Violet Milner Papers

The collection consists mainly of the papers of Violet Milner, but includes estate papers, family papers, correspondence, and other papers of Frederick Augustus Maxse, the Maxse family, Lord Edward Herbert Gascoyne-Cecil, and Alfred Milner. It contains material relating to 19th- and 20th-century British and Imperial history, in particular the Boer War. The coverage of 20th-century South African politics is notable. Most major British politicians and political events of this period are documented in some way.

Violet Georgina, Viscountess Milner (1872-1958) married Lord Edward Herbert Gascoyne-Cecil (1867-1918) in 1894. She subsequently married Viscount Milner (1854-1925) in 1921. She had an interest in politics and was editor of The National Review 1932-48.

Frederick Augustus Maxse (1833-1900) had a distinguished naval career before retiring with the rank of Admiral in 1867. He became a political writer after 1874.

Alfred, Viscount Milner (1854-1925) was a statesman. His positions included director general of accounts in Egypt, 1889-92; chair of the Board of Inland Revenue, 1892-97; and High Commissioner for South Africa, 1897-1905. He returned to England in 1905, from which date he worked in the City and served as a member of various committees and as a Rhodes Trustee. In 1916 he became a member of the War Cabinet. In April 1918 he became Secretary of State for War and in December of the same year Secretary of State for the Colonies, a post which he held until his resignation in 1921.

Details are given in the Dictionary of National Biography and in Lady Milner's book My Picture Gallery (1951).

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card (for admissions procedures see http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/specialcollections).

The collection was bought in 1986.

Collection level description created by Emily Tarrant, Department of Special Collections and Western Manuscripts.

A full catalogue (without an index) is available in the Library.

The collection was previously deposited in Kent Archives Office.

See also Papers of Alfred Milner, Viscount Milner, 1824-1955, and Additional papers of Alfred Milner, Viscount Milner, 1884-1920