Introduction
A
Major correspondents, 1860-92
B
General correspondence, 1835-91
C
Correspondence as National Gallery trustee, [1868?],
1874-91
D
Correspondence concerning Ceylon, 1872-91
E
Family correspondence and papers, 1811-1918
F
Miscellaneous papers, 1840-90
| Abstract: Correspondence of Sir William Henry Gregory (1816-1892) politician; with other miscellaneous Gregory family papers, 1811-1918. |
Sir William Henry Gregory (1816-92) was the son of Robert Gregory and Elizabeth O’Hara of County Galway, Ireland. He was educated at Mr Iver’s School, Buckinghamshire, Harrow School and Christ Church, Oxford. From 1842 to 1847 he served as the Conservative MP for Dublin. Shortly before the loss of his parliamentary seat he inherited his father’s Coole Park estate, County Galway. In 1857 he was forced to sell half of the estate in order to settle gambling debts accrued from his passion for horse racing. In the same year he was returned to Parliament as the Liberal-Conservative MP for County Galway. He formally joined the Liberal Party shortly after the death of the Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston. In 1866 he declined the offer of an Admiralty post in the government of Lord Russell. In 1871 he was appointed Governor-General of Ceylon where in 1875 upon the visit of the Prince of Wales he was knighted. In 1877 he returned to Ireland and resumed the administration of his estate. Gregory was a passionate supporter of the arts and museums, serving as a trustee of the National Gallery from 1867 until his death. Gregory was twice married. His first wife Elizabeth Clay, whom he married in 1872, died in Ceylon in 1873. He married his second wife, (Isabella) Augusta Persee in 1880 with whom he had one son William Robert Gregory. He died in 1890. For a full biography see ODNB.
The papers comprise: A. Major correspondents, 1860-92; B. General correspondence, 1835-91; C. Correspondence as National Gallery trustee, [1868?], 1874-91; D. Correspondence concerning Ceylon, 1872-91; E. Family correspondence and papers, 1811-1918; F. Miscellaneous papers, 1840-90.
Oxford, Bodleian Library [followed by shelfmark and folio or page reference, e.g. Dep. d. 970, items 1-2].
| Sir (Austen) Henry
Layard, 1860-80 Shelfmark: Dep. d. 970 Extent: 119 items |
| Sir (Austen) Henry
Layard, 1881-3 Shelfmark: Dep. d. 971 Extent: 105 items |
| Sir (Austen) Henry
Layard, 1884-5 Shelfmark: Dep. d. 972 Extent: 95 items |
| Sir (Austen) Henry
Layard, 1886-8 Shelfmark: Dep. d. 973 Extent: 106 items |
| Sir (Austen) Henry
Layard, 1889-92 Shelfmark: Dep. d. 974 Extent: 85 items |
| Augusta Dawson, Countess of Dartrey, 1880-4 Shelfmark: Dep. e. 579 Extent: 98 items |
| Augusta Dawson, Countess of Dartrey, 1885-6 Shelfmark: Dep. d. 975 Extent: 82 items |
| 1835-77 Shelfmark: Dep. c. 1273 Extent: 187 items |
| 1878-80 Shelfmark: Dep. c. 1274 Extent: 140 items |
| 1881-2 Shelfmark: Dep. c. 1275 Extent: 159 items |
| 1883-5 Shelfmark: Dep. c. 1276 Extent: 165 items |
| 1886-7 Shelfmark: Dep. c. 1277 Extent: 114 items |
| 1888 Shelfmark: Dep. d. 981 Extent: 79 items |
| 1889-91 Shelfmark: Dep. c. 1278 Extent: 111 items |
| n.d. Shelfmark: Dep. d. 982 Extent: 129 items |
| Correspondence concerning National Gallery affairs, [1868?],
1879-91 Shelfmark: Dep. c. 1272 Extent: 56 items |
| Correspondence with Charles, 2nd Viscount
Hardinge (trustee), 1874-84, n.d. Shelfmark: Dep. d. 977 Extent: 68 items |
| Correspondence with the director, Sir Frederic William
Burton, 1884, 1887-91 Shelfmark: Dep. d. 976 Extent: 60 items |
| Correspondence as Governor-General, 1872-7 Shelfmark: Dep. c. 1282 Extent: 118 items Scope and Content: Comprises
|
| Letters from the Governor-General, Sir Arthur
Hamilton-Gordon, 1883-90 Shelfmark: Dep. d. 980 Extent: 107 items |
| General correspondence concerning Ceylon, Aug. 1877-Dec. 1878 Shelfmark: Dep. d. 979 Extent: 79 items |
| Correspondence concerning Ceylon, 1879 Shelfmark: Dep. d. 978 Extent: 89 items |
| Correspondence concerning Ceylon, 1880-3 Shelfmark: Dep. c. 1279 Extent: 134 items |
| Correspondence concerning Ceylon, 1884-91 Shelfmark: Dep. c. 1280 Extent: 134 items |
| Correspondence concerning Ceylon, n.d. Shelfmark: Dep. c. 1281 Extent: 66 items |
| Family correspondence and papers, 1811-1918 Shelfmark: Dep. d. 983 Extent: 69 items Scope and Content: Comprises
|
| Miscellaneous papers, 1840-90 Shelfmark: Dep. c. 1283 Extent: 63 items |