A post by Collections Assistant Jennifer Leach
This letter is one of 152 letters held in our collections written from the Countess of Jersey to Earl Grey. In 1827 Earl Grey was a prominent member of the Whig party but had just resigned his leadership to Lord Lansdowne, partly due to how at odds he was with the Prince Regent. However, in just three years he would become Prime Minister. The Countess was an influential member of the London social elite as she was not only a member of the aristocracy and extremely wealthy independently of her husband but also a patron of Almack’s, the most exclusive social club in London.
She was a staunch Tory supporter so her letters to the Whig Earl Grey often included lively discussions on politics and of key issues of the time such as Catholic Emancipation and the King’s failing health. The Earl clearly valued her opinions as he kept her letters from this period, and they corresponded regularly sometimes several times a month.
Someone, possibly the Earl himself, considered destroying this particular letter as the edges are burned. However, for some reason he changed his mind. The reason for why this letter was so nearly destroyed is most likely the colourful language used by the Countess when describing the actions and political appointment of someone she disliked!
“the worst appointment, from [His] total want of discretion, of [ju]dgment, his Vanity, his ill
[Tem]per…”
However, the letter also discusses relations with Russia, Catholics and Ireland and with the edges of the letter missing the complete sense of the letter is hard to determine so it may have been parts of these discussions that the Earl felt were sensitive. This letter is part of the Grey Papers which includes the papers of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Earls, various other members of the Grey family and the papers of the Grey family estate at Howick. This particular letter can be seen in the Penned and Printed exhibition at Palace Green Library throughout February.
The collection level description which has links to the catalogue of the Grey Papers can be found here: Collection Level Description: Earl Grey Family Papers – Durham University