Letters of Thomas Graves Law (1836-1904)

The correspondence is composed of miscellaneous letters, 1880-1882; and, letter to Mr. Cotton about a 'literary piece of gossip', 1891.

The Scottish historian and bibliographer Thomas Graves Law was born on 4 December 1836. He was the grandson of Edward Law, 1st Baron of Ellenborough. He was educated at Winchester, University College, London, and at Stoneyhurst. He was a Roman Catholic priest, 1860-1878, and then in 1880 he married Wilhelmina Henrietta Allen, the grand-daughter of the 1st Earl of Camperdown. Law was Keeper or Librarian of the Signet Library, 1878 until 1901. He received the degree of Honorary Doctor of Laws from Edinburgh University, 1898. Thomas Graves Law died on 12 March 1904.

Generally open for consultation to bona fide researchers, but please contact repository for details in advance.

Letters purchased March 1971, Accession no. E71.5.

The biographical/administrative history was compiled using material contained in the collection, and (1) Burke, Sir Bernard. Burke, Asworth P. (eds.) A genealogical and heraldic history of the peerage and baronetage, the Privy Council, and knightage. 87th ed. p.884. London: Burke's Peerage Ltd., 1929.

Compiled by Graeme D Eddie, Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections Division.

Important finding aids generally are: the alphabetical Index to Manuscripts held at Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections and Archives, consisting of typed slips in sheaf binders and to which additions were made until 1987; and the Index to Accessions Since 1987.

Check the local Indexes for details of any additions.

The UK National Register of Archives (NRA), updated by the Historical Manuscripts Commission, notes: 1878-96: letters to W. E. Gladstone, 1878-1896, British Library, Manuscript Collections, Ref. Add MSS 44458-524 passim; and, letters to Lord Acton, 1889-1900, Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives, Ref. Add MSS 6443, 8119 NRA 37383 Acton.