Letters from George Frederic Watts (1817-1904)

Notes: all letters are autograph letters unless otherwise stated; page numbers refer to the pagination in the albums (onto the pages of which letters have been attached); names of correspondents and dates of letters have been standardized for purposes of clarity and do not represent a direct transcription from the letters; correspondence addresses and the extent of individual letters have not been recorded; the use of square brackets denotes uncertain information (mainly dates and a few names).

A

Aberdare, Henry Austin Bruce, 1st Baron (1815-1895), statesman

- Typed copies of 13 letters to Henry Austin Bruce, 1st Baron Aberdare, 1855-1892 (Album 12, pp. 2-4 and Album 15, pp. 80-90)

Aberdare, Norah Creina Blanche, Lady (d. 1897), 2nd wife of the 1st Baron Aberdare

- Typed copy of a letter to Lady Aberdare (when Mrs Bruce), 29 November 1854 (Album 15, p. 79)

Adderley, James Granville (1861-1942), Canon and political activist

- Typed copies of 2 letters to James Granville Adderley, 21 September 1899 and 5 February 1902 (Album 12, pp. 6-7)

Alford, Marianne Margaret Alford, Viscountess (1817-1888), artist

- Typed copy of a letter to Marianne Margaret Alford, Viscountess Alford (known as Lady Marian Alford), undated (Album 12, pp. 14-15)

Allan, James

- Typed copy of a letter to James Allan, 18 June 1891 (Album 12, pp. 9-11)

Atkinson, William Blake (fl. 1873-1905), poet and rector

- Copy of a letter to William Blake Atkinson, 5 July 1869 (Album 12, p. 12)

B

Barnett, Samuel Augustus (1844-1913), divine and social reformer and Henrietta Octavia Barnett

- Typed copy of a letter to Samuel Augustus and Henrietta Octavia Barnett, 30 January 1898 (Album 12, p. 19)

Barnett, Henrietta Octavia, wife of Samuel Augustus Barnett

- Typed copies of 2 letters to Henrietta Octavia Barnett, 15 March 1888 and 11 September 1892 (Album 12, pp. 16-18)

Bayliss, Sir Wyke (1835-1906), painter and writer

- Copies of 1 letter and 5 extracts from letters to Sir Wyke Bayliss, 19 March 1902 and undated (Album 9, pp. 92-94)

Bell, Henry Thomas Mackenzie (1856-1930), poet and literary critic

- Copy of a letter to Henry Thomas Mackenzie Bell, 30 January 1898 (Album 12, p. 21)

Bentinck, George Augustus Frederick Cavendish (1821-1891), statesman, Judge advocate and writer

- Copies of 4 letters to the George Augustus Frederick Cavendish Bentinck, 1859-1861 (Album 12, pp. 23-26)

Bezzi, Giovanni Aubrey (fl. 1850), translator and author

- Letter to Giovanni Aubrey Bezzi, 13 January 1853 (Box 1)

Brownlow, Lord

- Typed copy of a letter to Lord Brownlow, undated [1902 or 1903] (Album 12, p. 27)

Bruce, Henry Austin SEE Aberdare, Henry Austin Bruce, 1st Baron

Bruce, Mrs SEE Aberdare, Norah Creina Blanche, Lady

Burne-Jones, Sir Edward Coley, 1st Bt (1833-1898), painter and designer

- Typed copies of 7 letters to Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, 1st Bt, 1881-1897 (Album 5, pp. 49, 54, 82, 86, 98-99)

Burne-Jones, Lady Georgiana (1840-1920), wife of Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, 1st Bt

- Typed transcript of 7 letters to Lady Georgiana Burne-Jones, 1870-1902 (Album 5, pp. 40, 88, 97, 99-101)

C

Cameron, Julia Margaret (1815-1879), pioneer photographer

- 10 letters to Julia Margaret Cameron, 1864-1873 (Box 3)

- Typed copies of 3 letters to Julia Margaret Cameron, 1861-1867 (Album 12, pp. 34-36)

Campbell, Lord Archibald (1846-1913), amateur artist

- Typed copies of 9 letters to Lord Archibald Campbell, 1879-1900 (Album 12, pp. 55-62)

Carlisle, George James Howard, 9th Earl of (1845-1911)

- Typed copies of 2 letters to George James Howard, 9th Earl of Carlisle, 30 June 1885 and 1 July 1885 (Album 1, p. 17)

Cesaresco, Countess Evelyn Lilian Hazeldine Martinengo (d. 1931), writer on Italy

- Copy of a letter to Countess Evelyn Lilian Hazeldine Martinengo Cesaresco, 5 March 1903 (Album 13, p. 39)

