Archive / Papers / Campbell/Metcalfe

Correspondence of, and between, the Campbell and Metcalfe families, 1848-1861 in and near Delhi.

The bulk of the correspondence is between Georgina Campbell (nee Metcalfe – second eldest daughter of Sir Thomas Metcalfe, 4th Bt, of Metcalfe House, Delhi) and her husband, Sir Edward Campbell, 2nd Bt, son of Sir Guy Campbell.

There are also letters from Emily Metcalfe, “Annie”, Georgina’s elder sister, from Delhi where she lived with her father. Also a few letters from her sister Eliza, “Eli”; her eldest brother Theo and his wife Charlotte; her second brother Charles; Emily’s husband, Sir Edward Bayley; and Georgina’s father, Sir Thomas Metcalfe. There is also a small amount of correspondence from friends. They cover the years 1848-1861. Georgina’s letters are almost purely personal and domestic. The others are often more descriptive of their situations, but all give an atmosphere and flavour of the era and of their attitudes. Sir Edward Campbell’s letters of 1857 describe his involvement in the Mutiny where he fought in the siege of Delhi. Nearly all the letters have a brief synopsis attached. (2,339pp.)

  • Box 1 – Letter from Georgina Metcalfe in India, probably to her sister Eliza in England, 1848/9; Personal letters from Georgina Metcalfe to Edward Campbell, November 1851 – December 1852
  • Box 2 – Personal letters from Georgina Metcalfe to Edward Campbell, 1853.
  • Box 3 – Personal letters from Georgina Campbell (now married) to Edward Campbell, 1854-56, mostly written while EC was stationed away on army duties.
  • Box 4 – Personal letters from Georgina Campbell to Edward Campbell, 1857, while E.C. was stationed at Mooltan (sic), Delhi and Simla.
  • Box 5 – Personal letters from Georgina Campbell to Edward Campbell, 1860, mostly written from Simla.
  • Box 6 – Letters from Edward Campbell to Georgina Metcalfe (and later Campbell after their wedding), 1853-1861. Some early letters addressed to Annie Bayley, as G.M. was not allowed to receive his correspondence in the first instance.
  • Box 7 – Letters from Annie Metcalfe (later Bayley) to her sister Georgina, written both from England and India, 1848-1861.
  • Box 8 – Letters to Edward Campbell, mostly from fellow officers, 1853-1860; Letters to Georgina Campbell, other family members and friends.
  • Box 9 – Letters to Edward and Georgina Campbell, from various writers – often incomplete; Domestic ephemera – recipe cards, household linen lists etc.
  • Box 10 – Letters to and from Edward Campbell from other family members; Campbell and Metcalfe genealogies.