The Battersea Papers
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Sundry priavte family papers of Constance, Lady Battersea (née de Rothschild) (1843-1931), and a small collection of executor's papers relating to the estate of Cyril Flower, Lord Battersea (1843-1907).
'Connie' de Rothschild spent her earliest years in Paris with her family. In 1847, she moved back to London where she had been born on 29 April 1843, the daughter of Sir Anthony and Lady Louise de Rothschild. She enjoyed a thorough education, including drawing lessons, which was enlivened by sessions of whist with her father. As a girl, Connie became involved with educational issues at the Jews' Free School and around the family estate of Aston Clinton. After her marriage to Cyril Flower, Lord Battersea in 1877, Constance combined a lavish social life with charitable activities, particularly those concerning Anglo-Jewish women, and women's social issues.
Papers of Lord and Lady Battersea
Very few private papers of Lord and Lady Battersea survive. It is not known what happened to the majority of private papers of Lord and Lady Battersea following their deaths. Lady Battersea would have inherited her husband’s papers after his death in 1907; it is likely that Lady Battersea destroyed her husband’s papers. In 1924, she wrote to her sister, "I am making a holocaust of my correspondence. I have found some queer old things amongst them, very precious best in the flames like Gods in the Valkyrie.” Lady Battersea left a quantity of her journals, diaries and correspondence to Lucy Cohen (1861-1951), one of her executors. (Lucy Cohen was the grand-daughter of Benjamin Barent Cohen (1789-1867), brother of Hannah Barent Cohen (1783-1850), Mrs Nathan Mayer Rothschild). Lady Battersea's apers inclduded family correspondence and papers of her mother, her sister and her husband.
In her preface to Lady de Rothschild and her daughters (John Murray, London, 1935) Lucy Cohen wrote of Lady Battersea 'She left me her papers, thinking that some of them were worth publishing…' but this is believed to refer only to Lady Battersea’s journals, diaries and some correspondence, not the papers of the late Lord Battersea. It is believed that Lucy Cohen also destroyed a quantity of the papers that were in her charge, although she did make transcripts of Lady Battersea's journals and diaries in preparation for her book Lady de Rothschild and her daughters.
Lucy Cohen did not marry. Her nephew, James Arthur Waley Cohen (1898-1962), is believed to have been gifted her papers, including material that she herself had inherited from Lady Battersea. James Arthur Waley Cohen subsequently deposited some original manuscript material (including Lady Battersea's journals and diaries) with the British Library in 1953. A further cache of papers (including the transcripts of the journals and diaries made by Lucy Cohen in preparation for her book Lady de Rothschild and her daughters), he gifted to N M Rothschild & Sons in June 1956; these can now be found in accession 000/297.
For copies of publications by Constance, see English family papers: Constance, Lady Battersea (née de Rothschild) (1843-1931)
Access to some of these collections is restricted at the request of the donors and depositors. All papers later than 1945 are currently closed to researchers; for further information please contact The Rothschild Archive »
The Battersea Papers, private papers of Constance, Lady Battersea, sundry newspaper cuttings, 1870-1928
000/297/2, 1 folder
Folder of sundry newspaper cuttings, including Reviews of ‘History and Literature of the Israelites’ from sundry newspapers, pasted into a small notebook by Constance and Annie de Rothschild, 1870-1871; Press reports of the Death and will of Cyril Flower, Lord Battersea (1843-1907), 1907-1908; Obituary of Blanche, Lady Lindsay, from The Spectator, 1912; press cuttings concerning the sale of Gunnersbury of Park and the opening of the ‘Annie Yorke Room’ at Southampton Temperance Institute, 1925-1928.
The Battersea Papers, private papers of Constance, Lady Battersea, sundry papers and correspondence, 1849-1919
000/297/3, 1 folder
Sundry correspondence and papers of Constance, Lady Battersea (née de Rothschild) (1943-1931). The paeprs include Phrenological reports for Constance, her sister Annie, and their mother, Louise, Lady Anthony de Rothschild, 1849; draft manuscript for The Jewish Guardian by Constance, Lady Battersea regarding her father Sir Anthony Nathan de Rothschild for the Jubilee of the United Synagogue, 1920; su nxdry correspondemnce of Lady Battersea concerning philanthropy; letter to Constance from Signora Gahmberti, her singing teacher and travelling companion in Italy, [1860]; and sundry correspondence received by Comstance from Frederick W H Myers, John Morley, A J Mundella, Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, George Russell; and sundry correspondence of Constance with her husband, sister and parents.
