Hard-coded id of currently selected item: . JSON version of its record is available from Blacklight on e.g. ??

Metadata associated with selected item should appear here...

Add MS 89036/5/1

Record Id:

040-002558830

Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:

032-002431741

MDARK:

ark:/81055/vdc_100022524819.0x000001

LARK:

SLARK:

Format:

ISAD(G)

Reference (shelfmark):

Add MS 89036/5/1

Title:

William Dacres Adams: Correspondence with Thomas Peregrine Courtenay

Scope & Content:

1-1(i). Treasury Chambers, 26 September 1801, Courtenay to Adams. Discusses change of administration. 'I do not think that Mr. Pitt can ever come again without giving up the Catholic question; this, I fear, he will not do - & I hope & trust that the King will not be less obstinate on the other side.' Refers to 'newspaper speculations about Mr. Windham'.
2. Exeter, 26 December 1801, Courtenay to Adams. Holding a dance on New Year's Eve which he hopes Adams can attend. Refers to Pitt's resignation.
3. Lee, 6 July 1802, Courtenay to Adams. Refers to his 'unfortunate situation at the Treasury'.
4. Lee, 17 July 1802, Courtenay to Adams. Reports a personal meeting with Hiley Addington about leaving the Treasury.
5. The Grange, Rotherham, 26 December 1802, Courtenay to Adams. 'Lord Effingham is most decidedly of the opinion of those who thought me wrong in quitting the Treasury....'
6. The Grange, 27 December 1802, Courtenay to Adams. 'P.S. I suppose Ld. Glenbervie is to be Survr. Gen.. Who is to be Paymaster - Hiley? Tierney?'
7-7(i). The Grange, 9 January 1803, Courtenay to Adams. Reporting on social engagements.
8-8(ii). Masbro', near Rotherham, 12 January 1803, Courtenay to Adams. Reporting on social engagements, hunts, balls: the Wadworth household (the Miss Kents) and Capt. White of Doncaster.
9. Masbro, 21 January 1803, Courtenay to Adams. An account of the Doncaster Ball, much taken with a Miss Kent ('I was in a burning fever'). Enclosing letter 10.
10. Masbro, 20 January 1803, Courtenay to Adams. The majority of the letter is a copy of a letter from Courtenay to Catherine Courtenay (sister), again reporting the Doncaster Ball.
11. Whitehall, 24 January 1803, Adams to Courtenay in Rotherham. Franked letter (not copy). 'Which of the Miss Kents is it that you are making such desperate love to - the wicked one I suspect'.
12. Aldwark [Rotherham], 25 January 1803, Courtenay to Adams. Further on Miss Kent.
13. Whitehall, 29 January 1803, Adams to Courtenay. 'I really had no idea ... that you seriously made love to the Lady, and declared your partiality in due form - I looked upon the adventure of the Doncaster Ball as one of those youthful frolicks which you have so often played....'
14. Bowden [House, Totnes], 17 September 1803, Adams to Courtenay. Adams is pleased to hear that Courtenay is 'so much in the confidence of Mr. Long'. On a personal note, Adams refers to his own affairs of the heart: 'It is ridiculous to be sure for a fellow of my years to be so much in love, but the truth is, I can hardly think of anything else.'
15. Craven Street, 16 November 1803, Adams to Courtenay. 'My father says that if after the first week of the Session, he finds Mr. Pitt wants to make up numbers he will endeavour to come up.'
16. Downing Street, 6 November 1805, Adams to Courtenay. Refers to Cadiz and to the death of Nelson. Also: 'Mr. Pitt directs me to desire that you will tell Mr. Long that he is to see Lord Powis today - and will write to Mr. Long after the Interview.'
17. Downing Street, 7 November 1805, Adams to Courtenay. Further remarks on Nelson. Letter incomplete.
18-18(i). Downing Street, 3 December 1805, Adams to Courtenay. Refers to Evan Nepean: 'He certainly never took a worse step than going to Ireland'. Vigorously disputes Courtenay's quoted remark that 'in morality Lovelace stands higher than Nelson'. Further remarks on diplomatic matters.
19-19(ii). Bath, 4 January 1806, Adams to Courtenay. A long letter touching on various political and personal matters. Refers to getting on 'a more intimate footing with Mr. Pitt' - he has dined with him every day in Bath.
20. Downing Street, 11 January 1806, Adams to Courtenay. Refers to Pitt's health. 'He left Bath on Thursday, in a Carriage with a Bed in it, to enable him to be in a horizontal position - and slept that night at Marlborough, tolerably well without an opiate.'
21. Downing Street, 14 January 1806, Adams to Courtenay. 'I dined at Putney yesterday with the Bishop of Lincoln and Lady Hester. Mr. Pitt is not yet well enough to sit at table, or indeed to see Animal Food at all.'
22-22(i). Downing Street, 16 January 1806, Adams to Courtenay. 'Mr Pitt has been worse ever since that abominable conversation which I told you he had on Monday with Lords Hawkesbury and Castlereagh.' Pitt is worried about the King's Speech, drafted by Hawkesbury and Castlereagh. Speech re-drafted by Bourne, Huskisson and Canning, and copied by Adams 'that it might be submitted to Mr. Pitt, and sent to the Cabinet....'
23. Downing Street, 20 January 1806, Adams to Courtenay. 'We are in the greatest Alarm for Mr. Pitt.'
24. Downing Street, 21 January 1806, Adams to Courtenay. A further report on Pitt's declining health. 'Lord Sidmouth could not witness such a scene without endeavouring to turn it to his own purposes. He is, I am told, by means of his Emissaries, trying to persuade The King that nothing better can now be done than placing him again at the head of the Government.'
25. Downing Street, 22 January 1806, Adams to Courtenay. 'We have not a Ray of Hope left. Mr. Pitt grows worse and worse.' Pitt has made his Will.
