These letters from Gertrude Savile (née Pierrepont) to her husband, George Savile and her step-son William Savile span a nine-year period. The topics of the letters to her husband Lord Halifax, include: letters received by Lady Halifax for Lord Halifax's attention; being in the company of Lord Eland; dining with Lord Nottingham and Lady Mavay; journeying to Bretby and Rufford; returning to London so as to see Lord Halifax sooner; her dislike of travelling to the country at her age.
The letters from Gertrude Savile to her step-son are all written after the death of her husband, once Gertrude became the Dowager Marchioness and her newly-married step-son became the new Marquess of Halifax. She writes to him in the manner of a loving mother and mostly relays news she has had whilst being in town and the health of their shared family members. She also writes of various businesses they are clearly both involved in together concerning tenants, land, mills and lead mines - often mentioning Mr Conyers and Mr Shelton who they consult about these matters. She also writes to Lord Halifax for advice concerning his half-sister and her husband Lord Stanhope (future Earl of Chesterfield) - she is vague about her concerns but it seems does not approve of the control he has over Elizabeth (the Dowager Marchioness's daughter and Lord Halifax's half-sister).
The details of the letters to her step-son, William Savile, Lord Halifax, include: Mr Babas being under examination for £5000 received by him to give to his friends for the good of the East India Company; a financial matter concerning her daughter and Lord Chesterfield [her father-in-law] upon which the Dowager Marchioness Halifax requests Lord Halifax's advice; news of Westminster Hall and the case of Lord Bath, Lord Montague and the impeachment of the Duke of Leeds; Rufford being built; Lord Chesterfield not being able to write a reply to the Dowager Marchioness due to gout in his hand; Elizabeth (Betty) saying her husband's household are all very kind to her, but the Dowager Marchioness accepting Lord Halifax's offer to write and keep his half-sister [Elizabeth] under his protection if Lord Chesterfield does not write back to the Dowager Marchioness; the ill stomach of Lady Nancy; the death of Lord Halifax's uncle Robin Smith; approval of Betty's carriage by Lord Halifax; mention of Lord Gray, Duke of Schomberg, Mr Smith and Chamberlain Barbue; easterly winds preventing the King's travel; her acknowledgement of Lord Halifax's expressions on her "late unspeakable loss"; her grave concern for Lord Stanhope's intention to go abroad on account of his health; her worry about Lord Stanhope's wife [Elizabeth] and children and desire for Lord Halifax's opinion on the matter; Lord Devonshire and Bartley House; Mr Shelton and unpaid bills; no news about money from the north; reference to Lady Stanhope [Elizabeth]'s shape and hoping the same for Lady Halifax; a lease for no rent and lease for the coal mine; information from Halbon concerning the sinking of a new pit and better furnace; health of the French King; likely death of the Queen of Spain; marriage of Lady Suffolk; Lord James Russell's marriage to a rich widow; the next sitting of parliament; merchants coining gold; Sir John Funick's trial; Penn Talbot writing to Mr Midhurst regarding a paper sent from Winchfield; three East Indian ships that are "mighty rich" and a great Barbados fleet of sugars; Elizabeth keeping well at Melton, in the company of Mr Wooton; illness of Lord Halifax and Lady Nancy; the wedding of Lady Mary Stanhope; visiting her brother's house; a promised visit to Lord Kingston; Buckley's fate; the death of her niece [Arabella Cavendish] Spencer; pregnancy of Lady Halifax [with Dorothy Savile]; dining at Bretby; the arrival of the bridegroom to the Dowager Marchioness's home; Lord Chesterfield dining with her; horses arrived from London enabling her to begin her journey; Lord Chesterfield's desire for Lord Halifax and Lord Nottingham to visit his much improved house and gardens this summer; Lord Eland being well; a visit from Lord Parkland of the Privy Council and likeliness that the city will lend the money soon; Mrs Burgess' leg growing worse despite Madam Gournay's French herbs; her decision to seek the assistance of Dr Beurser because the surgeon was ill himself; description of Beurser's visit regarding Mrs Burgess's leg; the members of the bank agreeing to lend £200,000; her horses in physic preventing a visit to Lord Eland; Lord Chesterfield's visit to Bretby; the lying-in of Lady Stanhope either in the country or town depending on the Dowager Marchioness's opinion and her wish to hear from her daughter on the matter; a disagreement between Lord Stanhope and the Dowager Marchioness; Lord Halifax's kind visit to Litchfield; sending money; Lord Stanhope going to Bretby; Lord Halifax's need for ass's milk remedy for his illness which she will acquire from her sister Clare; Madam Gurney's recovery from sickness; Lady Rockingham being very ill from smallpox; Mrs Chumley's delivery of a girl; Lord Portland's delayed journey to Holland due to the unfavourable winds; Lord Halifax's recovery from his coughs; the death of Lady Rockingham; the severe fever of Mr Conway likely to result in his death; the possible death of Madam Mazarin [Hortense Mancini]; a very great fire at [Red'rise] destroying three hundred houses and several ships; no news from Lady Stanhope at Litchfield concerning a visit; her nephew Pelham and her