Grenfell Family Papers

This material is held atQueen Mary Archives, University of London

  • Reference
    • GB 370 NL/GRE
  • Dates of Creation
    • 1800 - 1962
  • Name of Creator
  • Language of Material
    • English
  • Physical Description
    • 29 boxes plus 7 outsize boxes

Scope and Content

This sub-fonds contains the personal papers of the Grenfell family including correspondence of Hilda Grenfell, Arthur Grenfell, Harry Grenfell, Francis Grenfell, Riversdale Grenfell, letters to and from friends and other family members, other documents, photographs and ephemera, 1800s-1962.

Hilda Grenfell to family, 1897-1940s; Hilda Grenfell about home, society and business, 1957-1960s; Arthur Grenfell to family, 1907-1953; Arthur Grenfell during First World War, 1916-1919; Harry Grenfell to family, 1913-1950; Correspondence regarding Harry Grenfell, 1928-1944; Francis and Riversdale Grenfell to family, 1899-1915; Family letters to Francis Grenfell, 1915; Correspondence regarding Francis and Riversdale Grenfell, 1903-1926; Reports of the 9th Lancers during First World War, 1914-1915; Correspondence regarding memorial fund for Francis and Riversdale Grenfell, 1913-1955; Correspondence with family and friends predominantly with Hilda Grenfell, but also Arthur Grenfell, 1896-1961; Correspondence between and about other Grenfell family members, 1811-1962, including Pascoe Du Pre Grenfell, Field Marshal Lord Francis Wallace during service in Zulu War, Wilfred Grenfell, Katie Grenfell, Diana Grenfell, Sofia Grenfell, Maria Grenfell, Cecil Grenfell, and Harold Grenfell; Photographs and images of Grenfell, Lyttelton, Grey, Ford, Jones, Cecil, and Hichens families, c.1800s-1955; Photograph album including poems and sketches depicting war scenes and Belgian refugees by various Belgian artists, 1915; Photographs of East London evacuees, 1940. Includes letters exchanged between family members and diary extracts written during the First World War, 1914-1918.

Administrative / Biographical History

Hilda Margaret Grenfell née Lyttelton born the second daughter of General Sir Neville Lyttelton and Katherine Stuart-Wortley, 1886; died 1972. She married Arthur Morton Grenfell in 1909 and they had 4 daughters, Mary, Katherine, Frances and Laura.

Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Morton Grenfell was born the sixth son of Pascoe du Pré Grenfell and Sophia Grenfell, 1873; educated at Eton College; fought in the First World War; he gained the rank of Colonel in the service of the Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars; died 1958. He first married Victoria Sybil Mary Grey in 1901 and they had 3 children, daughter Sybil and sons Reginald and Harry. He married, secondly, Hilda Margaret Lyttelton in 1909.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged as follows:

PP5/GRE/1-PP5/GRE/36: Papers of the Grenfell family (Arthur Grenfell and Hilda Grenfell nee Lyttelton)
PP5/GRE/1-PP5/GRE/5: Letters of Hilda Grenfell, arranged by correspondent and then chronologically
PP5/GRE/6-PP5/GRE/11: Letters of Arthur Grenfell, arranged by correspondent and then chronologically
PP5/GRE/12-PP5/GRE/14: Letters of and about Harry Grenfell, arranged by correspondent and then chronologically
PP5/GRE/15-PP5/GRE/23: Letters of and about Francis Grenfell and Riversdale Grenfell, arranged by correspondent and then chronologically
PP5/GRE/24-PP5/GRE/30: Family and Friends letters to Grenfell family members, arranged by correspondent and then chronologically
PP5/GRE/31-PP5/GRE/36: Various other correspondence, photographs and ephemera

Access Information

Open. The Archives are available for access in the Archives Reading Room located on the 2nd Floor of the Mile End Library. The Archives Reading Room is open Mondays to Fridays 9am-4pm by appointment only. Contact the Archives for more information: Archives, Main Library QMUL, 328 Mile End Rd, London E1 4NS, telephone: 020 7882 3873, email: archives@qmul.ac.uk . For more information about the Archives see the website: library.qmul.ac.uk/archives

Acquisition Information

Donated to the Archives in November 2011 by Dame Frances Campbell-Preston, daughter of Katherine Lyttelton.

Other Finding Aids

Custodial History

Retained in situ by the Lyttelton family.