26-26(i). Downing Street, 24 January 1806, Adams to Courtenay. Reporting Pitt's death (23rd January).
27-27(ii). Great Queen Street, 27 January 1806, Adams to Courtenay. Discusses immediate political developments and prospects under a new Government. 'I hope the Stationery Office is fixed for you at any rate - and with regard to your relinquishing Ceylon, that must be arranged by Mr. Long.' Adams has heard that 'Lascelle's Proposal for a Publick Funeral is to be opposed, and even that Sacred Body is not secure from Insults from Creditors.' Adams is gloomy about his own prospects: 'I shall be a wretched Clerk for the remainder of my Life, and my only ambition is to keep myself and my Family above Poverty.'
28-28(i). Dublin Castle, 28 January 1806, Courtenay to Adams. Compares his feelings when his father died to his emotions on Pitt's death.
29-29(i). Dublin Castle, 10 February 1806, Courtenay to Adams. Discusses Ireland: 'I sat down to write a few lines on the changes of Administration, & I find I have nearly reformed Ireland!'
30. Salisbury, 9 March [1806], Courtenay to Adams. Refers to the death of Sir J[ohn] Honywood.
31. Bowden House, Totnes, 22 October 1806, Adams to Courtenay at Taplow. A letter fragment. Refers to the forthcoming birth of Courtenay's first child, and to his own family.
32. St James's Place, 20 March 1807, Adams to Courtenay. Marked 'Secret'. Seeking Courtenay's advice about having offered his services as Private Secretary to the Duke of Portland: 'But Plasket is my Rival and his former connection with the Duke will weigh much in his favour.'
33. St. James's Place, 25 March 1807, Adams to Courtenay. 'I am Private Secretary to the Duke of Portland ... and am to be at Burlington House again at ten oclock tonight, to commence operations.' He is glad the Duke 'does not intend to remove to Downing Street.'
34-34(ii). Bulstrode, 26 August 1809, Adams to Courtenay. Discusses speculation on Portland's health and his political successor.
35. Burlington House, 23 September 1809, Adams to Courtenay. Just departing for Bulstrode, Adams writes that: 'The Duke of Portland wrote to me last night proposing me for a Seat at the new Board - to which His M. has graciously acceded.' Also: 'The King has empowered Perceval and Ld. Liverpool to negotiate with Lord Grenville and Lord Grey.'
36-36(i). Burlington House, 31 October 1809, Adams to Courtenay. Reporting the death of the Duke of Portland.
37. Lincolns Inn Fields, 21 December 1810, Courtenay to Adams. Marked 'Secret'. 'I have seen some of the Papers which have passed between Perceval & The Royal Family. The Prince has got all his brothers to concur in a protest against a Restricted Regency, which protest I saw in the D of York's hand writing. The Prince himself answers chiefly by referring to his letter to Mr. Pitt in 1788.'
38. Bowdon, 26 August 1811, Adams to Courtenay. Refers to the political situation of Totnes and to a successor to his father, William Adams M.P.
39. Bowdon, 28 August 1811, Adams to Courtenay. Congratulates Courtenay on the birth of a daughter. William Adams intends to nominate Courtenay to stand as his successor in the next election at Totnes.
40. South Bourne, 24 September 1812, Adams to Courtenay. Refers to a change of position for Courtenay. Mentions the 'horrible circumstance' of 'the drowning of Mrs Shute & her daughters' [River Wye].
41. Whitehall Place, 17 October 1812, Adams to Courtenay. Refers to the Prince being 'thoroughly satisfied' with Adams's 'conduct in the Business' and to his considering Adams's letter 'a very handsome one'.
42. India Board, 24 December 1813, Courtenay to Adams. 'I fully expect Peace'.
43-43(i). Clay Hill, 21 December 1820, Courtenay to Adams. Discusses Canning's resignation (as President of the Board of Control). 'I knew nothing more than I had said to you, until Monday the 11th when Mr. Canning showed me his intended letter of resignation, under a very strong injunction of Secrecy.'
44. India Board, 4 January 1821, Courtenay to Adams. Refers to several matters: 'Mr. Welch's sudden death'; the return of Canning's letter ('I wish to send it to several other persons'); and correspondence with Sir Robert Heron (not for 'the Ladies').
45. Clay Hill, 1 October 1821, Courtenay to Adams. Refers to various matters. 'Mr. Canning has again seen the Chairman, and is interesting himself in our business - which is in fact also his. I do not anticipate much annoyance with respect to him; though the matter belongs to a set of points on which he & I never entirely agreed.'
46. Whitehall Place, 13 August 1822, Adams to Courtenay. 'You will probably hear from other quarters the horrible truth that Lord L[ondonderry] destroyed himself with a pen knife.' [Robert Stewart, 2nd Marquess of Londonderry, formerly Viscount Castlereagh]
47-47(i). Whitehall Place, 17 August 1822, Adams to Courtenay. Refers to Londonderry's funeral, and considers his political succession.
48. India Board, 23 September 1822, Courtenay to Adams. Election of Aldermen at Totnes.
49. India Board, 3 October 1822, Courtenay to Adams. Concerning Totnes politics.
50. Bowdon, 22 April 1830, Adams to Courtenay. 'My Mother has ended a long and good life, by a most happy death.' Refers to a letter from Courtenay to Peel as being 'quite what it should be'.
51. Bowdon, 19 September 1830, Adams to Courtenay. Shocked at the death of Huskisson.
52. Whitehall Place, 10 May 1831, Adams to Courtenay. Election news: 'they have gained 41 Members making of course a difference of 82 in the Divisions.'
53. [?]Wakkfield, 25 May 1835, Courtenay to Adams. Courtenay's brother 'will be a loser in point of Income on becoming Earl of Devon.'

