[ Thomas McKenny Hughes, Woodwardian Professor of Geology, Cambridge University. ] Seven Autograph Letters Signed (all 'T McKenny Hughes') to his mother, filled with Cambridge University news, including an account of the vote on the Sedgwick Museum.

The seven letters total 34pp., 12mo. In good condition, on aged and worn paper. Subjects include: his 'tremendous victory' over 'the building of the new geological museum'; a party celebrating the 25th anniversary of his appointment as Woodwardian Professor, 1898 ; Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, London 1897; various college heads and university figures; Gladstone and Home Rule; the Welsh Suspensory Bill; family news. ONE: 3 March 1893. Begins: 'Well done - If you convert old Gladstone you will have done more than all the unionist party & the Church together - But I believe Mrs Gladstone never lets him read any adverse comments on his policy'. Also discusses the Master of Magdalene and the Welsh Suspensory Bill, a dinner by the Master of Trinity for his nephew George Butler and his bride, and 'a very good concert last night - our old friend Joachim played'. TWO: 17 April 1893. Discusses: 'Chamberlain's speech about Home Rule', the Bishop of St Asaph ('still on the warpath'), Professor Jebb and the Welsh Suspensory Bill; a 'very cute' parliamentary manoeuvre by Gladstone. 'I suppose on the whole in favour of radical & spoliation schemes whether directed against landlords property in Ireland or Church property in Wales'. THREE: 10 December 1896. Reads: 'I have had a tremendous victory - 215 to 34 votes - so now I suppose I shall have my way at last about the building of the new geological museum. All sorts of theological literary and law people supported me besides all the geologists - I backed up Ryle in his voting and he won too but not by such a great majority as I got. Mason also supported me. Georgie [his son George Ravensworth Hughes (1888-1983)] declined to go with Carrie [his wife Mary Caroline Hughes (née Weston; 1863-1916)] to look on from the gallery for fear I should be beaten and was much comforted when she got home to hear that I had won'. FOUR: 24 June 1897. Eleven-page letter describing Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee celebrations, viewed from 'the balcony in the Athenaeum' ('I estimated that there were about 1200 people for every hundred feet of street on the pavements besides all those in the houses and on the stands.'). FIVE: 28 February 1898. Four-page letter describing a 'deputation' in Cambridge as part of the 'silver jubilee demonstrations' for his appointment as Woodwardian Professor, 1898. 'We returned to-day and this afternoon had another deputation with an enormous silver cup from my old pupils'. A crude drawing of the cup is included, and its dimensions are given. 'Mary Davies came to the dinner and sang two Welsh songs - the first was Gwenith Gwyn and the second was the Bells of Aberdrovy - This afternoon five old pupils made speeches - one a lady - then I put some champagne in the cup, and we drank the loving cup, sang Auld Lang Syne and broke up the party.' SIX: 15 May 1898. Filled with news of recent activities, including the story of an 'outing to a farm in the country about six miles off'. 'In the evening Carrie & I & Mrs Thompson dined with the Miss Kennedys who were very pleasant - We met there Mr & Mrs Yates Thompson - He is the man who offered to build a chapel on to Westminster Abbey'. References to other individuals including 'Mr Venn a learned Don of Caius College', 'Mr Huddlestone Censor of the Non-Collegiate Students', and 'the Master of St Johns, pomposity personified. There were also Mrs Parker Mrs Huddlestone Miss Stevens daughter of the Judge andn now one of the heads of Newnham College Professor & Mrs Giles - Professor of Chinese. We met on Friday when Carrie & I dined with the Senior Tutor of Clare and sent Mrs Thompson to dine with Will in College. We met there also the Master of Emmanuel and Miss Chawner his sister, Professor and Mrs Thomson whom I took in to dinner.' He next turns to 'the Sedgwick Memorial Museum Syndicate' and another dinner party, with yet more guests named. 'On Wednesday an old pupil of mine Red H R Hutchinson, author of some very good popular books on Prehistoric Man & Extinct Monsters asked us to take him in for a night'. More events are described before the letter ends. SEVEN: 22 May 1898. Similar to Item Six in its description of recent events, beginning with a trip to London, 'to a dinner given by the Stationers Company It was a great gathering of Oxford & Cambridge men - more from Cambridge because the Master was the Manager of our University Press till a short time ago - we had speeches from the Archbishop, the Bishop of Bristol, the Vice Chancellors of Oxford & Cambridge Admiral I forget his name replied for the navy, Lord Chelmsford for the Army the Lord Lieutenant of Cambridge & Sir Robert Fitzgerald (an Irishman MP for Cambridge) and others spoke. I had a good place. The next morning I returned to Cambridge - lectured at 12 got some lunch & took a party of my men to Sandy about 20 miles off by train - got some dinner & went to the Sedgwick Club where I had to speak'. In London he goes to a meeting at the Geological Society, 'where Acland had a paper - I asked him and his brother to dine with me at the Geological Club which always meets together before the meeting of the Society . His brother is Dr Theodore Dyke Acland of 74 Brook Street Grosvenor Square, a rather distinguished medical man.' In Cambridge he gives a lecture, goes to a meeting at the Arts School, and meets 'Miss Gordon Cumming the traveller and authoress' and others. A planned 'geological excursion with some of my men' has to be cancelled because of bad weather, 'especially as most of us were going on bicycles'. He dines in Trinity 'at the Family dinner (an old Jacobite dining club)', 'given that time by Prior'. The letter ends with personal news. From the McKenny Hughes papers.'s?>