John Holland Brammall

[mbtimney]

Hello:

 

As part of a research project for my next academic book, I am trying to track down primary source materials (letters and manuscripts) related to a poet named Mary Hutton, who lived and wrote in Sheffield in the mid-1800s.  

 

Hutton (née Taylor) was born in Wakefield on 10 July 1794 (d. 1859), and she moved to Sheffield when she was a young girl.  Hutton had a literary patron named John Holland (the renowned author of Sheffield Park). From what I can gather, Holland's letters were collected by his nephew and executor of his will, John Holland Brammall (d. 1912), but I have been unable to trace them further.   

 

I know it's a shot in the dark, but any help you could provide in helping me track down this collection (if it still exists) would be much appreciated.  

[Lyn 1]

Try Sheffield Archives and Local Studies - you can search online - I typed in Mary Hutton and this came up 

Biographical sketches of remarkable people chiefly from personal recollection : with miscellaneous papers and poems 
    Hall, Spencer T

Publisher:	Simpkin, Marshall and Co,
Pub date:	1873
Pages:	450p.
Item info:	2 copies available at Local Studies Library.

 

	Copy	Material	Location
920.042 SST	1	Reference material	Reserve collection
	2	Reference material	Reserve collection

[Edmund]

The link to the Archives on line search is Sheffield Archives Search

The Archives have several letter written by James Montgomery to members of the Roberts family:

RP/2/65 13 May 1840  Regarding Mary Hutton, the letter which appeared in the Mercury was addressed to James Montgomery. He had previously heard of her late trials and had placed a trifle in Mr John Hollands hands to help her. On receipt of the letter he substituted a larger sum to begin a subscription for her and also applied to Mr Bridgeford who promised to do something. Then Mr Holland asked if he could publish the letter in the Mercury and James Montgomery agreed as long as his own name and the names of the Roberts family were suppressed. He does not know the result.

RP/2/74 22 Mar 1844   Received a letter yesterday about Mary Hutton and asks Samuel Roberts to give it to his father.

RP/2/75 13 Apr 1844   On his return home, he found several contributions for Mary Hutton and a parcel for London. Asks Samuel Roberts if he will collect them and distribute them to her weekly.

A search for "John Holland" finds 82 iems, one of which (ref SLPS/222) is an album of letters containg 70 items.  That should keep you busy.

[mbtimney]

Thanks, Edmund and Lyn.  This is a great start--I'd made the connection between Hutton and James Montgomery during research for an earlier project, but there are some fascinating materials here that I haven't had a chance to look into yet. I appreciate you pointing me in the right direction.  It seems as though a trip to Sheffield may be in my future