Papers of George Augustus Frederick Cavendish-Bentinck (1821-1891), politician, in the Portland (Welbeck) Collection

The papers are very largely composed of correspondence, notably with his wife, Prudence (née Leslie) and his cousin, the 5th Duke of Portland. Political correspondents include Disraeli. A small section relates to the Peninsular War. Among the miscellaneous papers is a series of some 183 manuscripts, correspondence and papers of Rawdon Brown, historian and editor of the Calendar of Venetian State Papers in the Rolls Series, who died in Italy in 1883, leaving G.A.F. Cavendish-Bentinck as his executor.

George Augustus Frederick Cavendish-Bentinck (1821-1891) was the only son of Lord Frederick Bentinck (the fourth son of the 3rd Duke of Portland). He was M.P. for Taunton from 1859 to 1865 and for Whitehaven from 1865 to 1891. He held high office as secretary to the Board of Trade from 1874 to 1875 and judge advocate general from 1875 to 1880.

The Collection is divided into two series, reflecting its arrangement on acquisition from Welbeck. The first consists of correspondence, primarily to G.A.F. Cavendish-Bentinck, and the second series contains miscellaneous papers.

Access to the collection is currently restricted whilst the catalogue descriptions are improved. Please contact staff at Manuscripts and Special Collections if you would like to view an item within Pw M. Hard copy catalogues are available on the open shelves in the Reading Room, Kings Meadow Campus.

Copyright in all Finding Aids belongs to the University of Nottingham. In the Reading Room, King's Meadow Campus: Typescript Catalogue, 15 pp At the National Register of Archives, London: Typescript Catalogue, 15 pp On the World Wide Web: Catalogue accessible from the website for Manuscripts and Special Collections, Manuscripts Online Catalogue. Catalogue also available online through The National Archives Access to Archives (A2A) web site.

Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Keeper of Manuscripts and Special Collections (email mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk). Photocopies and photographic copies can be supplied for educational use and private study purposes only, depending on the condition of the documents.

These papers were presented to the 6th Duke of Portland by G.A.F. Cavendish-Bentinck's son, William George Cavendish-Bentinck in 1904 and constitute part of the Portland (Welbeck) Collection (Pw). They were received from the 7th Duke of Portland in the first deposit from Welbeck Abbey in 1949. By the Duke's express wish the family archives were divided between The University of Nottingham (political and family correspondence); Nottinghamshire Archives Office (Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Northumberland estate papers); British Library (Harley family papers); Hampshire Record Office (papers relating to the Dukes' Hampshire estate) and the Bodleian Library (Civil War papers of Reverend John Nalson). The entire Portland archive from Welbeck was accepted by the state in lieu of estate duty in 1986