Collection GB 0064 HML - Hamilton, Sir William (1730-1803)

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0064 HML

Title

Hamilton, Sir William (1730-1803)

Date(s)

  • [1791-1800] (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

2 boxes

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Hamilton spent some years in the army before marrying an heiress. From 1764 to 1800 he was Envoy Extraordinary to the Court of Naples. His first wife died in 1782 and in 1791 he married Emma Hart, formerly his nephew's mistress, who had been living with him since 1786. The Hamiltons enjoyed considerable influence with the Neapolitan royal family and succeeded in persuading them to ally Naples with Britain against the French, although this led to the flight of the government to Sicily in 1798 and 1799. In 1800 Hamilton was recalled. He travelled home across Europe with Lady Hamilton and Nelson and eventually settled with them at Merton, where he died.

Archival history

GB 0064 HML [1791-1800] Collection 2 boxes Hamilton , Sir , William , 1730-1803 , Knight , diplomat

Hamilton spent some years in the army before marrying an heiress. From 1764 to 1800 he was Envoy Extraordinary to the Court of Naples. His first wife died in 1782 and in 1791 he married Emma Hart, formerly his nephew's mistress, who had been living with him since 1786. The Hamiltons enjoyed considerable influence with the Neapolitan royal family and succeeded in persuading them to ally Naples with Britain against the French, although this led to the flight of the government to Sicily in 1798 and 1799. In 1800 Hamilton was recalled. He travelled home across Europe with Lady Hamilton and Nelson and eventually settled with them at Merton, where he died.

The papers were acquired on two occasions in 1939: the series of one hundred and fifty-five letters was purchased from a dealer and M. Breslauer and the series of sixty letters was bought from Maggs Bros.

Papers of Sir William Hamilton, including a series of one hundred and fifty-five letters received by Hamilton between 1791 and 1800 and a series of sixty letters from Hamilton to Sir John Acton (1736-1811), Prime Minister of Naples, written between 1795 and 1800, was Hamilton's correspondents include Earl St Vincent (q.v.), Viscount Hood (q.v.), John Hampden-Trevor (1749-1824), British Minister at Turin, Lord Macartney (1737-1806) and the Marquis di Gallo, Secretary of State at Naples. There are also drafts of some of Hamilton's replies.

Please contact the Archive for further information.

Please contact the Archive for further information.

English

Detailed catalogue online at the: National Maritime Museum website .

Edited by Sarah Drewery, Jul 2011.
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.

2010-08-26 Hood , Samuel , 1724-1816 , 1st Viscount Hood , Admiral Jervis , John , 1735-1823 , Earl of St Vincent , Admiral of the Fleet Acton , Sir , John Francis Edward , 1736-1811 , 6th Baronet , Prime Minister of Naples Hamilton , Sir , William , 1730-1803 , Knight , diplomat and archaeologist Naval affairs Diplomacy Trevor , Robert , Hampden- , 1st Viscount Hampden , 1706-1783 , British diplomat Macartney , George , 1737-1806 , 1st Earl Macartney , diplomat Foreign relations Military affairs Military science International relations Social sciences

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The papers were acquired on two occasions in 1939: the series of one hundred and fifty-five letters was purchased from a dealer and M. Breslauer and the series of sixty letters was bought from Maggs Bros.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers of Sir William Hamilton, including a series of one hundred and fifty-five letters received by Hamilton between 1791 and 1800 and a series of sixty letters from Hamilton to Sir John Acton (1736-1811), Prime Minister of Naples, written between 1795 and 1800, was Hamilton's correspondents include Earl St Vincent (q.v.), Viscount Hood (q.v.), John Hampden-Trevor (1749-1824), British Minister at Turin, Lord Macartney (1737-1806) and the Marquis di Gallo, Secretary of State at Naples. There are also drafts of some of Hamilton's replies.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Please contact the Archive for further information.

Conditions governing reproduction

Please contact the Archive for further information.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Detailed catalogue online at the: National Maritime Museum website .

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

National Maritime Museum

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