Victorian era love letters published online for Valentine’s Day | UK News
Several Victorian love letters written by the parents of a former prime minister are being posted online on Valentine’s Day.
The letters were written in 1843 by James Maitland Balfour, then MP for Haddington in East Lothian, and his future bride, Lady Blanche Cecil, daughter of the Marquess of Salisbury.
Their eldest son, Arthur Balfour, would become prime minister from 1902 to 1905.
The letters were among the papers purchased by National Records for the national archives last year Scotland (NRS).
Archivist Veronica Schreuder said: “History has recorded the union of these two influential families, but these private letters show us a young couple in love, wishing they would get along. with each other’s families. Today we put the excerpts online so that everyone in the know can read them for themselves.”
A letter dated July 15, 1843 – a month before the couple’s wedding.
Mr. Balfour proposed and she accepted, which sparked a flurry of excited letters among family members. There were congratulations from his parents, brother-in-law and even her 9-year-old brother.
Mr. Balfour wrote: “My dearest Lady Blanche, I cannot leave town without the opportunity to see you again for many months without doing what makes me either the happiest or the most miserable of all the people. man.
“Miss Blanche, I love you dearly and how happy I would be if I could only hope that love was reciprocated.”
Mr Balfour also said of his family’s excitement: “I’m sure you’ll be delighted to see how excited they are at the thought of having a sister and how much they look forward to knowing and liking you. “
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Ms Schreuder said: “In a sense their story was a sad one as James Balfour died just 13 years later at the age of 36 from tuberculosis. [tuberculosis] but it was also a successful marriage.
“They had eight children: three daughters and five sons, all of whom would lead influential lives. Their eldest son, Arthur, followed in his uncle’s footsteps to become prime minister in 1902. “
The couple were married at Lady Blanche’s family home, Hatfield House, in Hertfordshire, aged 23 and 18.
The Duke of Wellington, then leader of the House of Lords, was among the guests and he let them use the property on his estate for their honeymoon.
The couple went on to have a family home in Whittingehame, East Lothian, and an estate at Strathconon in the Highlands.