Collection inventory

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Gordon N. Ray Collection of Victorian Autographs

An inventory of the collection at Syracuse University

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Ray, Gordon Norton, 1915-
Title: Gordon N. Ray Collection of Victorian Autographs
Inclusive Dates: 1721-1926
Quantity: 0.25 linear ft.
Abstract: Collection of autographed letters, many of British politicians and statesmen of the Victorian period.
Language: English
Repository: Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
222 Waverly Avenue
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010
https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

Gordon Norton Ray (1915-1986) was a noted Victorian scholar, professor, and author. He was professor of English, specializing in Victorian literature, at Harvard (1940-1942) and then, after a brief period in the U.S. Navy during World War II, at the University of Illinois (1946-1957), where he also served as vice president and provost (1957-1960). He was also President of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation (1963-1985). His two-volume biography of William Makepeace Thackeray and a four-volume edition of Thackeray's letters were critically acclaimed, and his accomplishments as a major book collector led to the publication of three volumes on English and French book illustration. He also wrote extensively on H. G. Wells.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Gordon N. Ray Collection of Victorian Autographs contains autographed correspondence and autographs only, of a wide range of notable Victorian-era personalities, including authors, politicians, diplomats, churchmen, scientists, and many more. While the majority are British citizens, there are a number of Irish individuals as well as a few more exotic, such as the Turkish Ambassador to England. Dates are given as written on the document; the majority are in European format with the day preceding the month (e.g. 27/3/09 = March 27, 1909). Where possible, additional identifying information is provided for names. Some names are illegible. An original index cmopiled by Ray is also in the collection but it does not reflect what was actually acquired by Special Collections Research Center,

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Arrangement of the Collection

The autographs are arranged alphabetically, with unidentified items at the end.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Ray, Gordon Norton, 1915-

Subjects

Autographs -- Collections.
Autographs -- Collectors and collecting.

Places

Great Britain -- Intellectual life.
Great Britain -- Politics and government.

Genres and Forms

Autographs.
Correpondence.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Gordon N. Ray Collection of Victorian Autographs,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Finding Aid Information

Created by: -
Date: Jan 2001
Revision history: 4 Aug 2009 - converted to EAD (MRC); 25 Jun 2024 - rehoused, inventory and extent adjusted (MRC)

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Inventory

Autographs
Box 1 Donor's index to the collection - handwritten, date of creation unknown; does not match existing collection
Box 1 A
Aziseel Ali (President, British Red Crescent Society), to F. Temple Esq., 24/10/25
L.H. Amerg, to Miss Olive Mcleod, 9/2/00
L.H. Amerg, to Miss Olive Mcleod, 27/7/03
L.H. Amerg, to Miss Olive Mcleod, 22/10/03
L.H. Amerg, to Miss Olive Mcleod, 20/11/03
Margot Asquith, 11/5/06
Box 1 B
A.J. Balfour (Premier), 9/1/85
Henry Balfour, to Wm. Temple, 11/6/1919
Lord Balfour of Burleigh (Statesman)
Bishop of Durham, 11/2/1870
Bramwell (doctor?), to Macleod, 28/12/04
Sir Bernard Burke, to Miss Northcote, 18/12/1874
Mr. Issac Butt (Leader of the Irish 1876), 6/26/1876
S.H. Butcher (classics Professor and writer), to Miss Olive Mcleod, 5/11/05
Box 1 C-D
Joseph Chamberlain (tax Reformer), 5/28/?
Sir John Chichester, 2/28/1921
Lord Cromer, 9/7/1905
Viscount, to F. Temple, 1/8/13?
Danneuthier (pianist), to Miss Mcleod, 12/15/00
W. Dargan (capitalist, railroad contractor), to F. W. Stokes Esq., 9/14/1831
Davidson, to Miss Mcleod, 6/29/08
Lord Derby (foreign secretary), to Northcote, 21/?/78
Monseiur de Lesseps (engineer of the Suez Canal), 21/?/1876
Charles Scott Dickson, to Dear Lady Agnes, 3/29/1910
Benjamin Disraeli (prime minister)
Bishop Doyle (artist), to C. Stuart, 14/8/1829
Box 1 F-J
E. M. F. ?, to Miss Forbes, 1/31/1896
Lord George, to Miss Macleod, 7/2/?
Mr. Gibson, Lord Ashbourne (Irish Chancellor), to Miss Macleod, 5/?/1882
R.S. Haldane (War Office), to Miss Macleod, 8/11/1906
Charles Halli, to Northcote, 6/27/?
Baron Friedrich von Heigel, 8/12/1919
Lord James of Hereford, 11/6/1906
Jenny, to Miss Mcleod, 3/9/08
William Jones, to Miss Mcleod, 2/1/066
Box 1 K-L
Kent, to Sir Bernard Burke, 12/18/1870
Marie Krebz (pianist), to Miss Northcote, 5/9/187
C. Lang (Bishop of Stepney), to Sir Reginald, 11/11/1886
Mr. Holkar, Sir John (lawyer, Lord Justice), 1/28/1876
Sir Wilfred Lawson (Temperance 1878), to Sir Stafford Northcote, 3/22/1878
Lillian, to Mcleoud, 12/23/1888
Sir Francis Lugard, to Wm. Temple, 12/4/1919
Box 1 M
S. MacNaughtan, to Olive Mcleod, 6/19/?
S. MacNaughtan, to Olive Mcleod, 2/10/?
S. MacNaughtan, to Olive Mcleod, 11/15/?
S. MacNaughtan, to Olive Mcleod, 6/3/15
John Manners (statesman), to Miss Mcleod, 2/15/1883
Mayo, Earl of (Governor General of India, assassinated), to Sir Bernard, 5/17/1869
Reginald McKenna (1863-1943, English lawyer, financier, politician), to Miss Macleod, 6/4/1906
Viscount Milner, to Miss Macleod, 6/4/1909
Mushrees[?] (Turkish Ambassador), to Sir Strafford, Oct/16/1876
Box 1 O-P
Mr. John O'Donovan (Home Ruler), to Sir Bernard, May 23, 1855
O'Hagan (Irish Chancellor), to Sir Bernard, June 14, 1874
Lord Plunkett (Mr. Wm Plunkett), to Deed, May 26, 1797
Box 1 R
Sir Henry Rawlinson (India Office, Asiatic researcher), to Sir Stafford Northcote, Feb. 29, 1872
Lord Hugh Richard Heathcote Cecil (1869-1956, M.P., etc), to Sir Reginald Mcleod, Dec. 10, 1906
Fernando De los Rios, to Oliva Temple, April 14, 1926
Fernando De los Rios, to Mrs. C. L. Temple, May 19, ?
Lord Roberts, to Mrs. Macleod, Mar. 1908
Lord Rosse (astronomer), to Mrs. Macleod, Feb. 20, 1865
Box 1 S
Lord Salisbury (Prime Minister), to Miss MacLeod, Aug. 14, 1887
Col. Sanderson (M.P., Irish politician), to Wm. MacLeod, Feb. 5, 1888
Count Schowalobf (Russian Ambassador, Russo-Turk War), June 5, ?
Earl of Selborne, to Olive MacLeod, Jan. 2, 1900
Earl of Selborne, to Olive MacLeod, Feb. 20, 1901
B.K.C. Sen, to Mrs. Hobhouse, 1/7/1873
Tom Shaw (1872-1938, Labor leader), to Mrs. Hobhouse, ? 20/ 1906
Mrs. Sidgwick, to Mrs. Hobhouse, Sept. 8, 1903
Sir John A. Simon, to Mrs. Hobhouse, Mar. 1, 1908
Sir John A. Simon, to Lady Agnes ?, June 22, 1909
Sir John A. Simon, to Mrs. Temple, May 31, 1915
W.H. Smith (Leader of the House) and Miss Cornelia Sorabji (First Woman advocate) (enclosed phamplet), to W. Macleod, Feb. 6, ?
Dean Stanley (author), Mar. 5, ?77
Lord Strathcona, to Lady MacLeod, Mar. 21, 1906
Mr. R. S. Strutt (scientist), to Miss MacLeod, Feb. 25, ?
D. of Sutherland, to Miss MacLeod, Ap. 27, 1905
Box 1 T, W, Y
Violin Tree, to Olive MacLeod
J. B. Trend, to Mrs. Temple, May 15, 1923
J. B. Trend, to Mrs. Temple, Sept. 15, 1926
Sir Charles Walston (orginally Waldstein, 1856-1927, born New York City, archaeologist and naturalist, British subject, to Miss MacLeod, Ap. 29, 1909
Baron Ward (diplomat in Duke of Lucais[?]'s service at Parma), to B. Burke Esq., Nov. 29, 1868
Weil, to Miss MacLeod, Nov. 19, 1906
Sir George S. White, to Miss MacLeod, Mar. 11, 1908
[Samuel] Wiberforce (Bishop of Winchester)
[Richard] Yeo (medallist and engraver), to Robert Pitt Esq., Feb. 29, 1721
Box 1 Unidentified or illegible

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