Showing 44 results

Archival description
GB 3452 SF · Fonds · 1700-1800

Correspondence, mostly from Grace Campbell to her husband, Lord Stonefield, but with occasional other correspondents, concerning family life and domestic arrangements and providing an insight into the life of an 18th century aristocratic lady.

Campbell, Grace (1722-1783) née Stewart, Lady, wife of John Campbell, Lord Stonefield, daughter of James, 2nd Earl of Bute
GB 3452 SF-01-40 · Item · 01/071776
Part of Campbell of Stonefield Papers

Edinburgh
My Lord
I have the honour of your Graces of the 27th Ult and blame myself exceedingly for expressing my meaning in terms that conveyed a sense greatly beyond what I intended. At Lady Graces Request I applied to your Grace for a Commission to my Son Colin in a Regiment at home, and was quite satisfied, as I always am with your Graces return; in my last I mentioned the impropriety of confining him to a Regiment at home, and wrote that I wished he had a Commission anywhere in opposition to it; not that I was impatient to have the Commission or that I intended to press your Grace to it: I have reason to be thankfull [sic] I have no occasion; your Grace Sometimes are so good as to anticipate my wishes and you are always more condescending to me than I have reason to expect: The young man is indeed very impatient to get into the Service, that is natural to young people, and not to be minded
I am extremely sorry that my letter should have conveyed any such Idea and I hope your Grace will have the Goodness to excuse this mistake. I have the Honour to be with the Greatest Respect and Highest Esteem

My Lord

Your Graces much oblidged [sic] and most Faithfull Humble Servant
Jo Campbell
Edinburgh 1 July
1776

John Campbell, Lord Stonefield
GB 3452 SF-01-42 · Item · 22/07/1776
Part of Campbell of Stonefield Papers

My Lord

Fridays post brought your Graces of the 15th. I must have expressed myself very improperly in my former Letters, to have given your Grace so much trouble in writing about this Commission to my son Colin. Accept of my most thankfull [sic] acknowledgements for your Great Goodness to me in this matter. Nothing would have made me prefer a Regiment at home for him to one abroad but his mothers great aversion to his serving in America as this prejudice seems to be apparently so much to his hurt I have long ago got over it; and I hope Lady Grace will soon do so too.
With Greatest Respect and Highest Esteem I have the Honour to be
My Lord
Your Graces much oblidged [sic] and Most Faithfull Humble Servant
Jo Campbell
Edinburgh 22 July

John Campbell, Lord Stonefield
GB 3452 SF-01-03 · Item
Part of Campbell of Stonefield Papers

To
The Right Honble [sic]
The Lady Grace Campbell
At her House in the
Cowgate oppiset [sic] to the fish
Market Close
Edr [Ednburgh]

My Dearest Sister
tho’ nothing has occurred worth your perusal, since I wrote last, yet cou’d withstand, so good an opportunity sending you a few lines, fraught wt my best wishes to you & yours; I am glad you agree wt moving about, since I am persuaded ’twill do you good, & make you less unwieldy, as you increase in bulk; so Mrs Campbells arrived, & how fares it wt her, honest woman, does she patrolle [sic] about the streets, by way of wholesome exercise; tis certainly as good as the Dean’s runing [sic] up and down stairs, of a rainy day; well I long to hear what Milton says of the Duke’s motions, if he chuses to be communicative; my Lord, & Jack, left this Sunday, to look after his harvest, but preposed [sic] being back this week, & if Dumbarneys ready in some measure, to receive me, I shall go up again wt him; & where have I been to day, think you, at Leven, to gather shells, I’m not fee you see, but a most fruitless expedition ’twas, never did I see such barren sands; extensive but bare of any beautiful productions, Conscience Jenny &c: is now at London, wt her shining greasy Spouse so we cou’d not see her; but to make amends for this days disappointment, shall beat up the shelly beds at St: Andrews soon, where I hope to be more successful; do you know my Dr Lady Mary’s marriage wt young Greeme, is confidently talk’d here, & one of these days, he’s expected in his Country, so probably will soon come out if true; all you heard about her conversation wt Lady [?] was fact, who knows not, what to think; I believe I wrote you, miss weer, was here really a fine smart like Girl; did the little wife call at you, wt: the diaper, since I saw you, has Dr little Jenny said Mama again, My Love attends them but shall write Dr Jane for so soon as I have a spare moment, & am vastly indebted to her, kind anxiety about me; in consequence of her last letter, am to see his Grace, before his departure, in any event; now my Dearest, if you’d oblidge me, write a nice card, to the Ladies of Tweedale, who excell so much in breeding canary’s at least, & beg the favour of them to give me a she Canary, which I’ll take, as a singular favour, & will send a purpose for it, if they consent, now forget not this, as you love me, & I persuade my self, they will not refuse, when you show’d them off at plays, & all that:
must now wind up all, wt kind Complements [sic] to our friends, from me & mine, & all here; & best wishes to you, whos most Affect’d is AR [Lady Anne Ruthven]

