Inventory of the John Wilson Croker Papers, 1791-1899 and undated (bulk 1809-1857)
[top]Descriptive Summary
Repository
Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke
University
Creator
Croker, John Wilson
Title
John Wilson Croker Papers,
1791-1899 and undated (bulk 1809-1857)
Language of Material
Material
in english
Extent
9.0 Linear Feet
6300 Items
Abstract
6300 Items
Barrister, politician, literary critic, and
author.
The John Wilson Croker Papers are organized into the following series: Indexed Correspondence, Non-Indexed Correspondence, and Other Papers. The collection consists primarily of letters from English and Irish politicians and personages to
Croker, and provide a rich source of material on
Great Britain's politics and government in the
19th century.
[top]
Administrative Information
Access RestrictionsCollection is open for research.
However, collection may contain materials to which the
Acknowledgment of Legal Responsibilities and Privacy Rights form applies.
Patrons must sign this form before using this collection.
Also, all or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in
Duke University's Library Service Center. Consequently, there may be a 24-hour
delay in obtaining these materials.
Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the Rare
Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library to use this collection.
Copyright Notice
The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred
to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the
Regulations and Procedures of the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special
Collections Library.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], John Wilson Croker Papers, Rare Book,
Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke University.
Provenance
The John Wilson Croker Papers were acquired by the Rare Book,
Manuscript, and Special Collections Library as purchases from 1960-1997.
Processing Information
Processed by Owen Yeates, January 2006
Encoded by Owen Yeates and Paula Jeannet Mangiafico
Completed April 2006
Accessions 60-199 to 97-065 were merged into one collection,
described in this finding aid.
Descriptive sources and standards used to create this inventory:
DACS, EAD, NCEAD guidelines, and local
Style Guide.
[top]
Biographical Note
| 1780 Dec. 20 | Born in Galway, Ireland |
| 1796-1800 | Student at Trinity College, Dublin University |
| 1800-1802 | Studied law in London at Lincoln's Inn |
| 1801 Jan. 1 | Act of Union became law, creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and a unified Parliament |
| 1802 | Called to the Irish bar |
| 1804 May-1807 May | Customs comptroller for Wexford, Waterford, and Ross May |
| 1804 | Published Familiar epistles to Frederick Jones, Esq, on the present state of the Irish stage |
| 1806 May 25 | Married Rosamund Carrington Pennell |
| 1806 | Stood for British Parliament in Downpatrick and defeated |
| 1807-1832 | Member of Parliament |
| 1808 July-1808 Nov. | Locum tenens for Sir Arthur Wellesley, chief secretary for Ireland, during his first campaign in Portugal and Spain |
| 1808 | Published A sketch of the state of Ireland, past and present |
| 1809 | Helped found the Quarterly Review |
| 1809-1830 | Secretary to the Admiralty |
| 1811 | Published Battles of Talavera: a poem, about Wellesley during the Peninsular War |
| 1812 | Published A key to the orders in council |
| 1813 | Published Letters on the subject of the naval war with America in the Courier, using the penname Nereus |
| 1815 | Visited Paris for the second time with Sir Robert Peel and William Fitzgerald; began research on the French Revolution |
| 1820 | Croker's son, Spencer Perceval Croker, died at the age of three |
| 1821 | Published Letters of Mary Lepel, Lady Hervey |
| 1823 | Published Royal Memoirs on the French Revolution |
| 1824 | Published Letters to and from Henrietta, Countess of Suffolk, and her second husband, the Hon. George Berkeley; from 1712 to 1767 |
| 1825 | Published Letters from the Hon. Horace Walpole, to the Earl of Hertford, during His Lordship's embassy in Paris |
| 1830 Jan. | Used the label "Conservative" for the Tory party in the Quarterly Review |
| 1831 | Published a new edition of James Boswell's Life of Johnson, with Journal of a tour to the Hebrides |
| 1832 | Parliamentary Reform Act passed; Croker retired from Parliament |
| 1842 | Close friend, Francis Charles Seymour-Conway, Third Marquess of Hertford, died; Croker executor of estate |
