LYTTELTON, Gen Sir Neville (Gerald) (1845-1931)

Letters relating to the South African War received by Gen Hon Reginald Arthur James Talbot and other members of the Talbot family, [1899]-1901, including letters from Lyttelton and Maj Gen Edward Stuart Wortley, dated [1899]-1901, describing operations in Natal, 1899-1900, and Transvaal, 1900-1901, and operations against Gen Christian Rudolf De Wet. Copies of letters from Lyttelton to his wife and family, 1899-1916, notably covering his service in South Africa, 1899-1904, his work as Chief of General Staff and First Military Member of the Army Council, 1904-1908, and as Commander-in-Chief, Ireland, 1908-1912. Copies of seven letters from Talbot to Katherine Lyttelton, 1900-1906, mainly concerning his command of the army of occupation, Egypt, 1900-1903, and Lyttelton's military career, 1900-1906.

Born in 1845; educated at Eton College; entered Rifle Brigade, 1865; helped to suppress Fenian rising, Canada, 1866; Secretary, Oregon Boundary Dispute Commission, Canada, 1867; ADC to Viceroy of Ireland, 1868-1873; served in Jowaki Expedition, India, 1877, and in Egyptian Campaign, 1882; Military Secretary to Governor of Gibraltar, 1883-1885, and to Governor of Bombay, 1885-1890; 2nd in Command, 3 Bn, Rifle Bde, Jullundar, India, 1890-1893; Lt Col, 1892; commanded 2 Bn, Rifle Bde, Dublin, Ireland, 1893-1895; appointed Assistant Adjutant General War Office, 1895; Assistant Military Secretary, War Office, 1897-1898; commanded brigade during Nile Expedition, Sudan, 1898; commanded 2 Infantry Bde, Aldershot, 1899; commanded 4 Infantry Bde, 2 and 4 Divs, South Africa, 1899-1900; served in Natal, 1901-1902; Commander-in-Chief, South Africa, 1902-1904; Chief of General Staff and First Military Member of Army Council, 1904-1908; Commander-in-Chief, Ireland, 1908-1912; published Eighty years: soldiering, politics, games (Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1927); died in 1931.

Arranged in sections in order of accession.

Open, subject to signature of reader's undertaking form.

Presented to the Centre by the family in 1972. Copies of additional papers were acquired by purchase in 1974 and 1990.

Summary guide entry on-line at http://www.kcl.ac.uk/iss/archives/cats/, and detailed catalogue available in hard copy in the Centre's reading room.

Queen Mary and Westfield College Library has photocopies of some of the original papers held by the Centre.

Queen Mary and Westfield College Library holds a substantial collection of his papers, 1883-1930. The Department of Western Manusripts, Bodleian Library, Oxford University holds diaries, 1874-1929 (Ref: MS Eng hist e 379, f 35-82). Hereford and Worcester Record Office holds miscellaneous correspondence and papers, 1878-1880 (Ref: 705:658).

Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied for research use only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Trustees of the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, attention of the Director of Archive Services.

The originals of the letters that the Centre holds copies of are at Queen Mary and Westfield College Library.