Struthers
tuesday night.

Campbell, Grace (1722-1783) née Stewart, Lady, wife of John Campbell, Lord Stonefield, daughter of James, 2nd Earl of Bute
GB 3452 SF-01-39 · Item · 1755
Part of Campbell of Stonefield Papers

To Mr John Campbell
Sheriff Depute
Forfarshire
At Forfar

My Dearest Jewel this is wrote just after my coming from being a spectator of the Masons procession; ev’ry body in Town was at the windows of any fashion; & all the rest upon the street. I never saw such a Multitude; I walk’d in to yr Lodging, & from thence took a Chair to Mrs Campbell aughline who askd me to her House to see the ceremony, Mr & Mrs Campbell B[?] was there &c; they marchd in vast form, George Fraser had the whole direction of it. I had a salute from Lady [?] who was in a window fronting the cross; all with me thank God are very well, & all of them by turns speak [document damaged] Papa; Missie & archie often ask when Papa [document damaged] Forfa [sic] as they call it ; write me my dearest [document damaged] have been all this time & don’t be disingenuous [document damaged] are from my most beloved moitié yrs a [document damaged]
Thursday
I was invited out to drink the Duke of Buchlues [sic] health at Caroline Park, but Sent my apology not having any Body that would leave Town to day to go in the Chaise, & I thought the folks without a Sharer was too much for me adieu My Dearest Life.

Lady Grace Campbell
GB 3452 SF-01-36 · Item · 1755
Part of Campbell of Stonefield Papers

My Dearest Life

I would have wrote by last post but being a little scrimpd in Time I put it off; thinking you could support without it, the day after you left this was so bad, I was afraid youd have got yr death ridding [sic] in it; but am glad to hear you was in the close Chaise. all here are doing very well Archie continues in a good way. there is a letter to day from Miss Betty both My Lord & Lady have been ill & is not right yet, the first has been confined to his room I believe his Bed with a stick, & the other of a slow fever My Lord sat up one whole night with her & yr sister the other, I’m afraid of the worst for her; & their son is so weekly [sic] he does not rest on his feet so well as a Child of four months old, his teeth keeps him so very low I wonder they should propose ennoculating [sic] him, but yr sister says they dont think so ill of him as she does. Mrs Cunningham and yr Sister both came & missed me for the moment you was gone I went to Town & chose yr cloth & two or three other things I wanted, & in the afternoon of the same day went & saw Mrs Fullerton who seemed pleased at the visit: they went the next morning; as to the news papers, you cant have the postmaster to frank them Mr Stewart says unless you got them from him so that I must get some franks before I’ll send you them, for I fancy youll not chose to pay postage for them I shall apply to MacMillan for this favour.
I dare say your being so lonely at Forfar will be agreeable as you seem always to chuse retirement when at Home. yr sister Jenny regretted much she did not see you was Miss Cunninghams fault. I am vastly happy in her Company she is the best Companion that I ever now a days [sic] meet with, & a friendly good Girl I should like her vastly, tho’ we had no sort of connection; I hope [document damaged] must stay till the weather mends [document damaged] Now than was all winter, Archie wants a new fiddle from Forfar & has given the other to Jack, yr Sisters compts [compliments] attend you, & I remain my Dearest yours for ever, quoi que vous ne m’aime plus. adieu. G Campbell.
29th.
Miss Bettys acct: [account] must be paid to Mrs Seton so I beg My dr youll send me an order on the Bank forthwith.

