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Rothschild family business correspondence
Correspondence between members of the Rothschild family and the various Rothschild houses, is contained in several series. The divisions between the series are not watertight, but as far as possible, the have been described below according to the location of the majority of the senders in the order: Frankfurt, Paris, Vienna and Naples. Non-family correspondence will be found at the end. Letters in a number of languages will be found in virtually all the series, but the predominant languages are noted in the descriptions.
Frankfurt
Correspondence from M. A. von Rothschild & Söhne, 1805-1902 XI/86/0-38, 90 boxes
Some of the few surviving letters in the hand of Mayer Amschel Rothschild himself can be found here and many of the letters include statements of drafts and remittances.
The earliest letters concern shipments of textiles, indigo and gold, in addition to drafts and remittances, and they include invoices for consignments of gold. There are a number of references to trading conditions during the period of the Napoleonic war. There are a small number of duplicates of letters from Bederus von Carlhausen to Notten & Co. within the series. As the series progresses, it contains much more routine material.
German, English, Judendeutsch, French
M. A. von Rothschild & Söhne, private letters, 1837-1849; 1865-1866; January -May 1886 XI/105/0-11, 6 boxes
This series contains letters from the Frankfurt partners as well as from members of the family temporarily stationed in the city. The letters are primarily in Judendeutsch until 1844. There is no correspondence in the series for 1841 and 1847-1848, but similar letters can be found in XI/87 and XI/109, from which this series may have been compiled by an unknown hand.
Judendeutsch, German, English
Correspondence from Willy Carl and Mayer Carl von Rothschild, 1847-1864 XI/82/8, 1 file
Correspondence from the sons of Carl von Rothschild, who took over the management of the Frankfurt business after the death of their uncle Amschel. Willy Carl's letters deal with some English stocks belonging to his wife, Mathilde in 1850, his "little" private account and other private routine business matters. Amongst the letters from Mayer Carl are some discussing the family business after the death of his father, Carl, in 1855.
German, English
Paris
Business Correspondence from de Rothschild Frères, 1810-1930* XI/85/0-126, 206 boxes
These letters are mostly from Paris, but the earliest correspondence is marked Berlin, Amsterdam, Hamburg and Gothenburg. The letters deal with day-to-day business and give some details of loans and shipment of bullion (especially for Wellington in the early letters). Some pages of accounts, schedules of bills remitted and drafts of dividends are included.
Judendeutsch, German, English, French
Correspondence from de Rothschild Frères, 1837-1914 XI/101/0-103, 31 boxes
This series consists of correspondence from the French Rothschilds in Paris to their cousins in London. The letters concern business and finance, giving detailed reports on new loans, the state of stocks and shares in railways, mines, state loans, and daily news of the Bourse. The international political situation is widely covered, with of course, particular reference to French politics, including various ministerial crises and the Dreyfus affair. There is also some discussion of Jewish affairs with references to pogroms and the oppression of Jews in Eastern Europe. In addition there is some information about the personal affairs of the Rothschild family: references to births, marriages, deaths, illnesses, trips abroad and the entertaining of state figures. These relate to the French and English Rothschilds, and occasionally to members of the family in Germany. Personal interests and pursuits outside banking can be glimpsed in chance references.
These include horse racing (in the latter part of the 19th century there are yearly reports on the French and English Derby), cars, the telephone, hunting and shooting, and, for example, Alphonse’s attendance at a banquet for mayors in his official capacity as president of the Chemin de fer du Nord.
French, Judendeutsch
Correspondence from de Rothschild Frères, 1840 XI/104/0-1, 2 boxes
This series consists of letters mostly from Paris, but also from Frankfurt and the Hague. Although the majority are from the Rothschilds themselves (Anselm, Nat, Anthony and one or two from Charlotte and James), letters from some associates are also found here. They relate especially to business interests, such as railway projects and quicksilver mining as well as the financial markets. There are also references to some personal and political affairs, including Moses Montefiore’s visit to Damascus at the time of the Damascus Affair. One letter from James refers to paintings by Rembrandt and Murillo in which there is family interest. Among those discussed in the letters are Poisat (with whom the Rothschilds operated refining concerns), Palmerston, Montefiore and the Duke of Nemours.
French, English, German
Correspondence from James de Rothschild, 1822 XI/82/4, 1 file
Twenty letters from James in St Petersburg relating to the 1822 Russian Loan. Those from James to NMR are in German, but there are copy letters in English to and from James. Scans available.
German, English
Correspondence from Anthony de Rothschild, 1835-1837 000/184, 1 box
During his apprenticeship in Paris, Anthony wrote to his parents and brothers a series of rather brief letters on the state of the business, particularly giving comments on the stocks and the quicksilver business. Occasionally, there is general comment, such as on the Cristinos/Carlist conflict in Spain.
English
Correspondence from Paris, 1839 XI/103/0, 1 box
The major correspondents in this series are Anselm and Anthony, with some contributions from the ladies of the family, including Betty and Hannah.
English
Correspondence from Paris, 1840 XI/104/0, 1 box
In the year of the Damascus Affair, this event dominates the political aspect of a correspondence that mixes business and family news in equal measure. The correspondents - Anselm, Nat, Anthony, Charlotte, especially - give details of the lifestyle of a family which has reached the height of its influence. A homesick Nat, visiting Paris and his future wife, remarks, "Last night we said the prayers like good and pious Jews, but the singing is far better on the other side of the water and the regularity of emptying ones glass not nearly so great as with us." (18 April 1840).
English
Vienna
Private Correspondence from S. M. von Rothschild, Vienna, 1837-1843 XI/107/1-4; 6, 2 boxes
The series consists of letters, mostly in Judendeutsch, from Salomon in Vienna, although other members of the family are also represented. There are frequent references to the Rothschilds’ agent in Spain, Weisweiller. Some of the correspondence relates to business in Portugal and there is correspondence with the Portuguese Treasury (a few letters from the Treasury are in Portuguese) including letters from Pereira and Joas d’Oliveira. Also in the series are some letters from and concerning the United States, and there are letters relating to Hambro and to the American agent Belmont. The fifth piece of this series, corresponding to the year 1842, is missing.
Judendeutsch, English, French, Portuguese
Correspondence from S. M. von Rothschild in Vienna and Paris, 1802-1930* XI/87/0-43, 66 boxes
This bulky correspondence is concerned with the routine house-to-house business, advising on the opening of credits for individuals and on remittances and drafts etc. Very occasionally private letters from the family have been filed within this series.
German, Judendeutsch, English
Naples
Correspondence from Carl Mayer von Rothschild, 1814-1848 XI/82/1, 1 box
A series of just over one hundred letters from Carl to his brothers. The majority of the letters date from between 1814 and 1818, and the correspondence continues with one or two letters from odd years, concluding with a handful from 1848. Subjects frequently discussed are the Prince of Hesse-Cassel's finances and the family's concern for Jewish civil rights.
