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Lot 21

EIGHTEENTH CENTURY POLITICS
A substantial archive of correspondence, legal and personal papers relating to the prominent lawyer John Thomas Batt and his family, [late eighteenth century]

11 November 2015, 13:00 GMT
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £1,750 inc. premium

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EIGHTEENTH CENTURY POLITICS

A substantial archive of correspondence, legal and personal papers relating to the prominent lawyer John Thomas Batt and his family, comprising eight volumes and several hundred documents and letters, regarding his profession and his connections with prominent politicians, with a number of letters on political and social matters, including a notebook devoted to his executorship of the 2nd Earl Halifax dated 1771 with other papers relating to the Earl's property and attempts to resolve the dire financial situation after this death; letters from James Harris of 1773 regarding musical evenings and politics, especially the situation in Russia, and from Harris' son, later Lord Malmesbury, regarding the publication of his father's works; other correspondents include Robert Henley, second earl of Northington (commenting on the situation in Ireland and the continent), Thomas Orde, Irish Chief Secretary, John Freeman Mitford, first Baron Redesdale, John Pennington, first Baron Muncaster (mostly concerning legal and estate affairs in Ireland), Thomas Jeans, Chaplain to Lord Stormont, British Ambassador at Paris, John Charles Villiers and William Pitt the Younger (extending an invitation to dine); also included in the archive is a valuation of Lord Northington's pictures at The Grange compiled by Sir James Wright and a large quantity of Batt's personal papers including seven diaries from 1799 to 1810 containing details of his social engagements and daily expenditures, numerous household receipts, stock certificates, bills, printed ephemera and material relating to other members of the Batt family, various sizes and bindings, much of the material in fine condition with envelopes preserved, [late eighteenth century]

Footnotes

GIBBON'S EXECUTOR AND 'MAN ABOUT TOWN': John Thomas Batt of London and New Hall, Downton (1746-1831) was a successful lawyer dealing with the most prominent families of the late eighteenth century, friend and confidant to many of the notable figures of the day, including Edward Gibbon (for whom he acted as executor and advised on Decline and Fall), the younger Pitt and James Harris, the musical patron.

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