Historical Manuscripts Commission

Summary report on the diaries and papers 1795-1939

of the

PHELPS FAMILY OF CLAPHAM

deposited in 

Lambeth Archives Department

(reference: GB-0088-IV/195)

HMC 1989
Historical Manuscripts Commission

Table of Contents

Access

Introduction

Summary report

Access

Enquiries about access to these papers should be addressed to the Borough Archivist of Lambeth Archives Department.

Introduction

These papers relate principally to Joseph Phelps, founder of Phelps and Morrison, wine merchants, his wife Elizabeth and eldest daughter Mary. Phelps was engaged in the wine trade of Madeira and subsequently its embroidery industry, to the establishment of which the family contributed greatly. He left Madeira c1863 and settled in Clapham. The papers, which are mainly of a family and social nature, were kept by his youngest daughter Clara, who married in 1861 John Oakley (1834-90), Dean of Manchester. They passed to the Oakley’s youngest son Ernest and then to one of his daughters, who gave them to her daughter-in-law Mrs JM Thomas. Having sought the Commission’s advice, Mrs Thomas gave them to Lambeth Archives Department in October 1988.

Summary report

Diary of Elizabeth Phelps, England. June 1834-January 1835, September-December 1843 describing daily social life (2 notebooks)

Diary of Mary Phelps. Madeira. June 1839-October 1843 describing daily social life (14 notebooks)

Letter from Maria Morrison to Joseph Phelps 1 November 1795; letters from Robert Page to William Phelps 1809 (1 bundle)

Letters from Joseph Phelps to William Phelps 31 October 1820 and Henry Hawes Fox 20 January 1830; letters to Joseph Phelps from Elizabeth Phelps 1829-35. Anne Phelps 20 September 1829 and 22 March 1832. Mary Phelps 11 November 1829. Robert Page 22 March 1832; miscellaneous receipts enclosed with correspondence c1820-c1835 (1 bundle)

Letters received by Mary Phelps 1865-66 (1 packet)

Phelps and Oakley family letters late 19th-early 20th century (1 packet)

Correspondence and papers relating to tenancy of 5 Larkhall Rise, Clapham 1863; draft tenancy agreement 1863; miscellaneous household bills 1877-78 (2 bundles)

Papers relating to servants duties, Clapham 1873-75 (1 bundle)

Book of culinary recipes late 19th century

Working papers of NV Oakley relating to the intended publication of Mary Phelps’s diary 20th century (1 notebook and 1 packet)

Typescript copy of portions of Mary Phelps’s diary 20th century (1 packet and some loose papers)

Phelps and Oakley family photographs, including snapshots of Madeira, c1860 and mid-20th century(3 packets)

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