A large quantity of letters between Commander Frederick Greville Egerton and his parents, Admiral the Hon. Francis Egerton and Lady Louise Caroline Egerton, 1884-1899

Aristocrat and Commander:Letters between Commander Frederick Greville Egerton and his parents, Admiral the Hon. Francis Egerton and Lady Louise Caroline Egerton, 1884-1899As grandson of both the Duke of Devonshire and the Earl of Ellesmere, Francis Greville Egerton (1869-1899) was placed at the centre of late-Victorian Whig society. His father Admiral Francis Egerton (1824-1895), the son of the 1st Earl of Ellesmere, followed a naval career with two spells as a Liberal politician, sitting as Member of Parliament for Derbyshire East from 1868 to 1885, and for Derbyshire North-East from 1885 to 1886; his mother Lady Louisa Caroline Egerton (1835-1907) was the daughter of the 7th Duke of Devonshire. Egerton was the second of the couple’s five children, with an elder brother William, and three younger sisters Blanch, Dorothy and Christian. Treading the familiar path of the younger son, Egerton followed his father into the Royal Navy. In 1884 he was appointed a naval cadet to HMS Agincourt, followed by appointments as midshipman in 1884, sub-lieutenant in 1888, and lieutenant in 1891. From 1887 to 1889 he was gunnery lieutenant on HMS Powerful on the China Station. On 2 November of 1889, a few days after his promotion to the rank of Commander, Egerton died of wounds sustained during the defence of Ladysmith. Two days later The Times carried a report written a few hours before his death, beginning ‘It is extremely sad to learn that the dangerous wounds received by Lieutenant Egerton, the gunnery-lieutenant of her Majesty’s ship Powerful, during the artillery duel which took place on Thursday morning have necessitated the amputation of both the gallant officer’s legs.’ Following the operation Egerton is said to have commented drily: 'This will put an end to my cricket I'm afraid'.The present collection consists of 169 letters between Egerton and his family, totalling 758pp, 12mo; 47pp, 16mo; 2pp, 4to. Also present is a small well-executed watercolour by Egerton on ruled paper, depicting a picturesque scene of ruined fortifications by a river, mounted on card. Contained in six paper packets, the collection is in good condition, on aged paper, with a handful of items worn and chipped.The two main points of interest of the correspondence are the marvellous glimpse into a vanished world of aristocratic privilege and political power it provides, and its description of the day-to-day life of a Royal Navy officer at the height of the British Empire, coming from an educated and cultured man speaking to a father sharing his naval background. Throughout the correspondence Egerton and his parents reveal themselves to be good-humoured, affectionate, shrewd and assured. The Admiral is particularly keen to report on the political situation (his and his wife’s letters relating to his campaign in the 1885 General Election are of particular interest). Egerton’s parents also describe the doings of their extended family and friends, give advice, and respond to his news, which (as the letters cover a period of peace) mainly consists of descriptions of his duties (with some wider naval news), sightseeing, sport (cricket, football, shooting), social events (dinners and dances).Abbreviations:FGE – Commander Frederick Greville Egerton, RNFE – Admiral Francis EgertonLCE – Lady Louisa Caroline EgertonThe collection is divided into four parts:1. Letters of FGE to his parents FE and LCE2. Letters of FE to his son FGE3. Letters of LCE to her son FGE4. Miscellaneous family letters1. Letters from FGE to his parents FE and LCE91 Autograph Letters Signed, with 51 of them dating from 1886 (1), 1890-1893 (47), and 1897 (3), and the other 40 undated. Totalling 382pp, 12mo; and 43pp, 16mo. All signed ‘Fritz’, and all to ‘Dear Mother & Father’, apart from a handful to one or the other alone. With two envelopes addressed by FGE to LCE, both with Simons-Town postmarks.81 of the 91 letters from the following ships and locations:– In 1886: HMS Tenedos (one on cancelled letterhead of HMS Northampton; 10 undated): in Devonport (1) and the West Indies (Barbados, Bermuda, Jamaica, St Lucia, Trinidad).– Between 1890 and 1893: HMS Trafalgar (1890, 11; 1891, 12; 1892, 10; 1893, 9; 25 undated): in Portsmouth, and the Mediterranean (Alexandria, Beyrout, Khios, Lemnos, Malta, Marmarice, Milo, Port Sigri Mitylene, Nauplia, Pharlerum, Piraeus, Salonica, Smyrna, Suda, Thaso, Volo, Vourlah).– In 1897: HMS Powerful, 1897 (3): ‘at sea’ (2).Other letters on the letterheads of Garrison Library, Gibraltar (1893, 1), Malta Union Club (1891, 3), and Royal Naval Club, Portsmouth (4, all undated); also present are one undated letter apiece from Erdiston House, Bridgetown, Barbados, and Hotel de Grande Bretagne.On several occasions FGE describes naval mishaps, knowing that their significance will be easily apprehended by his father. He writes from HMS Tenedos, at Harbor Grace, Newfoundland, on 22 January [1886?]: ‘We left on Monday, Jan 5th., and had some difficulty in getting away owing to a sealer having dropped both her anchors over ours and after clearing this, we managed to foul with our port anchor, an anchor and cable with buoy attached and carried it away with us to Bay Roberts. This little sketch [a small neat diagram to the left of the text] is meant to represent how our anchors were. We are the one nearest the pier, on the other side of which is a sealer called the “Vanguard” while on our port side is the “Mastiff” another sealer. The “Mastiff’s” starboard anchor was over both ours, she having come in while we alongside at anchor.’ And again from the Tenedos, at ‘St Croix Roads’ [Virgin Islands] on 1 March [1887?]: ‘We have been pretty nearly stationary since my last letter and consequently I have not very much to write about. Our only move has been from Port Castries [St Lucia] to this place a distance of about six or seven miles, last Tuesday. In doing that however the Canada carried her fore topgallant mast away and the Garnet in some curious manner managed to split two main topsails. There was only a fresh breeze at the time but it seemed rather a curious thing to see all the ships Flagship and Mallard excepted standing right out to sea and tacking in time after time.’And from HMS Trafalgar, 26 October 1892, ‘at sea’: ‘You probably know a good deal more about the “Surprise” than we do on board here. At present our Division is just opposite the place where the accident occurred and as there is no “Surprise” or anything else in sight we presume she is off and gone elsewhere. She is supposed to have piled up on Monday morning about 2 a.m.; thought she was past a point which she had to go round, low land and no lights but where we were about thirty miles to the westward it was as fine a night as you could wish for, no moon of course but clear and starlight. Anyway she is supposed to have turned too soon – probably met with an easterly current like we did on Saturday morning – thought she was further on than she really was and run up on the beach. [...] I believe there was a Court of Inquiry about it this morning. Whether that will lead to a Court Martial or not remains to be seen.’ FGE is also keen to discuss wider naval affairs and plans. From HMS Trafalgar, 6 June 1892, Nauplia: ‘We have got rather a fine fleet in here just at present, but I think it represents pretty near all we have out here. At present we have got eight ironclads – Victoria, Trafalgar, Nile, Sanspareil, Inflexible, Edinburgh, Colossus & Collingwood. – 4 cruisers – Australia, Undaunted, Amphion & Phaeton, and the Fearless while the Scot & Surprise are knocking about in the neighbourhood and I think the Polyphemus and Sandfly are expected shortly.’ From HMS Trafalgar, 3 August [no year], ‘at sea’: ‘You probably know a good deal better than we do why our programme has been changed; nobody barring the Admiral’s own staff had any idea when we weighed on Saturday evening, that we were not going to Salonica, and I believe the Admiral only heard that morning. A telegram arrived that evening and after we had weighed the “Boss” made a signal to say we were going to Alexandria.’Promotion is a constant worry. Writing from HMS Trafalgar, Malta, 9 April [?], ‘I see there are only ten promotions this batch, so that I am now 14 th on the list, that means that I might possibly get promoted next June, but fourteen would be rather a large batch for that time of year.’ And in an undated letter from HMS Trafalgar: ‘I haven’t had an opportunity yet of worrying the captain as I intended but am going to do so as soon as possible. It doesn’t follow in the least that one gets promotion any earlier by going in for Gunnery or Torpedo unless you make a name for yourself and manage to get on the “senior staff” in the Excellent or Vernon and that generally means promotion a year or two before you’d otherwise get it. I think there is only one billet (1 st. lieuts of those two ships) where they make a practice of promoting after a year (in the billet) and of course it is only a senior man who gets it. The reason I think for going in are that you get a few more dollars, get rid of watchkeeping and I suppose there is after all a slightly better chance of promoting coming eventually.’ He states that he is ‘striggling with a sketch of the Erectheum up at the Acropolis but the weather has been rather against sketching so far.’There are a number of descriptions of social activities. Writing from HMS Trafalgar, [Greece], no date: ‘Most of the “swell people” here speak English as well as half a dozen other languages; t’other night at the Legation I sat alongside a man and puzzled my head the whole of dinner as to whether he was an Englishman or not. He turned out to be a tame Prince Casiati half English, or at least brought up in England when small, and half Italian.’ From HMS Trafalgar, 22 December [no year], Salonica: ‘A german ironclad the “Deutschland” came in here last Tuesday and left yesterday. We went on board the one evening and drank great quarts of beer and smoked a great many cigarettes and on Saturday some of them dined on board here and drank beer afterwards.’ From HMS Trafalgar, 15 June 1890, Beyrout: ‘The ship is swarming with Infidels, Turks and Heathens of various sorts who are all talking at the top of their voices in various tongues so there is some excuse for bad letter writing.’ A description of his ‘pilgrimage to Jerusalem’ follows. From HMS 12 April 1891, Malta: ‘They had Carmen the other night at the Opera & did it very well indeed; I sat it right through and never went to sleep once.’ Again from HMS Trafalgar, 23 August 1891, Lemnos: ‘We are in all the agony of a regatta, sailing yesterday and the last pulling race just going on now. My part consisted chiefly in looking after the safety of the ship, but all the same we have done moderately well, won a race or two here & there and most people seem fairly pleased about it. Shooting here is much the same as last year’. From HMS Powerful, 10 October 1897, ‘at sea’: ‘The only other amusement is to watch Heneage and the first lieut playing chess, which is decidedly funny but not improving. There is another game going on in the smoking room between Urmston (Captn. of Marines) and Daneskjold which is much more scientific but somwhat slow as the latter ponders deeply and takes at least a quarter of an hour over any move. [...] We have been travelling along at about 13 knots since we left and I think the Captain means to keep on at the same sort of speed to the Cape – [...] I think it is intended tospot a week or ten days at the Cape – long enough to get some washing done, at least I hope so. There is a rumour of a programme of our cruise being printed by our type writer at the present moment, but all I can tell you for certain is that it is intended to arrive at Hong Kong on Dec. 17th.’Communication is a continuing problem. He writes from HMS Trafalgar, 11 August 1891, Alexandria: ‘Some person (or persons) has made a mess of our mails [...] I conclude it is due to the bad arrangements made by the aforesaid person that my last letter is dated July 20 th but I thought I would point it out to you. I believe our postman has played me false and that this will have to go to Salonica in the Australia, but my news will keep.’ The last page of the letter carries an ‘amended programme’ of the ship’s future movements.’ And again from HMS Trafalgar, at Phalerum, 29 July [no year]: ‘Somebody at Malta ought to have his liver taken for not telegraphing as they have always done up till now. We had the tame King off on Monday when we spent several hot and weary hours lashed up in gorgeous attire, pick up cricket on Tuesday and I think that is the sum total of our news.’ (From the same ship, on 10 August [no year], at Phalernum, he sends ‘A line to fill up the last half hour of the middle watch’.)In the light of FGE’s quip, it is appropriate that cricket should feature prominently. From HMS Trafalgar, 10 September [no year], Port Sigri, Mitylene: ‘There is an apology for a cricket ground at marmarice alongside a Turkish cemetery; nobody would dream of using it for cricket purposes anywhere except here but it answers the purpose fairly well.’ And again from HMS Trafalgar, 23 March 1891, Malta: ‘Not much going on here as usual. Our Gunroom played the men the other day at cricket and got beaten by 21 runs. Some of our mids had almost to be driven up to play by main force, but eventually we got up a team, of which about half had a very faint idea of the game. I made 34 and 52 not out but the bowling was not very difficult and the wicket (matting stretched out on an asphalt pitch) very true.’ And a week later, 30 March 1891: ‘We played a return match with our men the other day and this time won very easily, 193 to 97 & 45 for 7 wickets. I made 38 but as the ground is as true as a billiard table & the bowling not very difficult, it wasn’t much to be proud of. I am again in the clutches of a dentist’. And a week after that [6 April 1891]: ‘One cricket match v the Dreadnought in which we were beaten hollow – a result which was greatly assisted by my making the large total of 2 in two innings.’Shooting is another favourite passtime. He writes from HMS Trafalgar, 3 October 1890, Marmarice: ‘The united efforts of nearly all the Ld. de Greys in the fleet have not procured much game here – 3 partridges and a jack snipe seems to be nearly the total. The C. in C. goes out with a gun most days and generally takes our man along with him.’ And again from HMS Trafalgar, 2 November 1890, Smyrna: ‘During our absence the Admiral is going to hoist his flag on board the Dreadnought and I believe go a shooting but I dont think he often hits anything. Five of us went out on a bloodthirsty errand yesterday and brought back 11 couple of snipe and five various but I am afraid as usual my powder wasn’t too straight. We are thinking of trying for a pig some day but the weather is still very hot and there will be better chances later on when we are gone. One or two woodcock have been shot but they haven’t put in their appearance properly yet and wont as long as the weather remains like it is now. [...] We are going to play the people ashore at the noble game of football; their team has several Greeks & infidels amongst them but I haven’t seen them playing yet.’ From HMS Trafalgar, 15 August 1890, Salonica: ‘The admiral went a shooting one day and was guarded by a crowd of villagers & soldiers each carrying a gun which they eased off at anything in the way of game. The bag was not large.’He demonstrates a casual racism in a letter from HMS Trafalgar on 8 February [?] from Port of Spain,: ‘there are lots of coolies here, some from Calcutta or India. they are much better looking than the niggers and are rugged up in a turban and sort of white shirt very much like the pictures you see of Indians.’The last letter, written ‘at sea’ on HMS Powerful, 28 October 1897: ‘Having a peaceful afternoon before me and a strong desire to slumber I may as well kill two birds with one stone and try to begin a letter. Our journey so far has been to say the least of it uneventful. We left Las Palmas on Friday morning (Oct 15th.) and expect to be in about noon on Saturday (30th) if all goes well. Las Palmas was hot – although it had taken a comparatively cold turn the day before we left – but it got hotter and hotter before we crossed the line. Our highest temperature was 85? in the shade on the 18th. or 19th. but he thermometer was in the coolest place in the ship – barring the refrigerator room – and some parts were awful. There was no breeze to speak of and what there was was astern so there was no draught anywhere – a good many stokers temporarily knocked up by the heat below, but no serious cases. Now we are back again in blue clothes and all hands and the cook have forgotten all about it, but while it lasted it was too warm to be pleasant. I expect she will always be a hot ship but I also expect we felt it more coming from a comparatively cold place and the slightest breeze ahead would have made all the difference.’ He reports that the captain’s brother has ‘assisted in our two cricket matches at Las Palmas and is very useful – a fast, but somewhat erratic, bowler as he sent to full pitches well over the batsman’s head into my hands behind. Our last match there was very exciting. As we had won our first “hands down” we rather expected something like a walk over but were all out for 68 and when they had got 60 for 6 wickets it looked as if it was all over.‘2. Letters of FE to his son FGEFE to FGE. 25 Autograph Letters Signed, totalling 101pp, 12mo; and 2p, 4to. Eight of the letters dated between 1884 and 1886, the other 17 with only day and month. Signed ‘F. Egerton’ and addressed to ‘Fritz’. On letterheads of Bolton Abbey, Skipton (2); Chatsworth, Chesterfield (3); Devonshire House, Piccadilly (2); Holker Hall, Clarke-in-Cartmel, Carnforth (4); House of Commons (3); St George’s Hill, Byfleet, Weybridge (5); The Whim, Weybridge Station (1); Woolbeding, Midhurst, Sussex; another apiece from Chesterfield, Chatsworth, London and St George’s Hill. Three of FE’s letters have long postscripts by LCE, in one case (21 October [1885]) LCE’s postscript is longer than FGE’s letter, with a diagram and account of her son William’s expedition ‘two miles to sea in Mr. Cowles canoe’.He discusses what he describes as ‘matters political’ (22 June [1885]) and ‘naval news’(16 August 1885), also giving domestic and social news, advice and speculation.A good indication of FE’s character is to be found in an amusing letter from The Whim, Weybridge Station, written in November or December 1886. It is headed ‘Log of the proceedings of Adml Egerton’, and begins: ‘Arrival her per 6.15 train – cab thought it must go on to St G. Hill – shot past the Whim – loud wail of Stop Hi – hulloo-o-o-o- horse pulled up – beg your parding sir – thought you lived at the ill – all right – one & six – there you are – how di doo & all the rest of it – dinner & go to bed.’On 30 January 1884 beginning with some fatherly advice on a delicate matter: ‘Now that you are actually starting in your profession I want to give you a warning on a subject on which it is difficult to talk. I believe that the tone among officers in the navy is higher than it was in my early days and that you will hear less profane and indecent language than was usual in former times. But still you are likely to hear it occasionally, and also to hear it said of certain vices [prostitution and masturbation], that all men are liable to use the one and to practice the other occasionally. And often the individual who says this is in other respects a good fellow enough, perhaps a very good officer and one who has a good deal of influence with his companions. But dont believe him. There are plenty of equally good men who can with absolute truth tell you that the case is quite the other way. Once got into the line of thinking that the sort of sin is venial and you begin a course of life which may lead to misery, and cannot be otherwise than harmful.’ FE also comments on self-reliance and punctuality. ‘And as to your navigation & other studies pray remember that unless you keep up to the mark you may lose valuable time when the examination for lieutt has got to be gone through. And itis so much easier to keep up knowledge than to rub it up again when forgotten.’ His comments on ‘money matters’ are informative: ‘it is right that you should know that a sum of 50£ is paid for you to the Accountt General of the Navy & by him forwarded to the ship – the paymaster of which I understand gives it to you in stated sums and besides that there is your pay, about 12£ a year, and a further sum of 10£ which at such times as the captain considers you to require it is given to you. I believe that the Admiralty does not approve of young officers having more than that’.On 25 and 26 March [1885] FE is ‘very much puzzled about the navy question. Govt dont like holding more armourclads than can be helped: they cost ¾ of a million apiece and are sinkable by a trumpery torpedo: the french are discontinuing the building of them or talking about doing so: but the present agreement is that any we do build ought to be belted all along the water line: I cannot make my mind up whether that really is necessary, as you cannot make the belt strong enough to keep out really heavy projectiles & if you can’t keep them out the belt is only so much more weight.’On 30 April [1885]: ‘The Pall Mall says only England wants war, that the dear good russians dont mean any harm, would not do an atom of mischief to anybody. I dont quite agree – we certainly dont want war; the question is whether we can avoid it. [...] The difficulty will be to get at Russia especially if the Dardanelles are closed’.On 7 May [1885] he writes that ‘Mother has been hobnobbing with the Princess of Wales: