Papers Relating to the Earls of Clarendon of the Second Creation

This material is held atBodleian Library, University of Oxford

  • Reference
    • GB 161 MSS. Clar. dep. c. 1-104, c. 125-49, c. 178-226, c. 246-78, c. 327-47, c. 441-510, c. 520-61; MSS. Clar. dep. Irish boxes 1-82; MSS. Clar. dep. Irish vols. 1-28; MS. Film 34
  • Dates of Creation
    • 17th century-1879
  • Language of Material
    • English, Spanish or Castilian, French, and Portuguese.
  • Physical Description
    • 455 shelfmarks

Scope and Content

Papers relating to the Earls of Clarendon of the Second Creation, consisting of:

Correspondence and diplomatic papers of Thomas Villiers, 1st Earl of Clarendon, 1738-86.

Papers of George William Frederick Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon, consisting of:

  • Papers relating to Ireland, 1826-70
  • Papers relating to Spain, 17th century-1841
  • Papers relating to the Foreign Office, 1847-70
  • General correspondence and miscellaneous, 1777-1879

Administrative / Biographical History

Thomas Villiers, 1st Earl of Clarendon of the second creation, (1709-1786) served in the diplomatic service from 1737 to 1748, when he retired from diplomatic employment to devote himself to home politics. Details are given in the Dictionary of National Biography.

George William Frederick Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon (1800-1870) was grandson of Thomas Villiers, first Earl of Clarendon. He entered the diplomatic service in 1820. He was appointed a commissioner of customs in 1823, and from 1827 to 1829 was involved in the union of the English and Irish excise boards. In 1833 he was sent to Madrid as envoy-extraordinary and minister-plenipotentiary. In 1847 he became Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and in 1853 he became Foreign Secretary. Details are given in the Dictionary of National Biography.

Access Information

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).

Acquisition Information

The papers were deposited in the Bodleian Library in 1949.

Other Finding Aids

A full catalogue is available in the Library.

Conditions Governing Use

The papers were deposited in the Library on condition that no extracts from them shall be printed without the depositor's, or his heir's, written consent (readers will be asked to sign a form acknowledging this).

Related Material

See also Papers of George William Frederick Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon, and Sir Thomas Villiers Lister (MSS. Eng. hist. c. 1034, d. 483; Eng. lett. c. 538, d. 514-19), and Papers of Lady Katherine Clarendon and other members of the Clarendon family (MSS. Eng. c. 2082-181, d. 2048-54, e. 2074-132).