| Collection | GB 0231 University of Aberdeen, Special Collections |
| Level | Fonds |
| Ref No | MS 2561 |
| Title | George Hamilton Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen: correspondence |
| Date | 1827 - 1854 |
| Extent | 10 items (0.01 linear metres) |
| Administrative History | George Gordon was born in 1784 and was educated at Harrow and Cambridge. He was orphaned young and his guardians were William Pitt (1759-1806) and Henry Dundas (1742-1811), both powerful politicians. He inherited the title of Earl of Aberdeen from his grandfather in 1801 and improved the Haddo estate by planting vast numbers of trees. His main interest, however, was politics. He had already been elected a Scottish representative peer in the House of Lords, and after gaining experience in negotiation and international affairs following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, he became Foreign Secretary in 1828 and again in 1841. In the intervening period he had served as Secretary for War and the Colonies from 1834 to 1835. He became Prime Minister in 1853 but he resigned as a consequence of the Crimean War in 1857. He was married twice and had several sons by his second wife. He died in 1860. |
| Source | The documents were purchased by the library from E. Hall between 1959 and 1966. |
| Description | Ten letters written by the Earl or his family, relating to personal, political and estate matters: letter from G. Wright regarding leasing of farms, building and repairs, 1827;
letter from Earl of Aberdeen to the Commissioner of Police containing a character reference on behalf of a servant, 1830;
letter from P. A. Ramsay concerning legal affairs of Lord Aberdeen and the Marquis of Abercorn, 1832;
letter from Earl of Aberdeen arranging meeting, 1837;
letter from Earl of Aberdeen to Captain James Scott regarding request to appoint Scott's son to the attacheship at Frankfurt, 1846;
letter from Earl of Aberdeen to Mr. Drummond arranging visit, 1848;
letter from Earl of Aberdeen to J. Hay regarding making of picture frame, 1848;
letter from Earl of Aberdeen, sent from Downing Street, to the Lord Provost of Edinburgh regarding copy of report containing observations on the Education (Scotland) Bill, 1854; copy of printed notice, signed by Earl of Aberdeen, for the anniversary election of the president, council and officers of the Society of Antiquaries of London, not dated; letter from Lord Haddo (son of 4th Earl of Aberdeen) to G. B. Tyndale, not dated. |
| Appraisal | This material has been appraised in line with normal procedures. |
| Accruals | None expected. |
| Access Status | Open |
| Access Conditions | The records are available subject to the signed acceptance of the Department's access conditions. |
| Copyright | Subject to the condition of the original, copies may be supplied for private research use only on receipt of a signed undertaking to comply with current copyright legislation. Permission to make any published use of material from the collection must be sought in advance from the University Archivist and, where appropriate, from the copyright owner. Where possible, assistance will be given in identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material. |
| Language | English |
| Physical Description | No physical conditions affecting use of collection. |
| Related Material | MS 2009 - letter from George Hamilton Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen, to Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, regarding appointment of Aberdeen clergymen to vacant King's chaplaincy, dated 9 January 1820.
MS 2562 - John Campbell Gordon, 7th Earl of Aberdeen, 1st Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair: correspondence. |
| Finding Aids | Preliminary list also in deposit file at University of Aberdeen, Special Libraries and Archives. |