Judendeutsch
Correspondence from Adolphe de Rothschild, 1851-1861; 1863-1900XI/83/0-4, 11 boxes
The letters in the first part of this series, 1851-1861, concern Adolophe's account with NMR. From 1863 until around 1866, the correspondence deals with business affairs relating to the Naples firm. Thereafter, the letters are written from Paris, Geneva and other locations and their subject matter is primarily Adolphe's account. All the letters from 1900 relate to Adolphe's estate, many of them being signed by his widow, Julie.
German, English, French
Correspondence from C. M. von Rothschild & figli, 1815; 1817; 1818; 1821-1863XI/84/0-8, 27 boxes
Carl Rothschild's correspondence in this series up to 1821, the year in which he settled in Naples, relates to his activities on behalf of the family firm in the years of Waterloo and immediately after. Much of it is written to Nathan in English, some of this by Rothschild employee John Roworth. After the establishment of the Naples house, the correspondence gradually becomes more impersonal and Carl's own postscripts in Judendeutsch become rarer. Most of the correspondence is in German by the early 1830s.
German, English, Judendeutsch
Other cities
Correspondence from Anselm Salomon von Rothschild, 1830-1859 XI/82/2, 1 box
Over three hundred letters from Anselm to Nathan, mainly from the years 1830-31, written from Berlin. Ninety-six letters cover the period 1832-1859 and are written from several places including Copenhagen, mainly to his English cousins. Some of the letters from the mid-1830s are addressed to the English House.
German, English
Correspondence from Nathan Mayer Rothschild, 1806; 1814-1815 XI/82/7, 1 box
The first group in this series is a handful of letters from Nathan in London in July 1806, addressed to his employees in Manchester, mainly explaining the reasons for his delay in returning to Manchester. The second bundle of material consists of duplicates of accounts between J. C. Herries, Nathan, James and Salomon relating to the purchase of silver bars etc., in 1814 during the operation to supply coin to Wellington with which to pay his troops during their campaign against Napoleon.
Finally, there are over one hundred letters from Nathan in 1814, and occasionally from his employees, Roworth and Hinton, to James and to Meyer Davidson in Amsterdam concerning advices of remittances, bullion shipments and instructions from Herries. The letters from 1815 number around 250, and are addressed to James, Carl and Salomon and Meyer Davidson variously in Hamburg and Amsterdam about purchase and delivery of specie for the British Government to pay troops and subsidies to European allies.
Judendeutsch, English
Correspondence from Lionel and Nathaniel de Rothschild, 1831-1832 XI/82/6, 2 files
Most of the letters from 1831, the smaller portion of the parcel, are from Nathaniel to Nathan, written from Naples and Rome, and dealing mostly with routine business transactions occurring during Nat's apprenticeship with his uncle Carl in Naples.
Lionel's letters to his parents are all from Paris and contain a good deal of political news in addition to the business reports. Letters from both correspondents amount to one hundred in total.
English
Private Correspondence, Sundry, 1814-1903 XI/109/0-136, 142 boxes
In spite of several significant gaps, including the lack of any letters between 1854 and 1860, and a very thin file for the entire period 1819-1825 this series has been judged by researchers as central to an understanding of Rothschilds' business in the nineteenth century. The earliest files, from 1814 to around 1818, consist solely of letters in Judendeutsch from Amschel, Salomon, Carl, James and Anselm, and these continue to dominate the series until 1854. When the series recommences, James is the only surviving brother, but he continues to write in Judendeutsch to his nephews in London. Other major threads within the series are the letters from Nat and Alphonse in Paris, both survivals from the series XI/101 (see description above), Mayer Carl's letters from Frankfurt and Anselm's letters from a number of places. Letters from Weisweiller & Bauer, Madrid agents, are filed within this series for the years 1843-1854, 1861-1867, 1869-1871 and 1873-1876, and substantial quantities of letters from Scharfenberg and Schaumbourg, confidential clerks in the Paris house, may be found. Occasional strays from the named correspondents' series, such as the Davidsons, will also be found here. In the files for the early 1880s, some copy letters from Natty to his French cousins survive, whereas the main series for these letters, XI/130A, exists only for the years 1906 to 1914.
Many other correspondents also feature in the series: family, close friends and business contacts, as well as a number of letters from art dealers, political contacts, and those in search of financial aid from the family.
English, Judendeutsch, French, German
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Major correspondents
Adam, A. & Co., 1837-1845 XI/38/0, 1 box
Bankers and agents to Lloyd's, based in Boulogne. Many of the letters are routine business, requesting NMR to accept letters of credit given to their clients, acknowledging receipts from NMR for payments of the same, and informing them that they have honoured NMR's clients' letters of credit. Some of these letters include specimen signatures. A. Adam & Co. also appear to have been involved in shipping and forwarding. For example, many letters from the latter part of 1837 to 1839 deal with the arrangements necessary for salvaging bottles of quicksilver from a wrecked ship that was travelling from Cadiz to NMR in London. The company also received money and personal effects of the Rothschilds in France, arranging for a permit for Sir Anthony's carriage to leave Boulogne, for the forwarding of a harness for Baron James, and organising the acceptance and forwarding of Cullen with five trunks of 50,000 sovereigns, for instance.
French
Agie, J. & Insinger, A., 1823-1828 XI/38/6, 2 boxes
A company based in Antwerp, formerly called David Parish, Agie & Co. until 1823 when Parish restricted himself to his company in Vienna. The letters show that the firm dealt with routine business, discounting bills of exchange, remitting and handling drafts, providing brokerage for public stock and foreign exchange dealing and supplying stock quotations.
German, English
Ansoategui, Domingo Perez, 1832-1851 XI/38/3-5, 5 boxes
An agent for the Rothschilds responsible for the Sevillian dépôt where the Government sent its deliveries of quicksilver. Ansoategui was based in Cadiz until 1837 when he moved to Seville. The letters relate to these deliveries, and to the arrangement of all other deliveries of quicksilver, to the New World for example, and to payments for them. Ansoategui also arranged deliveries of other goods, such as cigars, oil, olives, oranges, and sent with the quicksilver, wood, wool and cork for freight. The letters also contain some details of local politics and weather conditions, as well as the difficulties of transportation.
Spanish
Auerbach, L., 1896-1930 XI/39/0-20, 19 boxes
A successor to the firm A. Gansl of Amsterdam. The correspondence consists of routine schedules of drafts.
German
Avigdor, l’aîné et fils, 1835-1874 XI/38/9-11, 6 boxes
A correspondent bank in Nice which also acted as insurance bankers for Rothschild clients, and placed orders for quicksilver and appear to have acted as a commission agent, ordering white sugar from Havana and selling it on NMR's behalf.
French
C. de B., 1859-1878 XI/94/0, 1 box
These letters are addressed to Lionel from a Paris-based political informant to NMR who signed himself "C. de B." He has been identified as Alexandre Guyard de Saint-Chéron. See Letters from Paris written by C. de B., a political informant, to the Head of the London House of Rothschild, 1870-1875, Robert Henrey (London, 1942).
