Letters from Mary Hatton Helsby to various recipients
Scope and Contents
This collection contains the call numbers X.d.493 (1-23).
Dates
- 1651-1668
Creator
- Helsby, Mary, active 17th century (Person)
- Helsby, Randolph, 1617-1696 (Person)
Availability
Collection is open for research.
Biographical information
The daughter of a Cheshire gentleman, Piers (or Peter) Hatton, Mary Hatton grew up at Quisty Birches (alternately Custy Birches, Questibirches, or Kisstie-birches), near Daresbury, Warrington. She was eventual heiress to her brothers Richard Hatton and Thomas Hatton, both of whom died bachelors, leaving the male representation of the family in the line of a brother of Sir Christopher Hatton. Following a courtship of several years, Mary Hatton married Randolph Helsby of Helsby in 1655; their first born son John (Jack) was born in 1661/1662. Although Mary and Randolph (sometimes called "Rafe") appear to have come from professed Puritan families, Hatton Helsby's letters reveal a woman alternately critical of both Royalist and Parliamentary factions under the Protectorate.
Extent
23.0 items
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Letters of Mary Hatton Helsby consists of ten letters, 1651-1668 and thirteen newspaper clippings reproducing Hatton Helsby's correspondence, ca. 1900. The collection includes letters from both sides of the courtship between Mary Hatton Helsby and her eventual husband, Randolph Helsby, several containing commentary critical of both Royalist and Parliamentary factions.
Arrangement
Arranged in two series: 1. Letters and 2. Newspaper clippings and offprints.
The letters have been arranged by correspondent and recipient, and then chronologically under each recipient.
The newspaper clippings and offprints are divided into copies of letters in the Folger collection and copies of other letters (in the collection of R.H. Wood in 1900), then chronologically according to date of publication in the Bladud or Bath Chronicle.
Acquisition Information
Purchased from Alan Thomas in 1968.
Existence and Location of Originals
Originals of photocopied clippings in Folger curatorial files.
Other Formats
Also available on microfilm, FILM Fo. 3538 (reduction ratio 12:1, 9 feet).
Additional access
For the collection-level record, and / or to conduct additional research in the catalog, see https://catalog.folger.edu/record/193464
Processing Information
Processed by Folger Shakespeare Library staff.
- Bath (England)
- Clippings (information artifacts)
- Courts and courtiers
- Cromwell, Oliver, 1599-1658 -- Manuscripts
- England
- Hatton, Peter, 17th cent. -- Correspondence -- Manuscripts
- Letters (correspondence)
- Manuscripts (documents)
- Roundheads
- Royalists
- Seventeenth century
- Smith, Joan, -1658 -- Correspondence -- Manuscripts
- Spenser, Edmund, 1552?-1599
- Travel
- Title
- Guide to Letters from Mary Hatton Helsby to Various Recipients Folger MS X.d.493 (1-23)
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Nadia Seiler, 2012
- Date
- 2011
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Folger Shakespeare Library Repository
201 E. Capitol St. SE
Washington DC 20003 USA