Bunsen and Waddington Letters

Papers of the Waddington, Bunsen and Chisholm families, consisting mainly of letters to Mrs Georgina Waddington of Llanover from her eldest surviving daughter, Frances, and her husband Christopher Charles Bunsen, 1817-1825, mainly written from Rome where Bunsen was Charge d'Affairs; letters to Thomas Waddington mainly from his his wife Janet Waddington (nee Chisholm), 1825-1866; letters to Janet Waddington, [c.1825]-1845, from members of the family; letters to Catherine Chisholm, 1826-1843, mainly from Janette Waddington; letters to Mrs Eliza Chisholm, 1825-1845; and letters to Frances Chisholm, 1822-1841.

Benjamin Waddington (1749-1828), bought Llanover from the Cecil family of The Dyffryn, Glamorganshire, in about 1792. He married Georgina Mary Anne Port (1771-1850) of Ilam, Derbyshire, and they had six daughters. With the agreement of the other daughters, the Llanover estate was settled on the youngest daughter, Augusta (1802-1896). In 1823 she married Benjamin Hall (1802-1867) of Abercarn, and the neighbouring estates of Llanover and Abercarn were united. Benjamin Hall was created Baron Llanover in 1859, and Augusta is best remembered as Lady Llanover and as 'Gwenynen Gwent'. Benjamin and Georgina's eldest daughter Frances married Christian Charles Bunsen. Charles de Bunsen, grandson of Benjamin and Georgina Waddington, married Mary Isabell Waddington, his second cousin, thus uniting the two branches of the Waddington family.

Arranged in chronological order by recipient of letters

Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to sign the 'Modern papers - data protection' form.

Purchased by NLW in November 1973 from Richard Hatchwell

Benjamin Waddington (1749-1828), bought Llanover from the Cecil family of The Dyffryn, Glamorganshire, in about 1792. He married Georgina Mary Anne Port (1771-1850) of Ilam, Derbyshire, and they had six daughters. With the agreement of the other daughters, the Llanover estate was settled on the youngest daughter, Augusta (1802-1896). In 1823 she married Benjamin Hall (1802-1867) of Abercarn, and the neighbouring estates of Llanover and Abercarn were united. Benjamin Hall was created Baron Llanover in 1859, and Augusta is best remembered as Lady Llanover and as 'Gwenynen Gwent'. Benjamin and Georgina's eldest daughter Frances married Christian Charles Bunsen. Charles de Bunsen, grandson of Benjamin and Georgina Waddington, married Mary Isabell Waddington, his second cousin, thus uniting the two branches of the Waddington family.

Title supplied from contents of fonds

A hard copy of vol. 1 of the catalogue, describing the letters to Georgina Waddington and to Thomas Waddington, is available at NLW: the remainder of the papers remain uncatalogued.

Text

August 2001

Compiled by Stephen Benham.

The following source was used in the compilation of this description: Bradney, Joseph, History of Monmouthshire (London, 1991, facsimile ed.), vol. 1, part 2B.

Usual copyright laws apply

Action: All records purchased by NLW have been retained.

Portions of some of the letters written to Georgina Mary Ann Waddington from her daughter Frances have been cut off or whole sentences containing details of her health during successive pregnancies and unpleasant comments on individuals have been crossed out. This is possibly the work of Augustus J. C. Hare who published some of the letters in 1879. The letters were rebound at NLW in 1974.

Accruals are not expected

Further papers are NLW MSS 13061-13185 and Gwent Record Office, D1210.110-153

Hare, A. J. C., Life and letters of Baroness Bunsen (1879)

Published