Correspondence

The correspondence files relate to the most important aspects of the running of the firm. The original letter from the Duchess of Sutherland ordering 6 dozen towels on behalf of Queen Victoria was preserved by the firm between two sheets of glass. Another important piece of correspondence relates to Samuel Holt's original patent, for the manufacture of towels by machine, and encloses a copy together with diagrams of the machinery involved. Many of the letters in this series were addressed to Jonathan Hadfield, and some of his files survived intact [see WMC/3/2]. However, many of the letters in other parts of this series were also addressed to Hadfield. Very little routine business correspondence has survived for the majority of the time period covered by this class, but there is a complete run for 1928 and a considerable amount of material for 1949-52.

The correspondence files were in a state of considerable disorder, and survival is very patchy. The letters have been arranged in chronological order during cataloguing. Previous reference numbers have been supplied where possible, although some loose documents were found in these files which had not previously been listed. Original order has been maintained only where files survived intact.