Further letters may also be found within the series XI/109.
French
Bansa & Bandeuf, Ulrich, then Bandeuf, J., 1822-1828 XI/38/40, 1 box
A company based in Genoa accepting bills of exchange, trading in goods from the colonies, supplying information on exchange prices. The letters include references to legislation in Northern Italy re grain (money) weight and exchanges. For a continuation of this series, see Pescio below.
English
Baur, J. H. & G. F., 1815-1817; 1819-1820; 1826-1829; 1835-1843 XI/38/42, 2 boxes
Based in Altona, this firm provided regular quotations of exchanges and handled bills on behalf of NMR.
English, German
Beadle, J., 1836-1846 XI/38/43, 1 box
Letters from a Hull firm, accepting and discharging bills. Routine material with little reflecting outside issues.
English
Becker & Fuld, 1853-1871 XI/38/44-51, 15 boxes
This extensive correspondence from Amsterdam is entirely addressed to the house and concerns government stocks, government loan dividends, handling government coupons, sending Stock Exchange reports. There are comments in detail on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange and the purchase of Russian securities, for example.
For the continuation of business in Amsterdam, see Davidson & Goldschmidt.
German
Behrens, L. & Söhne, 1839-1920 XI/61/0-49, 91 boxes
L. Behrens & Söhne handled Rothschild business in Hamburg. This is a series of fairly routine business correspondence recording the buying and selling of a variety of goods for NMR and trading on their account on the Hamburg exchange. Of particular note is the correspondence for 1848, in which there are frequent warnings about the volatility of the political scene and Behrens advise against excessive speculation on the stock exchange, which is very quiet while people await political developments. In 1843, Behrens ask to receive from NMR their exchange rate via telegraph. Behrens believe that they are the only banking house in Hamburg to use the telegraph. German
Behrens, S. L., 1844-1881 XI/60/0-3, 8 boxes
Letters from S. L. Behrens in Manchester deal mainly with the return of bills left by NMR for acceptance and instructions for the payments of the proceeds. Bills of lading and shipments of cotton are also discussed. A circular in 1881 notes the separation of S. L. Behrens from L. Behrens & Söhne: the firms had been distinct up to this date, but had participated in each others' undertakings.
English
Beyfus Brothers, 1807-1820 XI/38/52, 2 boxes
A series of family correspondence from Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Manchester. Some of the earliest letters in the series, 1807-1816, are addressed to N. M. Rothschild from his brother-in-law Siegmund Leopold Beyfus (married to Babette) and his future brother-in-law, Meyer Beyfus, soon to be married to Julie. A letter in Judendeutsch from Amsterdam in 1807 bemoans the fact that even ships flying the flags of little states are being arrested at the harbour, and English merchandise is badly wanted. The correspondence to the house from the same date is in German, often with lengthy postscripts in Judendeutsch. The acceptance and discharging of drafts and bills (firsts and seconds) is reflected and there are details of many central (i.e. Hamburg and Amsterdam) accepting houses dealing with drafts.
Judendeutsch, German
Bleichröder, S., 1831-1930* XI/64/0-1, 2 boxes, Private Correspondence
XI/63/0-34, 54 boxes, General Correspondence
The Bleichröder correspondence is divided into two distinct series: private business and general business. The private business correspondence dates from 1850 to 1893, and the general from 1831 onwards. The private letters are from Gerson Bleichröder, the Rothschild agent in Berlin. All are written in German with Hebrew used occasionally for names and key terms. The correspondence becomes more substantial from 1865 only. Virtually all the letters were written in Berlin and were addressed personally to Baron James in Paris until his death (1868), after which time they are addressed to the "Baron" in Paris or to the bank generally. Some letters are addressed to Lionel or NMR in London, usually those dealing with specific business matters. A number of letters dated 1879 derive ultimately from the Frankfurt house, having been sent to Bleichröder in copy. They are addressed to Count Levaschoff, the president of a "Russian Mutual Association" in St Petersburg.
Bleichröder wrote virtually on a daily basis, but there are significant gaps in the series for several years, especially for the months November to March when very often there is not one letter. From about 1878 the letters become standardised in content and format, diminishing significantly in quantity from 1883 until 1888 when there are only a handful for the whole year. The correspondence for 1893 includes letters of thanks from Bleichröder’s family for condolences expressed on his death.
There is a good deal of business information in the correspondence, especially loan issues, but also news from the Berlin Stock Exchange and political intelligence. Bleichröder provides a detailed interpretation of Prussian/German politics with a particular emphasis on foreign affairs. In the 1860s he charts developments leading to the wars with Denmark and Austria. In 1870 and 1871 reports on the Franco-Prussian war predominate. After the foundation of the Second Empire, Bleichröder reports extensively on Russian politics and on Russo-German relations. His information was derived from rumour, contacts with the Prussian court and - as he was at pains to stress - from personal meetings with Chancellor Bismarck, whose banker he was. In the lead-up to the outbreak of war with France, he complains to James that he has not been briefed by the Chancellor for several days and is thus able to provide only information to which the general public had access. There are occasional references to Jewish affairs. For example in 1875, he notes the formal emancipation of the Jews of Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria and Romania.
Borland, J., 1825-1841 XI/38/53-54, 3 boxes
These concise business letters from Iver Borland in Trieste deal with the bill business and the handling of specie, as well as providing market reports and some analysis of the effects of political and climatic events on trading and the course of the exchange in Trieste on most European currencies.
English
Braunsberg & Co., 1809-1830 XI/38/55-58, 8 boxes
Several boxes of letters in English, with some in German, from Braunsberg & Co. based in Amsterdam. Letters consist of general correspondence relating to routine draft and remittance business. The firm also forwarded letters from NMR to European cities, including to Rothschilds in Frankfurt and to St. Petersburg, and they supplied the London house with news of rates of exchange and details of the extent of current interest shown in the exchange business in various cities, especially Hamburg. In addition they received consignments of bonds and sold them for NMR. The letters show that the company carried out some small personal commissions for the London house.
English, German
Cahen, J., 1846-1848 XI/38/62, 1 box
Writing from Amsterdam, Cahen provides market reports and details about handling bills.
German
Cahen, M., 1839-1849 XI/38/63, 2 boxes
Letters from M. Cahen in Antwerp contain market reports and accounts of dealing in coupons and government stock.
German
Cerasi, Antonio, 1881-1907 XI/68/0-3, 9 boxes
The letters in this series concern transactions on NMR’s account with this bank in Rome, and included extracts from the accounts.