| 1846 | Repeal of the Corn Laws |
| 1848 | Croker edited and published John, Lord Hervey's Memoirs of the reign of George the Second |
| 1854 | Formally gave up connection to The Quarterly Review |
| 1857 Aug. 10 | Died at home in West Molesly, England |
| 1871 | Publication of Works of Alexander Pope, by Whitwell Elwin and William John Courthope, using materials Croker collected prior to his death |
| 1884 | Louis J. Jennings published the Croker papers: The correspondence and diaries of the late Right Honourable John Wilson Croker . . . |
John Wilson Croker was a barrister, politician, literary critic, and author. He was tied to many prominent Tory leaders, and was among the first to call theirs the Conservative Party. Very early in his political career he became a friend of Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington. A strong defender of the Tory party, Spencer Perceval appointed him secretary to the Admiralty when Perceval assumed the office of Premier (Prime Minister). Although some Members of Parliament initially disapproved of Perceval's choice, decrying Croker as a novice and a political rather than a professional figure, Croker held the office through three subsequent premierships. He served in Parliament from 1807 to 1832, standing for Downpatrick (1807-1812), Athlone (1812-1818), Yarmouth (Isle of Wight) (1819 Mar 16-1820), Bodmin (1820-1826), Aldeburgh (1826-1827 May, 1830-1832), and Dublin University (1827 May 15-1830). Croker retained his affection for Ireland, long maintaining both a home and a law practice there, as well as a desire for Irish office. His support of Catholic emancipation led him to electoral loss while standing for several Irish districts, and on those occasions he was appointed to Parliament for "rotten" or "pocket" boroughs controlled by his friends. Although he supported Parliamentary reform that would have abolished some such boroughs, he opposed the Reform Act of 1832 as too radical and used it as an excuse to retire from elected office.
Croker's great passion was for literature; he wrote literary criticism as well as his own poetry, biography, history, and articles on foreign affairs and domestic politics. He had a life-long interest in French politics, particularly as it related to the French Revolution, despotism, and social stability. In the late 1820s, the Guardian, which Croker helped establish twenty years earlier, experienced a change in editorial staff and a concomitant shift in policy. Coincident to these changes, Croker's contributions began to focus on political rather than literary and foreign affairs. After he retired from Parliament, Croker used the Guardian to defend many Conservative positions, particularly those of Robert Peel. Croker's support of and friendship with Peel ended, however, when Peel endorsed the repeal of the Corn Laws. In his later years, Croker concentrated primarily on history and biography.
For a detailed history of Croker's life, see William Thomas, "Croker, John Wilson," Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004-2005, and "Croker, John Wilson," The history of Parliament on CD-ROM, 1998.
[top]Collection Overview
The
John Wilson Croker Papers span the years
1791-1899, with the bulk of the materials dating from 1809 to 1857. The
collection is organized into the following series: Indexed Correspondence,
Non-Indexed Correspondence, and Other Papers. The Indexed
and Non-Indexed Correspondence Series consist primarily of letters to
Croker. The detailed description of the collection that follows this more
general overview specifies the distinctions between these two correspondence
series. The collection is a rich source of material on
Great Britain's politics and government in the
19th century. Political matters discussed in the correspondence include the
following:
Canada;
Catholic relief; the
Church of England; the Conservative/Tory Party; the
Corn Laws;
Ireland, including its legal, political, social,
religious, and economic conditions; naval affairs, including operations in the
Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812; parliamentary
reform; and relations with
France and the history of the French revolution.
The correspondence also illuminates the patronage system of the early 19th
century, the relationships between prominent Conservatives, and the confidence
that many Conservative leaders had in Croker's counsel.