Lady Grace Campbell
GB 3452 SF-01-35 · Item · 1755 April 28
Part of Campbell of Stonefield Papers

To John Campbell Esq
Sheriff Depute of Forfar
At Perth

April 28

As the boy is not returned from the post House, I cant my dearest answer yours if you have wrote, but I thought you might be anxious to hear of the Children, so I write without having almost any thing more to say but that they are all very well; archie is now blessd be God in a confirmed good way, & does not appear better & worse as he used to do, & such a Romp with such a flow of spirit I never saw. Ld [Lord] Strichen & Ld [?] were here tother day at tea but Jack and him were so noisy we were forced in an obliging manner to dismiss them to the Nursery. I have just now my Dearest received yrs & yr Sister one from Miss Betty she says Lady Banff recovers slowly & only sits up an hour in the day My D is quite well again but they have quite given over thoughts of the south she writes for this year poor young Mrs Campbell of Saddle [sic] is dead. I have been a great visitor since you saw you [sic] & to day am going to Lady Braedalbanes [sic] last Rout. Jamies Nurses Child is dead, she bears it very well considering she is a very affectionate Lady: Mr Colin has been in Town I saw him twice for a start but that was all tho I proposd him much to dine with us. Archie bids me to say he wants a better fiddle stick from Forfar; they are all vastly diverting at present being in great good health & I am my Dearest Moitié ever yrs
Grace Campbell
My Sister sends her best Compts [compliments] we have a vast fall of snow here I believe she longs much to be away but till the season changes greatly the children cannot move.

[Contains a note in very childish writing:]

Come home soon Papa & bring me another fiddle stick
Yr little son archie

Campbell, Grace (1722-1783) née Stewart, Lady, wife of John Campbell, Lord Stonefield, daughter of James, 2nd Earl of Bute
GB 3452 SF-01-37 · Item · 1755
Part of Campbell of Stonefield Papers