French
Cohen, J. I. Jnr. & Brothers, 1834-1837 XI/38/64, 1 box
J. I. Cohen Jnr. & Brothers of Baltimore first write on 29 August 1834, having been recommended to NMR by a brother, Mendes I. Cohen. They soon report that they have had an interview with John Forsyth of the Department of State, regarding the transfer of the agency of Banker to the United States Government in Europe from Barings to NMR. The early letters also report on the development of the United States in general and Maryland in particular, reporting often about presidential pronouncements regarding the Bank of the United States. The general routine business of the agency is of course featured.
English
Collings, Edward & Co., 1823-1826 XI/38/65, 1 box
A firm based in Amsterdam who sent NMR letters every three or four days with details of the market for government bonds (Russian, English, Prussian, and Spanish for example), as well as on the Stock Exchange. They included with their correspondence current prices and quotations of exchange rates.
English
Collings & Maingy, 1820-1825 XI/38/66, 1 box
Letters from a firm based in Rotterdam that dealt in government securities and accepted and discharged bills
English
Coudere & Brants, 1814-1825 XI/38/67-68, 3 boxes
Three boxes of business correspondence from a firm based in Amsterdam. In 1814 letters are in German; thereafter they are mostly in English. They include reports re stocks, exchange rates, dealing in stocks and bonds, specie, bullion reports. There are detailed market quotations, factors affecting stock dealing, regular quotations of Public Fonds.
English, German.
Cullen, W., 1820-1828; 1830-1837 XI/38/69-71, 5 boxes
William Cullen and his brothers Hunt, Jeffery and Thomas were involved in receiving and forwarding specie to NMR and the partner houses. From 1820 until his death in 1837 William acted as Nathan's agent, based in Calais. These letters, some of which were written by Jeffery, inform NMR of barrels, bars, bags, cases and casks of gold and silver as well as bonds and obligations, received and sent by William Cullen.
English, French
Davidson, B., 1847-1849 XI/38/81B, 1 box
Benjamin Davidson was the son of Meyer Davidson. In 1847 he set out to St Petersburg with several boxes of bullion and the early letters detail the gruelling journey through Europe in the harsh months of February and March. The letters are mainly addressed to the firm, but in interspersed private correspondence he details the hardships of the journey and records his impressions of the city of St. Petersburg. It is apparent, though never explicitly stated, that Davidson was sent there to assess the potential for establishing a Rothschild house under his direction, replacing the services of Baron Stieglitz and F. C. Gasser, the existing agents, whose activities on behalf of the joint houses are chronicled in detail. The plans for the house were not realised.
In the following year, Davidson set out on a journey that was to take him, via the West Indies, Panama, Peru, Chile and Mexico to San Francisco, where he arrived at the end of August. He writes from Lima with details of the journey, promising that he will "not repeat what every one must write of the Life on Board Ship, nor complain of the badness of the accommodation of which people form much too favorable an opinion upon visiting the Steamers at Southampton, particularly when they see the fine repast which is served before starting, and for a repetition of which the Passengers vainly looked forward to when once out at sea." Many of Davidson's letters tell of the miseries of travel. In Valparaíso, he receives consignments of quicksilver and writes back with details of the market in this commodity. He writes with great enthusiasm about San Francisco and its potential for business and discusses in some detail the prevailing economic and social conditions. Much of the routine correspondence to the house details bills and remittances. From June 1850, Davidson is joined by May (see below, Davidson & May), possibly as a result of some dissatisfaction felt by NMR about Davidson's handling of the business, particularly his desire to buy property which shows an alarming tendency to burn down. Davidson however always feels the burden of the responsibilities placed upon him, and seems to welcome a colleague.
English
Davidson & May, 1850-1859 XI/38/82-83, 4 boxes
For Benjamin Davidson, see above. Early letters in this series are from Davidson only. However, NMR appears to have felt that Davidson’s performance as their San Francisco agent was not satisfactory, and from part way through 1850 letters begin to be signed by Davidson and May. May writes in German while Davidson continues to write in English. Subjects covered in this series of letters include the gold and quicksilver trade with comments on these markets and on prospecting for gold; at times Davidson used gold dust for remittances, and when there was a superabundance of gold dust the market for drafts was adversely affected. Davidson also traded in specie and bullion for NMR, and there are some references to him shipping consignments to London for NMR. There are also reports on the local markets for general merchandise and the availability of numerous commodities, details re emigration to San Francisco, the price of labour, the government’s need for loans, and the weather (Davidson remarks that ‘the market fluctuates with the barometer’). Davidson invested in a good deal of land on NMR’s account, renting out houses he bought or had built himself (a business over which he fell out with NMR), and there are details of the construction materials, including the problems of insuring wooden houses, and the cost of land in San Francisco. Davidson’s letters provide reports of local events, such as fires in the city which prevent him doing business, and they give a good impression of life (the cost of living, local crime rate, etc.) in California at the time. Included are invoices for consignments of gold dust and other merchandise (coffee, sugar, spices, cigars, etc.) and notes of drafts.
English
Davidson & May and Davidson & Berri, 1860-1864 XI/38/84, 2 boxes
For Benjamin Davidson, see above. Early letters are from Benjamin Davidson. May joined him in San Francisco in the course of 1850, but he left the agency in April 1863 when Berri took over from him. Letters relate particularly to the purchase and shipping of bullion, orders for quicksilver, and also accepting bills and discharging drafts. As well as reports on the bullion business, there are also details of the discovery of new mines, the possibility of establishing a refinery, shipwrecks, and politics. Also included are invoices for bullion shipped to the Bank of England for the account of NMR.
English, French
Davidson & Berri, later Davidson, B. & Co., 1865-1877 XI/38/85-87, 6 boxes
This series contains the final letters from Davidson & Berri of San Francisco, which became B. Davidson & Co. from 1 September 1866, signatories being A. Gansl and J. Cullen (see Gansl & Cullen below).Mining and shipping quicksilver, shipping specie, accepting and discharging bills and drafts are all reflected and there are details of the New York Exchange, shipping and stock market quotations.
English
Davidson, L., 1843-1853 XI/38/76-77, 4 boxes
Lionel Davidson, another son of Meyer Davidson, was Rothschilds' agent in Mexico where his duties involved shipping specie to NMR and receiving and requesting shipments of quicksilver to be sold in the interior of Mexico. Here he used agencies in Zacatecas (with the agent Roxburgh), Guadalajara and Ganajuato among other places. In his letters Davidson advises NMR on how much quicksilver the local market can stand and therefore how much would be sent, and advises on possible business deals, informing them of new trading possibilities (in China, for example), and giving details of local legislation regarding exports and imports and foreign traders. He includes reports on problems of transportation due to high winds, illness, and so on, and also gives accounts of political events and social upheavals. Davidson also negotiated with the President on such matters, for example, as duties on specie. In these series are to be found both general and private letters, and also a very few personal notes, in which Davidson requests domestic items to be sent to him, or informs Rothschilds that he is looking around for some typical souvenir of the place to send home.
