Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1844-1859 / (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
0.072 cubic metres (8 boxes)
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Sir George Cornewall Lewis (1806-1863), politician and author, was born in London, the elder son of Sir Thomas Frankland Lewis of Harpton Court, Radnorshire. He acted on various Government commissions of enquiry, such as the inquiry into the condition of the poorer classes in Ireland, the commission to examine the state of Irish education and the commission to inquire into the troubled state of Malta. In 1838 he became a poor-law commissioner, following his father's resignation from the position. He married Lady Maria Theresa Lister in 1844. In 1847, he entered Parliament as Liberal M.P. for Herefordshire. The General Election of July 1852 saw him lose his seat. He became editor of the Edinburgh Review, 1852-1855. On his father's death, he succeeded him as the M.P. for Radnor boroughs, and became Chancellor of the Exchequer in Viscount Palmerston's first administration (1855-1858), and later Home Secretary and Secretary for War in Palmerston's second administration (1859-1865). He died in 1863.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Purchased at Sotheby's auction, lot 408, 18 July 1991.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers relating mainly to the candidature of Sir George Cornewall Lewis for the Herefordshire constituency in the general election, 1852, including: correspondence, [1852]-[1854]; canvassing lists, 1852; electoral registers, 1851; lists of voters, polling lists and election bills, [c. 1852]; miscellaneous election papers, [1847]-[1852]; and miscellaneous, 1844-[1859].
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Action: All records purchased by the National Library of Wales have been retained..
Accruals
Accruals are not expected.
System of arrangement
Arranged into the following: correspondence; canvassing lists; electoral registers, lists of voters and polling lists; election bills, receipts and expense accounts; miscellaneous election papers; and miscellanea.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to sign the 'Modern papers - data protection' form.
Conditions governing reproduction
Usual copyright regulations apply.
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
English.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
A hard copy of the catalogue is available in Minor Lists and Summaries, 1992, pp.89-93, at the National Library of Wales.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Title supplied from contents of fonds
Alternative identifier(s)
Virtua system control number
Project identifier
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Description follows ANW guidelines based on ISAD(G) 2nd ed.;AACR2; and LCSH
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
May 2003
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
Compiled by Richard Burman for the ANW project. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: NLW, Minor Lists and Summaries 1992; Dictionary of Welsh Biography down to 1940 (London, 1959); and Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online, viewed 7 December 2005.