The Ascott Collection

The Ascott Collection I, 1790; 1820-1953

000/0924, 25 boxes

A collection of documents, volumes, photographs and artefacts from the muniment room, Ascott House. The family papers in this accession relate primarily to:

• Lionel de Rothschild (1808-1879)
• Charlotte, Baroness Lionel de Rothschild (née von Rothschild) (1819-1884)
• Leopold de Rothschild (1845-1917)
• Marie, Mrs Leopold de Rothschild (née Perugia) (1862-1937)
• Nathaniel, 1st Lord Rothschild (1840-1915)
• Ferdinand de Rothschild (1839-1898) 
• Evelina, Baroness Ferdinand de Rothschild (née de Rothschild) (1839-1866)
• Louise, Lady Anthony de Rothschild (née Montefiore) (1821-1910)
• and the Perugia, Landauer and Schey families. 

The papers reflect the personal interests and everyday lives of members of the Rothschild family, and include scrapbooks, newspaper cuttings, family pedigrees, family correspondence, diaries, and material relating to marriages and deaths, including obituaries. 000/924/19/1 and 000/924/19/2 are a collection of press cuttings concerning stories relating to the Rothschild family, taken from sundry publications, 1829-1953.  000/924/4/2 is a volume of press cuttings from The Times relating to the circumstances leading to the entry of Baron Lionel de Rothschild (1808-1879) to the House of Commons in 1850. The collection includes a large collection of letters received by Baron Lionel and Baroness Charlotte de Rothschild from notable figures of the day and a further large collection of private correspondence received by Marie, Mrs Leopold de Rothschild, mainly from her Perugia, Landauer and Schey relatives. 000/924/8/1 and 000/924/9/1 are a collection of interior and exterior photographs of Rothschild houses. 000/924/13/1-2 are sketchbooks by Evelina, Baroness Ferdinand de Rothschild. 000/924/21/1 is a large red photograph album compiled by Charlotte, Baroness Lionel de Rothschild over a number of years; the images are largely of family and friends at the Rothschild houses, Mentmore and Gunnersbury Park, and include works by the celebrated photographer Julia Margaret Cameron (1815-1879).

The Ascott Collection II, 1858-1954

000/1373, 25 boxes

A collection of documents, volumes, photographs and artefacts from the muniment room, Ascott House. The family papers in this accession relate primarily to:

• Lionel de Rothschild (1808-1879)
• Charlotte, Baroness Lionel de Rothschild (née von Rothschild) (1819-1884)
• Leopold de Rothschild (1845-1917)
• Marie, Mrs Leopold de Rothschild (née Perugia) (1862-1937)
• Nathaniel, 1st Lord Rothschild (1840-1915)
• Ferdinand de Rothschild (1839-1898) 
• Evelina, Baroness Ferdinand de Rothschild (née de Rothschild) (1839-1866)
• Louise, Lady Anthony de Rothschild (née Montefiore) (1821-1910)
• and the Perugia, Landauer and Schey families. 

The papers reflect the personal interests and everyday lives of members of the Rothschild family, and include scrapbooks, newspaper cuttings, family pedigrees, family correspondence, diaries, material relating to marriages and deaths. This accession includes papers of Leopold de Rothschild concerning horseracing, including the famous Derby victory of St Amant in 1904. The collection includes correspondence of Nathaniel, 1st Lord Rothschild with his family, letters from Louise, Lady de Rothschild to her daughters, and letters received by Marie, Mrs Leopold de Rothschild from her relatives and notable figures of the day, correspondence received by Leopold de Rothschild and copies of the of the commemorative wedding album for the marriage of Leopold and Marie, 1881. The collection also includes sundry photographs relating to the Royal Mint Refinery.

List available

The Ascott Collection III, 1867-1939

000/2019, 44 boxes

A collection of documents, volumes, photographs and artefacts from the muniment room, Ascott House. The family papers in this accession relate primarily to:

• Lionel de Rothschild (1808-1879)
• Charlotte, Baroness Lionel de Rothschild (née von Rothschild) (1819-1884)
• Leopold de Rothschild (1845-1917) and Marie, Mrs Leopold de Rothschild (née Perugia) (1862-1937) and their children
• the Schey von Koromla, Landauer, Perugia and Sassoon families.