Statesmen and other prominent figures involved in
Irish affairs or Conservative politics with whom Croker had continuing or
considerable correspondence include:
William Beresford;
Robert Saunders Dundas, Second Viscount Melville;
Francis Egerton, First Earl Ellesmere;
Davies Gilbert;
Henry Goulburn;
William Richard Hamilton;
Spencer Horsey de Horsey;
Robert Jenkinson, Second Earl Liverpool;
Bartholomew Lloyd;
James Major;
Anthony George Perrier;
and Charles William Stewart Vane, Third Marquess
Londonderry. The Other Papers Series
contains a folder on the legal and financial matters of Croker and his family,
as well as several folders holding letters and diary entries used by
Louis J. Jennings to write the first collection of
Croker's works.
Croker's interest in French history and politics began with the Irish
Rebellion of 1798, which was partially inspired by the French Revolution. On an
1815 trip to France with
Robert Peel and
William Fitzgerald, Croker began collecting
materials on the Revolution and its development into the French empire. His
meticulous research about persons, events, and buildings continued through
correspondents in France, as demonstrated by a number of items in the
collection.
The collection is also a significant source of information on the
United Kingdom's
patronage system in the early nineteenth century.
Many letters involve appeals for positions or discussions of a person's fitness
for particular office.
A number of letters in the collection also relate to the legal and
social affairs of Ireland and the administration of Dublin University.
Correspondents include judges, government officials, attorneys, doctors,
university officials, and multiple members of leading families. Salient topics
in this correspondence include
Catholic Emancipation, public unrest, the Potato
Famine, and the administration of the university.
Selected letters and diary entries have been published in
The Croker papers: The correspondence and diaries
of the late Right Honourable John Wilson Croker ... secretary to the Admiralty
from 1809 to 1830, ed. Louis J. Jennings, 3 vols. (New York: Charles
Scribner's Sons, 1884). Additional information may be found in Myron Franklin
Brightfield,
John Wilson Croker (Berkeley, Calif.:
University of California Press, 1940). For collections related to the John
Wilson Croker Papers, see the William L. Clements Library, University of
Michigan.
[top]
Subject Headings
These are searchable subject entries for this collection. Performing a
search on these subjects in the Duke University Libraries online catalog will
bring up other related research materials.
- Beresford, William, 1797-1883.
- Canada--Politics and government--19th century.
- Catholics--Great Britain.
- Church of England.
- Corn laws (Great Britain).
- Croker, John Wilson, 1780-1857.
- Croker, John Wilson, 1780-1857--Political and social views.
- Dundas, Robert Saunders, Second Viscount Melville, 1771-1851.
- Egerton, Francis, First Earl of Ellesmere.
- France--Foreign relations--Great Britain.
- France--History--Revolution, 1789-1799.
- France--Politics and government--19th century.
- Gilbert, Davies.
- Goulburn, Henry.
- Great Britain--Defenses.
- Great Britain--Foreign relations--France.
- Great Britain--Politics and government--19th century.
- Hamilton, William Richard.
- Horsey, Spencer Horsey de.
- Ireland--History--19th century.
- Ireland--Politics and government--19th century.
- Ireland--Social conditions.
- Jenkinson, Robert Banks, Second Earl of Liverpool.
- Lloyd, Bartholomew.
- Major, James.
- Napoleonic Wars, 1800-1815.
- Perrier, Anthony George.
- Statesmen--Great Britain--Correspondence.
- Stewart Vane, Charles William, Third Marquess of Londonderry.
 | List of Series in Collection | |||||||
 |  | Indexed and Non-Indexed Correspondence Series, 1791-1899 and undated, bulk 1809-1857 | ||||||
| | Other Papers Series, 1818-1823 and undated | ||||||
 | | Oversize Materials | ||||||
Detailed Description of Collection
Indexed and Non-Indexed Correspondence Series, 1791-1899 and undated, bulk 1809-1857
(13 boxes)
The description of the collection's correspondence given in the
Collection Overview generally describes the content of both the Indexed and
Non-Indexed Correspondence Series, which were acquired and processed at
different times. Two research tools resulted from the processing and
description of the earliest letters, which resulted in the Indexed
Correspondence Series. The first of these tools, the cards in the library's
Signature File, provides a comprehensive record of all the authors found in the
Indexed Series. These cards list the author's name, the date for each item
written, and the collection in which the items may be found. As the cards are
arranged by author and not collection, however, it is necessary to approach the
Signature File with prior knowledge of Croker's correspondents. The second of
these tools, a paper index for which the series receives its name, lists the
notable persons, places, and subjects mentioned in the Indexed Correspondence.
