection. See the reference librarian for access to this record. These letters are also available in the Non-Indexed Correspondence Series.

The items in both the Indexed and Non-Indexed Series have been arranged chronologically by year, month, and day. Items missing the day of the month are located behind the other items for that given month and year, and items lacking both month and day follow the other letters for that year. When items lack an identifying year, they have been placed at the end of the series. In addition, for the Non-Indexed Series, letters whose years were approximated using watermarks have been placed at the end of the series.

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