| Admin History | William John Cavendish Bentinck-Scott, 5th Duke of Portland (1800-1879), lived at Welbeck Abbey, Nottinghamshire. Although he was Member of Parliament for King's Lynn from 1824-1826 he took no active part in politics, allowing three years to pass between his succession to the dukedom and first taking his seat in the House of Lords. The Duke had his London residence at Harcourt House, Cavendish Square, but he also bought the lease of 13 Hyde Park Gardens in 1855 and occupied 11 Hyde Park Gardens from 1855 to 1860. The Hyde Park Gardens properties were part of the Bishop of London's Paddington estate, developed for housing from the 1830s. The Duke appears to have purchased 13 Hyde Park Gardens for the storage of surplus family furniture and there is no record of habitation besides that of a housekeeper prior to its sale by the 6th Duke in 1890.
Nothing is known of William Pierce, the builder with whom the Duke corresponded in these letters and who was responsible for the renovation of 13 Hyde Park Gardens. |
| Custodial History | The collection was acquired by The University of Nottingham's Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections through the generosity of the Friends of the National Libraries in June 1988. |