To John Campbell Esq
Sheriff Depute of Forfarshire
At Forfar

Free
M McMillan

My Dearest Moitié
As this Epistle is begun before I know if the post has brought me a letter from you. I shall proceed without the ordinary introduction of having heard from you etc; and in the first place My Dearest I cant be longer without telling you my uneasiness on account of several dreams I have had concerning you, most of which represented you always as greatly the worse of drink, which I can’t help interpreting literally as Im afraid the way of Life you are in just now will expose you sadly to that pernicious inconvenience; I know that in Perthshire a Stranger cannot escape it; and I’m afraid tis much the same where you are now, so beg my Dear Life you’ll write me if tis so or not for as for my advising you to [?] it that I need not do, as I know yr aversion to it – We have very pleasant weather just now, yesterday was like a day in June, so temptingly fine that it invited me to a walk in the Garden, where I never now think of going without some body comes & forces me into it, Mr Johnstone & I had a sober chat in it for an hour together last Sunday evening, how much lost my Dr would you reckon yr time if past in the same manner, however ’tis been other wise, & if miricles [sic] was not ceased might be again; I was on saturday paying several visits in Town, among others I calld upon Lady Leviston & the young Ladies because twas a place you wanted me to go to, however I had not the good fortune to find any of them at Home; nor indeed any one I calld for, tho’ I made seven visits, so that I should have gone back without coming once out of my Chair if I had not been a little suppersticious [sic] on so uncommon a circumstance & to break the omen went & paid a visit to Mr James Menzies & his Spouse, who I found sitting lovingly together, like the first happy pair; I thought to have congratulated Mrs Campbell augline [sic] that day too, but her being abroad prevented my doing my self that pleasure, he makes her a very fond Husband if it lasts as the saying is, I have over & over again askd Miss Mackeller to come here, but have never seen her yet. Betty Kintire was here to day & I charged her to come & bring her here to dine to morrow which she half promised; Worthly Stewart I’m told is still in Town, & that she has refused the Baron of Buclivie who it seems languish’d so much for her that he is gone to the country quite in low spirits upon her refusal; all the little people are I thank God very well, I call archie Papa’s little picture which is a Name he gives himself very often, & tother day hid himself behind the curtain and askd me where Papa’s little picture was now, he & I are great friends, Peggies being some days away made him take a particular liking to me. I happened to ask him tother day what he would do if I was to die, & he not chusing to answer in ye positive, said – me no laugh if you die Mamma, which I thought showd a very manly spirit in ye youth. Many are the notable sayings I could tell you of him if I had time to recount them all; Dr little Jack too gets the tongue very fast, But Sandy laughs at every Body & keeps his mind to himself. He is doing very well since he lost the breast. I had the favour of a visit last sunday from three of yr acquaintance Mr Johnston, Maxwell, & Dalrymple & Mr Andrew Stewart has been so good as to give the Duchess of Hamilton & Lady Coventry in property, which I think is a great present. I had 15£ offered me for the calf tother day but ev’ry body tells me tis so fine a one, & of so good a kind tis a sin to sell her, so I’m bringing it up, theres a young cow here in Mr Sinclairs park that was calfd at Martinmas & yet is doing vastly well; if I live to go to the country next year she’ll be very useful to me. & yet I’m not sure whether I had not better sell her for all that. this far was wrote before I received yrs Mr Dearest by this days post as you say nothing of yr motions after the 20th I am still doubtful tho I hope you’ll go North as it would not be worth coming over the water for so short a time & I should think my self more solitary afterwards than I do now I am used to it; I had a letter to day from Miss Betty she says they promise themselves a great deal of pleasure on yr arrival, She has some little commissions to go by you but I cant have them ready to send till next weeks Carriers so let me know if they’ll come soon enough to find you at Forfar, for I should not chuse to send them if I was not sure of you carrying them north: I had Miss Mackellar, Betty Kintire & the Eldest Glendaruel dining here to day. Lilly & the young Squire who is now in Town could neither of them come, but the last drank with me, Mr and Mrs Smollet [document damaged] were so good as to see me this afternoon, he is come to conduct her safe to Bonil [Bonhill] whether they go on thursday, the Sherif [sic] is to have the trying of Dick he tells me; all at Levenside were well when he came away & yr Father returnd home I have been amusing my self some times with Madame de Maintenons letters & have transcribed a piece from one of them for your perusal, let me know how you like it, I saw doctor Macfarling [sic] to day his youngest Boy is just gasping his last with [?] the doctor has been here in this neighbourhood twice to day seeing him & gives him quite over for lost. [Damage to document] came a letter to me from one Mr Stewart who wrote [document damage] that you had been applying to get him into the [document damage] you was away beg’d I would use my endeavour [document damage] a vacancy offer’d, to which I answered that I could do nothing as I did not know him, but that I would mention him to you when I wrote upon which he said he would write himself & I bid him send his letter to me which is here enclosed, by is I see you know nothing of his affair tho he pretended he had yr promise of using all your endeavours for him. I have no more to add but the old and true assurance that I am my dearest amiable Moitié yrs unalterably Grace Campbell
Tuesday

Lady Grace Campbell
GB 3452 SF-01-38 · Item · 1755
Part of Campbell of Stonefield Papers