The Selective Index does not, however, list the authors of the letters in the
series. Although the intensive descriptive work that resulted in the Signature
File and the Selective Index was not continued when the non-indexed portion of
the Croker Papers was arranged and described, a list of significant
correspondents, or correspondents with whom Croker had extensive communication,
for each of the Indexed and Non-Indexed Correspondence Series is now available
in the Inventory File in the Research Room. For access to any of these
resources, see the reference archivist.
The writings of William Beresford,
William Henry Ellis,
Alexander Grant,
Edmund Hopkinson,
William Lowther (Second Earl Lonsdale), James
Major, Anthony George Perrier, and Charles William Stewart Vane (Third Marquess
Londonderry), appear in both the Indexed and Non-Indexed Correspondence Series.
Those of
Joseph Crowley,
John Leslie Foster,
John Hignett, Spencer Horsey de Horsey,
Francis Egerton (First Earl Ellesmere), Henry Goulburn,
Bramley Moore,
Graham Moore,
George Francis Seymour, and
William Young, are predominately found in the
Indexed Series. The writings of Robert Saunders Dundas (Second Viscount
Melville), Davies Gilbert,
M. E. Graham, William Richard Hamilton,
H. Hardinge, Robert Banks Jenkinson (Second
Earl Liverpool), Bartholomew Lloyd, and
Frederick William Trench III, as well as legal
correspondence regarding the
Hertford estate, are more predominately found in
the Non-Indexed Series.
There are few items in the Indexed Series for the years 1826 and
1829, while the correspondence decreases in the Non-Indexed Series for the
years 1834, 1840, 1849, 1850, 1855, 1856, 1858, and 1863-1899. The
correspondence in both the Indexed and Non-Indexed Series increases in the
early 1810s, early 1820s, and the 1840s. The correspondence in the Indexed
Series also swelled in the early 1850s and in the Non-Indexed Series in the
late 1820s.
The letters to or from William Beresford are found throughout the
Indexed and Non-Indexed Series. There are several folders of letters related to
Beresford, however, that are located at the end of the Non-Indexed Series. The
materials contained in these folders were accessioned together and have been
kept separate due to uncertainty in specifying their dates. Also, a number of
the letters of Robert Jenkinson (Liverpool) were accessioned together and
microfilmed. This microfilm reel is contained in the Rare Book, Manuscript, and
Special Collections Library microfilm collection. See the reference librarian
for access to this record. These letters are also available in the Non-Indexed
Correspondence Series.
The items in both the Indexed and Non-Indexed Series have been
arranged chronologically by year, month, and day. Items missing the day of the
month are located behind the other items for that given month and year, and
items lacking both month and day follow the other letters for that year. When
items lack an identifying year, they have been placed at the end of the series.
In addition, for the Non-Indexed Series, letters whose years were approximated
using watermarks have been placed at the end of the series.
Indexed Series, 1793-1861 and undated
(6 boxes)
A significant event in Croker's life was the death of his three
year-old son. An important item relating to this event, contained in the
Indexed Series, is a prayer dated May 17, 1820, two days after the death of his
son. Both the Indexed and Non-Indexed Series contain several letters of
condolence, some expressed alongside requests for patronage.
Box 1
1793-1814
1793-1810
(1 folder)
1810
(1 folder)
1811
(2 folders)
1812
(2 folders)
1813
(2 folders)
1814
(folder 1 of 2 folders)
Box 2
1814-1822
1814
(folder 2 of 2 folders)
1815
(2 folders)
1816-1817
(2 folders)
[Two items removed to Oversize Materials.]