Chesworth, Mary J., cousin of Charles Hilditch Rickards

- 11 letters to Mary J. Chesworth, 1879-1884 (Album 3, pp. 71-73, 119-131 and Album 10, p. 25)

Childe, Frances Christina Baldwyn (d. 1930), translator

- Copy of a letter to Frances Christina Baldwyn Childe, 20 December 1893 (Album 12, p. 65)

Clark, Sir Andrew, 1st Bt (1826-1893), physician

- Letter to Sir Andrew Clark, 1st Bt, 23 June 1892 (Album 15, p. 59)

Clench, Esther Leonora (fl. 1886-1896), violinist

- Typed copies of 3 letters to Esther Leonora Clench (known as 'Nora'), 1898-1899 (Album 12, pp. 66-69)

- Manuscript notes about uncopied letters to Esther Leonora Clench and Mrs Henry Holiday, undated (Album 12, p. 67)

Collins, Arthur (1845-1911), Lieutenant-Colonel

- Copy of a letter to Colonel Arthur Collins, 20 July 1902 (Album 12, p. 71)

Corkran, Henriette (fl. 1885), novelist

- Typed copy of a letter to Henriette Corkran, 28 March 1880 (Album 12, p. 73)

Coronio, Aglaia Ionides

- Typed copies of 10 letters to Aglaia Ionides Coronio, 1875-1883 (Album 9, pp. 95-102)

Coxon, Ethel SEE Earl, Ethel

D

Dilke, Sir Charles Wentworth, 2nd Bt (1843-1911), politician and writer

- Typed copies of 14 letters to Sir Charles Wentworth Dilke, 2nd Bt, 1872-1874 (Album 12, pp. 81-82, 84-85, 88-92, 95-96, 99)

Dilke, Emilia Frances, Lady (1840-1904), philanthropist and writer on art, 2nd wife of Sir Charles Wentworth Dilke, 2nd Bt

- Typed copies of 3 letters to Emilia Frances, Lady Dilke, 1872-1873 (Album 12, pp. 82, 86,

Draper, Warwick H., of Lincoln's Inn

- Copies of extracts from 3 letters to Warwick H. Draper, 1903-1904 (Album 12, p. 101)

Duckworth, George

- Copy of a letter to George Duckworth, 2 July 1902 (Album 12, p. 102)

Duff, Lady SEE Gordon, Caroline, Lady Duff

E

Earl, Ethel (when Ethel Coxon)

- Typed copies of 3 letters to Ethel Earl (when Ethel Coxon), 1881 and undated (Album 12, pp.75-77)

Earle, Maria Theresa

- Typed copies of 4 letters to Maria Theresa Earle, 1881-1892 (Album 9, pp. 31-34)

Edminson, Frank H.

- Copy of a letter to Frank H. Edminson, 3 October 1887 (Album 12, p. 104)

Ellis, Coalbold [?]

- Copy of a letter to Coalbold [?] Ellis, 3 February 1875 (Album 12, p. 153)

Eliot, George (Mary Ann Cross) (1819-1880), novelist

- Letter to George Eliot (addressed as Mrs [George] Lewes), undated (Box 3)

F

- No letters

G

Gladstone, William Ewart (1809-1898), Prime Minister

- Typed copies of 25 letters to William Ewart Gladstone, 1859-1897 (Album 1, pp.2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15-16, 18-21, 25, 28-29)

Gordon, Caroline, Lady Duff (d. 1875), wife of Sir William Duff Gordon, 2nd Bt

Letter to Caroline, Lady Duff Gordon (known as Lady Duff), 15 December 1857 (Box 3)

Gordon, Georgiana Duff, daughter of Sir William Duff Gordon, 2nd Bt

- Typed copies of 12 letters to Georgiana Duff Gordon, 1846-1848 (Album 14, pp. 56-71)

Grey, Albert Henry George, 4th Earl (1851-1917), Governor-General of Canada

- Typed copies of 6 letters to Albert Henry George, 4th Earl Grey, 1899-1903 (Album 12, pp. 106-117)

Grieg, Mrs

Letter to Mrs [Grieg?], undated (Box 3)

H

Hallam, Mr

- Letter to Mr Hallam, 23 February 1896 (Album 15, p. 97)

Hichens, Andrew Kinsman (1833-1906), stockbroker and music patron

- Typed copies of 9 letters to Andrew Kinsman Hichens, 1888-1898 (Album 12, pp. 118-126)

Holiday, Mrs Henry

- Typed copies of 9 letters to Mrs Henry Holiday, 1880-1899 (Album 12, pp. 127-134, 137)

