| Description | Also including seven letters to her husband John Dickenson
Chronological list of letters:
8 Feb 1783, to Miss Hamilton
11 Feb 1783, to Miss Hamilton, written to Clarges Street
17 Feb 1783, to Miss Hamilton
20 Dec 1783, to Miss Hamilton - Although this letter is dated 20 December, it was almost certainly sent on Sunday 21 December as per the receipt acknowledged in Hamilton's diary, HAM/2/6 p.76, in answer to a note that Hamilton had written that morning (HAM/2/6 p.75), soon after her return to Clarges Street
20 Sep 1785, to Mrs Dickenson at Taxal, written from Calke
30 Sep 1785, to Mrs Dickenson at Taxal, written from Calke
31 Jan 1786, to Mrs Dickenson at Courteenhall, Northamptonshire, written from Calke ("Sir Harry got gout.")
11 March 1786, to Mrs Dickenson at Courteenhall, Northamptonshire, written from Calke ("Sir Harry quite recovered.")
12 June 1786, to Mrs Dickenson, written from Grosvenor St ("Sir Harry mostly in Putney Park and tolerably well.")
29 Aug 1786, to Mrs.Dickenson, written from Calke
28 Sep 1786, to Mrs Dickenson, written from Calke
7 Oct 1786, to Mrs Dickenson at Taxal, written from Calke
17 Oct 1786, to Mrs Dickenson at Taxal, written from Calke
23 May 1787, to Mrs Dickenson from Grosvenor Street ("Sir Harry gout, very lame, spends much time at Putney Park.")
4 July 1787, to Mrs Dickenson, writtten from Putney Park [date corrected from 17 July]
6 Oct 1787, to Mrs Dickenson at Taxal, written from St.Anne's Place, Buxton ("hope the waters and bathing may be of service to Harry.")
25 Oct 1787, to Mrs Dickenson, written from Buxton
14 Dec 1787, to Mrs Dickenson at Taxal, written from Calke
30 Jan 1788, to Mrs Dickenson at Taxal, written from Calke
26 March 1788, to Mrs Dickenson, written from Calke
16 April 1788, to Mrs Dickenson, 5 George Street, Hanover Square, London, written from Calke
1 June 1788, to Mrs Dickenson, 27 Old Burlington Street,Piccadilly, written from Calke
30 June 1788, to Mrs Dickenson, written from Upper Grosvenor Street
July 1788, [to Mrs Dickenson] written from Putney Park, enclosing cards for circulation
18 July 1788, [to Mrs Dickenson] written from Putney Park
8 Aug 1788, [to Mrs Dickenson] written from Putney Park
26 Sep 1788, to Mrs Dickenson at Mr Jackson's, Richmond Bridge, Surrey, written from Dandelion near Margate
22 Nov 1788, to Mrs Dickenson at Sir Robert Gunning's, Horton near Northampton, written from Putney Park
26-27 Dec 1788, to Mrs Dickenson at Taxal, written from Putney Park
24 Jan 1789, [to Mrs Dickenson], written from Putney Park
24 Feb 1789, [to Mrs Dickenson] written from Upper Grosvenor Street, after the death of her husband, Sir Henry
12 March 1789, [to Mrs Dickenson] written from Grosvenor Street, after the death of her husband, Sir Henry
14 July 1789, to Mrs Dickenson at Taxal, written from Eastbourne
6-7 Aug 1789, [to Mrs Dickenson] written from Eastbourne [date corrected from 6 Aug]
30 Oct 1789, to Mrs Dickenson, written from Worthing
23 Nov 1789, to Mrs Dickenson at Txal, written from Berkeley Square
5 Feb 1790, [to Mrs Dickenson] written from Berkeley Square
Friday 19 Feb [?1790], note to Mr Dickenson, written from Berkeley Square
9 March 1790, [to Mrs Dickenson] written from Berkeley Square
6-13 Dec 1790, [to Mrs Dickenson] written from Calke
31 Jan 1791, to Mrs Dickenson at Taxal, written from Calke
8 Feb 1791, [to Mrs Dickenson], written from Park Street
19 May 1791, to Mrs Dickenson at Taxal, written from Park Street
30 May 1791, [to Mrs Dickenson], written from Park Street
9 Aug 1791, [to Mrs Dickenson], written from Southampton
24 Dec 1791, [to Mrs Dickenson], written from Park Street
27 Feb 1792, to Mrs Dickenson at Taxal, written from Park Street
16 March 1792, to Mrs Dickenson at Taxal, written from Park Street
31 March 1792, to Mrs Dickenson at 21 North Audley Street
5 April 1792, to Mrs Dickenson
Sunday [8] April 1792, to Mrs Dickenson at 21 North Audley Street. Date on back reads 9 April 1792
14 April 1792, to Mrs Dickenson at 21 North Audley Street
1 May 1792 [to Mrs Dckenson] note on reading enclosed item
7 May 1792, to Mrs Dickenson at North Audley Street, written from Park Street
9 May 1792 [to Mrs Dickenson] note on health
