Papers of the Hunter-Baillie Family
TitlePapers of the Hunter-Baillie Family
ReferenceMS0014
Level of descriptionfonds
Date1704-1923
Admin./ biographical historyThe members of Baillie family within the collection consisted of siblings Matthew, Joanna, Agnes Baillie, and their parents, Rev James Baillie and Dorothea Baillie née Hunter.
James Baillie was Professor of Divinity at Glasgow University from 1775 to 1778, and was awarded an honorary DD in 1772. He was also the brother-in-law of the anatomists, John and William Hunter.
Matthew Baillie was an anatomist and a physician. In 1779, Matthew attended William Hunter's medical school in Great Windmill Street, London. When Hunter died, he left his medical museum and his collections of manuscripts, books and coins to Glasgow University. Matthew kept only certain personal things, among them the letter-book, which Hunter had acquired from the family of Queen Anne's physician, John Arbuthnot. To this Hunter had added letters written to himself by famous or distinguished people.
In 1783 Joanna, Agnes and Dorothea moved to London to keep house for Matthew. Joanna was a playwright and poet, and Agnes was a centenarian. Joanna built up a close relationship in London with her other uncle, John Hunter, his wife, the poet, Anne Home Hunter [whose poems are included in this collection], and their daughter Agnes, later Lady Campbell. After Matthew's marriage to Sophia Denman in 1791, Joanna, Agnes and Dorothea moved to Red Lion Hill and later, after the death of Dorothea in 1802, to Hampstead.
Joanna started publishing poems and plays in 1790 and gradually her reputation became known. She made friends with many leading literary and society figures of the day including Maria Edgeworth, Samuel Rogers, William Sotheby, William Wordsworth, and Lord Byron among many others. Joanna was particularly close to Sir Walter Scott [over sixty letters between them are included in this collection].
Sophia Denman was the daughter of Dr. Thomas Denman. Denman had an obstetric practice, in which he was followed by his other son-in-law, Sir Richard Croft. Denman's son, Thomas Denman, a lawyer, advocated legal reform including the abolition of slavery, defended Queen Charlotte and became Lord Chief Justice.
Justice Denman interested himself in the family collection, helping Matthew Baillie's granddaughters to complete the work, begun by Matthew's wife Sophia, of identifying and arranging the letters. He also brought into it a miscellaneous collection of autographs gathered by his side of the family. Matthew Baillie had been a friend of Edward Jenner, discoverer of the small pox vaccine and of Jenner's biographer John Baron, and at the end of his life settled near them in Gloucestershire. Through Baron a small collection of papers of Jennerian interest was added to the Hunter-Baillie papers.
James Baillie was Professor of Divinity at Glasgow University from 1775 to 1778, and was awarded an honorary DD in 1772. He was also the brother-in-law of the anatomists, John and William Hunter.
Matthew Baillie was an anatomist and a physician. In 1779, Matthew attended William Hunter's medical school in Great Windmill Street, London. When Hunter died, he left his medical museum and his collections of manuscripts, books and coins to Glasgow University. Matthew kept only certain personal things, among them the letter-book, which Hunter had acquired from the family of Queen Anne's physician, John Arbuthnot. To this Hunter had added letters written to himself by famous or distinguished people.
In 1783 Joanna, Agnes and Dorothea moved to London to keep house for Matthew. Joanna was a playwright and poet, and Agnes was a centenarian. Joanna built up a close relationship in London with her other uncle, John Hunter, his wife, the poet, Anne Home Hunter [whose poems are included in this collection], and their daughter Agnes, later Lady Campbell. After Matthew's marriage to Sophia Denman in 1791, Joanna, Agnes and Dorothea moved to Red Lion Hill and later, after the death of Dorothea in 1802, to Hampstead.
Joanna started publishing poems and plays in 1790 and gradually her reputation became known. She made friends with many leading literary and society figures of the day including Maria Edgeworth, Samuel Rogers, William Sotheby, William Wordsworth, and Lord Byron among many others. Joanna was particularly close to Sir Walter Scott [over sixty letters between them are included in this collection].
Sophia Denman was the daughter of Dr. Thomas Denman. Denman had an obstetric practice, in which he was followed by his other son-in-law, Sir Richard Croft. Denman's son, Thomas Denman, a lawyer, advocated legal reform including the abolition of slavery, defended Queen Charlotte and became Lord Chief Justice.
Justice Denman interested himself in the family collection, helping Matthew Baillie's granddaughters to complete the work, begun by Matthew's wife Sophia, of identifying and arranging the letters. He also brought into it a miscellaneous collection of autographs gathered by his side of the family. Matthew Baillie had been a friend of Edward Jenner, discoverer of the small pox vaccine and of Jenner's biographer John Baron, and at the end of his life settled near them in Gloucestershire. Through Baron a small collection of papers of Jennerian interest was added to the Hunter-Baillie papers.
Scope and ContentThe collection contains 18 volumes of autograph letters and papers collected over two centuries by the Hunter-Baillie family, representing their contacts throughout the medical, legal and literary world.
The collection originally consisted of 10 volumes, but was rearranged and rebound in more volumes in 1958. The volumes form an important source of historical material, comprising more than a thousand letters from nearly 500 writers, papers relating to family history and the activities of the Hunter-Baillie family, and manuscript poetry by Ann Hunter.
The collection also contains some further volumes that were added to the collection by Helen Hunter-Baillie after the original deposit. These are a commonplace book written by an uncle of John and William Hunter, and notebook by Matthew Baillie recording his travels in Europe.
