The archive comprises: diaries, 1887-1919; letters to his wife Mary Ethel Harcourt, Viscountess Harcourt, 1898-1921; general correspondence, 1884-1921, n.d.; political papers, 1886-1921, n.d.; speeches, 1893-1920, n.d.; correspondence and papers concerning the London Museum, 1910-1922, n.d.; financial and legal papers, 1896-1922, n.d.; miscellaneous, 1891-1922, n.d.; and printed material, 1890-1922, n.d.
Dates
- Creation: 1884-1922
Extent
10.0 Linear metres (214 shelfmarks)
Language of Materials
- English
Preferred Citation
Oxford, Bodleian Libraries [followed by shelfmark, e.g. MS. Eng. e. 3870].
Full range of shelfmarks:
MSS. Eng. b. 2167; c. 8264-8324; d. 4173-4229, d. 4231; e. 3870-3966
Collection ID (for staff)
CMD ID 6231-1
Abstract
Correspondence and papers of Lewis Harcourt, 1st Viscount Harcourt (1863-1922), Liberal politician.
Biographical / Historical
Lewis ('Loulou') Vernon Harcourt, 1st Viscount Harcourt (1863-1922) was his father Sir William Harcourt's close and constant companion, his mother Marie Therese (nèe Lister) having died when he was born. Following his schooling at Eastbourne and then Eton College, he settled in the role of his father's private secretary until Sir William's death in 1904. Lewis Harcourt was first elected to the House of Commons in March 1904 as the Liberal MP for Rossendale. He twice served as Commissioner of Works, 1905-1910 and 1915-1916, and served as Secretary of State for the Colonies, 1910-1915. He was created Viscount Harcourt in 1917. He married Mary Ethel, daugther of Walter Hayes Burns in July 1899. They had one son William Edward Harcourt, 2nd Viscount Harcourt, and three daughters. (See ODNB for a full biography).
Arrangement
Material in each series is arranged chronologically, with the exception of an alphabetical sub series in the general correspondence series.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The papers remained in the possession of the Harcourt family until their deposit in the Bodleian Library in December 2005. They were allocated under the Acceptance in Lieu of Tax Scheme by H.M. Treasury on 6 March 2008.
Separated Materials
A collection of First World War ration vouchers has been transferred to the John Johnson Collection of Printed Ephemera.
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- Catalogue of the further papers of Lewis Harcourt, 1st Viscount Harcourt, 1884-1922
- Status
- Published
- Author
- Matthew Neely
- Date
- 2014
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom
specialcollections.enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk