Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1810-1845 (Creation)
Level of description
File
Extent and medium
125 items (numbered 126-250)
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Walter Davies (Gwallter Mechain; 1761-1849), was a cleric, poet, antiquary, and a literary critic.
Name of creator
Biographical history
Name of creator
Biographical history
Name of creator
Biographical history
Name of creator
Biographical history
Lady Charlotte Elizabeth Bertie (1812-1895) was born at Uffington House, Lincolnshire, on 19 May 1812, the daughter of Albermarle Bertie, 9th earl of Lindsey, and his wife Charlotte Susanna Elizabeth. In 1833 she married the Dowlais ironmaster Josiah John Guest (1785-1852), MP for Merthyr Tydfil. They had ten children. In 1846 the Guests purchased Canford Manor in Dorset.
Already an accomplished linguist, at Dowlais she studied Welsh and went on to translate into English the eleven Middle Welsh tales from the Red Book of Hergest collectively known (by her) as the Mabinogion. These were published in seven parts from 1838 to 1849 and collected as The Mabinogion, from the Llyfr Coch o Hergest, and other ancient Welsh Manuscripts…, 3 vols (London and Llandovery, 1849).
Following her husband's death in 1852 Lady Charlotte took on the running of the Dowlais ironworks, until April 1855 when she married her eldest son's tutor Charles Schreiber (1826-1884), a classicist and later a Tory MP. They spent much of their time travelling and collecting English and European china. She also collected fans and playing cards; in her last years, following Charles's death, she published five volumes describing and reproducing these collections.
Lady Charlotte Schreiber died 15 January 1895 at Canford Manor and was buried at Canford Church.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Letters (surnames Davies-Hall) addressed mostly to Taliesin Williams (Taliesin ab Iolo).
The correspondents include Walter Davies (Gwallter Mechain), [1812]-1837 (Nos 130-135), David Davis, Neath, 1810-1841 (Nos 137-148), John Davis (Brychan), 1829-1841 (Nos 149-157), Lady Charlotte Guest, 1837-1843 (Nos 191-202), and Augusta Hall, 1834-1841 (Nos 206-250).
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by surname of correspondent.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Title based on contents.
Note
Preferred citation: NLW MS 21272E.