Glenesk-Bathurst correspondence and papers
Contains records with digital mediaDetails
Type of record: Archive
Title: Glenesk-Bathurst correspondence and papers
Classmark: MS Dep. 1990/1
Creator(s): Glenesk, Algernon Borthwick (1830-1908)()
Date(s): 1801-2000
Language: English
Size and medium: 27 boxes, 21 vols and 1 envelope
Persistent link: https://explore.library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections-explore/6819
Collection group(s): Business Archives
Description
The Glenesk-Bathurst papers revolve around the Morning Post, an influential Conservative newspaper which eventually merged with the Daily Telegraph, and relate mainly to the Edwardian period though the coverage extends back into the later years of Queen Victoria and forwards to the early 1920s. The Morning Post had been acquired by Algernon Borthwick (1830-1908) in 1877 and for many years he was very active in its management besides sitting as Conservative MP for South Kensington from 1885 to 1895; he was knighted in 1880 and raised to the peerage as the first Baron Glenesk in 1895. In his later years much of the management of the paper, both business and editorial, devolved upon his son, Oliver (1873-1905) who tragically predeceased his father. Upon the death of Lord Glenesk in 1908 control of the paper passed to his daughter, Lilias, who had married Seymour Henry, 7th Earl Bathurst, in 1893. Lilias (1871-1965) was a formidably accomplished woman and the newspaper flourished for many
years under her aegis, but after the First World War circumstances began to change and in 1924 Lord and Lady Bathurst sold the paper to a consortium headed by the Duke of Northumberland. Both Oliver Borthwick and Lady Bathurst being actively involved in running the paper, their respective correspondence casts light on a very wide range of contemporary political and social matters. It would be inappropriate to select too many highlights, but among Oliver's papers are Winston Churchill's despatches from the Sudan in 1898 and among hers are eye-witness accounts of the Russian Revolution of 1917 from Georgina Buchanan, wife of the British ambassador at St Petersburg. A long series of letters from H A Gwynne (1865-1950), editor of the Morning Post from 1911 to 1937, to Lady Bathurst comments freely on current politics and the fortunes of the newspaper.
This handlist is divided into two parts, the first contains principally editorial and business papers relating to the Morning Post, the second having more family and social material; however, the division is not rigid and students should pursue their interests in both parts. The numeration of the archive is continuous. It should be noted that the collection contains no estate papers relating to Gloucestershire though there is a little about the refurbishment of `Franks’, a property occupied by Lord and Lady Bathurst in Kent; the main bulk of family and estate papers of the Bathursts of Cirencester is preserved in Gloucestershire County Record Office at Gloucester (ref. D 2525, D 2381 and D 4483). A section is devoted to the affairs of the Oliver Borthwick Memorial Home in south-east London, and another refers to the work of the British Legion of Help which organised relief for the devastated areas of northern France immediately after the First World War.
The appended index indexes all personal names together with the subject matter of non-literary documents excluding letters; a more extensive subject-indexing was not possible in the circumstances. As with entries for them in both parts of the catalogue, peers are indexed under their surnames so that in every case members of a whole family might be brought together; wherever the title of a peer includes the surname, the title has been abbreviated.
Access to the majority of the documents in this collection is not restricted but if extensive verbatim citation of any of them in a commercial publication is proposed, the matter should be referred to Lord Bathurst in advance. Moreover since copyright has not been vested in the Brotherton Library, researchers should make the appropriate enquiries before any such publication. At Lord Bathurst's request, letters written by members of the family who are still living, shall remain closed for the time being and access to them will only be permissible with the specific prior consent of their respective writers.
Biography or history
The Glenesk-Bathurst papers revolve around the Morning Post, an influential Conservative newspaper which eventually merged with the Daily Telegraph, and relate mainly to the Edwardian period though the coverage extends back into the later years of Queen Victoria and forwards to the early 1920s. The Morning Post had been acquired in 1877 by Algernon Borthwick (Conservative MP for South Kensington, 1885-1895; knighted in 1880 and raised to the peerage as the first Baron Glenesk in 1895). In his later years much of the management of the paper devolved upon his son, Oliver (1873-1905). Upon the death of Lord Glenesk in 1908 control of the paper passed to his daughter, Lilias, who married Seymour Henry, 7th Earl Bathurst, in 1893. In 1924 Lord and Lady Bathurst sold the paper to a consortium headed by the Duke of Northumberland.
Access and usage
Reproduction
Access
At Lord Bathurst's request, letters written by members of the family who are still living shall remain closed for the time being and access to them will only be permissible with the specific prior consent of their respective writers
Access to the majority of the documents in the collection is not restricted but if extensive verbatim citation of any of them in a commercial publication is proposed, the matter should be referred to Lord Bathurst in advance. Moreover since copyright has not been vested in the Brotherton Library, researchers should make the appropriate enquiries before any such publication.
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Subject theme: Business
An overview of the research potential of collections related to business, economics and industry held at Special Collections at Leeds University Library.