- Copies of a letter to Mrs Henry Holiday, 13 November 1886 and extracts from 3 letters, 1889-1892 and undated (Album 12, pp. 135-136)

- Manuscript notes about uncopied letters to Esther Leonora Clench and Mrs Henry Holiday, undated (Album 12, p. 67)

Holland, Augusta Mary, Lady, wife of Henry Edward Fox, 4th Baron Holland

- Typed copies of 3 letters to Augusta Mary, Lady Holland, 1871-1884 and undated (Album 14, pp. 74-76)

Hollins, Dorothea

- Copy of a letter to Dorothea Hollins, [undated] (Album 12, p. 139)

Horsfall, Thomas Coghlan (1841-1932), art museum founder and educationalist

- Typed copies of 8 letters to Thomas Coghlan Horsfall, 1880-1899 (Album 12, pp. 141-152)

I

Ionides, Alexander Constantine

- Copies of 5 letters to Alexander Constantine Ionides, 1846-1847 (Album 13, pp. 3-7)

Ionides, Constantine Alexander (1833-1900), public benefactor

- Typed copies of 4 letters to Constantine Alexander Ionides, 1880-1893 (Album 13, pp. 8-9)

J

Johnson, H.

- Typed copy of a letter to H. Johnson, 5 February 1902 (Album 13, p. 16)

Johnson, J.

- Typed copy of a letter to J. Johnson, 29 June 1892 (Album 13, p. 15)

Jones, Mrs J.

- Copy of a letter to Mrs J. Jones, 16 April 1897 (Album 13, p. 13)

K

Knight, William

- Copy of a letter to William Knight, 3 July 1890 (Album 13, p. 19)

L

Levi, [M.?]

- Typed copy of a letter to [M.?] Levi, 24 November 1896 (Album 13, p. 23)

Lewes, Mrs SEE Eliot, George

Liddell, Kathleen M.

- Copy of a letter to Kathleen M. Liddell, 26 November 1899 (Album 13, p. 25)

Lothian, Constance Harriet Mahonese, Marchioness of (d. 1901), wife of the 8th Marquess of Lothian

- Letter to Constance Harriet Mahonese, Marchioness of Lothian, 5 April 1865 (Box 3)

Luxmore, Henry Elford (d. 1926), Senior Assistant Master, Eton College

- Typed copies of 6 letters to Henry Elford Luxmore, 1882-1900 (Album 13, pp. 29-34)

Lytton, Edward Robert Bulwer Lytton, 1st Earl of (1831-1891), statesman and poet

- Typed copy of a letter to Edward Bulwer Lytton, 1st Earl of Lytton, 23 January 1882 (Album 9, pp. 103-104)

M

Martin, Ethel King

- Letter to Ethel King Martin, 18 February 1899 (Album 13, p. 41)

Mead, Mary Gertrude (later Mrs Edwin Austin Abbey), organiser of the exhibition of Watts's paintings held at the Metropolitan Museum in New York 1884-1885

- 32 letters and 2 telegrams to Mary Gertrude Mead, 1883-1888 (Album 10, pp. 23-24, 26-60)

- Typed copies of 21 letters to Mary Gertrude Mead, 1883-1888 (Album 13, pp. 42-52, 54-57, 60-62, 64-65, 67, 69, 72-81)

- Copies of 11 letters, including extracts, to Mary Gertrude Mead, 1885-1888 (Album 13, pp. 53, 58-59, 63, 68, 70-71, 82-86, 88)

Megaw, Arthur Stanley (d. 1961)

- Copy of a letter to Arthur Stanley Megaw, 16 November 1901 (Album 13, p. 91)

Millais, Sir John Everett, 1st Bt (1829-1896), painter and President of the Royal Academy

- Typed copies of 4 letters to Sir John Everett Millais, 1st Bt, 1884-1896 (Album 13, pp. 92-93)

Mirrlees, J.B.

- Copy of a letter to J. B. Mirrlees, 27 December 1883 (Album 12, p. 5)

Moss, William R.

