Grote Papers

The collection consists of Lewin family correspondence, including some copy letters from George Grote; travel diaries of George and Harriet Grote on France, Belgium and Switzerland; and Harriet Grote's journals.

Harriet Grote née Lewin, biographer and wife of the historian George Grote (1794-1871), was born near Southampton in July 1792. She married George Grote in 1820. During their engagement Harriet studied hard so that she could share Grote's intellectual interests. Mrs Grote devoted herself to managing her husband's life, both practically and socially. They lived mainly in London and Surrey. Harriet Grote was always a diligent keeper of diaries and notebooks, as well as a good letterwriter, and having accumulated an abundance of materials, began to write a biographical account of her husband while he was still alive. This work was rapidly pushed forward on his death in 1871, and she herself had already reached her eightieth year, when it was published in 1873 as 'The personal life of George Grote'. She had printed and published other material previously in her lifetime. She died at Shiere in Surrey, aged eighty-seven.

George Grote was born in Kent in November 1794, the eldest of eleven children. His father was a banker. At school George had a genuine love of learning which survived the plunge into business at the bank that his father imposed on him at the age of sixteen. He pursued his interest in classical reading, took up German and philosophy, and extended his view of political economy. He was also musical. From 1822, Grote was committed to the project of writing a history of Greece. From 1826 to 1830 he was one of the promoters of the new University College London. Grote became interested in political reform when he visited Paris in 1830. He became known as a man of business and this helped him when he entered politics. He sat through three parliaments till 1841, when he refused to be nominated again. He wished to return to studying and finish his 'History of Greece' which was completed in 1856 and consisted of twelve volumes. In 1843 he left the bank permanently. Grote published other writings during his lifetime, mainly about politics and philosophy. In 1849 he was re-elected to the University College London Council and in 1868 he became president of the University. During his life Grote received many honours: D.D.L. of Oxford in 1853; LL.D. of Cambridge in 1861; fellow of the Royal Society in 1857; and honorary Professor of Ancient History to the Royal Academy in 1859. He also received honours from other countries. He was offered a peerage by Gladstone in 1869 but declined it. He died in June 1871 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Open

The papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.

Transferred from the French Department in November 1978 by Dr Clifford King, who discovered the papers among those of the late Eva Grunwald.

Normal copyright restrictions apply.

University College London Special Collections also holds portions of the manuscript of Grote's 'History of Greece', c1856 (Ref: MS ADD 107); correspondence of George Grote, Harriet Grote (née Lewin) and Jessie Lewin, 1861-1879 (Ref: MS ADD 120); letters from Grote to Sir William Smith and other papers, 1852-1870 (Ref: MS ADD 134); five letters of Harriet Grote to Mrs Georgiana Malcolm, 1857-1862 and undated (Ref: MS ADD 174); correspondence of George and Harriet Grote with George Croom Robertson, 1860s-1870s (Ref: MS ADD 88); two letters from George Grote to the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, 1829, 1842 (Ref: SDUK); a letter from George Grote to Sir Edwin Chadwick, 1833, and one to J Austin, 1833 (Ref: BENTHAM); eight letters from George Grote to Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux, 1827-1844 and undated (Ref: BROUGHAM); a copy letter from George Grote to Sir Isaac Goldsmid, 1833; an undated letter from George Grote to Joseph Parkes and two from Harriet Grote, 1853, [1854] (Ref: PARKES); letters of George Grote concerning University College London business, 1826-[1850], 1870, and a letter from Harriet Grote concerning her gift to the Library [1873] (Ref: COLLEGE CORRESPONDENCE); miscellaneous correspondence of George and Harriet Grote (Ref: MS MISC 2G, 3G, 3T).

University of London (Library - Senate House) holds four volumes of George Grote's notes and essays, 1805-1820 (Ref: MS 429). The British Library, Manuscript Collections, holds letters to A Panizzi, 1855-1866 (Ref: Add MSS 36717-26 passim); correspondence with F Place, 1831-1850 (Ref: Add MSS 35144-51 passim); and other correspondence and papers (Ref: Add MSS 46691, 29513-32). Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives, holds historical notes and papers for the History of Greece, 1846-1865 (Ref: Add 1932-33). Cambridge University, Trinity College Library, holds correspondence and papers, 1835 and undated (Ref: Mayor Papers/C5). Oxford University, Bodleian Library, Special Collections and Western Manuscripts, holds essays, notes and papers, 1815-1870 (Ref: MSS Add c 201-02, 207-08, d 85), and miscellaneous letters and papers (Ref: MS Eng lett d 122). Birmingham University Information Services, Special Collections Department, holds letters to Harriet Martineau, 1858 (Ref: HM). The Centre for Kentish Studies holds letters to G W Norman, 1818-1835 (Ref: U310/C38,C38A). Dulwich College holds 14 items of correspondence on property. The National Library of Wales, Department of Manuscripts and Records, holds letters to Sir George Cornewall Lewis, 1840-1863 (Ref: Harpton Court). The National Library of Scotland, Manuscripts Division, holds correspondence with Edward Ellice, 1854-1876 (Ref: MS 15026). Maison D'Auguste Comte, Paris, holds six letters to Auguste Comte, 1840-1848.

The British Library, Manuscript Collections, holds letters from Harriet Grote to Charles Babbage, 1833-1841 (Ref: Add MSS 37187-200 passim); correspondence with Lord Broughton, 1854-1867 (Ref: Add MS 47229); correspondence with W E Gladstone, 1873-1878 (Ref: Add MSS 44441-58 passim); letters to Lady Holland, 1851-1878 (Ref: Add MS 52117); letters to Sir A H Layard, 1855-1878 (Ref: Add MSS 38983-39021, 39103 passim); letters from Harriet Martineau, 1858-1876 (Ref: Add MS 46691); and correspondence with Francis Place, 1831-1841 (Ref: Add MSS 35144-51 passim). Cambridge University, Trinity College Library, holds letters to Harriet Grote, 1850-1869 and undated (Ref: Mayor Papers/C6). Durham University Library, Archives and Special Collections, Palace Green Section, holds her letters to the 3rd Earl Grey, 1860-1878 (Ref: GRE/B104/13B). Birmingham University Information Services, Special Collections Department, holds letters to Harriet Martineau, 1858-1875 (Ref: HM405-21). The Centre for Kentish Studies holds her letters to G W Norman, 1822-1829 (Ref: U310/C39). The National Library of Wales, Department of Manuscripts and Records, holds her letters to Sir George Cornewall Lewis, 1846-1855 (Ref: Harpton Court) and correspondence with Nassau Senior, 1844-1859 (Ref: Nassau Senior).