The Battersea Papers, private papers of Constance, Lady Battersea, sundry correspondence and papers of Cyril Flower, Lord Battersea, 1865-1909
000/297/6, 1 folder
Sundry correspondence and papers of Cyril Flower, Lord Battersea (1843-1907). Te papers include letters to his wife Constance, his mother-in-law Louise, Lady Anthony de Rothschild and his sister-in-law Annie, Mrs Eliot Yorke; an undated analysis of handwriting; sundry correspondence (on minor matters); papers relating to his memorial service and a sale catalogue of Sporting Prints and Engravings of the late Lord Battersea, Christies, 29 March 1909.
The Battersea Papers, private papers of Constance, Lady Battersea, sundry correspondence of Sir Anthony and Lady Louise, 1839-1890
000/297/8-9, 2 folders
Sundry correspondence of Sir Anthony (1810-1876) and Louise, Lady Anthony de Rothschild (née Montefiore) (1821-1910), parents of Constance, Lady Battersea. The correspondence includes letters from Lady Louise to her husband, 1839-1840; letters to her daughter Constance, a letter to her son-in-law, Cyril Flower, Lord Battersea, where she mentions the ‘horrible Whitechapel murders’; letters to her daughter Annie, Mrs Eliot Yorke, 1869-c.1890; letters to her sister-in-law, Charlotte, Baroness Lionel de Rothschild (1819-1884) and letters to other Rothschild family members. Correspondence of Sir Anthony de Rothschild includes letters to his future wife Louise, were sent prior to their marriage in 1840, and later letters to his wife, 1869-1874.
The Battersea Papers, private papers of Constance, Lady Battersea, sundry correspondence of Annie and Eliot Yorke, 1855-1918
000/297/4-5, 2 folders
Sundry correspondence and papers Annie, Mrs Eliot Yorke (née de Rothschild) (1844-1926) and the Hon. Eliot Yorke (1843-1878). The correspondence includes letters from Annie to her mother Louis, her husband the Hon. Eliot Yorke, her sister, Constance, her brother-in-law Cyril Flower, Lord Battersea, together with papers relati ng to the date of Annie and her memorial service, The papers include a small amount of correspondence from the Hon. Eliot Yorke to his family, and papers relating his will and resting place.
The Battersea Papers, private papers of Constance, Lady Battersea, sundry correspondence with Adèle, Baroness Salomon de Rothschild, 1857-1859; 1868; 1920
000/136/3, 1 folder
Sundry correspondence of Adèle, Baroness Salomon de Rothschild (née von Rothschild) (1843-1922) with her cousin Constance, Lady Battersea (née de Rothschild) (1843-1931). The letters dated 1857 are mostly sent from the Villa Günthersburg, Frankfurt.
The Battersea Papers, private papers of Constance, Lady Battersea, sundry correspondence with the Earl of Rosebery, 1894-1929
000/297/7, 1 folder
Sundry correspondence of Archibald Primrose, Earl of Rosebery (1847-1929) with Constance, Lady Battersea and her mother Louise, Lady Anthony de Rothschild. On 20 March 1878 the Earl of Rosebery married Constance's cousin Hannah(1851-1890), the only child and heiress of Baron Mayer de Rothschild.
The Battersea Papers, private papers of Constance, Lady Battersea, Volume, 'Journal of Lady de Rothschild', 1837-1910 [1932]
000/297/11, 1 volume
Bound volume entitled Journal of Lady de Rothschild, containing typescripts of selected extracts from the journals of Louise, Lady Anthony de Rothschild (née Montefiore) (1821-1910). The extracts have been selected by Miss Lucy Cohen from the papers of Constance, Lady Battersea (née de Rothschild) (1843-1931). Contains typescript diary entries covering the period 1837-1910. Also included with this journal are two photocopied volumes of other typescripts by Lucy Cohen of the Journals of Lady de Rothschild, held by the Hartley Library, University of Southampton (ref MS97). These volumes are almost identical to the volume 000/297/11, with the only differences in the layout of the typescript and pagination].
[Note: the original journals are those deposited with the British Library.