- Letter to William R. Moss, 16 November 1894 (Album 13, p. 95)

- Copy of a letter to William R. Moss, 5 January 1890 (Album 13, p. 95)

Murray, Thomas Douglas (1841-1911), barrister, biographer and benefactor

- Typed copies of 2 letters to Thomas Douglas Murray, 12 January 1903 and 8 March 1903 (Album 13, pp. 96-97)

N

Nevill, Lady Dorothy Fanny (1826-1913), hostess, horticulturalist and collector

- Typed copy of a letter to Lady Dorothy Fanny Nevill, 28 March 1884 (Album 13, p. 100)

Newton, Sir Charles Thomas (1816-1894), archaeologist

- Draft letter to Sir Charles Thomas Newton, [1852] (Album 4, p. 60)

- Typed copy of a letter to Sir Charles Newton, 8 January 1865 (Album 4, p. 62)

O

O'Brien, Mary

- Typed copies of a letter to Mary O'Brien (later Mary Vere Perceval), [1851] (Album 12, p. 29)

Okey, Mrs SEE Mrs Rye

P

Pearse, Annie

- Typed copy of a letter to Annie Pearse, 7 October 1892 (Album 13, p. 105)

Perceval, Mary Vere SEE O'Brien, Mary

Phillips, Rev. Basil

- Copy of a letter to the Rev. Basil Phillips, 11 February 1900 (Album 13, p. 107)

Prescott, Mrs

- Copy of a letter to Mrs Prescott, 1 December 1859 (Album 13, p. 109)

Preston, J.K.

- Typed copy of a letter to J.K. Preston, 31 October 1903 (Album 9, p. 28)

Probyn, Miss, sister of Sir Dighton Probyn

- Letter to Miss Probyn, 18 Mary 1873 (Album 13, p. 111)

Q

- No letters

R

Rawnsley, Hardwicke Drummond (1851-1920), Canon and divine

- Typed copy of a letter to Canon Hardwicke Drummond Rawnsley, July 1894 (Album 14, p. 78)

Rickards, Charles Hilditch (1812-1886), papermaker and benefactor; principal patron of Watts

- 205 letters to Charles Hilditch Rickards, 1865-1884 (Album 2, pp. 1-119 and Album 3, pp. 1-135)

Rickards, Francis P. (fl. 1855), political writer

- Letter to F[rancis?]. P. Rickards, 17 September 1869 (Album 2, p. 31)

Ritchie, Anne Isabella, Lady (1837-1919), novelist, daughter of William Makepeace Thackeray and wife of Richmond T.W. Ritchie

- Typed copies of 2 letters to Anne Isabella, Lady Ritchie (when Mrs Richmond Ritchie), 14 December 1873 and 1 March 1890 (Album 13, pp.115-118)

Riviere, Briton (1840-1920), painter

- Typed copies of 60 letters, including extracts from letters, to Briton Riviere, 1885-1904 (Album 13, pp. 120-138)

Rossetti, Dante Gabriel (1828-1882), painter and poet

- Typed transcript of 2 letters to Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 30 March 1869 and 27 August 1875, the latter accompanied by an undated manuscript explanation (Album 5, pp. 113-114)

Rye, Mrs

- Typed copy of a letter to Mrs Rye (later Mrs Okey), 9 July 1880 (Album 13, p. 139)

S

Salt, Henry Shakespear Stephens (1851-1939), biographer and literary critic

- Typed copies of 2 letters to Henry Shakespear Stephens Salt, 13 September 1896 and 17 September 1896 (Album 14, pp. 3-4)

Senior, Jeanie Nassau, sister of the author Thomas Hughes

- Typed copies of 38 letters to Jeanie Nassau Senior, 1855-1876 (Album 9, pp. 107-134 and Album 10, pp. 1-20)

Severn, Mrs

- Typed copies of 4 letters to Mrs Severn, 1886-1891 (Album 14, pp. 5-6)

Seymour, Henry Danby (1820-1877), MP and travel writer

- Letter to Henry Danby Seymour, 12 August 1856 (Album 15, p. 73)

Simpson, Gaynor

- Copy of a letter to Gaynor Simpson, 8 June 1898 (Album 14, p. 7)

Smith, James, of Blundell Sands

- Typed copies of 13 letters to James Smith, 1890-1902 (Album 14, pp. 9-21, 24, 26, 29, 30a,)

- Transcript of 5 letters to James Smith, 1894-1904 (Album 14, pp. 22-23, 25, 27-28, 30-31)

Spence, William

- Typed copies of 5 letters to William Spence, 1893 and undated (Album 14, p. 32, 34-37)

- Copy of a letter to William Spence, 27 October 1894 (Album 14, p. 38)

Stanley, Lady Dorothy (d. 1926), wife of the explorer Henry Moreton Stanley

- Copies of 6 letters to Lady Dorothy Stanley (when Dorothy Tennant), 1876-1896 (Album 15, p. 93)

Stephen, Harriet Marian SEE Thackeray, Harriet Marian

Strachey, Henry (1863-1940), painter and art critic

- Typed copy of a letter to Henry Strachey, 8 February 1900 (Album 14, pp. 48-49)

