The Napier family includes Sir William Francis Patrick Napier (1785-1860), general and historian; his wife Caroline Amelia (d 1860); his parents, Colonel George Napier (1751-1804) and Lady Sarah Napier (d 1826); and his brother, Sir Charles James Napier (1782-1853), general and colonial governor. Also represented in this collection are Caroline Napier's father and brother, Henry Edward Fox (1755-1811), general and colonial governor, and Henry Stephen Fox (1791-1846), diplomat. Details, for all except Caroline Napier and Lady Sarah Napier, are given in the Dictionary of National Biography.

Napier family papers, consisting of:

• Papers of Sir William Napier and his wife Caroline, 1801-61, including correspondence, papers relating to Sir William's History of the war in the Peninsula, and papers relating to other works
• Correspondence of H.E. Fox and H.S. Fox, 1786-1842
• Papers of Col. George and Lady Sarah Napier, 1780-1874, including correspondnece, the will and probate of Colonel George, and a notebook containing lists of the correspondence of Colonel George and Lady Sarah Napier
• Papers of Sir Charles James Napier, 1800-53, including correspondence and a notebook containing drawings and water-colours
• Papers of other members of the Napier family, 1788-1933, including miscellaneous family correspondence and papers

The collection was given to the Library in three parts in 1962-3.

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card (for admissions procedures see http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/services/admissions/).

M. Clapinson and T.D. Rogers, Summary Catalogue of Post-Medieval Western Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library Oxford. Acquisitions 1916-1975. (Oxford, 1991), vol. I, nos. 41203-80.

A detailed catalogue of the collection is available in the Library (X.Cat. 11/Napier) and at the National Register of Archives.

Other Napier family papers are held by the British Library (Add. MSS. 49086-49172).

A number of the papers are printed in W.F.P. Napier, History of the war in the Peninsula (London, 1828-40), H.A. Bruce, Life of General Sir William Napier (London, 1864), and W.N. Bruce, Life of General Sir Charles Napier (Edinburgh, 1885).

Peninsular War, 1807-1814

Fox | Henry Edward | 1755-1811 | General colonial governor

Fox | Henry Stephen | 1791-1846 | Diplomat

Napier | Caroline Amelia | d 1860

Napier | Charles James | 1782-1853 | Sir | Knight General Colonial Governor

Napier | George | 1751-1804 | Colonel

Napier | Sarah | d 1826 | Lady | nee Bunbury, fourth daughter of the second Duke of Richmond

Napier | William Francis Patrick | 1785-1860 | Sir | Knight General and Historian