Mrs. Leighton Letter Book, 1760-1769, 1791, and undated

Extent:

8 folders, 58 items

Scope and content:

Disbound letter book of a Mrs. Leighton of The Vineyards, Bath. Little information has been found about Mrs. Leighton herself, but some of FB's notes refer to her as "Mrs. Knyvett Leighton, friend and disciple of Lady Huntingdon" (see Frank Baker Papers, Subject Files, John Fletcher). Her husband was at one time an agent of the Countess. The collection consists entirely of letters to Leighton from various well-known figures in 18th-century Methodism, especially Huntingdon, whose letters comprise about half the collection. Other correspondents include John Fletcher and George Whitefield, represented elsewhere in the Baker Wesleyana collection; Henry Venn, an Anglican vicar; Martin Madan, also an Anglican clergyman; and Madan's daughter, Penelope Maitland.

Arrangement: items have been rearranged and foldered by writer; the original sequence in the bound letter book was penciled on each letter at some point in the past. Arranged in eight folders: (1) John Fletcher; (2-4) Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon; (5) Penelope Maitland; (6) Henry and E. Venn; (7) George Whitefield; and (8) unidentified writers.

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