Stuart, Sir John (1793-1876), MP and lawyer

- Copies of 3 letters to Sir John Stuart, 1857 (Album 14, pp. 51-53)

T

Taylor, J. Scott, of the North London Colour Works

- 58 letters to J. Scott Taylor, 1892-1903 (Box 4)

- Typed copies of 109 letters to J. Scott Taylor, 1894-1903 (Album 7, pp. 23, 25, 29, 31-32, 35, 37-39, 42-43, 45-46, 49, 52, 54, 56, 58-61, 63, 65-66, 68-69, 71-73, 75, 77-81, 83-85, 87, 89-93, 95-97, 100, 102-104, and Album 8, pp. 4, 6, 8-9, 11, 13, 15-17, 19, 21, 24)

Taylor, Laura (d. 1905), wife of Tom Taylor

- Copies of 3 letters to Laura Taylor, 1860-1880 and undated (Album 9, p. 2)

Taylor, Tom (1817-1880), dramatist and editor of Punch

- 2 letters to Tom Taylor, 20 June 1865 and undated (Album 2, p. 2)

Tennant, Dorothy SEE Stanley, Lady Dorothy

Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron (1809-1892), Poet Laureate

- Typed transcript a letter to Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 2 April 1862 (Album 1, p. 33)

Tennyson, Hallam Tennyson, 2nd Baron (1852-1928), 1st son and biographer of Alfred, Lord Tennyson

- Letter to Hallam Tennyson, 2nd Baron Tennyson, 1896 (Album 15, p. 97)

Tennyson, Emily Sarah, Lady (1813-1896), wife of Alfred, Lord Tennyson

- Letter to Emily Sarah, Lady Tennyson (when Mrs Tennyson), 13 October 1858 (Album 12, p. 39)

- Typed copies of 3 letters to Emily Sarah, Lady Tennyson (when Mrs Tennyson), 1859-1865 (Album 1, pp. 31, 34)

Thackeray, Harriet Marian, daughter of William Makepeace Thackeray and sister of Anne Isabella, Lady Ritchie

- Typed copy of a letter to Harriet Marian Thackeray (known as 'Minnie', later Mrs Stephen), [undated] (Album 13, p.119)

Thompson, Mr, George Frederic Watts's assistant

- Typed copies of 18 letters to Mr Thompson, 1896-1903 (Album 9, pp. 15-24)

The Times, Editor of

- Letter to the Editor of The Times, 21 August [no year] (Box 3)

Tirard, Helen Mary, wife of the physician Sir Nestor Isidore Charles Tirard

- Copy of a letter to Helen Mary Tirard, 18 April 1897 (Album 9, p. 6)

U

Unnamed correspondents

- Copy of a letter to an unnamed person, 27 November 1871 (Album 9, p. 4)

- Copy of a letter to an unnamed person, [undated] (Album 13, pp. 26-27)

V

Verner, Ida

- Typed copies of 2 letters to Ida Verner, 19 December 1884 and 22 November 1886 (Album 9, pp. 25-26)

Villiers, Hon. Mrs E.

- Typed copy of a letter to the Hon. Mrs E. Villiers, 10 March 1859 (Album 9, p. 30)

W

Walker, Elsie M.

- Typed copy of a letter to Elsie M. Walker, 16 December 1903 (Album 9, p. 84)

Wells, Henry Tanworth (1828-1903), portrait painter

- Copies of 6 letters to Henry Tanworth Wells, 1871-1902 (Album 9, pp. 76-81)

Wemyss, Grace, Lady (d. 1946), wife of the 8th Earl of Wemyss

- Copy of a letter to Grace, Lady Wemyss, 30 March 1904 (Album 9, p. 86)

Westminster, Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, 1st Duke of (1825-1899)

- Letter to Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster, 28 May 1871 (Album 4, p. 32)

Willett, Mrs

- Copy of a letter to Mrs Willett, 28 December 1896 (Album 15, p. 63)

Winsor & Newton, Messrs.

- Typed copies of 14 letters to Messrs. Winsor & Newton, 1871-1896 (Album 7, pp. 3-7, 10, 12, 20-23, 29)

Wylie, Mrs Charles

- Typed transcripts 15 letters to Mrs Charles Wylie, 1874-1876 (Album 9, pp. 45-59)

Wyndham, Mrs Percy

- Typed copies of 21 letters to Mrs Percy Wyndham, 1868-1887 (Album 9, pp. 37-44, 60-71)

X-Y

- No letters

Z

Zaehnsdorf, J.H.

- Typed copy of a letter to J. H. Zaehnsdorf, 31 December 1897 (Album 12, p. 49)

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