10 May 1792, to Mrs Dickenson on health of Mr Dickenson and their daughter
[May 1792], two notes to Mrs Dickenson at North Audley Street, written from Park Street [one note refers to Louisa, presumably Mrs Dickenson's daughter who was born in January 1787]
17 May 1792, [to Mrs Dickenson], written from Park Street
22 May 1792, to Mrs Dickenson at 21 North Audley Street, written from Park Street [date appears to have been added by recipient, the author giving the date only as 'Tuesday'
5-7 July 1792, to Mrs Dickinson at Taxal, written from Shelford
16 July 1792, [to Mrs Dickinson] written from Lowestoft
17 Oct 1792, to Mrs Dickenson at Taxal, from Calke
8 Dec 1792, to Mrs Dickenson at Taxal, from Calke
19 Feb 1793, to John Dickenson at Taxal, from Calke, on Mrs Dickenson's improvement in health
26 March 1793, to Mr Dickenson, written from Calke, on Mrs Dickenson's improvement in health
7 May 1796, to Mrs Dickenson, written from Calke
27-28 July 1796, to Mrs Dickenson at Birch Hill near Manchester, written from Broadstairs, Isle of Thanet, Kent
1 April 1797, [to Mrs Dickenson] written from Calke
27 May 1797, [to Mrs Dickenson], written from Calke,
4 Dec 1805, to Mrs Dickenson at Leighton House, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, written from Laura Place, Bath
10 Feb 1808, to Mrs Dickenson at Leighton House, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, written from Great Cumberland Street
2 Dec 1808, to Mrs Dickenson at Leighton House, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, written from Great Cumberland Street
24 Nov 1809, to Mrs Dickenson at Webster Street, Cavendish Square, London, written from Great Cumberland Street
10 Dec 1809, [to Mrs Dickenson] note/letter
26 Jan 1810, note to Lady de Clifford on presenting an anthem by Rev [?] Lebroke to Princess Charlotte, written from Great Cumberland Street
13 Aug 1810, to John Dickenson at Welbeck Street, London, written from Lavington Hous
30 Aug 1810, to John Dickenson at Welbeck Street, London, written from Lavington House
4 Sep 1810, to John Dickenson at Mrs C. Worsley's Derby, written from Lavington Hous
10 Oct 1810, to John Dickenson at Derby, written from Lavington House
Undated, [to Mr Dickenson] on his wife having an accident
Some letters and notes undated
With enevelope of letters (5) from Elizabeth G. Anson, of 22 Brampton Gardens, SW5, to Mr Mosley, Calke Abbey, offering to let him keep the letters, 1926-1927 |
| Administrative History | The following biographical information is taken directly from the University of Manchester's 'Unlocking the Mary Hamilton papers' project website (link below):
Mary Hamilton (1756-1816) was one of the most well-connected and highly cultured women in eighteenth-century British polite society.
As a young woman, she was recruited as a royal governess by Queen Charlotte, who showed great trust in her – despite the fact that Mary was pursued amorously by the young Prince of Wales, with whom she managed to maintain a chaste friendship. After leaving Court in January 1783, Hamilton became a member of the Bas Bleu (Bluestocking) circle; she counted Hannah More, Frances Burney, the Duchess of Portland, Mary Delany and Eva Maria Garrick among her literary friends. She dined frequently at the houses of Sir Joshua Reynolds and Horace Walpole and met Samuel Johnson on several occasions. Throughout this time, she maintained a meticulously detailed diary, recording her daily activities, conversations and private thoughts. She had lifelong friendships with a number of female friends, and a fond and mutually supportive relationship with her uncle Sir William Hamilton, ambassador to the Court of Naples, an art collector possibly best known for his second wife’s relationship with Nelson.
In 1785 Mary Hamilton married John Dickenson (c1757-1842), only son of John Dickenson of Birch Hall, near Manchester. Mary’s husband was quickly accepted into her social circles. They had one child, Louisa, born 1787, and lived variously in Taxal (near Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire), Leighton Buzzard, and London. Mary Dickenson (née Hamilton) fell ill and died in 1816. |