GB 1249 MS 6863-6864 - GROVE, Sir George (1820-1900): Oldham letters

Identity area

Reference code

GB 1249 MS 6863-6864

Title

GROVE, Sir George (1820-1900): Oldham letters

Date(s)

  • 1826-1882 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

3 boxes

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Sir George Grove, Director of the Royal College of Music, entered into a special relationship with Edith Oldham (1865-1950), a music student from Dublin, who first came to the college in 1883 and which lasted until the end of his life. In this sequence of long and emotional letters, he admitted to her his innermost thoughts and feelings, and to much of the workings of the RCM and the musical establishment. Edith Oldham later returned to Ireland (her married surname was Best), where she continued to work on behalf of musical education.

Archival history

GB 1249 MS 6863-6864 1826-1882 Collection (fonds) 3 boxes Grove , Sir , George , 1820-1900 , Knight , civil engineer writer on music
Oldham , Anne , fl mid-late 19th century , of Dublin, Ireland
Sir George Grove, Director of the Royal College of Music, entered into a special relationship with Edith Oldham (1865-1950), a music student from Dublin, who first came to the college in 1883 and which lasted until the end of his life. In this sequence of long and emotional letters, he admitted to her his innermost thoughts and feelings, and to much of the workings of the RCM and the musical establishment. Edith Oldham later returned to Ireland (her married surname was Best), where she continued to work on behalf of musical education.

Manuscripts 6863-64 from the estate of Dr Richard Irvine Best, 1960.

Letters (193) from Mrs Anne Oldham to her daughter Edith Oldham, 1880-1888 (MS 6863); letters (514) from Sir George Grove to Edith Oldham, 1883-1899 (MS 6864).

In two separate series Anne Oldham to Edith Oldham (MS 6863) and George Grove to Edith Oldham (MS 6864). Within each series letters have been arranged chronologically and further separated into small bundles.

Usual conditions of the Library of the Royal College of Music apply. See the RCM website or contact the RCM Library for details.

Photocopying is permitted at the discretion of the Archivist for research purposes only.
English

an entry is also given in the supplement to volume 3 of the Manuscripts catalogue in the library of the Royal College of Music.

The Royal College of Music has significant holdings of Grove material, which may be found throughout many of the manuscript collections. There are particular concentrations of Grove's correspondence in the RCM Director's papers. Other collections of note are his farewell address to the RCM, 12 Jul 1895 (Ref: MS 7296); letters from Grove to Alexander and Mrs Macmillan (MS 7326) and programmes for the Saturday orchestral concerts at Crystal Palace from the collections of Grove (many with extensive annotations) and F G Edwards (MS 7328). RCM also holds a collection of Mendelssohn, Spontini and Grove letters (MS 6957).

Other collections of Grove correspondence are held by the British Library Manuscript Collections (Refs: Add MSS 35222-27, 38991-39119, 39679, 42233, 46251, 50852, 54793, Eg MSS 3091, 3097B); Bodleian Library Special Collections and Western Manuscripts, Oxford University (Ref: MS Eng lett e 118); Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge University; King's College Archives, Cambridge University (Ref: OB); Palestine Exploration Fund; University of British Columbia Library (see National Register of Archives for further details).

Compiled by Robert Baxter as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project. Source: article on Grove by C L Graves and Percy M Young, Grove Dictionary of Music. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. Jul 2002 Classical music Cultural education Dublin England Europe Grove , Sir , George , 1820-1900 , Knight , civil engineer writer on music Ireland London Music Musical performances Musical styles Music education Oldham , Anne , fl mid-late 19th century , of Dublin, Ireland Oldham , Edith , 1865-1950 , of Dublin, Ireland , musician x Best , Edith Royal College of Music UK Western Europe Performing arts

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Manuscripts 6863-64 from the estate of Dr Richard Irvine Best, 1960.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Letters (193) from Mrs Anne Oldham to her daughter Edith Oldham, 1880-1888 (MS 6863); letters (514) from Sir George Grove to Edith Oldham, 1883-1899 (MS 6864).

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

In two separate series Anne Oldham to Edith Oldham (MS 6863) and George Grove to Edith Oldham (MS 6864). Within each series letters have been arranged chronologically and further separated into small bundles.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Usual conditions of the Library of the Royal College of Music apply. See the RCM website or contact the RCM Library for details.

Conditions governing reproduction

Photocopying is permitted at the discretion of the Archivist for research purposes only.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

The Royal College of Music has significant holdings of Grove material, which may be found throughout many of the manuscript collections. There are particular concentrations of Grove's correspondence in the RCM Director's papers. Other collections of note are his farewell address to the RCM, 12 Jul 1895 (Ref: MS 7296); letters from Grove to Alexander and Mrs Macmillan (MS 7326) and programmes for the Saturday orchestral concerts at Crystal Palace from the collections of Grove (many with extensive annotations) and F G Edwards (MS 7328). RCM also holds a collection of Mendelssohn, Spontini and Grove letters (MS 6957).

Finding aids

an entry is also given in the supplement to volume 3 of the Manuscripts catalogue in the library of the Royal College of Music.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Other collections of Grove correspondence are held by the British Library Manuscript Collections (Refs: Add MSS 35222-27, 38991-39119, 39679, 42233, 46251, 50852, 54793, Eg MSS 3091, 3097B); Bodleian Library Special Collections and Western Manuscripts, Oxford University (Ref: MS Eng lett e 118); Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge University; King's College Archives, Cambridge University (Ref: OB); Palestine Exploration Fund; University of British Columbia Library (see National Register of Archives for further details).

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Royal College of Music

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area