Identity area
Reference code
Title
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.
Repository
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).
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
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