MarthaEdith von Almedingen, known to her friends as Chris, was a British novelist, biographer and children’s author. She was able to read eight different languages: French, German, Italian, Latin, Russian, Old Bulgarian, Old Norse and English.
Photograph of E.M. Almedingen, signed “With much love, Chris”[MS15/A4396/9/2]
She was born Marta Aleksandrovna Almedigen in St. Petersburg in 1898, the youngest daughter to a British-Russian woman Olga Sergeevna and her husband Alexander Almedingen. Alexander was a Professor of Chemistry. He abandoned his family in 1900 and they lived in increasingly impoverished circumstances.
Almedingen attended the Kseniinsky (Xenia) Institute for Noble Maidens from the age of 15, an exclusive boarding school in St. Petersburg. She earned the highest honours in Literature and History in 1913. From 1916-20 she read Medieval History at Petrograd University; this was where she earned her first doctorate. She taught English, medieval history and literature, 1921-22, and was made a Member of the Faculty. She left Russia in 1922 and spent some time in Rome.
Advertisement for Almedingen’s childrens’ books, published by Oxford University [MS15/A4012/1/3]
In 1923, E.M. Almedingen emigrated to the UK; she nationalised as a British subject less than ten years later. Initially she worked as a journalist and author. During the war she worked at her local Citizens’ Advice Bureau and also as a tutor. From the 1950s, she was a lecturer in Russian history and literature at Oxford University.
Miss Almedigen lived in London for some years before moving to the country in the early thirties. She later moved to a seventeenth-century cottage in a Somerset valley.
Almedingen’s rural cottage [MS15/A4396/9/1]
Despite her wide range of work from biography to poetry, she became well-known for her children’s novels in particular.
She died on 5 March 1971 and is buried in Ashwick churchyard in Oakhill, Somerset.
Our collection (MS15) includes notebooks with manuscripts drafts of her work as well as typescript drafts and some correspondence. There are also parts by and about her friends Frances M. Pilkington and Kathleen E. Dickins.
We believe that our exports are much diminished and the progress of commerce retarded from the want of this direct communication with the manufacturing districts. The former attractions of Southampton are now gone and our struggle is to arrive at some importance as a commercial port.
[MS62/BR114/9/23]
Thus writes Joseph Lankester to Lord Palmerston in July 1845, advocating the projected Manchester to Southampton railway. “I understand”, he continues, “that the line is intended to pass thro’ a portion of your Lordship’s property which Mr W[alkinshaw] stated will be effected in an unobjectionable manner”: they are “exceedingly anxious” to secure Palmerston’s approval of the scheme.
Map of Hampshire and surrounding area showing existing and proposed railways, 1835 [MS 62/BR201/8]. The London to Southampton Railway already sanctioned by Parliament, and in an advanced state of progress is shown in yellow. It opened in 1840, was the first railway in Hampshire and was soon renamed the London and South-Western Railway. The construction of the Great Western Railway, completed in 1841, was masterminded by the engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. This is shown in green. The Basing to Bath Railway, indicated in red on the map, was rejected.
And so, for our seventh blog in the P-A-L-M-E-R-S-T-O-N series we look at S for Southampton and, in particular, the development of its railways.
The first successful railway locomotive train ran in 1804 and Stephenson’s Rocket was designed in 1829. The world’s earliest recognizably modern inter-city railway, the Liverpool and Manchester Railway (L&M), opened in 1830; and by 1840 railway mania was upon the country. The many people who supported the railways recognised how important they could be in developing the trade and industrial capabilities of British towns. While the port of Southampton had excellent trade connections to Europe and the wider world, before the advent of the railway, links by land to London were poor.
When the Southampton Council meet to discuss the intended railway between Manchester and Southampton, it resolved unanimously:
That a direct line of Railway connection between Southampton and Manchester such as is proposed by the Southampton and Manchester Railway Company is calculated essentially to promote the interests of the town and port of Southampton, the neighbouring towns and districts the rich agricultural counties through which it will pass, and afford to the great manufacturing districts, the most direct communication with the English Channel, the Mediterranean, and all parts of the East and West Indies.
That this Council will therefore to the utmost of its power support the general features of the undertaking, and that a counsellor be appointed to take such measures as may be most calculated to promote the object and secure the particular interests of Southampton connected therewith.
Report of a meeting of the Borough Council in Southampton, 30 July 1845 [MS6/BR/114/9/29]
Notice requesting a public meeting to consider the proposed Manchester and Southampton railway, August 1845 [MS62/BR114/9/34]
Some people saw the new railways as disruptive and damaging to the countryside, and consent from landowners had to be obtained or the public interest demonstrated to Parliament. Lord Palmerston was a case in point. In 1825 he wrote to the engineer John Rennie concerning the route of a proposed railway line from Southampton to Salisbury:
It seems to me, that from Southampton the rail road would go along the shore of the River to Redbridge; From thence on the east side of the Test in a line parallel with the Andover Canal to Nutshalling; at Nutshalling it would cross the canal & the Test, there being already a carriage way over the meadows at that point […]
The only other practicable line would, I conceive, be that of the Andover Canal from Redbridge to Ramsey & Mottisfont, & from thence to the Westward along the Valley […]
The advantage of the line which I have suggested, as compared with this last, supposing no material difficulty in point of level to occur between Landford & Downton, would be that it would be shorter by rather more than a mile, that it would pass through a great deal of ground of comparatively little value, instead of going through a great tract of valuable water meadows, & good arable in the Valley of the Test […]
To me the former line would be extremely desirable, as it would secure me from an annoyance to which the last mentioned line would expose me.
Copy letter from Henry John Temple, third Viscount Palmerston, to John Rennie concerning the route of a proposed railway line from Southampton to Salisbury, 3 August 1825 [MS62/BR113/6/16]
Ten years on and it seems Palmerston was still not “sold” on the prospect of railways. British engineer, and prolific railway-builder, Isambard Kingdom Brunel wrote to Lord Palmerston in 1837 regarding a proposed railway through his land near Romsey:
I beg to forward to Your Lordship a plan shewing by a red line the direction in which the proposed Southampton and Bristol railway could be carried out so as to effect what I understand to be Your Lordship’s desire; the diminuation of the amount of severance of the lands and shewing also the deviation of the roads.
By a slight alteration of some of the existing fences and water course the lands on either side of the railway might be more conveniently divided even than at present. As regarding the diversion of roads, if it should be essential that the new road should be shorter than the old as well as straighter and wider the alternative line shown at C-D, if not objectional to Your Lordship would effect it.
The deviation of the railway the Company has power to undertake and as regards the roads, I understand that the lands to be traversed are entering Your Lordship’s or under your control, the Company can also undertake to execute the work as the same public authorities whose assent is given in the one case would of course consent in this other, and on the part of the Company I represent I am prepared to undertake to do it as a consideration of Your Lordship’s assent as a landowner, and I beg to add that the cost of such a work, if borne by the Company is not greater than that which a Railway Company would unhesitatingly take upon themselves in order to meet any objection to the passing through a property such as Broadlands.
