Add MS 89170/1/1

Personal and political correspondence of Hugh Oakeley Arnold-Forster and his wife Mary with family and colleagues, relating to land settlement in South Africa and the appointment of Oakeley to Secretary of the Admiralty, including:

• three letters from Frances Arnold-Forster to Oakeley, Burley-in-Wharfdale, 13 July-17 August 1900;
• letter from [Mary] to [Oakeley], 9 Evelyn Gardens S. W., 29 July [1900];
• letter from Frances Arnold-Forster to Mary regarding plans for Mary's kids whilst she is away, 30 July 1900;
• letter from Abraham Bailey to J. [Joseph] Chamberlain [copied in Oakeley] regarding the Orange River Colony and division of land in South Africa, Harrogate, 4 August 1900;
• envelope addressed to Oakeley containing a letter from Frances Arnold-Forster written for Oakeley's birthday on 19 August, Burley-in-Wharfdale, 16 August 1900;
• letter from W. P. [William Philip] Schreiner to Alfred Milner regarding meeting Arnold-Forster, Cape Town, 6 September 1900, forwarded by Milner to Arnold-Forster asking him to reply to Schreiner directly; letter from Schreiner to Oakeley regarding their meeting, Cape Town, 7 September 1900;
• letter from unidentified person to Oakeley regarding land settlement, Government House Cape Town, 8 September 1900;
• letter from [Robert] Baden-Powell to Oakeley regarding division of land in South Africa, Rondebosch, 17 September [1900];
• telegram from unknown person in Belfast to Oakeley, with message 'Unanimously enthusiastically adopted', Cape of Good Hope, 24 September 1900;
• letter from [Carrington] to Oakeley expressing his opinion about land settlement in South Africa, 26 September 1900;
• letter from Willy [William Edward Arnold-Forster] to his mother Mary regarding his school and time with friends, 30 September [1900];
• telegram from 'Edward' to Oakeley, Cape Town, 30 September 1900;
• telegram from Nevil Story-Maskelyne to Oakeley, with message 'Elected', 2 October 1900;
• letter from Chris [Hugh Christopher Arnold-Forster] to his mother Mary and father Oakeley regarding his school and time with friends, 4 October 1900;
• letter from Robert Romer to Oakeley regarding land settlement, South African Hospitals Commission, 9 October 1900;
• envelope addressed to Oakeley containing four letters from Mary during her journey back from South Africa to England, 31 October to 30 November 1900, and one letter from [Nevil Story-Maskelyne] to Oakeley congratulating him on his appointment to Secretary of the Admiralty, 8 November [1900];
• handwritten notes on talk with [Cecil John] Rhodes by [N. H. K.] and note [by Oakeley] of a conversation with Rhodes, 17 October 1900;
• letter from C. J. [Cecil John] Rhodes to Hugh Oakeley Arnold-Forster, regarding land settlement, 6 November 1900;
• nine letters to Mary from various family members: Meg [Margaret Story-Maskelyne], F. V. B. [Florence Vere O'Brien], E. P. [Edward Penrose] Arnold-Forster, Frances Arnold-Forster, Mary's mother (Thereza Dillwyn Llewelyn), and J. [John] Arnold, regarding Oakeley’s new appointment to Secretary of the Admiralty, November 1900;
• letter from Oakeley to [Mary] regarding his new appointment to Secretary of the Admiralty, 8 November 1900;
• incomplete letter from unidentified person to Mary regarding Oakeley's appointment to Secretary of the Admiralty, 12 November 1900;
• letter from cousin Mrs Smyth to Mary regarding Oakeley's appointment to Secretary of the Admiralty, 16 November [1900];
• letter from Hugh to [Mary], Basutoland, 17 November 1900;
• letter from [Dame Edith Sophy Lyttelton] to Mary, from Pretoria, South Africa, [1900];
• incomplete letter from unidentified person to Mary regarding Oakeley’s appointment to Secretary of the Admiralty, Aylesbury, 22 November [1900];
• letter from A. [Arthur] Hunter to Oakeley regarding Oakeley's safe return to Cape Town, Bloemfontein, 25 November 1900;
• letter from [Sydney Charles Buxton] to Oakeley regarding his appointment to Secretary of the Admiralty, 23 December [1900];
• two letters from Oakeley to T. [Thomas]Wemyss Reid regarding termination of his contract with Cassell and Co., 9 Evelyn Gardens S. W., 28 December 1900;
• letter from J. [Joseph] Chamberlain to Oakeley, marked 'Secret', asking Oakeley for his comments on some papers, Colonial Office, [c1900];
• letter from J. [Joseph] Chamberlain to Oakeley, House of Commons, 21 March 1901;
• letter from J. [Joseph] Chamberlain to Oakeley with acknowledgment of receipt of the report of the Lands Settlement Commission, thanking Oakeley for his work, Colonial Office, 26 March 1901;
• letter from H. W. S. [Herbert Warington Smyth] to Oakeley regarding mining in South Africa and Wilfred Wybergh, then commissioner of mines, Rand Club Johannesburg, 16 January 1902.

The file also includes:

• two sets of Rules and Principles and First Roll of Membership for The Brothers Club, one signed by H. O. Arnold-Forster (President), his wife Mary (Vice president), and their four sons: William Edward, Mervyn Nevill, John Anthony, Hugh Christopher, undated [c1900]. Inside envelope marked 'H. O. Arnold Forster The Brothers Club';
• two pages of handwritten notes [by Oakley] on a journey through the High Veldt district [1900];
• handwritten [by Oakeley] display labels, each with a different section heading including Fine Art, Mechanical Industries, Marine Biology, Ethnographical Section, Historical Section, Industrial Arts, Musical Section, Fine Arts, Naval and Military Section, Medical Section, Anthropological Section, Prehistoric Section, Meteorological Section, Science, Alimentation. Some labels have attached items including a colour drawing of men at a table, a temperature chart, a request slip from the South African Royal Mail Steamers and a piece of sewing, 1900-1901.