English
Davidson, M., 1814-1816 XI/38/81A, 1 box
Meyer Davidson was Nathan Mayer's brother-in-law, having married Jessy Barent Cohen. Benjamin, Lionel and Nathaniel Davidson were his sons. From 1814, from his base in Amsterdam, Davidson handled the purchase and shipment of coin for Wellington's troops, which is the main subject matter of this small collection of letters. As a family member, Davidson was able to act as a mediator between Nathan and his brothers, who were regularly upset by Nathan's harsh words about their business capabilities. This correspondence contains some examples of his attempts at diplomacy. An English translation of this small series is available.
Judendeutsch
Davidson, N., 1854-1875 XI/38/78-80, 7 boxes
Nathaniel Davidson joined NMR's Mexican agent and his own brother, Lionel Davidson, in 1852 and took over from him on his death in 1853. The series opens with the signing of a Treaty between the Mexican Government and the United States. Some letters are headed according to the business they deal with. Among other affairs reflected are financial settlements with the Mexican clergy, Government loans, the San Raphael ironworks (owned by Rothschilds for a time until sold in 1879 by Graham, Phillips and Company), the American and Mexican indemnity and gold contracts. They request English iron, materials for local railroads and consignments of quicksilver to be sold on commission and inform NMR of bales of tobacco and cochineal sent over. There are details of shipwrecks, Mexico's internal politics and social upheavals, political relations with America, mining and prospecting in Mexico, and new laws passed in Mexico which could affect NMR's business there. Memoranda of drafts upon NMR, and accounts relating to the quicksilver and iron businesses are included with the letters. From 1872 Nathaniel left the agency in the hands first of Graham, Watson & Co. and then Graham, Phillips & Co.
English, French
Davidson, N. & Goldschmidt, D. N., 1875 XI/38/123, 2 boxes
See Goldschmidt, D.L.
English
Drake, C. & Co., 1836-1846 XI/38/89, 1 box
Charles Drake & Co. were a Havana-based company dealing in sugar and coffee as well as jerked beef, bullion and specie (e.g., dollars and doubloons). The company accepted and discharged bills, dealt with protested bills and kept NMR informed of current prices of sugar and coffee, as well as of the local demand for bills on London and the premium on these bills, and of exchange rates. The letters advise NMR of bills sent for shipments of sugar and specie; they also relate to specie remittances from the Intendente of Cuba. NMR accepted Drake's drafts for two thirds of the invoice amount of shipments consigned to NMR themselves. The letters include reports relating to local politics, Spanish decrees concerning the island and details of local sugar and coffee crops. From the end of 1839 the company became 'Drake Brothers & Co'. From 1847, a former confidential clerk at the Paris House, Carl Scharfenberg, took over the Havana agency. His letters, in German, can be found within the series XI/109.
English
de Drusina, William & Co., 1838-1851 XI/38/88, 2 boxes
Drusina's main business involved the sale of quicksilver for NMR in Mexico until July 1843 when Lionel Davidson was sent out. The company was in partnership with Ludolfo Petersen, and, from 1841, Henry Huth as well. To sell quicksilver, they used their own agencies (with many of which NMR was in joint account) based in interior and coastal towns, including San Luis Potosi, Zacatecas, Guanajuato and Tampico (Lameyer & Co.). They also had an agent in London. They were concerned not only to dispose of shipments of quicksilver, but also to maintain prices so as not to injure NMR's London sales.
At this time the letters relate to the receipt of shipments of quicksilver, reports on sales in the interior at those places mentioned above, as well as the state of the markets there and in Mexico [City], informing NMR of the quantity of quicksilver stock, the price at which quicksilver from other sources (various areas in Mexico, for example) is sold and the difficulties of selling it when in abundance. The letters also concern shipments of specie sent to NMR. Drusina also deals with imports of cotton
Drusina wrote "We shall certainly be most happy to see your views carried into effect for rendering our correspondence more active and important to mutual advantage by the presence here of Mr Davidson" [28 July 1843]. From then until 1851 Davidson and Drusina both acted as agents, writing separately to NMR. Davidson and Drusina began working together, but from 1844 Davidson took over the quicksilver business while Drusina's involvement was in shipping cochineal, specie and bullion and dealing in bills discounted and purchased in Mexico. From 1844 the letters deal with the cochineal trade.
In the late 1840s, a C. G. Kauffmann signed many of the letters. In July 1848, Petersen died, Huth remained in Europe, and Kauffmann 'continued' to have power of attorney and to sign in Drusina's name.
Also in Drusina's letters are details of political and social events in the United States and Mexico, including revolutions and disturbances by the Federalists in Mexico and the annexation of Texas, and there are reports on problems of shipping, a sunken ship in the Tamesi river, and, where relevant, weather conditions.
English
Eckhard J. C. Jnr, & Co., 1838-1848 XI/38/92, 2 boxes
A firm based in Manchester with which NMR established business connections in 1838, charging them a banking commission of 1/2%. They acted as an accepting house accepting and discounting bills of exchange.
English
Ellissen, & Co., 1831-1843 XI/38/93, 2 boxes
Letters from Manchester, Bradford, Frankfurt, concerning dealing in bills.
English, German
Ewart, Myers & Co., 1833-1847 XI/38/95-97, 6 boxes
A Liverpool-based bank, this company handled imports and sales of cotton, accepted NMR's bills and issued their own, forwarded letters from NMR to the Americas and kept NMR informed of the state of the local cotton market. Among the letters are price lists of produce from the West Indies and South America (cotton, wood, hides, ginger, indigo etc.) and some accounts of sales.
English
Ezechiels, M. & Sons, 1815-1822; 1825-1864 XI/38/98-104, 12 boxes
A correspondent bank in Rotterdam, whose services to NMR included accepting and discharging bills of exchange, bills at sight, drafts and the shipping of specie. Details are given about postal delays, problems in winter from ice on the steamers and general market prices.
German
Ezpeleta, I. & Co., and Ezpeleta, F. X. & Co., 1834-1848 XI/38/94, 1 box
Iñigo Ezpeleta & Co. were a firm based in Bordeaux who had the monopoly of quicksilver production at the Almadén mines from 1830 when the government sold the mines by auction. This contract was rescinded and a new one signed by Lionel de Rothschild in 1835. The Rothschilds allowed Ezpeleta to participate in the contract, and from then on he seems to have acted in partnership with them. The letters deal largely with orders and deliveries of quicksilver, but they show, too, that Ezpeleta dealt in other commodities such as indigo and wine, as well as accepting and discharging bills. In 1835 many of them relate to the new contract. In addition many letters relate to Danube Canal shares. There are fewer letters in the 1840s, particularly between 1845-1849. From 1839, I. Ezpeleta becomes F. X. Ezpeleta. The company also acted as a forwarding agent.
French, Spanish
du Fay, Colin & Co., 1826-1848 XI/38/90-91, 5 boxes
The correspondence consists of confirmation of drafts sent to Rothschilds to negotiate on the Manchester firm’s behalf.
