Papers of: Macartney, George, 1st Earl Macartney (1737-1806)

Scope and Content

MS. 3352: Copy dated c1805 of a journal of a voyage from London to Cochin-China, 11 September 1792-15 June 1793. Note on verso of leaf 2 signed 'J.B.' (Sir John Barrow (1764-1848), Secretary to the Admiralty, and founder of the Royal Geographical Society) states 'This journal was written by Lord Macartney on board the Lion merely for his own amusement and to pass away a few heavy hours on a very long sea voyage'. MS. 5746: Correspondence and papers relating to medical services in Madras, 1782-1787, comprising 2 letters to Macartney from John Ruding, surgeon, Chingleput, 1782, 1783; letter to Macartney from James Hodges, Masulipatam, 1783; letter to Macartney from George Bell (d.1789), surgeon, Tanjore, 1783; Committee Minute on a proposal by Macartney for a fixed establishment of surgeons, 1784; letter to Macartney from Terence Gahagan, surgeon, enclosing a copy of his plan for the reform of the medical department, Vellore, 1787 (the plan is addressed to Macartney's successor as Governor of Fort St George, Madras, Sir Archibald Campbell).

Administrative / Biographical History

George Macartney (1737-1806), 1st Earl Macartney, was Governor and President of Fort St George, Madras, 1780-1786.

Access Information

The papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.

Acquisition Information

MS. 3352 purchased from Stevens, London, 1930 (accession number 56577). MS. 5746 purchased from R D Gurney Ltd., 1989 (accession number 348236)

Other Finding Aids

Described in: S.A.J. Moorat, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts on Medicine and Science in the Wellcome Historical Medical Library (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1962-1973) and Richard Palmer, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts in the Wellcome Library for the History & Understanding of Medicine: Western Manuscripts 5120-6244 (London: The Wellcome Library for the History & Understanding of Medicine, 1999).

Collection level description available on-line on the Wellcome Library website

Archivist's Note

description compiled by Helen Wakely based upon those in the Library's published finding aids by S.A.J. Moorat and Richard Palmer.

Conditions Governing Use

Photocopies/photographs/microfilm are supplied for private research only at the Archivist's discretion. Please note that material may be unsuitable for copying on conservation grounds, and that photographs cannot be photocopied in any circumstances. Readers are restricted to 100 photocopies in twelve months. Researchers who wish to publish material must seek copyright permission from the copyright owner.

Bibliography

Barrow, Sir John, A voyage to Cochinchina in the years 1792 and 1793 ... To which is annexed an account of a journey made in the years 1801 and 1802 to the residence of the chiefs of the Booshuana nation (1806)
Barrow, Sir John, memoir of George Macartney (1737-1806), 1st Earl Macartney (1807).