The Battersea Papers, private papers of Constance, Lady Battersea, Volume, 'Family Letters', 1834-1889 [1932]
000/297/12, 1 volume
Bound volume Family Letters 1834-1889. Presumed to have been selected by Lucy Cohen from the papers of Constance, Lady Battersea (née de Rothschild) (1843-1931), the volume contains typescripts of letters, compiled c.1932. There is an index in the front of the volume giving the names of the correspondent and a brief note of the subject matter of each letter. Correspondents include Joseph Montefiore, Nathaniel Montefiore, Sir Anthony and Louise, Lady de Rothschild, Mrs Abraham Montefiore, Rozsika, Mrs Charles Rothschild, Mrs Horatio Montefiore, Charlotte, Baroness Lionel de Rothschild, Hannah, Baroness Nathan Mayer Rothschild, Julie de Rothschild, Alice von Rothschild.
The Battersea Papers, private papers of Constance, Lady Battersea, Volumes, 'Letters from Notable People' and 'Key to Autograph Letters', 1859-1929 [1932]
000/297/13 and 000/297/14, 2 volumes
Bound volume entitled Letters from Notable People. Presumed to have been selected by Lucy Cohen from the papers of Constance, Lady Battersea (née de Rothschild) (1843-1931), the volume contains typescripts of letters 1859-1929. Indexed. Date of compilation c.1932.
Bound volume entitled Key to the autograph letters. Presumed to have been selected by Lucy Cohen from the papers of Constance, Lady Battersea (née de Rothschild) (1843-1931), the volume contains typescripts of letters 1859-1927. These letters are in the main, identical to those in the volume above Letters from Notable People. Date of compilation c.1932. There is an index to correspondents in the front of the volume.
The Battersea Papers, private papers of Constance, Lady Battersea, Volumes, 'Extracts from the Journal of Lady Battersea', 1837-1910 [1932]
000/297/15, 2 volume, 1 folder
Two bound volumes entitled Extracts from the Journal of Lady Battersea I, and Extracts from the Journal of Lady Battersea II comprising two volumes containing selected typescripts of extracts from the journal of Constance, Lady Battersea covering the period 1858-1926. Presumed to have been selected by Lucy Cohen from the papers of Constance, Lady Battersea (née de Rothschild) (1843-1931). Loose is a folder of typescript extracts from the diary and daily calendar of Constance, Lady Battersea (née de Rothschild) (1843-1931) for 1865, 1925, 1926, and 1927, compiled by Lucy Cohen. c.1932.
[Note: the original journals are those deposited with the British Library].
The Battersea Papers, private papers of Cyril Flower, Lord Battersea, executors’ and estate papers, 1863-1907
000/106, 000/1133/4, 1 box
Cyril Flower married Constance de Rothschild (1843-1931) in 1877. MP for Brecon, and then Luton, in 1892, he was created Lord Battersea, taking his title from the area of London where he (and earlier his father) had developed property. He was later offered the post of Governor of New South Wales, which he declined. The couple had no children. The small collection of paers from the New Court vault includes Executors’ and other legal papers of Cyril Flower, Lord Battersea (1843-1907), including accounts, correspondence, share certificates, and legal papers, and papers relating to his father's estate. 000/1133/4 is an unused copy of the bookplate of Lord Battersea.
The Battersea Papers, papers of the trustees of the Overstrand estate (Lord and Lady Battersea), 1907-1962
000/104, 1 box
Executors' and other papers relating to the estates of Lord and Lady Battersea (Cyril Flower (1843-1907) and Constance (née de Rothschild) (1843-1931)). In 1888, Lord and Lady Battersea bought land at Overstrand, Cromer, where Lutyens built for them a large rambling house called 'The Pleasaunce'. Lord Battersea died in 1907; Constance died at 'The Pleasaunce' on 22 November 1931, the anniversary of her marriage. Further papers relating to the estate of Lady Battersea, including sale catalogues and lists of bequests will be found in the Deceased Accounts XI/28 series of files of the London banking house.
Lord and Lady Battersea, secondary sources, 'The Harmsworth London Magazine', 1901
000/2587, 1 item
Article 'Lord Battersea at Home. An Interview with a Famous Liberal Whip' by W.J. Wintle, The Harmsworth London Magazine, 1901. The article is illustrated with images of Lord and Lady Battersea, their home at Surrey House, London and the Pleasaunce, Overstrand.