English
Fesser, Picard & Co., 1838-1848 XI/38/106, 1 box
A Havana-based firm with a sister-company called Fesser Albers & Co. based in Matanzas on whose behalf Fesser Picard & Co. wrote, offering their services to NMR, including investing funds for NMR's account, shipping sugar (for example, to Stieglitz in St. Petersburg), receiving money from the Conde de Villanueva, the Intendenteof Havana for NMR's account and dealing with Treasury bills. They also kept NMR informed of political occurrences in the country, as well as sundry events in the area, such as the capture of Spanish vessels by ships for Haiti (1842), the French consul, shipping problems, details re planters and the supplying of coffee for the country.
English, Spanish
Finnie Bros. & Co., 1834-1847 XI/38/107, 1 box
A company based in Rio de Janeiro acting as an accepting house and discharging bills of exchange. They kept NMR informed of business in imports and rates of exchange, and also on the commodity markets, quoting prices of sugar, specie, coffee, hides, advising of the demand for and availability of them, and supplying details of relevant crops. They also gave NMR the price of freights to Europe and government stock. Included in the letters are accounts of local politics and social unrest.
English
Finnie, Medlicott & Co., 1828; 1833-1847 XI/38/108, 2 boxes
A company based in Lisbon which accepted and discounted bills of exchange, shipped specie to NMR, and supplied them with detailed accounts of politics on the Iberian Peninsula, including details of the Cortes, the failure to pay the army, troop movements and daily detailed comments on the administration of Portugal. They also supplied current rates of exchange. In 1834 they received, by Procuration, the right to receive the dividend from NMR and to invest this stock.
English
Flusheim, J., 1841-1846 XI/38/109, 2 boxes
Routine business with a Manchester firm, connected with a Frankfurt house, in which the drafts on NMR are listed. Flusheim was in partnership with David Hesse with whom in March 1845 he registered a copyright design for ‘Imperial Patent Shirt Collars’ and improved elastic shirt fronts.....easy and comfortable without being subject to any of the annoyances which are caused by the old styles. In the following year they were taken to court by a London shirt-maker but the designs were found to be "essentially different"
English
Fourcade & Co., 1843-1853 XI/38/110, 1 box
A Bordeaux-based company offering a variety of services to NMR, including acceptance and discharge of bills, the sending on of coupons and the transporting of bullion. It was involved in business with the India Company, trading in indigo, for example, and many of the letters request drafts on the Indian and Bengali Governments. From 1846 the company seems to have acted as a forwarding agent, sending on bullion from the NewWorld.
French
Fraenkel, S. A., 1865-1879 XI/38/111, 2 boxes
Based in Warsaw, Fraenkel's business with NMR revolved around handling drafts and bills of exchange.
German
Franckel, Moses Salomon & Co., 1828-1835 XI/38/112, 2 boxes
The earliest letter in the series is an introductory one in English from Franckel in Hamburg, expressing delight that a connection has been made between the two houses. Franckel is keen to set up a conto meta on which to send remittances. Thereafter all the letters are in German. A printed circular of 21 October 1834 announces the death of Moses Salomon Franckel. The correspondence for 1834 and 1835 is meagre.
German
Fries & Co., 1821-1826 XI/38/113, 1 box
The earliest letter from this Viennese house is a general circular of 31 December 1820 announcing a new association with David Parish following sixty years of operation, the last nine years in partnership with P. F. Feronce de Rothencreuz. The letters are quite short and deal mainly with the routine business of remittances and acceptances, letters of credit and comments on the funds. Occasional extracts from accounts are enclosed and the exchange rates are given regularly. Some comment is made about political events and the effects on the stocks, such as in a letter dated 6 December 1821, "Stocks are low and will probably remain so until news is heard of the ministerial debates at Laibach."
English
Gansl, Albert & Cullen, Jeffrey, 1878-1880 XI/38/114, 1 box
After the liquidation of Benjamin Davidson's firm, Gansl and Cullen succeeded as NMR's agents in San Francisco. Jeffrey Cullen's father and uncles had worked for Nathan Rothschild; and he himself worked for Rothschilds from the age of 15. He was sent to Australia to manage the Montefiore estates there, and subsequently, in 1855, was sent to San Francisco. The letters deal largely with routine business, providing details of drafts and remittances as well as real property and the state of the quicksilver market. In 1880 the agency was liquidated.
English
Gansl, A., 1884-1895 XI/75/0-6, 12 boxes
This Amsterdam firm is the successor to A. S. Valentin, and the predecessor of L. Auerbach. The letters give reports on the money markets and the Exchange, and there are reports of purchases on account of NMR. The routine business correspondence deals with receipts of remittances to NMR's credit and schedules of bills taken in discount.
English, German
Gasser, F. C., 1818-1860 XI/38/115-118, 12 boxes
Gasser provided information on the St Petersburg Exchange as well as advising Rothschilds on the sales of their sugar in Russia in particular. On his retirement in 1860, Gasser returned from St. Petersburg to Berlin.
German
de Gaviria, M., 1838-1846 XI/38/119, 1 box
Manuel de Gaviria was Queen Maria Cristina's intendant in Madrid and in charge of the royal purse. He was offered a part in the new quicksilver contract that was drawn up between Rothschilds and the Spanish Government in 1838. The letters deal with the shipping and sale of quicksilver for which he received a percentage, the acceptance and discharge of bills and issues surrounding the national debt.
Spanish
Goldschmidt, D. L., 1871-1874 and Davidson, N., 1875 XI/38/120-123, 7 boxes
David L Goldschmidt appears to have been a clerk in the Frankfurt house. His arrival in Amsterdam on 24 April 1874 signifies the end of Rothschilds' connection with Becker & Fuld. Early letters to the London house deal with the handling of the Russian Loan and the Lombardo-Venetian and Central Italian Railway Loan of 1871. A prospectus and application form in Dutch appear in the May correspondence. The content of the letters is often indicated in a heading, such as "Amerikanische Anleihe" in 1874. The majority of the letters are to the London house, with just a small amount of private correspondence. It is virtually all in German.
In February 1875, David died of a fever, and his father Leopold and brother Jacob took over the running of the house. From 7 April 1875, Nathaniel Davidson starts to write. The first letters from him deal with the transfer of the agency to him, and for some time after the transfer on the 13 April, there is a small amount of correspondence from Jacob Goldschmidt. There is a larger proportion of private letters from Davidson than from Goldschmidt. From 6 November, the letters are signed on his behalf by Louis Davidson, his brother. Davidson too developed a fever and on 16 November Louis requests a power of attorney "like that sent to J. L. Goldschmidt in February." Louis' letters run to the end of the year, and there is no explanation for the cessation of the correspondence. In a letter in November, Louis congratulates Baron Lionel on the Suez business, which is causing a sensation in Amsterdam.
German, English
Gontard, Alexander & Son, 1833; 1837-1846 XI/38/124, 1 box
Gontard corresponded with NMR on bills and routine transactions from Frankfurt.