To John Campbell Esq
Sheriff of Forfar - shire
At Forfar

Free
Mr McMillan

Friday night

My Dearest & most amiable Moitié
I was so pinced in time when I wrote the two last short epistles that I have begun this one to night that I may have time to converse a little longer with you my Dearest Life, tho’ perhaps you maynt thank me for intruding so much upon yr leisure; however I must let you know my beloved moitié that I am already counting the days you have been absent & so long the time appears that I can scarce persuade my self you only left me last monday; I am vastly glad my dr Life that you got yr journey made out so easy, if you had not met so soon with the Sheriff I should have grudged very much yr leaving this so suddenly after the Session set you at Liberty to have pass’d some time with me, who I reckon have not has the least enjoyment of yr Company since we left Levenside. Miss Betty cross’d the water on wednesday & by a letter I have had from her I find Lady Dirlton is not yet arrived nor her coming very soon expected, I was very sorry to let Miss Betty go without we had been quite positive that the Chaise was waiting her at Ld [Lord] Balgrays however she was so sure about that I could not prevail on [document damaged] stay & now she is so good as to write me that she requires her [document damaged] stay as she left me alone. Betty Kintire [sic] has leave for a month [document damaged] continuing here after her Cousins leave this, which wont be till [document damaged] & Mrs Young says without her Mama had given her these orders she cant let her stir suppose they were gone, therefore Bess has to write to her Mama for a particular order to come here, before she can have [?], which will take [?] so much time that I hope my Dearest Jewel you will be returnd before all that can happen so that I have no chance of any abiding Person to keep me Company till yr Dr self arrives, and I hope my dearest you contrive it so as to make a month at this time finish all you have to do & then please god we are all well I’ll make the next northern expedition [document damaged] this way of living; we are all very well, Sandy is wean’d & doing very well hitherto; I have been but one day visiting since you left this which was to see Mrs Smollet & on missing her drank tea with Mrs Donaldson. They say here the Duchess of Gordon is surely married to the Laird of Woodney & Lord Justice Clerk to his favourite widdow [sic] but I have not faith enough for either. I leave the following paper in hopes to have a letter to answer by tomorows post but I would first enquire where Miss Mackeller is to be found – I am disappointed of the pleasure I flatterd myself with last night & besides what was in such despair about you my best loved moitié that I hardly slept a wink while in Bed. Ld & Ly Balgony are both angry at you for neither calling on them or sending in as you pass’d. Yr Sister sends you [?] thence her affectionate compts & I remain My Dearest Life yours jusqu’a La Mort. Grace Campbell
I send some franks that I may have my letters free.

Lady Grace Campbell
GB 3452 SF-01-26 · Item · 1754
Part of Campbell of Stonefield Papers

To Mr Campbell

As I thought My Dearest you might be anxious to hear further about the Children I write again by this post to let you know Jack is quite recovered; archie got his Physick yesterday & is very merry and hearty tho indeed his couler [sic] & thiness [sic] makes me uneasy the heat in his hands & foulness of the Tongue is the same as yet; I don’t know what effects the mercury and Rhubarb may have after this; I do nothing hardly but gad about, yesterday I was in Town both Morning & afternoon, the first part of the day seeing my Br, & in the afternoon was at Mrs Campbell Finabs etc: so much more I can do with a companion than without one, for Miss Jenny and I visit together if we miss one place we meet in the next visit I was in hopes to have had My Br here to day to dinner but he has so much bisness he could not come but said he’d come some time to day, or let me know that I might come & see him, he has askd about you often when you are to be here, & how you do, & where you go as all [?] occurrd at different times: he was vastly good and sweet as could be. I hope you are well & am my dearest yrs
Grace Campbell
Tuesday

I believe my dr you need
not look out for a nursery
maid as I think of getting one
I know here.

Campbell, Grace (1722-1783) née Stewart, Lady, wife of John Campbell, Lord Stonefield, daughter of James, 2nd Earl of Bute