she has got so thick with princesses lately about the Natural Aid Society of wh. she is a working member (keeps them all in order & stops them squabbling among themselves) that I feel it rather a condescension when she speaks to a humble individual like myself. However I hope to be still respectably treated, and am rather amused by the way the Pss. of Wales talks of her relations in whom she seems to see a good deal of comicality which dont appear to us outside barbarians.’On 25 and 26 May [1885] he expands on his opinion that ‘the war scare as regards Russia is pretty well over, though it may revive. [...] We are just now moer likely to have difficulties with France about Egypt, and I am not at all sure but that there is cause for alarm in that quarter.’On 22 June [1885] he reports that ‘Matters political are still in a mess. We shall not know till tomorrow whether the consves., after all their boasting of being ready to take office, really will do so or not. They have tried six times I thing this session to defeat the Govt. on vital questions and always announced in their press & their speeches out of parlmt their readiness to take office if tehy defeated the Govt, wh. they could do by the help of Parnell & his crew. And now that they have defeated the Govt. with that assistance & the absence of liberals, they decline to take up the business, unless guarantees are given wh. it seems to me it is impossible to give. No leader of a party, not even Gladstone can guarantee that his party will let Govt. do just what it likes.’On 7 July 1885, with the country on the verge of a general election, he predicts that his future time will soon be taken up by visiting his ‘dear constituents’: ‘I think the business looks likely to be got through & that we shall get away early next month. The late [Liberal] government began business in 80 with an apology to Austria or what is called one – from the new prime minr. [Gladstone] and with the incontinuance of a coercive act in ireland, for both of wh the new opposition & present ministerial party have for five years continuously abused it. The present govt. begins office with what must be, if demanded, an apology to Austria for language used by the prime minr. & secy of state for India, and the non continuance of a coercive act in Ireland – a curious instance of “the ironyof fate” or doing exactly what you have condemned in others’. He now turns his attention naval developments: ‘the only thing that has as yet come out clearly being that the Polyphemus clans must have an important place in the navy & that torpedo boats cannot do everything. Some men who I would have thought were more sensible have been advocating a society for providing or helping to provide torpedo boats & defences for ports, harbours & seaside towns.’ He disagrees with this proposal, considering that ‘if towns such as Brighton are fortified or defended they become liable to be bombarded’. Among family news is the fact that ‘Our tenant at The Cottage (now called Weyside) have sublet to some Tennysons, a son of the poet & wife, who are going off in October to pay a visit to Dufferin the Govr Genl of India: I can imagine few pleasanter expeditions & would like to go to. | It is near post time and I have come away from listening to the new chancellor of the exchequer Sir Hicks Beach who is one of the dullest speakers I know, speaking on a dull subject.’On 16 August 1885 he writes while grouse hunting, ‘The Spencers and Alfred Lyttleton & his new wife are among the guests – the girls at the farm house where they were last year – Miss Major still in Switzerland. Poor Claude has had a very serious accident [...] a runaway in a pony cart whence so far as is known he and Col Gascoyne were thrown out & dragged’. With the election approaching, he is going to have ‘four days speechifying in Derbyshire from the 1st to the 4th of Septr. inclusive and hope that doing so may not induce any other candidate to come forward as I dont want a contest if it can be avoided. [...] Parliament has come to an end – of course it might be summoned again to meet in case of an european war or some such event, but under ordinary circumstances it will not meet again – will be dissolved about October & the new parliament elected in November. Whether I shall be in remains to be seen: personally I would not be sorry to be out of it, but I dont want to be beat.’ Of his other son he reports, ‘william has been shooting very well, but I do hope he will not turn into a second Ld. de Grey – a more wasted life than that there could never be, & I dont think he has improved it by marrying Lady Lonsdale which he did this spring.’On 29 August: ‘Yr. uncle Hartn. is making a very important speech tonight at some place in Lancashire – important because it is the first political speech of a leader of our side since the recess began. I wonder what he will say about Parnell & his announcement about Ireland that he means to go in for independence – for that is what it amounts to. My answer would be that twenty years ago the democratic states of America went to war about a very similar question, & that 30 millions of english & scotch, not to mention a million loyal irish, will probably upset 4 million irish revolutionists, though it would be a lamentable business.’On 20 October [1885] he writes from Chatsworth: ‘I daresay somebody will have told you about the franchise demonstration here. We were very lucky as to weather, especially considering the season & it went off most