German
de Goyri, F., 1837-1853 XI/38/125, 2 boxes
Francisco de Goyri y Beazcoechea was NMR's agent in Havana, acting as an acceptance house, collecting and sending off specie and bullion, liaising with the governor of Cuba for obtaining money to pay off loans advanced by NMR, sending across letters and invoices to NMR to be forwarded by them to other correspondent banks such as Heine and drawing on NMR for shipments of boxes of sugar, taking orders for sugar and coffee and seeing to their despatch. De Goyri's letters discuss the sugar and coffee markets, relate to sales of lottery tickets and payments by the Treasury, and supply NMR with reports on the financial and political scene on the island, including details of slave trading in Cuba, and so on. De Goyri often acts in co-operation with Tolmé, the British Consul in Havana who was acting for NMR in a similar way and whose business Goyri appears to have been sent to inspect. After de Goyri arrived in Havana, Tolmé made over to him much of the property that he held for NMR. From 1848 letters are in Spanish, and deal summarily with the discharge and acceptance of bills.
English, Spanish
Green, J. C., 1835-1836 XI/38/125A, 1 file
J. C. Green worked at New Court before departing for Canada. He wrote to NMR on three occasions, praising Canada and suggesting business opportunities.
English
Grohe & Sander, 1839-1849 XI/38/166, 1 box
The earliest letters in this series, from 1838, are from the firm Lehr & Grohe The firm, based in Rotterdam, arranged shipping and transportation, and provided lists of exchange rates. Many of the Rothschild family's private commissions are recorded in the correspondence.
German
Guebhard & Co., 1822-1823; 1825-1826 XI/38/126, 1 box
A small amount of routine business letters from George Guebhard & Co. at the Swiss Consulate, Leghorn constitutes this series. The routine correspondence embraces accepting and discharging bills and there are regular market quotations.
English
von Halle & Son, 1815-1818 XI/38/127, 1 box
This series contains details about the rates of exchange and other routine business observations from a firm based in Hamburg
German
Hambro, C. I. & Son, 1827-1840; 1824 XI/38/128, 3 boxes
A correspondent bank in Copenhagen. The letters deal with personal business as well as routine bill transactions. There are also letters from Wiesbaden addressed in warm personal terms, discussing personal and routine business. Some letters were originally sent to Frankfurt and then forwarded to London.
German
Hamond, Charles Frederick, 1850-1859 XI/38/129, 2 boxes
Better known in Newcastle as the father of the Newcastle Council, C. F. Hamond is credited with creating the Spanish coke, coal and lead trade, importing silver and exporting coal. In these letters, he discusses the sale of lead to NMR and reports on the shipping of lead, silver, soft lead and coke as well as contracting ships for NMR, getting offers for shipments and arranging cash discounts on delivery. The letters list the names of ships used, trading between Newcastle and Liverpool, and the series includes transcripts of letters from J. Walker, Parker & Co., Liverpool. The sundry correspondence series contain correspondence with Hamond, particularly regarding the provision of coal for the Madrid Zaragoza Alicante railway.
English
Hanau, J. N., 1843-1848 XI/38/130, 2 boxes
Hanau was based in New Orleans from where most of his letters were sent apart from the occasional one or two from places such as Memphis or Louisville the latter a refuge from the yellow fever that struck New Orleans in December 1843. Most are addressed to NMR but a good proportion are addressed to NMR and de Rothschild Frères jointly and some are to August Belmont, with whom Hanau was on the friendliest terms. A letter dated 2 November 1847 from Ludwig Hanau in Savannah informs that J. N. Hanau is on his way to New Orleans after a trip to Europe and reports on the markets in tobacco and cotton in the various places in which the writer stayed on his journey. It appears that Ludwig was also closely connected with Belmont. In 1848, Hanau handles letters between NMR and Lionel Davidson, the steady traffic of which has been impeded by the war. Hanau reports on the tobacco and cotton trades and advises NMR on purchases for the European market. The letters give detailed reports on prices of these and other commodities and included in the series are regular printed market reports. Letters also deal with various state bonds and bills.
The termination of the relationship with Hanau may be attributable to Alphonse de Rothschild, who wrote back from his American tour, "Hanau, of whom everyone, even strangers, has only the worst to report, is in the highest degree ruinous for us, and this has to be prevented in the future." (14 January 1849)
English, German, French
Harris, Richard & Sons, 1826-1828 XI/38/131, 1 box
The series consists of regular detailed reports from the firm in London on the grain market. The letters and printed market reports of other traders appear among the letters that have been endorsed by clerks with the words "corn letters". There are also some printed circulars giving news of Commons motions on the duties on foreign grain.
English
Heckscher & Co., 1814-1819 XI/38/132, 2 boxes
Heckscher & Co. of Hamburg acted for the Rothschild in Hamburg, overseeing the transfer of moneys to other banks in the city for dealing on the Stock Exchange. The letters also give details about handling gold, and regular reports on rates of exchange are included along with routine business such as handling drafts and bills. There are comments on political issues, e.g. peace with America and references to contacts with the firm of S. Heine. Some letters from Heckscher have been filed with the series XI/109.
German, Judendeutsch
Heckscher, Coster & Co., 1837-1841 XI/38/133, 1 box
The letters from this New York firm deal with bill business and arranging cargoes to Europe.
English
Heine, Salomon, 1819-1866 XI/38/134-44, 21 boxes
Heine's correspondence from Hamburg is of a fairly routine nature, handling remittances, and maintaining an account for NMR. The firm's business connections with Heckscher of New York are noted.
German
Henkelom, Frans von & Zoon, 1817-1821 XI/38/145, 1 box
This series consists of routine correspondence from Amsterdam relating to remittances. There are some comments too on the Exchange.
English, Dutch
Hertz, Levin, 1819-1823 XI/38/146, 1 box
Writing from Hamburg, Hertz conducted a routine business with NMR.
German, Judendeutsch
Hesse, Isaac, 1814-1819 XI/38/147, 1 box
A Hamburg firm, accepting, discharging and crediting bills and providing regular market reports. The firm supplied NMR with regular market (Stock Exchange) prices, including quotations on a number of exchanges.
English
Hodgson & Ryley, 1845-1847 XI/38/148, 1 box
A company based in Liverpool trading in Egyptian, Brazilian and American cotton. The letters give details on the state of the market and imports of cotton into the UK. They supply NMR with details of daily sales and the quantities of bales of cotton sold. There are also details of shipping problems, from the USA for example.
English
Huth, Frederick & Gruning & Co., 1838-1860; 1867-1872 XI/38/149-50, 3 boxes
The firm of Frederick Huth was originally based in Germany but came to London because of the blockades imposed on Hamburg and Frankfurt by Napoleon in 1806 and 1812. It was a prominent merchant bank, and because it was a leading firm in the Latin-American trade, it had branches in Lima and Valparaíso and was involved in shipping quicksilver via Southampton. These letters are from the Lima branch, and deal with the handling and shipping of quicksilver. There are details of sailings, delays, and so on. Also included among the letters are accounts of sales.
