The Correspondence of John Cartwright (1740-1824, Political Reformer)

Archive of circa 67 letters, 1783-1822 (principally towards the latter date) addressed to John Cartwright, with some miscellaneous family papers.

Selected letters and excerpts

Thomas Clarkson, 6 June 1811, (2) regretting not being able to meet in London and adding ‘put down my name as a friend of friend of parliamentary Reform’, and 28 June 1809, affirming his support.

Thomas Brand, brief letter to Sir Francis Burdett, 5 May 1812 (‘My last motion was for leave to bring in a bill, to augment the number of voters in certain Boroughs therein mentioned’) and another of 1815, presumably to Cartwright.

John (Cam) Hobhouse [Baron Broughton] (1786-1869 politician and political reformer), 2 September 1819, re Clarkson’s note to Mr Bowie.

1 June 1820, ‘... I suppose you are aware that no printed petitions can be presented to the Hon. House ...’ Another undated, ‘Respecting J.C.’s petition charging 100 Peers with usurping 216 seats in the H. of Com.’ (annotation).

Henry (Peter) Brougham, first Baron Brougham and Vaux, (1778-1868 Lord Chancellor, 9 July 1812. Preventing ‘C’ from opposing the Reform meeting. 12 July 1812, ‘... I must attend the House) of (Commons) to oppose the bills ag[ains]t the Constitution. ...’

Thomas Denman (first Baron Denman, 1779-1854 law reformer), Cheltenham 19 September 1820.

Note by Cartwright (?) relating to the character of Mrs Flanaghan, 27 January 1820.

Granville Sharp (1735-1813, slavery abolitionist), 4 March 1788.

Henry Hunt (‘Orator Hunt’, 1773-1835, Radical), 26 November 1812, lengthy letter, 3½ pp. 4to.

John Jebb (1736-1786, religious and political reformer), Parl[iament] H[ouse], 9 April 1783, and 20 January 1784, sending two copies of his letters.

John Cartwright, long ALS to Henry Strickland at Henley Park, soliciting his help, 10 October 1822, with another written on the printed Proposals for ... a New Daily Evening Paper, 30 January 1824. A further letter, 16 March 1824 on the same subject.

Edmund Cartwright (1743-1823, English Inventor of the first power loom) expressing indignation at 'that scoundrel' Lord Sidmouth's rejection of a pardon for two boys to be executed in Newgate, dated 27 February 1818

Samuel Parr (1747-1825, schoolmaster and supporter of reformers), 14 August 1820.

Joseph Hume (1777-1855, radical and politician), 21 August ?1819, arranging to meeting London; 24 December 1820, asking for a list of subscribers.

Thomas Hardy (1752-1832, radical), 5 February 1821, identifying E.H. Lushington.

Richard Carlile (1790-1843, radical publisher and writer), 18 April 1819, relating to the legal defence of his case.

William Wilberforce (1753-1833, Abolitionist), conclusion of a letter of 25 February 1791, ‘... I am not so conversant as I ought to be with my private affairs; & I believe the world overstates my fortune & understates my expenses. ...’

William Roscoe (1753-1831, historian and abolitionist (2), 1812, (‘... I am perfectly convinced that you & I agree in founding all our ideas of reform on true english constitutional principles. ...’

Henry Richard Fox [later Vassall], Baron Holland (1773-1840), 1817, promising to present the Paisley petition to the House of Lords.

Adam Jerzy Czartoryski (1770-1861, Polish diplomat and author), undated, thanking Cartwright for arranging the delivery of books, asking him to settle the account, and giving an account of the terrible state of affairs in Warsaw (... Poland is again all in fire, arms are takeing up allmost every where a dreadfull scene has passed at Warsaw where the Russian Garrison has been drove out with a considerable loss ...’

OTHERS:

Ja[mes] Parry, 1820; The Earl of Pembroke, 1820; The Duke of Roxburghe, 1812; Gwyllym Lloyd Wardle, 1812 (‘... No one can do greater justice to your well intentioned exertions than I do ...’); William Chapman, 1809; W.J. Denison, (2) 1809; Sir G. Cayley, two lengthy letters, 1809; T. Du Cane jnr., 1809; Lord Milton, 1809; M.A. Tayler, 1809; Sir Robert Wilson (3, 1820); The Duke of Portland (2), 1820; Algernon Strickland, unsigned letter to Miss Cartwright asking her to keep a lock of Algy’s hair, 1831; John Disney (1809, addressed to ‘Dear Cousin’); the Duke of Bedford, (2), 1820; John Adams Smith, 1823; Admiral Tschitschagoff, sending Count Lieven’s contact details, 1814; James Lindsay, 1815; Peter Martin, 1816; John Thomas Cramer of Rathmore, very long letter on Irish affairs, particularly as regards the fishing industry, 4 pp. folio, 1817; John Cartwright to Henry Strickland about reform.

Together with miscellaneous material relating to the Cartwright pedigree and family history (decayed leather binding) and a gilt framed portrait print of Major Cartwright after John Hoppner

From a Gloucestershire Country house

John Cartwright (17 September 1740 – 23 September 1824) was an English naval officer, Nottinghamshire militia major and prominent campaigner for parliamentary reform. He subsequently became known as the Father of Reform. His younger brother Edmund Cartwright became famous as the inventor of the power loom.