successfully. I tried to count the people – getting say 25 along a particular line of barriers & then making out a square roughly & counting how many such squares the crowd was composed of. Two other people and myself came to the same conclusion independently of one another making the number 25000 in front of the hustings, and there were more than double that number altogether – some think more than treble. They thought that 18000, certainly not less than 12000, walked through the home, and, except the dust they left, there was not an atom of damage done, either in the home or garden. The joke is that there was one tory present, for Mr Shopley’s watch was stolen. What is to come of it and other demonstrations remains to be seen. My one belief is that the peers will be foolish enough to hold out, but I hope some means for getting out of the difficulty may be found. [...] Ld Salisbury wants to arrange redistribution himself – and we say it concerns us who are the maj[ority]y of the people more than it concerns the Tory majs in the H of Lds., and that, practically his claim to settle this & other matters is simply a claim of the H of peers wh always is tory to be the final authority whatever the country, which is mainly liberal or democratic whichever you please to call it, chooses to have done.’A letter from Chatsworth on 28 October starts with an indication of the difficulties involved in getting mail to FGE: ‘My dear Fritz I can’t post this till tomorrow Thursday 29th wh is the London posting day, but I think it should reach Liverpool from here as well as from London & should therefore be in time.’ Regarding the forthcoming election he writes: ‘I have had about 17 meetings in N.E. Derbyshire as yet & have more in the next few weeks coming off. They say I am quite safe to be elected, but nobody can know. However my opponent who is utterly unknown in the country will be marvellously lucky if he wins. His only chance is that my usual supporters may not care to vote for me as I wont vote for disestablishing the church, which they most of them being dissenters are rather keen for.’On 27 November [1885] he writes: ‘I am at the duke’s office here – my headquarters till the election wh takes place on the 27th. Everybody says I am safe and I believe them, but I dont know that I care much, for the H of C will be no bed of roses, what with irish & tory obstruction if we are in, and ours if we are out. We cannot be worse than others were and I think we shall have more excuse for our obstruction for we know that if tories pass measures in the H of C they can always get them through the H of Lds. It is not at all certain that yr uncle Edwd will get in. – Lady Edwd goes to his meetings almost every night. I dont know why except that she likes it – I dont think she does any good.’On 1 December [1885] he reports from Chatsworth, that ‘The elections are going on badly for the liberals. We have barely as many seats as the tories, whereas in the last parlt we had many more. Yr uncle Hartn & I got in easily enough by 1800 & 2400 votes respectively but we are not at all sure that yr uncle Edwd. will do as well. His election is not till the 8th. [...] I think a good many moderate liberals were frightened by Chamberlains radical programme, and no doubt the clergy have worked very hard for the consves.’Eight days later (9 December 1885) he is still at Chatsworth, and has good news to report: ‘My dearest boy – Uncle Eddy has got in all right, nearly 900 above Mr. Arkwright. it is an enormous relief, for it would have been a great disappointment to grandfather if he had been beaten, and as to Aunt Emma she would have been in despair. The news came while we were at luncheon & there was great clapping of hands. I thought we were going to celebrate the event by burning the house down, for when I was out in the afternoon I saw a tremendous smoke. It turned out to be only a chimney on fire - & it was soon burned out’. The letter gives a glimpse of life at Chatsworth: ‘I found the little girls teaching William to dance in the landing place by the school room – he is quite anxious to learn to do it properly. The Granvilles & some Bagots, & Cokes are here – a lot of young ladies & they seem very merry all together.’A letter of 30 December [1885] begins: ‘We wrote to you on Xmas day by a Liverpool str. to Barbados & mother sent you a postal order on the post office there for two pounds which I hope you got.’ After family news he turns to foreign affairs: ‘Things look ugly in Egypt. The arabs are supposed to be a considerable force at points held by our people, and there are reports that fighting is hourly expected. [...] I am afraid Ireland is in a very bad state, but can’t help hoping there is some appearance of a split in the “rebel” camp in the fact that the labourers have found out that the farmers who mainly comprise the “rebel” class are the principle opponents to the carrying out the labourers dwellings act wh was passed for the latters benefit.’The beginning of the letter of 3 August 1885 indicates the intimate tone of the correspondence: ‘My dearest Fritz, | Mother Blanche & I are here on a visit to Lady Laneston. She is the widow of an uncle of your mother’s better known as Adml the Hon. Edwd Howard brother of Ld Carlisle, and for some year’s a governor of Ld Carlisle’s estates, because Lord C is in a lunatic asylum. Many years ago he had a brain fever wh left him quite insane & he is now getting on for 80 – perfectly well in body but with scarcely any mind at all.’ Other subjects in the letter include the continuing drought, the death of the Mahdi, ‘what Govt may do in India’ and the Afghan queston. ‘A very large section of the Tory party is furious with the Govt. for its treatment of the irish [sic] question especially as regards Ld Spencer, and not over the irish question only. The fact is that Randolph Churchill is entirely in the ascendant: he pulls the strings & the govt meekly follows, but the rank & file dont like it.’In a letter of 9 June 1885 he describes a trip to France a few days before. In Paris, the party ‘saw V. Hugo’s funeral – almost as unsolemn a sight as ever I saw, but an enormous crowd & great display’. He also reports that ‘Adml Hornby has got a queer scratch col of ships at Portland including one armed merchant ship & some dozen torpedo boats. It will be difficult to manoeuvre together but I daresay he will get some good work out of them.’On 13 April 1885 he exhibits a shrewd understanding of the Great Game: ‘There is much excitement in the country about the russian [sic] war scare. As yet we dont know the exact truth about what happened at Panjdeh, but my own opinion is that the russians did what I daresay I told you was likely – viz induced the Afghans to put themselves in the wrong, & so led to the fight they wanted.’ is that the russians did what I daresay I told you was likely – viz induced the Afghans to put themselves in the wrong, & so led to the fight they wanted. [...] For my part I cordially dislike the idea of war, especially as I see no real advantage to be gained by it, except one. We would I imagine at once clear out of Sudhan & to a great extent out of Egypt, & that would be a gain.’He writes from London on 14 May [1885]‘People think the danger ofwar with Russia is not quite over, though of course much diminished. For my own part I cannot imagine what there is now to fight about, [...] though if as some people insist war with Russia is inevitable, I think we would do well to have it now. That however is just what I do not believe.’ Later in the letter he refers to the London 1885 International Inventions Exhibition: ‘The exhibn. of inventions mother mentions is where the forestries exhibn. was [South Kensington]. There are some good specimens of Nordenfeldts &c – among the guns the Maxim which once set going fires away fast or slow just as you please, utilizing the recoil to reload & fire in any direction the man in charge may choose. To keep it cool a waterjacket surrounds it, & it is altogether a diabolical invention. I think that nine out of ten people who go to the exhibn go for the music, the lights & the grub – not for the inventions. There were 9500 people the first week and will be many more when it gets warm.’3. Letters of LCE to her son FGE, 1885-6, 1898-947 Autograph Letters Signed, dating from 1885 (11) and 1886 (2); and 1898 (24) and 1899 (4); with six without year. Totalling 255pp, 12mo.; 4pp, 16mo. One signed ‘Yr loving Mother | L C Egerton’, others signed ‘Mother’ and ‘L C E’.On letterheads of:Bolton Abbey, Skipton (1);Chatsworth, Chesterfield (3);Devonshire House, Piccadilly (4);74 Eton Square, London (5);Holker Hall, Carke-in-Cartmel, Carnforth (6);Rowfant, Crawley, Sussex (1);St George’s Hill, Byfleet, Weybridge (21);with another four from St George’s Hill, one from 13 Lower Berkeley Street, London, and one without place or date.The intimate and good-humoured tone of the correspondence is indicated in a postscript by LCE to one of her husband’s letters: ‘My dearest boy. So Father thinks the good advice will come best from me. I suppose from the quantity I give him – for the future I shall consider whatever Father does right, is owing to my good advice!!! However not knowing your difficulties, I am afraid the good advice would not hit the mark. I can only trust & pray that you may be kept from all dangers, bodily & spiritual.’On 12 May 1884: ‘I hope all your warlike aspirations will be of no avail – for peace with Russia now looks most probable. I think & so does Father (& most wise people agree with us) that the Government has done very well in a most difficult position. As to the Soudan that has indeed been a sad chapter but I think our misfortunes have been owing to circumstances which were too strong for us’.On 8 June 1885 she informs him that they are ‘sending off the flies & the spoon bait by this post’.On 7 July 1885, from Weybridge: ‘I have been every day expecting a note from Duchess of Buccleuch telling me when Lady Glover was coming to have luncheon with her – for she said she should ask me to come & see her. [...] Our London time is drawing to an end, & I suppose we shall soon be beginning the usual autumn routine – [...] I think that this Government seem inclined to carry on the same foreign policy as the late government, which means that there is great hope of peace being preserved - & in that case I should not think the Tenedos commission wd. be prolonged – I am sure I hope it would’.On 20 July 1885, she writes from Devonshire House: ‘All the Liberals & a good many of the Conservatives are furious with the Government for something they have done in Ireland. They have given way to Parnell in a very disgraceful manner, & Ld. Randolph Churchill spoke in a very objectionable way about Lord Spencer. I never saw anyone enjoy being out of office more than Uncle Hart does - & he looks all the better for his holyday [sic] already’.On 31 August 1885: ‘It is every thing to know that you are enjoying your life, & tho’ I have no doubt that you have times when it is hard work & you have to do things you dont like, yet I think of [sic] the whole you seem very happy – dear dear old boy, what joy it will be to see you again.’ In the same letter she does a drawing of ‘the memorial which the constituents are putting up to Uncle Freddy [...] a sort of fountain – octagonal not in the least like this but I think really rather pretty, & certainly a great improvement on the tower which they had first thought of.’On 28 September 1885, from Holker Hall: ‘There are two Talbot children here – May the eldest has the most lively recollections of you - & said suddenly at luncheon to day, “I do wish Fritz was here” – She is not as pretty as she used to be – but she is a bright cheery little party – She has a younger brother called Ted who Dorothy & Christian patronize a good deal – such a jolly, ugly, little red haired monkey’.On 10 October 1885: ‘These horrid elections turn everything topsy turvy. Father has gone off to day to Chesterfield, for three days speechifying – Uncle Eddy has a meeting & sometimes two meetings every day - & he has also to go great distances to them – Uncle Hard has returned from Ireland where he had to make a big speech at Belfast, but now he has to go to Lancashire & make no end of speeches there, & the worst of it for him is that everything he says is reported. Father says it makes all the difference to him that owing to none of the trains fitting he is never reported at all. He is also lucky in having his election one of the earliest. The nomination the 23rd. the polling 27th. I believe there is no fear at all as to his success. Barnes may have a squeak for it in his, as a working man & also a Conservative are standing, & I expect he will slip between two stools’.On 3 December 1885 she writes from Chatsworth: ‘Here we are with our election troubles nearly over. Uncle Hart & Father both in with good majorities – Father nearly two to one – 4999 to 2566. I went for the declaration of the poll at Whittington – elections are much better managed than they used to be, but they are not as amusing, & there was very little excitement [...] Uncle Eddys fight will be much harder - & we shall not know that till Wednesday the 9 th. | The election on the whole has gone very much against the Liberal party, and now excepting that I am very anxious for all the individual elections I care about, I do not care for any Liberal victories. – It will be much better for the Conservatives to stay in, than for us to come in with a wretched weak minority – Alf (who is a Conservative) has come in. Willy Grenfell has come in after a good fight at Salisbury – he is a Liberal – now we have had enough of elections.’On 5 February 1898: ‘Oh – another piece of news – Bessie Meades engagement to Captain Dawson, Ld. Dartry’s brother – I do not think it is ideal, tho’ I believe he is a good sort – but he does look as if he were rather dull - & he frequents the door ways of ball rooms, and he is 55, which is a great discrepancy in age – he does not look it though’.The communication problems are indicated in a letter of 14 July 1898: ‘Your letter from Wai ha wei has not arrived tho’ the one after you left it, has come & even quicker than any others too – for it is dated June 15 – I dont understand your getting no letters by the mail awaiting you at Yokohama, for I never missed a week, except one - & that was a fortnight ago – I hope the Admiralty clerk did not give me wrong advice in telling me to send my letters to the care of Postmaster at Singapore.’On 5 August 1898: ‘It was such a pleasure getting your delightful letter after your expedition in Japan & your triumphant cricket match at Yokohama – Certainly your sailors do enjoy any good thing that comes in your way better than landsmen’.On 4 November 1898 she writes: ‘You see we do live quite in a vortex, but I think it is good for your sisters to try & make it a little cheery – In the intervals of this wild amount of society they garden vigorously – I have been really very busy with workhouse matters, & I hope in one or two ways, I have been rather useful’.On 28 December 1898 she writes from St George’s Hill: ‘We have had a great rehanging of prints upstairs. Yr. Uncle [and] the Duchess gave me a beautiful large photogravure from the Sir Joshua of the Dss. & child, & that necessitated a great moving of prints – also poor dear Mrs. Hislops sister sent me some family prints, which I am always pleased to have. Excepting these minor things I do not expect you will find many changes in the look of the house – I have got some new curtains for the Drawing Room – the old ones would hardly hang together & I think the new ones look fairly well – I am so rich this year that I have plunged into the extravagance of a kitchen range (which is to save its cost in fact in no time) & also a better supply of hot water upstairs.’4. Miscellaneous family lettersSix family letters from FGE, totalling 20pp, 12mo. To: his sister Blanche Harriet Egerton (2, one from the Royal Sovereign in Gibraltar), his cousin Richard Frederick Cavendish (1891, from HMS Trafalgar), to his grandfather (‘Dear Grandad’, 1881, ‘I have succeeded in doing one of the chief objects of my existence and have been up to Granada and seen the Alhambra’), to his cousin Victor Christian William Cavendish (1891, from HMS Trafalgar, ‘Now that you are a member of the most illustrious H. of C. I expect you to put in a good word for the wretched Naval officer’), and to ‘Percy’.