Collection Area:

Western Manuscripts

Hierarchy Record Ids:

032-002431741
036-002558827
040-002558830

Is part of:

Add MS 89036 : The Papers of William Dacres Adams, including Political Papers of William Pitt, the Younger
Add MS 89036/5 : William Dacres Adams: Personal Correspondence, and Other Miscellaneous Material

Add MS 89036/5/1 : William Dacres Adams: Correspondence with Thomas Peregrine Courtenay

Hierarchy:

032-002431741[0005]/036-002558827[0001]/040-002558830

Container:

View / search within Archive / Collection: Add MS 89036

Record Type (Level):

File

Extent:

1 file

Digitised Content:

Languages:

English

Scripts:

Latin

Start Date:

1801

End Date:

1835

Date Range:

1801-1835

Era:

Access:

Please request the physical items you need using the online collection item request form.

Digitised items can be viewed online by clicking the thumbnail image or digitised content link.

Readers who have registered or renewed their pass since 21 March 2024 can request physical items prior to visiting the Library by completing
this request form.
Please enter the Reference (shelfmark) above on the request form.

If your Reader Pass was issued before this date, you will need to visit the Library in London or Yorkshire to renew it before you can request items online. All manuscripts and archives must be consulted at the Library in London.

This catalogue record may describe a collection of items which cannot all be requested together. Please use the hierarchy viewer to navigate to individual items. Some items may be in use or restricted for other reasons. If you would like to check the availability, contact our Reference Services team, quoting the Reference (shelfmark) above.

User Conditions:

Former External References:

PRO 30 58/11

Material Type:

Archives and Manuscripts

Legal Status:

Not Public Record(s)

Names:

Courtenay, Thomas Peregrine, politician, 1782-1841
Pitt, William, Prime Minister, called 'the younger', 1759-1806

Related Archive Descriptions:

Add MS 57419
Add MS 59432
IOR/F/4/452/11062
IOR/H/342
Mss Eur F151/72