Letter from Isambard Kingdom Brunel to Lord Palmerston regarding a proposed railway through his land near Romsey, 4 February 1837 [MS62/BR201/25]
Consequences for his estates were clearly forefront in Palmerston’s mind. His Hampshire lands included profitable water meadows which would be threatened if the Andover Canal was drained and converted to railway purposes.
Did Palmerston’s views soften over the years? His lifetime also saw the advent of the London Underground Tube trains; apparently Palmerston – at the time 80 years of age and serving as Prime Minister – declined an invitation to board a train for the inaugural journey.
There are only three more blogs in our P-A-L-M-E-R-S-T-O-N series. Join us in a fortnight and see where in the world we travel for T.
About 5 o’clock a rush was made down Grosvenor Place + to Belgravia + Eaton Place + a good many windows broken before the Police could turn out in sufficient numbers to catch them.
Letter from Sir G. Grey to Henry John Temple, third Viscount Palmerston, regarding disturbancesinLondon, [8 July 1855] MS62/PP/GC/GR/2510
This week’s blog, the third in our P-A-L-M-E-R-S-T-O-N series will focus on London. And, specifically disturbances there in 1855, a response to the Sunday Trading (Metropolis) Bill, introduced by Lord Robert Grosvenor. The action all takes places on four consecutive Sundays in late June and early July.
We’re spotlighting three letters Sir George Grey, Secretary of State for Home Affairs, sent on 8 July to the Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston prior to, during and following the disorder.
Broadsheet about the New Sunday trading bill, 1855 [National Library of Scotland Crawford.EB.3237]
The riots were provoked by two key things. Firstly, in 1854, the Wilson-Patten Act closed English drinking places on Sundays between 2.30pm and 6pm and after 10pm. The “second ingredient of discontent in 1855”, states Brian Harrison, was “Lord Robert Grosvenor’s Sunday Trading Bill”. The Bill forbade all Sunday trading in London with a penalty of 5s for each individual sale, but exempted meat and fish sold before 9am and newspapers and cooked food sold before 10am.
Lord Robert Grosvenor was a prominent Evangelical and Member of Parliament for Middlesex. A meeting was arranged in Hyde Park on Sunday 24 June to protest against his Bill. Karl Marx reported that 200,000 people attended. The police tried to prevent the public meeting and there was general disorder for several hours. After the weekend Palmerston hinted that Lord Robert should withdraw the Bill but he declined. There were further disturbances the following weekend (1 July) and Grosvenor withdrew the Bill the next day.
Lord Palmerston as an elder statesman, West Front, Broadlands: an albumen print probably from the 1850s [MS62/BR/22(i)/17]
The violence did not cease even though the original grievance had been removed. On the subsequent Sunday morning (8 July) Sir George Grey wrote to Palmerston stating that he was aware of the rumours that a large number of people were coming to London from Manchester and Birmingham and that someone had been sent to ascertain if they were true. The troops, including the Household Cavalry has been ordered to muster at Knightsbridge Barracks and that there would be police at Marble Arch and the top of Constitution Hill. [MS62/PP/GC/GR/2438]
While many people did stay away, alarming events occurred – this time outside the Park – and the crowd broke 749 window panes in Belgravia.
Sir Grey comments to Palmerston:
I am told the mischief was all done by a set of boys who ran away as soon as they had done it, but some thousands of people followed, taking no part and scarcely any of them using any means to lay hold of or stop the delinquents.
Letter from Grey to Palmerston, regarding disturbances in London, [8 July 1855 ] MS62/PP/GC/GR/2510
Brian Harrison comments “apprentices and teenagers” were common in disturbances of this period. Although he suggests in this instance they may have been encouraged by adults from the rear. Young craftsmen who came to London to complete their training were of the “lodger class”: articulate and politically influential working men who relied on drinking places for meals and recreation; they were usually unwelcome at their lodgings except to sleep.
Letter from Sir G. Grey to Henry John Temple, third Viscount Palmerston, regarding disturbances in London, [8 July 1855] [MS62/PP/GC/GR/2510]
Grey sends his final of three letters of the day after events have started to die down.
I am afraid none of the Belgravia Window Breakers have been caught, except one who was captured by Mr Whitbread, +another knocked down + taken to the hospital. But since then they have been breaking Robert Grosvenor’s windows since, + as the police were ready for them there I hope they will have made some prisoners.
I have given directions for every vigilance being used this evening.
Letter from Sir George Grey to Henry John Temple, third Viscount Palmerston [MS62/PP/i/GC/GR/2439]
Join us in two weeks for our next blog as we continue our series; where will Lord Palmerston take us for “M”..?
This week’s blog takes the “user’s perspective” format; wehear from Charlie Knight, Wolfson PhD Scholar in the Humanities, at the Parkes Institute for the Study of Jewish/non-Jewish Relations, who has conducted extensive research on the MS314 Papers of Theodor Hirschberg.
On beginning my PhD at the Parkes Institute here at the University of Southampton in September 2021 my first port of call was at the Hartley Library Special Collections and a meeting with Karen Robson. My research interests broadly centred around the experiences of German Jewish refugees to Britain during the Second World War and thus the Anglo-Jewish archives promised to hopefully provide me with a collection of interest. A number of deposits were presented to me including the autobiography and correspondence of Desider Fürst (MS116/68), the papers of Dr Gerhard Kaufmann (MS334), and the letters and paperwork of Irma Lange and her son Hanns Lange (MS397). It was the papers of Theodor Hirschberg (MS314) however that eventually ended up as part of my doctoral research. A series of roughly 124 letters, mainly handwritten in German, the collection (as far as I am aware) had never been used for such research before and remained a largely unknown entity within the archive. Bought at auction in 2001, the collection comprises predominantly of correspondence written by and written to Theodor in the years 1938-41. MS314 equally comprises of a handful of notebooks filled with what appears to be chemical formulae which belonged to Theodor’s wife Therese Kronau whom he married in the 1950s. It is most likely through Therese then that the papers made their way to auction in the early 2000s.
Left: Young Ilse Böhm (undated), Private Collection of Sara Zamir; Right: Sara Zamir (Ilse Böhm) with the author, Haifa (January 2023)
But why these papers? The letters in MS314 are predominantly addressed to/received from three individuals: Theodore’s girlfriend Gertrud Lehman (1904-43), his step-maternal cousin Ursula Maria Gottschalk (1914-2007), and his paternal cousin Dr Ernst Böhm (1899-1940). From the collection we know Theodore wrote to a number of other relatives, friends, and associates during this period and beyond. Why this collection is incomplete is a mystery.