The papers reflect the personal interests and everyday lives of members of the Rothschild family, and include scrapbooks, newspaper cuttings, family pedigrees, family correspondence, diaries, material relating to marriages and deaths. The collection includes a number of papers relating to Leopold de Rothschild (1845-1917), including a large volume (000/2019/2/1), Stray Leaves from my Journey of photographs and other images collected by Leopold de Rothschild on his travels in 1867, material relating to the wedding of Leopold and Marie in 1881 and a collection of 'Royal' memorabilia of Leopold and Marie. The collection includes a few inventories relating to the Ascott esate and a framed menu from Mentmore Towers, recording the 1900 'New Year' dinner held there. 000/2019/43/1 is  ‘Souvenir’ album from Tulchan Lodge, the Scottish retreat of the Sassoon family.

List available

The Ascott Collection IV, 1825-1996

000/2628, 106 boxes, 1 tin trunk

A collection of documents, volumes, photographs and artefacts from the muniment room, Ascott House. The collection includes papers relating to:

• Charlotte, Baroness Lionel de Rothschild (née von Rothschild) (1819-1884)
• Leopold de Rothschild (1845-1917) and Marie, Mrs Leopold de Rothschild (née Perugia) (1862-1937) and their children

The collection includes a small amount of material relating to the Ascott estate, including original photographs of the property by Bedford Lemere. The collection includes papers of Anthony de Rothschild relating to his Chairmanship of the Central British Fund. 

The Ascott Collection, sundry books from the Muniment Room at Ascott House, 1787-1899

000/2167/1-6, 6 volumes

Six books gifted to the Archive by Sir Evelyn de Rothschild. It is presumed that these volumes were in the collection of Leopold de Rothschild (1845-1917) and the family at Ascott; all but one of the volumes bears an Ascott bookplate, indicating that they were originally in the Library at Ascott House. 

• Ein Roman, J.W. von Goethe, (Frankfurt, 1810). Name on verso is 'Mrs N.M. de Rothschild'; 
• Clavigo, J.W. von Goethe, (Frankfurt, 1787).  Name on verso is 'Mrs N.M. de Rothschild'; 
• Lettre sur l'amitié entre les femmes, Mme de Maussion, c.1825. Name on title page 'Madlle de Rothschild', lettered in gilt at foot of spine 'NR';  
• Briefe, Clementine von Rothschild, 1867; 
• Histoire de la poste aux lettres, Arthur de Rothschild, 1873; 
• Prayers and Meditations for every situation and occasion of life, translated and adapted from the French by Hester Rothschild, 1895. Inscription on flyleaf: 'To Master Evelyn Achille de Rothschild with best wishes for many very happy returns of the day. From your father's little friend Willie Tebbitt, January 1899'. (Note 'Hester Rothschild' was not related to the Rothschild family of Frankfurt).

The Ascott Collection, sundry music from the Muniment Room at Ascott House, c.1850-1900

000/2253 , 4 boxes

A small collection of sundry musical scores and other pieces, from Ascott House. The collection was in the possession of Marie, Mrs Leopold de Rothschild (née Perugia) (1862-1937) and is believed to include pieces played by Marie and her children.

• a collection of published pieces of music for children;
• a collection of published sonatas and pieces for piano by Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert;
• a collection of piano etudes in leather binding, embossed in gold 'M de R'; 
• The Ancient Melodies of the Liturgy of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews, 1857;
• Carillon Valse par Georges Palicot, signed to 'Madame L de Rothschild' by the composer;
• Universal Lord, who the Sceptre Sway'd', an Anthem composed as 'a token of respect to the Hon. Walter Rothschild on his 21st birthday, Feb 1889';
• Messengers of Hope by William A Morris in blue velour binding;
• Songs without Words by Mendelssohn.

Note: a copy of the musical score Twilight for pianoforte composed by George Liebling, published in 1901,  inscribed 'To Madame Leopold de Rothschild’ will be found in 000/2254.