The collection originally consisted of 10 volumes, but was rearranged and rebound in more volumes in 1958. The volumes form an important source of historical material, comprising more than a thousand letters from nearly 500 writers, papers relating to family history and the activities of the Hunter-Baillie family, and manuscript poetry by Ann Hunter.
The collection also contains some further volumes that were added to the collection by Helen Hunter-Baillie after the original deposit. These are a commonplace book written by an uncle of John and William Hunter, and notebook by Matthew Baillie recording his travels in Europe.
Extent21 volumes
LanguageEnglish
System of arrangementThe original 10 volumes were arranged according to major recipient of letters. Within each individual volume the arrangement is not consistent.
Original volume 1 is now divided into two parts, 1A John Arbuthnot: Letters to his friends, and 1B William Hunter: Letters to his friends. In this catalogue these volumes are now MS0014/1 and 2.
Original volume 2 remained as one volume. In this catalogue it is MS0014/3.
Original volumes 3 and 4 are now each divided into two parts, titled 3.1, 3.2, 4.1 and 4.2. In this catalogue these volumes are MS0014/4, 5, 6 and 7.
Original volumes 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 remained as one volume each. In this catalogue they are MS0014/8 to 12.
Original volume 10 was divided into 7 parts which were numbered 1 to 7 in 1975. In this catalogue they are now MS0014/ 13 to 19.
The volumes MS0014/20 and 21 were later additions to the Hunter-Baillie collection.
Conditions governing accessThis collection is available to everyone for research. It can be consulted in our Research Room at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 38-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3PE. It is essential to book in advance so we can ensure material is available. Please email archives@rcseng.ac.uk to book a Research Room appointment.
Conditions governing reproductionCopies of material in the archives can be supplied for private study purposes only, depending on the condition of the documents. Some items within this collection may remain within copyright under the terms of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988; it is the responsibility of users to obtain the copyright holder's permission for reproduction of copyright material for purposes other than research or private study. Permission to publish material must be sought in advance from the Royal College of Surgeons of England and, where appropriate, the copyright holder. Please email archives@rcseng.ac.uk in the first instance.
NotesThe use of a hyphen between Hunter and Baillie is not always consistently used by members of the family or by those who have written about the family. However, the collection is always known at the Hunter-Baillie Collection.
The Hunter-Baillie autograph letters are individually listed and the contents of volumes MS0014/1-12 (old refs HB 1A-9) have also now been listed in Word. Please ask Archives staff if you wish to see these lists.
A partial box list for this collection was created by Hazel Johnstone on 6 Sep 2000. Now superceded by this catalogue and deleted.
The Hunter-Baillie autograph letters are individually listed and the contents of volumes MS0014/1-12 (old refs HB 1A-9) have also now been listed in Word. Please ask Archives staff if you wish to see these lists.
A partial box list for this collection was created by Hazel Johnstone on 6 Sep 2000. Now superceded by this catalogue and deleted.
Persons keyword1783-1810 Amelia, Princess, daughter of King George III, John Arbuthnot, 1667-1735, physician, author, Agnes Baillie, 1761-1818, sister of Matthew Baillie, Dorothea Baillie, 1721-1806, mother of Matthew Baillie, Helen Hunter Baillie, d 1929, daughter of William Hunter Baillie, James Baillie, d 1778, clergyman, Professor of Divinity, Joanna Baillie, 1762-1851, poet, dramatist, Matthew Baillie, 1761-1823, physician, anatomist, Robert Denman Baillie, 1850-1879, son of Matthew Baillie, Sophia Baillie, 1771-1845, wife of Matthew Baillie, William Hunter Baillie, 1797-1894, barrister, John Baron, 1786-1851, biographer of Edward Jenner, Jeremy Bentham, 1748-1832, philosopher, Thomas Carlyle, 1795-1881, historian, philosopher, Elizabeth Denman, d 1833, wife of Thomas Denman, physician, Joseph Denman, 1810-1874, Admiral, Joseph Denman, fl 1803-1804, [the elder], Thomas Aitchison Denman, 1805-1894, 2nd Baron Denman, Thomas Denman, 1733-1815, physician, Thomas Denman, 1779-1854, 1st Baron Denman, judge, Charles John Huffam Dickens, 1812-1870, novelist, journalist, Maria Edgeworth, 1786-1849, novelist, 1738-1820 George III, King of Great Britain and Ireland, Edward Gibbon, 1737-1794, historian, Anne Home Hunter, 1742-1821, poet, John Banks Hunter, fl 1799-1812, Captain, son of Anne Home Hunter, John Hunter, 1728-1793, surgeon, anatomist, John Hunter, 1663?- 1741?, member of the Hunter-Baillie family, Rowland Hunter, 1774-1865, publisher, William Hunter, 1718-1783, anatomist, surgeon, Edward Jenner, 1749-1823, physician, naturalist, Samuel Johnson, 1709-1784, lexicographer, essayist, 1776-1857 Mary, Princess, Duchess of Gloucester, daughter of George III, Wolfgang Amadeus Chrysostom Mozart, 1756-1791, Austrian composer, Alexander Pope, 1688-1744, poet, Sir Walter Scott, 1771-1832, 1st Baronet, novelist, poet, barrister, Adam Sedgwick, 1785-1873, geologist, Henry Siddons, 1774-1815, actor, Lydia Howard Sigourney, 1791-1865, née Huntley, US author and poet, Tobias Smollett, 1721-1771, novelist, Johnathan Swift, 1667-1745, Anglo-Irish author, William Whewell, 1794-1866, Master of Trinity College Cambridge, publishers Cox & Son
SubjectBirth, Death, Diseases, Drama, Medical treatment, Patients, Physicians, Playwrights, Poets, Politics, Music, Social welfare