Translating Theodor
One of the issues with the usage of such rich collections is the linguistic difficulty for many students and researchers, myself included. It quickly became apparent that the papers of Theodor Hirschberg would require a professional translator’s eye beyond my own (lacking) German language ability. Kristin Baumgartner had previously worked for the AJRs Refugee Voices project and took on the task of translating Theodor’s letters. I asked Kristin how she approached such a rich collection as MS314:
“Before I started the actual translation of Theodor Hirschberg’s letters, I read through some of them to get to know him as a person. I wanted to understand his situation and the relationship to his correspondents. The German language is in general more long-winded than the English language and it seemed to me that these letters from 1938 onwards were particularly wordy. I didn’t just want to translate the content; I wanted to contain some of the structure and the feeling that this is a letter from more than 80 years ago without making it too complicated. I also didn’t just want to pass on the information of the letter. I wanted to give an idea who Theodor was as I got to know him. One can of course not be sure to “know” a person one has never met and only knows from old letters. However, I paid a lot of attention to details and came back to drafts several times. I considered various possible meanings of a word and sometimes felt it necessary to put a note in to explain why I had decided for a specific one. I also put in some explanations when there is no perfect equivalent.” [1]
A composite letter from members of the Böhm family in Antwerp to Theodor Hirschberg in London [MS314/1/77]
Expanding the Archive – Finding Sara Zamir
One of the most substantial correspondences within MS314 is that between Theodor in London and his cousin Dr Ernst Böhm (1899-1940) in Antwerp. Ernst’s mother Rosalie – Theodor’s maternal Aunt – married Siegfried Böhm, and together they lived in Brieg (now Brzeg, Poland) with their only son. Ernst’s relationship with his cousin Theodor seemed to be one they both cherished; in a letter to his maternal aunt Else Kunz, Theodor wrote that he ‘feel[s] such strong affection for my cousin and his children that his fate is at least as important to me [as Hans Walter Hirschberg’s]’. [2]
Ernst’s wife, Elise ‘Elli’ Heppner (1897-1942), was the daughter of the noted Rabbi and historian Aron Heppner (1865-1938); together, Ernst and Elise had two children Ilse (1928-) and Siegfried (1930-42). [3] Despite having no Rabbi or Jewish school in Brieg, the Böhms were a religious family, in a majority secular small Jewish community.[4] Ernst’s father Siegfried had run a private bank at their home at LangeStraße which Ernst sold to a (as of yet unknown) larger bank. In 1938, Ernst was arrested in the November Pogroms and sent to Buchenwald; when he was eventually released on 5 January 1939, he was ordered by the Breslau Gestapo to leave Germany as soon as possible or risk being reimprisoned in another camp. Through various cities and journeys Ernst, his wife, his mother, his two children, and his sister-in-law Edith, travelled as far as Antwerp after being conned out of various travel documentation and finances.
From MS314 I was able to reconstruct their journey, financial and legal battles, and their attempts to leave continental Europe for the safety of another country. Although the letters stop in 1941, one of the last letters to mention Ernst, addressed from Theodor to a friend of his, Mary Dohan who worked at the Christian House for Refugees in London, reveals his fate and Theodore’s feelings over this:
“My cousin and friend, died in a camp in Gurs, Basses Pyrénées in early January at the age of 42. […] I do not know the cause of this death. Maybe pneumonia which led to his death due to the notoriously appalling hygienic conditions. I don’t know if he had been informed about his mother’s death. He was the world to her and he spent all his life with her until the 10th May 1940 [German invasion of Holland and Belgium] and except for the two months in the concentration camp Buchenwald. He was a man of exceptional qualities and even as a young man very successful; with great diligence he committed himself to charity work in particular as the head of his Jewish Community.” [5]
Ernst had been interned in St Cyprien Camp before being transported to Gurs. After learning of the death of Ernst and his mother in the letters I attempted to discover the fates of the other members of their family – Elli, Edith, Ilse and Siegfried. Through the online database of the Arolsen Archive (formerly International Tracing Service or ITS) I was able to discover the fates of Elli, Edith and Siegfried all of whom were deported to Auschwitz Birkenau in October 1942. Ernst’s daughter, Ilse, however was nowhere to be found in the available material. I was later surprised to find a Yad Vashem Page of Testimony written in Hebrew regarding Elli, usually written by a surviving relative, a translation revealed that the page had been written in 1999 by Sara Zamir. It only took a quick Google search to uncover that Sara Zamir was indeed the missing daughter Ilse Böhm from the MS314 deposit. Resident in a nursing home run by the Christian Zionist group ‘International Christian Embassy Jerusalem’ (ICEJ), Sara Zamir today lives in Haifa surrounded by her large family of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
In January 2023 I was able to travel to Israel to meet Sara in person and show her scans of documents held in Southampton that she herself wrote over eighty years prior. Although Sara had recently been involved in a few projects telling aspects of her story, this was the first time any of the family were aware of other documents relating to Sara held around the world. [6] Perhaps the most notable output to emerge from the research surrounding MS314 was the reunion of Sara with the descendants of her rescuers. After the death of her father in Gurs, Elli Böhm made the decision to attempt to hide her daughter in Belgium with a Christian family. Through a contact of a distant relative of theirs, Elli was introduced to Raymond Vander Burght, a notary in the city of Vilvoorde, and his wife Laure. Raymond, Laure and their children hid Ilse/Sara until 1945 when she made the decision to leave for Palestine. After my meeting with Sara in January I was able to trace the few descendants of the Vander Burghts – one of whom, in July 2023 was able to meet Sara at her home in Haifa.
From a series of letters in the Hartley Special Collections to a family reunion eighty years in the making. Through the study of MS314, two families were able to reconnect and share a unique history which shaped both irrevocably.
I have written about Theodor’s letters further in the journal Jewish Culture and History which you can read here.
Thank you to Charlie for this interesting and informative post. We look forward to seeing you in the Archives again soon!
[1] Email from K. Baumgartner, 17th April 2023.
[2] TMWH to Else Kunz, 21st April 1939, University of Southampton, Hartley Library, Archives and Special Collections, MS 314/1/4.
[3] Email from M. Heppner, 30th January 2023. The author would like to thank Michael Heppner for his detailed history of Rabbi Aron Heppner.
[5] TMWH to Mary Dohan, 16th March 1941, UoS MS 314/1/120.
[6] Sara’s story was retold in the artistic project ‘Keep me in Mind’ directed by Christina Friedrich and Michael Brauchli. See http://keepmeinmind.net/en/, Last accessed: 12th July 2023. Sara also gave an oral history interview for the German TV Magazine show Faszination Israel accessed via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eoocmnCzQU&t=600s, Last accessed: 12th July 2023.
Did you know that we opened our Virtual Reading Room (VRR) last year? Since February 2022 you have been able to book a digital appointment (via Microsoft Teams) to access much of the material we hold. The service has been well-received; and we’re continuing our promotion to ensure all who might be interested are aware that it’s something we offer.
VRRs constituted part of the emergency response of many libraries and archives to the challenges imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. While we are eager, post-Covid, to welcome people into our searchroom, and encourage interaction with original material, this is not an option for everyone. VRRs enable institutions to provide geographically remote access to a worldwide audience. This can only be a good thing; consequently we have integrated digital appointments to run in parallel with our in-person offer. If you are unable to visit Southampton in person, this might be the answer for you!