1818
(2 folders)
1819
(1 folder)
1820
(2 folders)
1821-1822
(1 folder)
Box 3
1823-1832
1823
(2 folders)
1824
(2 folders)
1825-1832
(8 folders)
Box 4
1833-1844
1833-1838
(6 folders)
1839
(2 folders)
1840-1841
(2 folders)
1842
(2 folders)
1843
(1 folder)
1844
(folders 1-2 of 4
folders)
Box 5
1844-1852
1844
(folders 3-4 of 4
folders)
1845-1847
(3 folders)
[Item removed to Oversize Materials.]
1848
(3 folders)
1849-1851
(3 folders)
1852
(folders 1-2 of 3
folders)
Box 6
1852-1861 and
undated
1852
(folder 3 of 3 folders)
1853
(2 folders)
1854
(2 folders)
1855-1856
(2 folders)
1857
(2 folders)
1861
(1 folder)
1850s
(1 folder)
Undated, month and day only (no
year)
(1 folder)
Undated
(2 folders)
Non-Indexed Correspondence Series, 1791-1899 and undated, bulk 1809-1858
(7 boxes)
1791-1815
1791-1807
(2 folders)
1809
(1 folder)
1810
(2 folders)
1811
(1 folder)
1812
(2 folders)
1813
(2 folders)
1814-1815
(2 folders)
Box 8
1816-1822
1816-1818
(3 folders)
1819
(2 folders)
1820
(2 folders)
1821
(1 folder)
1822
(2 folders)
Box 9
1823-1829
1823
(2 folders)
1824
(3 folders)
[Item removed to Oversize Materials.]
1825
(2 folders)
1826-1827
(2 folders)
1828
(2 folders)
1829
(Folder 1 of 2 folders)
Box 10
1829-1841
1829
(Folder 2 of 2 folders)
1830
(2 folders)
1831
(2 folders)
1832-1841
(10 folders)
Box 11
1842-1846
1842
(2 folders)
1843
(1 folder)
1844
(3 folders)
1845
(3 folders)
[Item removed to Oversize Materials.]
1846
(Folder 1 of 3 folders)
Box 12
1846-1899
1846
(Folders 2-3 of 3
folders)
1847
(2 folders)
1848-1858
(11 folders)
1863-1899
(1 folder)
Box 13
Watermark years, William Beresford
correspondence
Watermark years,
1806-1829
(1 folder)
Watermark years,
1830-1839
(1 folder)
Watermark years,
1840-1848
(1 folder)
Watermark years,
1851-1855
(1 folder)
William Beresford correspondence, watermark years,
1845-1856
(1 folder)
William Beresford correspondence,
circa 1850s
(1 folder)
Undated, month and day only (no year)
(3 folders)
Undated
(2 folders)
Other Papers Series, 1818-1823 and undated
(1 box)
The legal and financial papers consist of tax assessments, bills,
and assorted legal papers belonging to Croker and some of his family members.
The Photographs folder holds a single photograph of an unidentified hotel.
Other papers include research materials compiled by Louis J. Jennings for his
edited volume of Croker's diaries and correspondence.
Box 14
Diary and unsorted papers
(2 folders)
[Seven items removed to Oversize Materials.]
Legal and financial papers
(1 folder)
Photographs, undated
(1 folder)
Oversize Box
137
Oversize Materials
Oversize Folder
1
Indexed Correspondence Series, 1817-1845
French Visa for M. Smith and unidentified person,
1817
French Visa for M. Duly,
1817
Tax announcement,
1845
Oversize Folder
2
Non-Indexed Correspondence Series, 1824-1845
" Petition of the Landowners, Tenant
Farmers, Labourers, and others connected with Agriculture to
Parliament,"
1845
"Conciliation of Ireland,"
Letter from J. Doyle,
1824
Oversize Folder
3
Other Papers Series, 1818-1823 and undated
Pages from Jennings' research materials
(7 items)
