Hatchett Collection

Correspondence to Charles Hatchett, 1798-1836; Letters acknowledging receipt of a copy of Hatchett's work on the Spikenard, 1836-1837; Personal papers, n.d. and 1809-1823; Printed material, 1836.

Charles Hatchett, esq. F.R.S., was born 2 January 1765 in London. He was a chemist, and elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society on the 9 March 1797. He was then awarded the Copley medal in 1798. He was also the treasurer of the Literary Club, 1814. Research interests were chemistry and he wrote a history of the Literary Club. Principle works include 'Spikenard of the Ancients', 1836 and 'Analysis of the Magnetical Pyrites', 1804. Son of John Hatchett, a wealthy coach builder of Long Acre, London. In 1786 Charles married Elizabeth Collick and in 1800 started a small chemical manufacturing business near Chiswick in London. He employed a young William Thomas Brande, who later became his son-in-law. Following his father's death, Hatchett effectively gave up science to take over the family coach building business. Where he appears to have still played an important role in the world of chemistry maintaining correspondence with other chemists and natural philosophers including William Wollaston, Richard Chenevix ; W. T. Brande and Michael Faraday. Charles Hatchett died at Bellevue House, Chelsea, London, 1847, and was buried at Upton-cum-Chalvey, Buckinghamshire.

The collection was originally listed at University College, Swansea, where an interpretation of the original order was made. This catalogue lists the items chronologically under the headings stated in Scope and content.

No restrictions.

The records were originally held at The Royal Institution of South Wales, Swansea. From 1966 onwards the records were moved to the library in the University College, Swansea in consignments. They were transferred to West Glamorgan Archive Service in the Spring of 2004.

Compiled by Katie Millien for the West Glamorgan Archive Service.

A hard copy of the catalogue is available at the West Glamorgan Archive Service. The catalogue can be accessed online.

Usual copyright regulations apply.

All records transferred to the West Glamorgan Archive Service have been retained.

Accruals are not expected.