Many of our VRR users are based in the UK – London, certainly but also the Midlands and northern England. We’ve had several bookings from Israel, reflecting our wealth of Jewish material, as well as Europe, South Asia, North America and Canada. We offer appointments at 1000-1100 | 1300-1400 & 1430-1530 (UK time) which does means that the hours can be anti-social, depending on where you are based.
Users have different aims when requesting a digital appointment. Some may just want to get a feel for an item and establish if they want to make a reprographics request or visit in the future. Some may want to view the whole item, others are looking for particular features. Most researchers using the VRR want to do one or more of the following:
Conduct preliminary research or scoping exercise as a precursor to a physical visit
To make a reprographics request
Check single documents
Referencing clarification
Benefits of VRRs
Many of our collections have a broad, international reach and the VRR helps to ensure they are accessible to all as the University enables and supports broader global engagement.
Time saving: they allow users to evaluate if they want to schedule an in-person visit as they can provide useful information beyond current catalogue descriptions. They are an effective use of time enabling people to scope out their potential visit.
Gentle introduction: VRRs can be a ‘welcome mat’ or on-ramp to make an in-person visit less intimidating. If you have not used our service before you may find a digital appointment a useful first step.
Travel constraints: the service removes barriers such as restricted funds, time or mobility as well as making it easier for students, people who work full time and those with childcare responsibilities.
Ecological benefits: reducing long-haul and short-haul travel
The visualiser set up for a digital appointment
Realistic expectations
Due to limitations of the equipment, not all items are suitable for digital appointments, in particular large items such as rolled maps and large bound volumes. We will always be happy to discuss the best way to access your chosen material to ensure the long-term safety of the collections. Additionally, it’s important to have realistic expectations on how much can be achieved in a one-hour session. We have found three items to be more than enough for most appointments. Naturally it depends on the extent of the items and the degree to which someone wishes to study it. Again, we are always happy to give advice.
Sample of the feedback we’ve received
Looking to the future
The Special Collections Division will continue its advocacy work to enhance discoverability and accessibility of this service. The International Alliance of Research Library Associations is considering a central space, such as an IARLA VRR Register, where researchers and other interested parties can find which institutions offer VRRs.
We currently offer digital appointments on Mondays and Fridays via Microsoft Teams. You can order up to three items to view in their one-hour slot. You are free to book subsequent appointments if you wish to view more material. Please email archives@soton.ac.uk to make an appointment.
This week we hand the reins over to Roger Ottewill for a blog on John Bullar, Southampton clergyman and historian. Much of Bullar’s library can now be found in the Hartley Library’s Special Collections, presented by his sons “as a lasting memorial of the interest which their father took in the Institution and of the earnest desire which he ever felt to promote by all means in his power the mental and spiritual improvement of his fellow-men.”
Among Southampton Historians John Bullar stands out as having received the ultimate accolade of an entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography [ODNB]. Written by Barbara Spender this provides a succinct assessment of his life and works (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: Part of John Bullar’s entry in the ODNB showing an engraving of him
She makes the point that his Christian ‘faith underpinned his diverse writings which ranged from a series of locally based historical and geographical tourist guides, to a collection of edifying poetry with which he sought to counter the anti-religious tide of popular culture epitomized by the poetry of Lord Byron.’ His very close links with Southampton, where he lived for the whole of his life, are also highlighted. In this vein, she concludes with words taken from his obituary in the Southampton Times: ‘The life of Mr Bullar is in fact the life of Southampton during the past fifty years.’ (ODNB, p.600). In another obituary, taken from the Salisbury and Winchester Journal, he is described as an ‘exemplary Christian, and a learned, eloquent and able man’ (21 May 1864, p.8).
Bullar is also memoralised by having one of the streets in Bitterne Park named after him (see Figure 2). As A.G.K.Leonard explains in Stories of Southampton Streets this was to serve ‘as a memorial to a man who was involved in many liberal and humane causes, working ceaselessly to promote the spiritual and material progress of his town’ (p.83).
Figure 2: Map showing location of Bullar Road
The principal aims of this blog are to provide some biographical information and summaries of his key historical works, which are held in Special Collections. It is hoped that this will inspire others to consider further Bullar’s contribution to the development of Southampton’s cultural life and the influences which shaped his personality and, what today would be called, his ‘world view’.
Biographical Overview
Born on 27 January 1778, John Bullar’s parents were John Bullar senior (1744-1836) ‘a peruke maker and hairdresser of Southampton High Street’ and Penelope, nee Rowsell (1755-1799). He was the eldest of eleven children, although only three survived into adulthood. Educated at King Edward VI Grammar School he was clearly an industrious scholar since he subsequently became a schoolmaster, teaching in ‘his schools in Bugle Street, Moira Place and Prospect Place’ (ODNB, p.599). As pointed out by Barbara Spender, many of the civic leaders of Southampton received their initial education from Bullar.
John and Penelope had six children, four sons and two daughters. Three of their sons became doctors, with two of them, Joseph and William, being closely involved with the Royal South Hants Infirmary. One of their daughters, Ann wrote a number of well received educational works mainly for the young.
A powerful influence throughout Bullar’s life was his religious affiliations and sensibilities. Although baptised an Anglican, his marriage in 1806 to Susannah Sarah Whatman Lobb brought him within the orbit of the prestigious Above Bar Independent (later Congregational) Chapel, where her parents were leading members (see Figure 3).
Figure 3: Above Bar Congregational Church interior and exterior (Source: Avenue St Andrew’s URC Archive)
Subsequently, a member of the Chapel for the remainder of his life, Bullar served as a deacon for 43 years. Interestingly, however, his funeral service in 1864 was conducted by the Bishop of Rochester, with whom he had a close friendship. This led to the Birmingham Daily Post headlining its report, “A Dissenter Buried by a Bishop” (23 May 1864, p.3).
Historical Works
From the perspective of Southampton’s history, undoubtedly his most significant work was Historical Particulars relating to Southampton, published in 1820. However, in the foreword (or ‘advertisement’ as it is headed), Bullar makes the following ‘disclaimer’:
The following particulars which are presented to the public in the following pages, were collected at intervals, in the course of reading, many years ago. They were seen by the late ARTHUR HAMMOND, Esq. who urged the compiler of them to undertake a history of his native place; offering to use his influence with the Corporation, to obtain access to the sources of information in their archives. Want of leisure prevented him from availing himself of so liberal and important an offer; and the same cause is likely to continue to operate. His friend, Mr. THOMAS BAKER, however, unwilling that the few collections he had made, should be altogether lost, undertook to publish them. In this imperfect form, they bespeak the candour of the public: to which they are committed, with a hope that the publication of them may stimulate some able person to take up a subject, which might be made, it is probable, both instructive and entertaining.
Shortcomings notwithstanding, Bullar’s hope was certainly realised with this work serving to inspire later historians who used it as their starting point.