nieces dining with her; a visit from Lord Nottingham; further details of the death of the Duchess of Mazarin; Lord Cheney dining with her; a planned visit from Lady Stanhope; the safe arrival of Lady Stanhope; a visit from Madam Gournay; the Marquis de Gournay visiting; her thoughts of Sir John Reaseby; Mr Grenville having a bad case of smallpox; a visit from Mr Babas; her thanks for Lord Halifax's offer of venison but her concern that it might spoil in the heat; the Duchess of Leeds in Wimbledon being very ill and treated with the Jesuit's powder; Madam Gournay dining with the Dowager Marchioness; a matter about high pay offered by Lord Shuin' for his garden house and the uneasiness of Lord Ranelour about it; Lady Downe travelling to be with her daughter during her 'lying-in'; wishes to Lord Halifax from his godson [Philip Stanhope?]; Lord Anglesey at Litchfield with Lord Stanhope; delivering a letter to her sister Clare on Lord Halifax's behalf; her nephew Pelham going to the country; Lord Shaftsbury going into the country for his health and Lord Devonshire going to Chatsworth; Lord [Chancellor] forced to drink Tunbridge waters here so as to be able to dispatch business too; the death of Lady Normanby; bad weather for Lady Halifax's journey to Lord Halifax; visiting Acton; a servant for her grandson at Acton; Lord Essex "laying down all his place" and discontent concerning Lord Raby's post; Lady Halifax hanging up furniture at Rufford; Penn Talbot waiting on Lord Eland; her horses' recovery; her own illness delaying her travels; Mrs Burgess on the mend; Beurser doing as commanded; a comment on the marriage being still honourable by cousin Savile in the country and Lady Dorchester in the town; Sir David Colier; kissing the Princess's hand; meeting at York; information from Lady Goodricke; a bill to Mr Shelton; abatements and fines to tenants; new leases and abatements made by Mr Shelton; the harvest affected by the weather; Lady Stanhope's intentions to see her brother [Lord Halifax] at Rufford but journeys not being allowed at her free will; Lord Halifax's safe return from Bretby; proroguing of parliament to the 20th October; the sickness of the King of France; the good health of Lord Halifax's son; the death of the Dowager Marchioness's niece; a visit from Mr Delone; Mr Gregory and Mr Conyers's correspondence concerning the lead mine; Lord and Lady Nottingham at Rufford; her request that Lord Halifax listen to any of his pregnant sister's concerns when she is visiting as she writes little of them to her mother; the Queen of Spain's alleged death in childbirth; public letter directed to Lord Devonshire who was in Bath; peace thought to be concluded in Flanders; Lord [Carbery] promising to bring the account of Flanders to the Dowager Marchioness; little company at the chocolate house resulting in Lord [Carbery] giving more of it to her; the good health of Lord Halifax's sister but for a cough; the signing of the peace at Flanders and the knocking on doors for money for beneficiaries; thanks to Lord Halifax for the account of Betty [Lady Stanhope]; the King of France being past recovery; the story of the Queen of Spain being false and her being alive and well; enquiring about the making of new money on account of rumours that Exeter has much new money; plenty of company at Rufford; Lord Chesterfield seeing the time and work required to build Rufford; a faulty lock at Winkfield Mills that she has not heard of from Mr Medhurst yet; not enough money out of Poole's leadworks to pay for repair; Sir John Furnick concerning Mr Shelton's drawing the leases at Besstarstone; clause of the Dowager Marchioness's jointure written down by Mr Conyers; her preference to rather abate than take the farm into their own hands; Lord Carmarthen [Canarvon]'s return from Flanders; the recovered health of the King of France; the princess being ill and likely to miscarry; articles of peace; bad weather in September; Lady Montague's marriage but without her brother Manchester there as his wife had delivered their son stillborn recently; Halton's letter regarding Winkfield and waiting for direction from Mr Ardin; all care being taken that the tenants at Winkfield are not wronged; the return of the King soon; a matter concerning a wood at [Bolstersone] which requires Mr Conyers input, who intends to come to town next week after his wife is better; the arrival of the King at Margate; the poor weather in the country; a visit from Lord Halifax's aunt and uncle to the Dowager Marchioness; uncertainty about how to reply to Halton; the article around town concerning the peace and having to wait for the Kings speech to parliament for the truth; the health of Lord Halifax's son at Acton and sister at Melton; Bishop putting new conditions on the Lord [Chesterfield]; the King at Windsor; a hunting accident involving Lord Shrewsbury's horse trampling him; Lord Carbery being in town and informing her in the country they are paid in [wood] money and guineas; the slow return of MPs to parliament; the emptiness of town; visit and correspondence of Mr Conyers concerning his lack of time due to a lot of business; Mr Conyer's wife still being ill and taking Jesuit's powder every other day; a visit to Acton with Madam Gournay to see her grandson; Lady Mosley delivered of a son in town; Lord Shrewsbury still being very ill from his hunting accident; cousin Wooton staying in Hampstead and likely to see his brother and Betty [Lady Stanhope] when she comes to town too.