George Anson letters, 1789-1795

Summary

Creator:

Anson, George, 1769-1849

Abstract:

This collection is made up of 26 letters (59 pages) from George Anson to William Lee, while the men served in the British Army between 1789 and 1795. Anson largely wrote while serving as an officer in the 16th Light Dragoons and 20th Jamaica Light Dragoons. He wrote primarily from Shugborough in Staffordshire, England, and Spanish Town, Jamaica (1792-1794). His letters pertain to recruiting for dragoon regiments, the dangerous climate of Jamaica, the jarring death of a friend from fever, horses in military service, promotions, jocular banter, and the movement of troops to Santo Domingo as part of British involvement in the Haitian Revolution. He wrote candidly and crudely about sexual activity, London prostitution and brothels, prostitution at Spanish Town, Black women in Jamaica, and the sexual and alcohol-related exploits of his recipient and friends also serving in dragoon regiments. Two letters reference Elizabeth Weldon and Viscount Dungarvan in early 1791.

Extent:

26 items

Language:

English

Authors:

Collection processed and finding aid created by Cheney J. Schopieray, August 2022

Background

Scope and Content:

This collection is made up of 26 letters (59 pages) from George Anson to William Lee, while the men served in the British Army between 1789 and 1795. Anson largely wrote while serving as an officer in the 16th Light Dragoons and 20th Jamaica Light Dragoons. He wrote primarily from Shugborough in Staffordshire, England, and Spanish Town, Jamaica (1792-1794). His letters pertain to recruiting for dragoon regiments, the dangerous climate of Jamaica, the jarring death of a friend from fever, horses in military service, promotions, jocular banter, and the movement of troops to Santo Domingo as part of British involvement in the Haitian Revolution. He wrote candidly and crudely about sexual activity, London prostitution and brothels, prostitution at Spanish Town, Black women in Jamaica, and the sexual and alcohol-related exploits of his recipient and friends also serving in dragoon regiments. Two letters reference Elizabeth Weldon and Viscount Dungarvan in early 1791.

Please see the box and folder listing for descriptions and details about each letter in the collection.

Biographical / Historical:

George Anson was born in 1769 to parents Mary Vernon and George Adams (later Anson) of Shugborough Manor in Staffordshire. He entered the British Army in 1786 as a Cornet in the 16th Regiment of Light Dragoons. Over the course of his life, he rose through the ranks to General (1837) via the 16th, 15th, 23rd, and 4th Regiments. He wrote these letters between 1789 and 1795, first as Cornet then Lieutenant in the 16th Regiment, followed by Captain then Major in the 20th Regiment. He served in the War of the First Coalition and Iberia during the Peninsular Wars.

On May 27, 1800, Lt. Col. Anson married Frances Hamilton, and the two had six sons and five daughters. Also in 1800, George Anson began to serve in Royal employment as Groom of Bedchamber to the Duke of Kent (1800); Equerry to the Duke and later Duchess (1810-1820); Aide-de-Camp to King George III (1805); and finally Groom of Bedchamber to Prince Albert (1840-1841). During much of this time, 1806 to 1841, he was MP for Lichfield in the House of Commons. He received other significant national honors and finally served as Lt. Gov. then Gov. of the Chelsea Hospital (1846-1849). Sir George Anson died on November 4, 1849.

Acquisition Information:

2022. M-7571 .

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged chronologically.

Rules or Conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Related Materials

Lee Family Papers, 1754-1836. Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, California.

Letter from Marianne in Chabrac to Lieutenant William Lee,16th Queen's Light Dragoons, in Strasbourg, 18 May 1787. National Army Museum, Soldier gallery, London. NAM. 2001-01-859-1. The letter states: 'I have the doctor saying that I am pregnant and that going in a carriage harmed me. But that does not prevent me from being pregnant and that is from you and nobody else. Yes, my dear friend, I will make you a dear little Lee who will be charming and nice like his father.' Marianne also asks for money although she is living with another lover. https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=2001-01-859-1. Accessed 20 August 2022.

Bibliography

Hurl-Eamon, Jennine. Marriage in the British Army in the Long Eighteenth Century. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014.

Salmon, Philip. "Anson, Sir George (1769-1849), of Rushal Hall, Staffs. and 5 Bulstrode Street, Mdx." in D.R. Fisher, ed. The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1820-1832. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.

Subjects

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Subjects:

Animals--War use.
Brothels--England--London--History--18th century.
Drinking of alcoholic beverages--Social aspects--Great Britain--History--18th century.
Fox hunting.
Horses.
Jamaica--Ethnic relations--History--18th century.
Misogyny--History--18th century.
Prostitutes' customers--Great Britain--History--18th century.
Prostitutes' customers--Jamaica--History--18th century.
Prostitution--England--London--History--18th century.
Prostitution--Jamaica--History--18th century.
Racism.
Sexism.
Sexually transmitted diseases--England--History--18th century.
Soldiers--Alcohol use--Jamaica--History--18th century.
Soldiers--Sexual behavior--Great Britain--History--18th century.
Soldiers--Sexual behavior--Jamaica--History--18th century.
Women, Black--Abuse of--Jamaica.
Women, Black--Jamaica--History--18th century.
Women, Black--Jamaica--Social conditions.
Yellow fever--Jamaica--History--18th century.
Horse boarding facilities.

Formats:

Letters (correspondence)
Manuscript maps.

Names:

Great Britain. Army. Light Dragoons, 16th.
Great Britain. Army. Light Dragoons, 20th.
Great Britain. Army--Recruiting, enlistment, etc.--History--18th century.
Anson, George (George Adams), 1731-1789--Death and burial.
Anson, Thomas, 1767-1818.
Archer, Clement.
Gardner, Henry, 1746-1792--Death and burial.
Hawker, Samuel.
Lee, William Farington (or Farrington), 1764-1801.
Weldon, Elizabeth.

Places:

Dominican Republic--History--18th century.
Haiti--History--Revolution, 1791-1804.
London (England)
Shugborough (England)
Spanish Town (Jamaica)
West Indies--Climate.
Spanish Town (Jamaica)--Maps, Manuscript.