To provide a flavour of the accessible nature of the work, below are a couple of extracts. With respect to his beloved Above Bar Independent Church, he wrote that following the ejection of the Revd Nathanial Robinson from All Saints Church in 1662 and his remaining in Southampton:
At first on account of the persecution which then raged, they were under the necessity of assembling when and where they could. Afterwards, some houses were converted into a place of worship, in which, as the times would allow, they attended their Sabbaths and their monthly sacraments. They held also monthly fasts, at which they constantly made collections for the poor; thus assisting not only the needy of their own society, but even occasionally sending help to the persecuted Protestants of France … In 1727, a neat place of worship was erected, which was enlarged in 1802, and taken down and substituted with the present building in 1820 (pp.95-6).
On a different subject, namely ‘boundaries’, he had this to say:
Southampton being a county of itself, a procession round the boundaries is occasionally made (till lately the ceremony was annual) by the sheriff, court-leet, and as many of the housekeepers who chose to attend: all of them are summoned and a fine of one penny is demanded on their refusal. – This cavalcade, which has obtained the popular name of cut-thorn, from the season when it takes place, sets out on the morning of the second Tuesday after Easter Tuesday, from the Bar-Gate, and after having made a complete compass of the county, re-enters the town at the bridewell gate. At the various boundary marks on the road, several ludicrous ceremonies are performed by those who have never before attended the procession. In the course of their circuit, refreshment is provided for them; in a tent erected on the common; and the day frequently terminates with greater credit to the hospitality of the Sheriff, than to the moderation of his guests (pp.107-8).
As can be seen, in places Bullar sought to inject an element of humour and/or sarcasm into his narrative.
Another work, Bullar’s guide to Netley Abbey, was sufficiently popular to run to at least nine editions, the last being published in July 1844. Described as a ‘companion’, this provided visitors with not only details of the buildings but also the life of those for whom the Abbey was their home.
The preface to the fourth edition of a Tour Round Southampton (1810) provides a fair indication of its geographical and historical scope with it:
Comprehending various particulars, ancient & modern of the New Forest, Lymington, Christchurch, Ringwood, Romsey, Winchester, Bishop’s Waltham, Titchfield, Gosport, Portsmouth &c, with the notices of the Villages, Gentlemen’s seats, Curiosities, Antiquities &c occurring in the different roads described , and various Biographical Sketches.
Clearly this was intended to encourage those visiting Southampton to enjoy other delights within the county and not restrict themselves to the town and its immediate environs. Thus, Bullar could be said to serve as a historiographical muse for not only future Southampton historians but also those whose interests lay elsewhere within Hampshire.
Lastly, reference should be made to Bullar’s guide to the Isle of Wight which covered all parts of the island and again ran to nine editions. In the later editions, the text is supplemented with an increasing number of engravings which serve to add interest and illuminate his descriptions of many of the principal buildings and vistas (see Figures 4 a-d for some examples).
“Entrance to Carisbrooke Castle” from the Historical and Picturesque Guide to the Isle of Wight by John Bullar, 9th ed. (1840) [Rare Books Cope 98.035 1840]
“Arched Rock” in Freshwater bay from the Historical and Picturesque Guide to the Isle of Wight by John Bullar, 9th ed. (1840) [Rare Books Cope 98.035 1840]
“Appuldurcombe” from the Historical and Picturesque Guide to the Isle of Wight by John Bullar, 9th ed. (1840) [Rare Books Cope 98.035 1840]
“Niton” from the Historical and Picturesque Guide to the Isle of Wight by John Bullar, 9th ed. (1840) [Rare Books Cope 98.035 1840]
His coverage, however, is not restricted to the grand houses, but also includes references to Parkhurst Prison and the House of Industry (i.e. workhouse).
Other Publications
In view of his strong Christian faith it is unsurprising that among his published works are many of an overtly religious character. These include: The impartial testimony of a layman, against the errors of the present times, and in favour of the Holy Scriptures: being the substance of a speech delivered at the fifth anniversary of the Southampton Bible Society. Nov 10, 1819 and Harvest home and lord of all harvests: a lay lecture, published in 1854. A few years earlier, in 1846, he had published a collection of his lay lectures, under the title Lay Lectures on Christian Faith and Practice. This was described is one of his obituaries as being ‘marked with good sense, clear reasoning, much research and considerable eloquence and stamped the author as a man of learning and talent’ (Salisbury and Winchester Journal 21 May 1864, p.8). Many of his lectures were delivered at the Mechanic’s Institution and the Literary and Philosophical Institution. As indicated earlier, alongside history and religion, another of his interests was poetry. This was evidenced by the publication in 1822 of Selections from the British poets: … with select criticisms … and short biographical notices.
Conclusion
Without doubt, Bullar was a leading figure within Southampton’s intellectual elite during the first half of the nineteenth century. Judging by the tributes paid to him both during his life and following his death it would be difficult to overstate his reputation. A true son of Southampton he was strongly motivated to improve the welfare and sensibilities of his fellow townsmen. His final resting place is in the churchyard of St Nicholas’ Church, North Stoneham (see Figure 5).
For those unable to come to the Hartley Library in person, we’re sharing – via our Blog – the exhibition which has just been mounted in the Level 4 Gallery Exhibition space. If you are on campus, please do come and see it in all its glory!
This exhibition is the third of several events and commemorationsplanned for 2023 to mark the 40th anniversary of the arrival of the Wellington Papers at the University of Southampton. We started with a #Wellington40 Twitter campaign @HartleySpecialC in April followed by a series of blogs inspired by the letters in the Duke’s surname. We’re hosting an in-person behind-the-scenes tour, tea and talk event on 7 July and, finally, an exhibition of Archives and Rare Books in the Special Collections Gallery which will open in October 2023.
In 1983 the government allocated the papers of Arthur Wellesley, first Duke of Wellington, to the University of Southampton under national heritage legislation. The collection arrived on 17 March of that year. This brought to Southampton the University’s first major manuscript collection, leading to the creation of an Archives Department and the development of a major strand of activity within the University Library.
The Duke of Wellington examining a bound volume of Wellington documents at the official opening of the Wellington Suite Archives accommodation, 14 May 1983
This blog reflects on some of the highlights of this important collection, together with the curatorial and outreach work that has taken place to make it available over the last four decades.
Wellington Archive in the Archives strongroom, 2023
Arthur Wellesley, first Duke of Wellington (1769-1852), was a long serving politician as well as the premier soldier of his generation. He became a public figure after the Battle of Waterloo and at his death in 1852 was treated as a national hero. His archive dates from the great age of government by correspondence. Composed of around 100,000 items, that cover the Duke’s career as a soldier, statesman and diplomat from 1790 to his death in 1852, the collection bears witness to great military, political and social events of the time. It is exceptional among the papers of nineteenth-century figures for its size and scope.
Headed note paper containing a depiction of the Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner, London, on a letter from John Wilson Croker to Wellington, 24 November 1846 [MS61/WP2/150/61]
Cataloguing the collection
The arrival of the Wellington Archive in 1983 marked the beginning of Southampton’s long involvement in automated archive catalogues. The Wellington Papers Database, which used STATUS software, could claim to be one of, if not the earliest, online archive catalogue in the UK. The cataloguing was done ‘offline’ by the archivists on BBC microcomputers equipped with rudimentary word-processing packages – but no memory – and all text was saved onto floppy discs. It was subsequently transferred to an ICL mainframe computer for incorporation into the database by batch programme. This being the days prior to the World Wide Web, the initial database was made available by the Joint Academic Network (JANET) and the public switched telephone network. It was initially scheduled to be made available 156 hours a week, rising to 168.
