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Additional papers of Sir William Harcourt and Lewis Harcourt, 1st Viscount Harcourt, with other papers of Mary Ethel Harcourt, Viscountess Harcourt, and Edward William Harcourt

 Collection

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The papers comprise:

  1. Additional papers of Sir William Harcourt, 1832-1904, n.d.
  2. Additional papers of Lewis Harcourt, 1st Viscount Harcourt, 1870-1929, n.d.
  3. Papers of Mary Ethel Harcourt, Viscountess Harcourt, 1885-1950, n.d.
  4. Papers of Edward William Harcourt, 1842-91, n.d.
  5. Correspondence of Edith Finch-Hatton, Countess of Winchilsea, n.d.

Dates

  • Creation: 1832-1950, n.d.

Extent

37.62 Linear metres (342 physical shelfmarks)

Language of Materials

  • English

Preferred Citation

Oxford, Bodleian Libraries [followed by shelfmark and folio or page reference, e.g MS. Harcourt dep. adds. 1, fols. 1-2.]

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Full range of shelfmarks:

MSS. Harcourt dep. adds. 1-351

Collection ID (for staff)

CMD ID 13553

Abstract

The additional Harcourt papers consist of papers of Sir William Harcourt, 1832-1904, n.d.; papers of Lewis Harcourt, 1st Viscount Harcourt, 1870-1929, n.d.; papers of Mary Ethel Harcourt, Viscountess Harcourt, 1885-1950, n.d.; and papers of Edward William Harcourt, 1842-1891

Biographical / Historical

Sir William George Granville Venables Vernon Harcourt (1827-1904) was the son of William Vernon Harcourt and his wife Matilda Mary Vernon Harcourt. He was educated by private tutors and at Trinity College, Cambridge. He entered Lincoln's Inn in 1851 and was called to the Bar three years later. In 1868 he entered Parliament as Liberal member for Oxford and from that date devoted himself to politics. He served as Home Secretary, 1880-5, and as Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1886, and 1892-5. (See ODNB for a full biography).

Lewis ('Loulou') Vernon Harcourt, 1st Viscount Harcourt (1863-1922) was his father Sir William Harcourt's close and constant companion, his mother Marie Therese (nèe Lister) having died when he was born. Following his schooling at Eastbourne and then Eton College, he settled in the role of his father's private secretary until Sir William's death in 1904. Lewis Harcourt was first elected to the House of Commons in March 1904 as the Liberal MP for Rossendale. He twice served as Commissioner of Works, 1905-10 and 1915-16, and served as Secretary of State for the Colonies, 1910-15. He was created Viscount Harcourt in 1917. He married Mary Ethel, daugther of Walter Hayes Burns in July 1899. They had one son William Edward Harcourt, 2nd Viscount Harcourt, and three daughters. (See ODNB for a full biography).

Edward William Harcourt (1825-91) the eldest son of William Vernon Harcourt and his wife Matilda Mary Vernon Harcourt. He served as MP for Oxford, 1878-86. He married Lady Susan (d.1894), daughter of George Holroyd, 2nd Earl of Sheffield, in June 1849. They had one son Aubrey Harcourt (1852-1904) and a daughter Edith (1853-1944), who married Murray Finch-Hatton, 12th Earl of Winchilsea and 7th Earl of Nottingham.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Deposited, 1984-6; allocated to the Bodleian under the Acceptance in Lieu Scheme, 6 March 2008.

Title
Catalogue of additional papers of Sir William Harcourt and Lewis Harcourt, 1st Viscount Harcourt, with other papers of Mary Ethel Harcourt, Viscountess Harcourt, and Edward William Harcourt
Status
Published
Date
EAD version 2012
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository

Contact:
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom