Letters of Horace Courtenay Gammell Forbes (1823-1914), 20th Baron Forbes

Scope and Content

The collection is composed of: letter to Mr. Bowden from Castle Forbes, mentioning various Church matters; and, letter to Mr. Bandolph from Castle Forbes, mentioning receipt of a photograph of a church and how he is happy to receive pamphlets which he will later get bound.

Administrative / Biographical History

The Barony of Forbes has its origins in a charter of lands to Duncan Forbes from King Alexander III of Scotland, around 1271.

A successor, Sir Alexander Forbes, 1st Lord Forbes, accompanied Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar, and Sir Walter Lindsay in an expedition into England to fight Lord Beaumont and other English knights. He fought at Beauge (a battle during One Hundred Years War) in 1421, and visited James I during his captivity in England.

Alexander Forbes, 11th Baron Forbes, was a Lieutenant-General under Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden. He also had a command in the Scottish army sent to Ireland in 1643. He died in Stockholm in 1672.

Horace Courtenay Gammell Forbes was born on 24 February 1823. He was the eldest surviving son of Walter, 19th Lord Forbes, and Horatia, daughter Sir John Gregory Shaw, 5th Baronet of Eltham. He was educated at Oriel College, Oxford. He succeeded to the title in 1868. Horace Courtenay Gammell Forbes, 20th Baron Forbes, died on 24 June 1914.

Access Information

Generally open for consultation to bona fide researchers, but please contact repository for details in advance.

Acquisition Information

Among miscellaneous letters of Scottish interest, purchased from E. Hall, December 1976, Accession no. E76.53.

Note

The biographical/administrative history was compiled using the following material: (1) Who was who -1897-1916. London: A. and C. Black, 1920. (2) Burke, Sir Bernard. and Burke Ashworth P. A genealogical and heraldic history of the peerage and baronetage, the Privy Council, and knightage. 87th edition. London: Burke's Peerage Ltd., 1929.

Compiled by Graeme D Eddie, Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections Division.

Other Finding Aids

Important finding aids generally are: the alphabetical Index to Manuscripts held at Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections and Archives, consisting of typed slips in sheaf binders and to which additions were made until 1987; and the Index to Accessions Since 1987.

Accruals

Check the local Indexes for details of any additions.