The Ascott Collection, Rothschild family photographs from the Muniment Room at Ascott House, c.1860-c.1970

000/360, 000/2509, 6 boxes, 1 folder

A collection of Rothschild family photographs from Ascott House. The collection includes studio portraits, official photographs and informal photographs. The  photographs are largely of Leopold de Rothschild (1845-1917) and Marie, Mrs Leopold de Rothschild (née Perugia) (1862-1937) and their children. The collection includes a small number of photographs of other members of the Rothschild (and related) family, including:

• Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1818-1874)
• Ferdinand de Rothschild (1839-1898)
• Nathaniel, 1st Lord Rothschild (1840-1915)
• Emma, Lady Rothschild (née von Rothschild) (1844-1935)
• Charlotte (Evelina), Mrs Clive Behrens (née Rothschild) (1873-1947)
• Miriam Rothschild (1908-2005)
• Victor, 3rd Lord Rothschild (1910-1990)
• Cyril Flower, Lord Battersea (1843-1907)
• members of the Sassoon family
• members of the family of the Earls of Rosebery
• Rothschild family events such as house parties, some with members of the Royal family

The Devonshire House Ball, 1897

A number of photographs in 000/360 depict members of the family in costume for the famous Devonshire House Ball of 1897; modern reproductions on art paper of photographs from the collections of The National Portrait Gallery of members of the English Rothschild family in costume for the Devonshire House Ball, 1897, will be found in 000/2590. The Devonshire House Ball was an elaborate fancy dress ball hosted by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, held on 2 July 1897 at Devonshire House in Piccadilly to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. Due to the many prominent royals, aristocrats, and society figures who attended as well as the overall lavishness of the ball, it was considered the event of the 1897 London Season. While the Queen herself did not attend, almost all of the British royal family attended the ball and nearly every other European royal family was represented. The Duke of Devonshire invited the photographic firm of James Lafayette, along with other photographers such as John Thomson to set up impromptu studios in the garden behind the house to photograph the guests in costume during the Ball. The Times reported "... it would, however, be impossible ,to name a tithe of the interesting and successful dresses, whether of men or women; let it suffice to say that the 'Courts' were one al all triumphant displays, while such dresses as those of Lady Rothschild. after Holbein's Lady Vaux, or Messrs. Ferdinand and Alfred Rothschild, as an Austrian and French noble of the 16th Century, were of extraordinary truth and beauty." In 1899, the studio of Walker & Boutall published many of the photographs.

• 0002590/1 Leopold de Rothschild (1845-1917) as Duc de Sully, by John Thomson; photogravure by Walker & Boutall (NPG ref: NPG Ax41120)
• 000/2590/2 Alfred de Rothschild (1842-1918) as King Henry III, by John Thomson; photogravure by Walker & Boutall (NPG ref: NPG Ax41237)
• 000/2590/3 Marie de Rothschild (née Perugia) (1862-1937) as Zobeida by Alice Hughes; photogravure by Walker & Boutall (NPG ref: NPG Ax41119)
• 000/2509/4 Evelyn Achille de Rothschild (1886-1917) as a page to the Doge's Wife by Alice Hughes, photogravure by Walker & Boutall (NPG ref: NPG Ax41174) 
• 000/2509/5 Anthony Gustav de Rothschild (1887-1961) as a page to the Doge's Wife by Alice Hughes, photogravure by Walker & Boutall (NPG ref: NPG Ax41175)
• 000/2509/6 Emma, Lady Rothschild (1844-1935) as Lady Vaux (after Holbein) by Henry Van der Weyde, photogravure by Walker & Boutall (NPG ref:  NPG Ax41192)
• 000/2509/7 Ferdinand James Anselm de Rothschild, Baron de Rothschild (1839-1898) as Casimir Count Palatine by Lafayette, photogravure by Walker & Boutall (NPG ref:NPG Ax41231)
• 000/2509/8 Cyril Flower, 1st Baron Battersea (1843-1907)  as Lord Hunsdon in the Elizabethan Procession by Elliott & Fry, photogravure by Walker & Boutall (NPG ref: NPG Ax41073)