A new catalogue for a new era
In 2023 the catalogue of the Archive can be accessed in the Epexio Archive Catalogue, a new system that Archives and Special Collections launched in November 2021. The cataloguing has been at an item level, producing rich and detailed descriptions of the individual letters in the collection. This enables researchers to follow a military campaign day-by-day, see the progress of the drafting of legislation, such as the Catholic emancipation bill of 1829, or read the correspondence from a wide cross section of society offering Wellington their views on a whole range of subjects, asking for patronage, promotion or assistance or even asking him to be the godfather of their children.
Conservation
The collection also came with a major conservation challenge – some ten per cent of the collection was so badly damaged it was unfit to handle and in a parlous state. Paper is susceptible to many hazards – water, mould, vermin have all made an impact on the collection. As early as 1815, part of the archive was damaged in a shipwreck on the Tagus. But most damage was the result of storage in a damp environment during the Second World War. Mould growth severely weakened and stained the papers, leaving some letters in a fragmentary state.
Extremely delicate documents being supported on a silk screen during washing
For the conservation of the Archive, Southampton adopted a technique known as leaf-casting. This creates new paper made from pulp similar in nature to the original paper. The result is a sympathetic repair, which strengthens the weakened area, without putting undue stress at the repair edge. The conservators began by working with the less severely damaged materials so that they were able to build up expertise in conserving this type of exceedingly fragile material before tackling the most fragmentary bundles.
As a result of the work undertaken, important material is now available for research, including for the Peninsular War, papers for 1822 (for the Congress of Verona) and for Wellington as Prime Minister in 1829. The badly degraded and mould-damaged bundles from 1832, significant as this was the time of the First Reform Act, are available for the first time since 1940.
Events and activities
Visitors at an ‘Explore Your Archive’ drop-in session
The last forty years also has seen a great deal of outreach and activity focused on the Archive. The Archives and Special Collections has arranged seven international Wellington congresses, the most recent in 2019. It has curated a number of exhibitions to showcase the collection, including for the bicentenary of Waterloo in 2015. In 2015 and 2017 Karen Robson and Professor Chris Woolgar presented a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) they had co-created relating to Wellington and Waterloo.
Join us in 2023as we continue toshare this amazing collection!
And so to the seventh blog in our W-E-L-L-I-N-G-T-O-N series; if you’ve been following our posts, you’ll know we have reached G. As we already have an excellent blog on Gurwood – perhaps the most obvious choice for this letter — we decided to have some fun and spent this week talking about the Duke and his love of grumbling!
Rory Muir, author of Wellington comments that “habitual grumbling…was one of Wellington’s most characteristic pleasures” and it was nothing new for him “to grumble in the most exaggerated language”. This is supported by Norman Gash who also remarks on “the customary vehemence he employed on matters important to him”.
We feel anyone who has spent time reading the Duke’s correspondence will reach the same conclusion. The Duke did seem to take pleasure in having something to grumble about. To start us off, there are some fine examples in a bundle of letters from Wellington to his close friend William Booth, a officer in the British Army Commissary. In November 1832, Wellington writes that has been contacted by a Mr Edward Taylor although does not know why:
“However one of the diseases of the day is a perpetual interference by everybody in the affairs of his neighbours”: Wellington to William Booth, 2 Nov 1832 [MS414/A4198/10]
Another source of irritation to the Duke was the constant stream of packages and parcels he received. His views are clearly laid out in a letter sent in 1824 to Mr Anstey from Barrow, near Bristol. Mr Anstey wished to send the Duke a volume of his musical work; for this to be received by the porter at Apsley House he requires “an order in His Grace’s handwriting.” Wellington replies:
The Duke is very much concerned for the trouble Mr Anstey has had abut his work; and he begs he will send it to him by the post or by any mode which he made think proper.
The Duke must observe however in apology for himself that a public man is this county, particularly one of any note, stands in a very disagreeable situation. Every person who thinks proper to publish anything calls upon him for what is called his patronage; and with or without consent sends him a copy or copies of work. His table is loaded, as the Duke’s is, with every description of publication, and his time is occupied in giving complimentary answers to those who think proper thus to honour him.
It is not astonishing that a man who has really other matters to attend to, should be anxious to avoid this troublesome intrusion and should give orders to his servants not to receive packages containing works of this description without his directions.
And he concludes the letter:
“The Duke is very sorry if Mr Anstey has suffered any inconvenience from the state of things, but he assures him that any inconvenience he may have experienced does not equal one tenth of that to which the Duke is daily exposed from this description of enthusiasm” [MS61/WP1/798/2]
A few years later, in 1837, Wellington was still feeling bombarded by packages and parcels. He writes to Booth to confirm he has received the plans [which related to his Belgium property]. Fortunately Sir John sent these plans to the porter for which the Duke comments he was much obliged.
“The truth is that my home is made a sort of depot of works of every description whether in manuscript or in print; or otherwise. I have been under the necessity therefore of giving orders to my porter to receive nothing that he has not orders to receive” [MS414/A4198/25]
As editor of his Dispatches, Colonel Gurwood worked closely with Wellington for many years. There were endless difficulties which proved to be an excessive drain on the Duke’s time. At this point of proceedings, Gurwood had sent to Lord Clarendon (through Lord Fiztroy Somerset) the “slips with Your Grace’s corrections.” Gurwood had hoped this would prevent further trouble by showing the pains Wellington took in his corrections but it appears the matter was not resolved:
“My Dear Colonel, Everybody feels an interest in everything, till it will put him to the most trifling inconvenience. The truth of history and everything else must disappear to prevent that evil. There is no end to these little trifling difficulties. I have not time to enter into them” [MS61/WP2/40/17]
Our research for this blog has brought to our attention some wonderful words, now mostly obsolete: we really must make the effort to add them to our vocabulary. So, do you ever find you have a case of “the grumbles” (ill-humour, vented in grumbling, used jocularly, as if the name of a malady)? At times, do you find yourself “grumblous”, “grumbly” or “grumblesome”? If this is the case, it may be having a negative impact on your health. When we complain – says weorganizeu.com – we release the stress hormone cortisol. When cortisol levels rise, our immune system is compromised, blood pressure goes up, we gain weight and there is an increased risk of heart disease. Serious stuff! The Duke of Wellington, of course, lived to the ripe old age of 83…but maybe he’s the exception that proves the rule?
There’s only three posts in our W-E-L-L-I-N-G-T-O-N series left – don’t miss next week’s. I wonder what we will be inspired to talk about for ‘T’…?!
And so to L; the first of two in our W-E-L-L-I-N-G-T-O-N series of blogs. This week we’ll be looking at literature. But were works of prose and poetry significant in the life of the victor of Waterloo?
