Additional Manuscripts 832: Sir Henry Irving letters
Introduction
Contents

Catalogue

Reference code: GB-0033-ADD 832
Title: Additional Manuscripts 832: Sir Henry Irving letters
Dates of creation: 1879-1905
Extent: 36 items
Held by: Durham University Library, Archives and Special Collections
Origination: Sir Henry Irving (1879-1905)
Language: English

Contents

Letters of Sir Henry Irving, 1879-1905
Most of the letters, possibly including some of those in which the recipient is unnamed, are to Sir Francis Burnand, the playwright and editor of Punch. The content is largely theatrical chat, invitations and enquiries after the Burnand family. Four letters are present only in transcript, the originals having been given by Virginia Surtees to the British Theatre Museum for its Irving collection (see Add. MS. 832/36); these four have been printed in Laurence Irving, Henry Irving the Actor and his World, London, 1951. Most of the letters are accompanied by a typed transcript.

Accession details

This group of letters was presented by Mrs. Virginia Surtees in 1984 (at the same time as Add. MSS. 825 - 831); (the group consists of 33 letters, one envelope and one card from Irving, with a note by the donor about their provenance). They were purchased for Virginia Surtees c.1940, probably from Maggs.
Summary catalogue of Additional Manuscripts

Catalogue

Add. MSS. 832/1-36
Add. MSS. 832/1   1879
New Year card to an unnamed recipient.
Add. MSS. 832/2   1879 Oct. 6
Letter (from 15A Grafton St, Bond Street W.) to Burnand. With transcript.
Add. MSS. 832/3   1880 April 2 (postmark)
Empty envelope addressed in Irving's hand to Miss [?] Jackson, 3 St Alban's Terrace, Hammersmith.
Add. MSS. 832/4   1880 May 27
Letter (from 15A Grafton St) to an unnamed recipient. With transcript.
Add. MSS. 832/5   1880 Sept. 15
Letter (from 15A Grafton St) to an unnamed recipient.
Add. MSS. 832/6   1882 Oct. 13
Letter (from 15A Grafton St) to Burnand. With transcript.
Add. MSS. 832/7   1883 May 9
Letter (from Lyceum Theatre) to Burnand. With transcript.
Add. MSS. 832/8   1883 July 10
Letter (from Lyceum Theatre) to Burnand. With transcript.
Add. MSS. 832/9   1883 Sept. 26
Letter (from Grand Hotel, Liverpool) to Burnand. With transcript.
Add. MSS. 832/10   1884 July 15
Letter (from 15A Grafton St) to Burnand. With transcript.
Add. MSS. 832/11   1885 Nov. 7
Letter (from 15A Grafton St) to 'My Dear Friend'.
Add. MSS. 832/12   1887 Jan. 5
Letter (from Lyceum Theatre) to Burnand. With transcript.
Add. MSS. 832/13   1888 April 11
Letter (from Lyceum Theatre) to Burnand. Transcript only - see introductory note above.
Printed: Laurence Irving, p.492.
Add. MSS. 832/14   1888 Oct. 27
Letter (from Queen's Hotel, Manchester) to Burnand. Transcript only (2 leaves) - see introductory note above.
Printed: (with omissions, not indicated) in Laurence Irving, pp.496-497.
Add. MSS. 832/15   1889 Jan. 8
Letter (from Lyceum Theatre) to Burnand. Transcript only - see introductory note above.
Printed: Laurence Irving, p.506.
Add. MSS. 832/16   1889 May 23
Letter (from 15A Grafton St) to Burnand. With transcript.
Add. MSS. 832/17   1892 June 25
Letter (from Lyceum Theatre) to Burnand. With transcript.
Printed: Quoted from in Laurence Irving, p.547.
Add. MSS. 832/18   1894 June 30
Letter (from Lyceum Theatre) to Burnand. With transcript.
Add. MSS. 832/19   1895 Jan. 7
Letter (from Lyceum Theatre) to Burnand. With transcript.
Add. MSS. 832/20   1895 July 22
Letter (from Lyceum Theatre) to Burnand. With transcript.
Add. MSS. 832/21   1896 Nov. 28
Letter (from Lyceum Theatre) to 'My dear Friend'.
Add. MSS. 832/22   1897 May 19
Letter (from 15A Grafton St) to Mrs Graham. With transcript.
Add. MSS. 832/23   1897 June 23
Letter (from Lyceum Theatre) to Burnand. With transcript.
Add. MSS. 832/24   1901 April 18
Letter (from 17 Stratton St) to Burnand. With transcript.
Add. MSS. 832/25   1901 May 2
Letter (from 17 Stratton St) to Burnand. With transcript.
Add. MSS. 832/26   1902 May 2
Letter (from 17 Stratton St) to Burnand. With transcript.
Add. MSS. 832/27   1903 [?] May 17
Letter (from 17 Stratton St Piccadilly, W.) to Burnand. with transcript. The date on this letter looks more like '93' but Irving did not move to Stratton St until 1899.
Add. MSS. 832/28   1905 Feb
Letter (from Star & Garter Hotel, Wolverhampton) to Burnand. Transcript only - see introductory note above.
Printed: (with one omission, not indicated) by Laurence Irving, p.657.
Add. MSS. 832/29   [Undated] Wednesday
Letter (from 15A Grafton St) to Burnand. With transcript. Reference to Two Roses [performed in 1879 and 1881].
Add. MSS. 832/30   [Undated]
Letter (from Lyceum Theatre. Plain embossed letterhead) to Burnand.
Add. MSS. 832/31   [Undated]
Letter (from Lyceum Theatre. Red embossed letterhead) to Burnand.
Add. MSS. 832/32   [Undated] April 7
Letter (from 17 Stratton St. Red embossed letterhead used by Irving from c.1899) to Burnand. With transcript.
Add. MSS. 832/33   [Undated]. Tuesday night
Letter to an unnamed recipient.
Add. MSS. 832/34   [Undated]. Thursday
Letter (from Lyceum Theatre. Plain embossed letterhead) to an unnamed recipient.
Add. MSS. 832/35   [Undated]. Friday
Letter (from Lyceum Theatre. Plain embossed letterhead) to an unnamed recipient.
Add. MSS. 832/36
Typescript note from Mrs. Virginia Surtees about the letters above.