Mss Eur F699/2/5

Correspondence and other papers relating to Charlotte Canning's time in India. Consists of material arranged into the following broad areas:

Mss Eur F699/2/5/1-8: Correspondence with named individuals: These files contain correspondence with individuals which appears to have been previously extracted from the main chronological sequence of Letters Received. Includes lengthy correspondence with both Lord Elphinstone and Lord Harris, Governors of Bombay and Madras.

Mss Eur F699/2/5/9-14: Correspondence administered by the Private Secretary's Office, with Register & Index: Some of Charlotte Canning's Letters Received were administered by Charles Canning's Private Secretary, entered chronologically into a register and then indexed. Copies of outgoing replies were then filed with the original correspondence, and kept in cabinets bundled between teak boards. Many similar letters also appear in the Private Secretary's Letters Received series (Mss Eur F699/1/2/2). Includes requests for patronage, financial assistance, positions, invitations to official engagements, formal introductions, and commissions.

Occasional correspondence addressed directly to Charlotte Canning, and jointly to Charles and Charlotte Canning can also be found amongst the Military Secretary's Office papers: Miscellaneous Letters to the Governor General (Mss Eur F699/1/3/5). The Military Secretary's Office did not keep a separate series of correspondence for Charlotte Canning.

Mss Eur F699/2/5/15-26: Letters Received: Series of correspondence written to Charlotte Canning, sometimes with draft replies. Contains letters from members of society in Calcutta and elsewhere in India, as well as letters requesting patronage and financial assistance, including those affected by the Indian Mutiny. Some files span a number of years. As many letters are undated, these files have been kept in their original order and not amalgamated, although letters from individuals have been placed together within the files. Includes a file of correspondence written by members of Charles Canning's staff, including Dr Leckie, from Allahabad in 1858. Also includes file of correspondence which was burned in a fire in Charlotte Canning's tent in Dec 1859.

Mss Eur F699/2/5/27-29: Indian Mutiny Papers: Material collected by Charlotte Canning relating to the Indian Mutiny, including narrative accounts and letters from primarily female correspondents. Also papers relating to relief efforts for refugees from the Mutiny. Additionally, papers relating to the design of the Cawnpore Memorial.

Mss Eur F699/2/5/30-33: Other Papers: Includes correspondence and papers relating to purchases and commissions made on behalf of Charlotte Canning, and papers relating to charitable activities, schools and nurses in India. Additional miscellaneous material includes a small file of sketches of Indian people made by Charlotte Canning, and an item of dried plant material.

Charlotte Canning's letters written to Charles Canning while in India have been transferred to his personal papers (Mss Eur F699/1/4/9).