Christopher Hibbert comments that the young Arthur had a serious side and “read a great deal.” This view is supported by the fact that when the young Colonel Arthur Wellesley travelled to India in 1796 he took with him a trunk-load of volumes including Voltaire, Rousseau and Jonathan Swift. Elizabeth Longford, in her 1967 article “The Duke of Wellington’s Books”, comments that the 27 year old Colonel had spent £50 – not an insignificant amount at that time – on books. Longford also notes, however that Wellington knew little Latin and less Greek. He revealed this information when he was ask to be Chancellor for Oxford University in 1833 and suggested they should try and find someone suitable with a university education.
Whether or not the Duke enjoyed literature, many people wrote to him unsolicited, sending their poems, or asking to dedicate their works to him. They include some well-known names including Sir Walter Scott who sent a copy of his Life of Bonaparte in 1827. Not literature – Scott was a historian as well as novelist, poet and playwright – but it was still an influential biography for the period.
Letter from Sir Walter Scott to Arthur Wellesley, first Duke of Wellington, sending a copy of his life of Bonaparte, 24 June 1827 [MS61/WP1/891/14]
Another familiar name will be Benjamin Disraeli, at this point more author than politician, who wished to dedicate his epic poem The Revolutionary Epick to the Duke in 1834.
Letter from B.Disraeli to Arthur Wellesley, first Duke of Wellington, asking if he can dedicate his epic poem to Wellington, 3 March 1834 [MS61/WP2/9/7]
The Duke replied, as he always did, that he was very flattered by Disraeli’s request but had decided many years ago that he would never give formal permission for any work to be dedicated to him.
It’s hard to know for certain how much the Duke appreciated the varied literary efforts that were sent to him. Sir Gilbert Flesher, a song writer and artist of Towcester, Northamptonshire, claimed to have distributed 800,00 “loyal songs” in his life including “Of Triumph” to celebrate the Battle of Waterloo. Flesher had complained he’d had to pay the postal charge to receive his most recent reply; the Duke’s response implies he did not hold poetry in high regard:
He has the power of franking only a limited number of letters. He franks what it is necessary that he should write. Those upon poetry, and which it necessary that he should write only from motives of courtesy, he does not frank.
MS61/WP1/1193/12
But maybe the Duke was having an off-day. At the time of their correspondence, August 1831, he was likely distracted by the state if near-insurrection in Britain following Tory opposition to the Reform Act, the windows of Aspley House smashed just a couple of months later.
And not all works Wellington received were complimentary! William Augustus Kentish, for example, sends his efforts in 1831 stating that the Duke’s position makes him the legitimate subject of criticism. He appears to be slighted by the fact that when he approached the Duke for employment he chose instead to appoint those known to him.
Wellington’s horsemanship
Our mighty Captain on the ground!
The ridicule of all around!
How humbled thy high vanity, & pride
Was it a drunken freak, or worse?
Or had thou not yet learn’d to sit a horse?
A Jackass-boy could greatly better ride.
What! The great conqueror at Waterloo,
The laugh + crack-a-joke at a review!…
For god’s sake, never get again astraddle,
Or else get strapped securely in the saddle!
MS61/WP1/1205/13
The Duke docketed this letter “More impudence.”
On a related theme, the English novelist and historical writer George Payne Rainsford James, The Shubbery, Walmer: draws attention to foreign piracy of English literature, and the largescale import of pirated editions into England.
Docket in the hand of Arthur Wellesley, first Duke of Wellington [MS61/WP1/1193/12]
He had served for a short period in the army and was wounded in a small action following the Battle of Waterloo. He also lived, at the time of writing at “The Shrubbery”, Walmer, and was a sometime guest of the Duke’s.
But a system of Foreign piracy has been organised against which we have no defence. Within three days or four at the most after the work of a popular author has reached Paris, it is printed verbatim and sold at one sixth of the price… The loss to British authors in enourmous.
MS61/WP2/80/59-61
The letter is docketed with another stock reply: Duke is not in office and so declines to help.
And so we conclude our little jaunt spotlighting literature in the life of the Duke of Wellington. While the jury is still out on the significance of literature in his life we’ve had fun looking at the examples. Do join us next week when our second ‘L’ will focus on legislature.
In this week’s blog we’re taking a look at various public events – conferences, lectures, exhibitions and drop-ins – the University has hosted over the years to share the Wellington Papers and make the collection accessible to all.
Madding Crowd: Dancing at the “With Wellington We’ll Go” concert on Friday 10 April 2015. Photo: Alan Weeks
Wellington Congress
The University of Southampton has hosted seven international Wellington Congress events with the first being in 1995. The following year the first of the Wellington Studies volumes published some of the papers given at that conference. The Congresses have usually been held at the University’s Avenue Campus. In the early years delegates stayed in the University’s Highfield hall of residence which provided convenient, but somewhat Spartan, accommodation.
The Third Wellington Congress was held in the glorious summer sun of July 2006. It brought to Southampton delegates from four continents to hear the latest in Wellington scholarship. In total thirty-eight papers were given on all aspects of Wellington’s career. Delegates had the option to visit Stratfield Saye and the Royal Armouries Museum at Fort Nelson. There was a private view of the “War Against Napoleon” exhibition. On the final evening there was a memorable walking tour of Southampton, concluding at the fifteenth-century Duke of Wellington public house.
The Uniform of Marshall Wellington’, a comedy in one act, by Kotzebue enclosed in a letter from Letter from Philip Henry Stanhope, Viscount Mahon, Hatfield House [MS61/WP2/7/30]
While the wide variety of papers has always been at the core of the conference, a highlight is the entertainment. The Fourth International Congress, held in 2010, included a reading of “The uniform of Marshal Wellington”: a one-act comedy by August Friedrich Ferdinand von Kotzebue. It was translated and sent to the Duke by Viscount Mahon. The “actors” (we use the term loosely!) included Special Collections staff and one student volunteer. Selected papers from the conference were published in Wellington Studies V.
One afternoon, the delegates had the option to visit to Strafield Saye or the Historic Dockyard at Portsmouth. The evening entertainment consisted of a rousing musical performance by local group, Madding Crowd, who provided a superlative introduction to songs “with Wellington” as their theme. Interspersing music with extracts from manuscripts, contemporary newspapers and other historical sources, the songs and stories were a well chosen mix, exhibiting a great appreciation of the impact of a good anecdote and a fine tune. They balanced a fascinating picture of the patriotism of the period and Wellington as the military hero with an exploration of his associations with Hampshire and more personal connections.
Prior to the Saturday night Congress dinner there was a reception in the Hartley Library and private view of the exhibition in the Special Collections Gallery: ‘“Victory searches for her son”: defending Spain and Portugal against Napoleon, 1810’.
Advertisement for the Sixth Wellington Congress in 2015
The fifth Congress (2013) offered delegates the chance to visit Tudor House, Southampton as well as a piano recital by David Owen Norris. One delegate gave the following feedback after their attendance:
Just a brief note to say how much I enjoyed the Congress, I met up with a couple of old friends and made some new contacts. Some of the papers were also very interesting and entertaining in some cases as well. It was not quite the ‘dry academic’ event I thought it might be.
Congress delegate
You can read all about the Sixth Wellington Congress in a blog we produced in 2015.
The Duke of Wellington’s dancers; they provided entertainment at the 2019 Wellington Congress
The Duke of Wellington’s dancers provided entertainment at the seventh Congress. This event also included the 2019 Wellington Lecture, “Wellington, the “Scum of the Earth’ and the army in the Iberian Peninsula” given by Chris Woolgar.
Wellington Lecture
This event, given on the aspects of the life and times of the first Duke of Wellington, is somewhat of an institution at the University, and most years takes place in October or November.
The First Wellington Lecture was given in 1989 when Michael Carver spoke on “Wellington and his brothers”. There have been so many lectures, it would not be possible for us to give details of them all. The earlier lectures, however, were published and print copies are available in the Hartley Library University Collection. Highlights over the years include when some 300 people filled the Turner Sims Concert Hall on 29 November to hear the lecture, given by Lord Hurd of Westwell, on the theme “Wellington and Peel: from Tory to Conservative”.
Lord Hurd delivers the 2006 Wellington Lecture
The lecture took the form of a musical presentation for the first time in 2007. “Songs of Wellington’s Wars” was an evening of musical entertainment by the award-winning folk singer Martin Carthy, his partner Norma Waterson and brother-in-law Mike Waterson. While very different from the more conventional lecture format, this event provided a readily accessible route to the study of Wellington and his world. The enthusiastic reception accorded by the capacity audience was an appreciative testament to the programme’s success.
Another highlight is from 2012 when Peter Snow, one of Britain’s best-known journalists and presenters, gave the 24th Wellington Lecture “To War with Wellington – from the Peninsula to Waterloo”. The 2015 lecture, the year of the bicentenary of Waterloo, was aptly given by the Duke himself, Charles Wellesley, the seven times great grandson to the first Duke.
The most recent Wellington Lecture was given in October 2022 when Beatrice de Graaf spoke on “L’Homme de l’Europe’ Revisited: The Duke of Wellington and the Fight against Terror in post-Napoleonic”. The lecture continued in virtual form through COVID times and all the more recent lectures have been recorded and are available on YouTube.
The Wellington Prize is often awarded by the Duke at the Wellington lecture. It recognises the best dissertation or thesis submitted by an undergraduate or postgraduate candidate for a university qualification on a subject in the general area of Iberian Studies or Military History or British Political History or Government. Entries for the prize are submitted by Heads of Departments or Boards of Examiners to the secretary of the Wellington Prize Committee by the last day of the Summer Term. The award will be made by Senate on the recommendation of the Wellington Prize Committee.
Exhibitions and drop-in events
In addition to the congresses and lectures, the Special Collections has organised numerous exhibitions to showcase this collection, many of which have been linked to other events and already mentioned in this blog.
November 2008, for example, saw “Wellington and His Papers” to coincide with Professor Chris Woolgar’s inaugural lecture as Professor of History and Archival Studies “Wellington, His papers and the Nineteenth-Century Revolution in Communication”. This was part of the celebrations to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the allocation of the first Duke’s papers to the University of Southampton under the national heritage legislation.
Twentieth Wellington Lecture left to right: Professor Nick Foskett, Professor Richard Holmes, Professor Bill Wakeham, Vice Chancellor of the University of Southampton, Professor Chris Woolgar and Marquis of Douro
A particularly special anniversary celebration was, of course in 2015, which saw many commemorative events to mark the bicentenary of the Duke’s most famous victory. They included the exhibition “Wellington and Waterloo: ‘the tale is in every Englishman’s mouth’”. That year Karen Robson and Professor Chris Woolgar presented a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) they had co-created relating to Wellington and Waterloo. This was re-run in 2017.
The Special Collections has also hosted smaller, more personal Explore Your Archive drop-in events which have given people the opportunity to look at a selection of material in the searchroom and seminar room space.
Visitors in the gallery for the Wellington and Waterloo exhibition, 2015
One such event was on 28 October 2015, in conjunction with that year’s Wellington lecture by the Duke and the Wellington and Waterloo exhibition.
A commemorative cake for the Wellington and Waterloo event: it was eaten well away from any archive material!
We hosted a similar explore the Wellington Archive open afternoon, the following year, on 19 October 2016, in conjunction with the 28th Wellington Lecture by Bernard Cornwall.
Visitors in the Special Collections seminar room at the drop-in session on 19 October 2016
In 2017 the Wellington Lecture event was extended to include an exhibition, entertainment by the Duke of Wellington’s dancers and cake!
A dancer in regency dress photographed in our exhibition gallery
Future events
If this has whetted your appetite, you’ll be pleased to hear we’re planning various events for 2023 and beyond! Throughout March @HartleySpecialC will be tweeting #Wellington40. We’ve ask various people to select their favourite item from the collection to help us celebrate; and we couldn’t resist choosing some of our own! If you’re a Twitter fan watch out for our popular #WellingtonWednesday tweets which we share all year long.
We’ll be hosting a Behind the Scenes at the Archives event in July 2023. Tickets are free but booking is essential: secure your place now on Eventbrite.
The next Wellington-focused exhibition will be in autumn of 2023 in both the Special Collections and Level 4 Galleries in the Hartley Library.
2023 will see the 34th Wellington Lecture: details will be available nearer the time on the University’s Distinguished Lecture Series page and, finally, the next Wellington Congress is scheduled for 2025.
The scale of his archive left impressed the Duke as much as others. And so to close, we’ll leave you with some words of the great man himself:
I did not believe it possible that a correspondence which I preserved at first solely as memoranda and for reference, and afterwards from idleness and the desire to avoid the trouble of looking over the papers to see which might be destroyed, could ever be turned to a purpose so useful to one profession and the publick interests.
[Wellington, writing to Colonel Gurwood, editor of the Dispatches on the conclusion of their publication in 1838.]
![Lord Palmerston as an elder statesman, West Front, Broadlands: an albumen print probably from the 1850s [MS 62 Broadlands Archives BR22(i)/17]](https://specialcollectionsuniversityofsouthampton.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/palmerston-broadlands.jpg)
![Men's football team, 1953-4 [photo_MS1_7_291_22_4]](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50089268168_f26eed63ef_s.jpg "Men's football team, 1953-4 [photo_MS1_7_291_22_4]")
![Women's rowing team, 1961-2 [MS1_7_291_22_4]](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50090079577_3b7acbde42_s.jpg "Women's rowing team, 1961-2 [MS1_7_291_22_4]")
![Men's rugby team, 1953-4 [MS1_7_291_22_4]](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50089268523_4f2c587220_s.jpg "Men's rugby team, 1953-4 [MS1_7_291_22_4]")
![Women's hockey team, 1953-4 [MS1_7_291_22_4]](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50090079692_28114e9c7d_s.jpg "Women's hockey team, 1953-4 [MS1_7_291_22_4]")
University of Southampton Special Collections 