English
Jardine Matheson & Co., 1838-1844 XI/38/151, 1 box
A firm dealing in textiles including chintzes, long cloths, long ells, cotton yarn, worsters, silk, broadcloth etc., and iron, Turkey opium, quicksilver, tin plates, cochineal and tea from its bases in Canton, Macao and Hong Kong. They also acted as an acceptance house, and handled bills on the Intendente of the Philippine Islands. Their agent in Manila was Messrs E. de Otadui & Co., from whom they passed on news to NMR about the payment of monthly revenues due to the Queen of Spain from the Philippines. The dominant political event at the time, the attempt by the Chinese authorities to end the import of opium, is reported in detailed circulars.
English
Jenisch, M. J., 1815-1841 XI/38/152-154, 6 boxes
A Hamburg firm, handling bills of exchange on behalf of NMR, and deals with various other business forwarded to them, initially by Cullen. There is very little correspondence surviving from 1840 and 1841.
German
de Jongh, Benjamin Isaac & Son, 1814-1828 XI/38/155-57, 4 boxes
Writing from Amsterdam, de Jongh handled drafts, treasury bills, bills of exchange, and remittances. He also dealt with British Government Treasury Bills, (for example with J. C. Herries and the Lords Commissioners in 1815) and included comments on exchange rates, especially on the Amsterdam and Paris Stock Exchanges.
German
de Jongh, W. J., 1820-1827 XI/38/158, 2 boxes
Letters from Amsterdam, mostly in English, with a few in German. The letters reflect the business of sending NMR gold and specie. The company also traded in government bonds, stocks and bills of exchange. They supplied NMR with daily reports on government stock, rates of exchange, public funds and shares.
English
Joseph, J. L. & S., 1833-1837 XI/38/159, 2 boxes
NMR's agent in the USA until 1837 when the company went into liquidation and August Belmont took on the role. They were based in New York, working in conjunction with R. & J. Phillips, handling bills of exchange, shipping and receiving specie and gold bars, informing NMR of the possibility of providing the US government with loans, supplying details of the local money markets (including some quotations of the exchange on London and Paris) and shipping quicksilver from Carthagena. The letters include comments on shipping and insurance for shipping, and handling quicksilver. There are comments on some local events and politics.
English
Kap Herr & Co., 1859-1867 XI/38/160, 2 boxes
The first letter from this St Petersburg firm reports that the firm of Stieglitz & Co. is to be liquidated from 1 January 1870. The correspondence is fairly routine, reporting on the Exchange and the market in various bonds. There is some discussion about the business implications of the outbreak of war in 1866. In the event, business was curtailed and the firm was liquidated in 1867. The final letters are from Kap Herr in Dresden. The papers record the handling of drafts, reports on paper money offered, funds and government loan stock, and transactions in St. Petersburg, including exchange movements.
English
Kaskel, Michael, 1836-1848 XI/38/161, 1 box
Routine business from Dresden: handling bills and remittances to accounts, drafts and an account for NMR.
German
Lambert, S., 1844-1914 XI/77/0-19, 43 boxes
Two series of correspondence from the Lambert family agency survive in the Archive: this from Antwerp, their first agency, and the series below from the Brussels branch which Samuel Lambert took over from Lazare Richtenberger, his father-in-law on the death of the latter in 1853.
The correspondence is basically commercial in nature, reporting on the exchanges and the markets in general.
French
Lambert, S., 1853-1930 XI/78/0-35, 60 boxes
The business developed in Brussels by Samuel Lambert and continued by his son Léon from 1875 is the origin of Banque Bruxelles Lambert. In the early days of this correspondence, there are many reports on the businesses that James de Rothschild in particular wanted the firm to pursue, especially railways, but the basis of the correspondence is the frequent exchange and market reports. The correspondence notes the many visits to Brussels of members of the Rothschild family, most often James, and comments on social and political events affecting the markets.
In 1882, Lucie, daughter of James's son Gustave de Rothschild, married Léon Lambert, thus cementing the ties between the two families.
French
Lamel, Leopold, 1849-1859 XI/38/162, 2 boxes
Operating in Prague, Lamel’s business centred on the handling of bills and drafts, the transfer of remittances and the handling of protests. Many UK firms are mentioned and there are comments on handling difficulties.
German
Landauer, Gustav & Co., 1844-1849 XI/38/163, 1 box
Gustav Landauer was based in Trieste, from where many of his letters were forwarded by Morpurgo & Parente. In 1847 and 1849 he appears to have travelled to other European cities, writing from Venice, Genoa, Turin, Odessa, Constantinople and Milan. He dealt in produce, particularly from South America; but Pernambuco, Bahia and Havana are among locations mentioned. Commodities included coffee, white, yellow and muscovado sugar, wheat and tobacco. Details of quality are given and some lists of prices included, for example, sugar prices from Turkey, Hamburg, Prussia, Holland and Belgium and wheat prices from Odessa. There is also information on the abundance of gold, Stock Exchange movements and the extent of demand for foreign money.
German, English, French
Lanfear, Ambrose & Co., 1841-1855 XI/38/164, 1 box
This firm, mentioned frequently in the correspondence of J. N. Hanau (q.v.), bought and shipped tobacco and cotton on account of NMR from its base in New Orleans. Lanfear comments on the market situation, with particular reference to the weather and the nature of the crops, and gives general financial reports enclosing printed commercial intelligence. Some of the letters are copies of those he had written to August Belmont.
English
Langsdorf, P., 1817-1822 XI/38/165, 3 boxes
Baron Langsdorf was a representative of Hesse-Cassel at the Court of St James. Rothschilds seem to have provided administrative assistance to the Baron, forwarding and holding mail for example, and this series consists of a great deal of diplomatic business.
English, German, French
Lehr & Grohe
See Grohe & Sander
Leuzinger & Co., 1830-1840 XI/38/167, 3 boxes
A company based in Rio de Janeiro which offered NMR various services: accepting bills, purchasing commodities such as leather and copper as well as coins, bullion and diamonds for NMR's account, to be sent for sale in Europe. They also provided NMR with detailed information on the money, bullion and commodity markets, the political situation in Brazil, local harvests, especially of coffee and sugar, and possible openings in the provision of services to the Government, including the issuing of loans. Leuzinger & Co. negotiated with the Minister of Finance on NMR's behalf to secure business with the Government.
French, English
Leveux, Jacques, 1815-1819 XI/38/168, 2 boxes
Writing from Calais, Leveux recommends the suitability of the place as a base from which NMR can ship specie to the rest of the Continent. The letters are initially written in French but by late 1815 they are mostly in English. Leveux remarks on the commission he is paid, the houses for whom the shipments are intended, his meetings with Cullen (q.v.) and parcels sent from Nathan to his brother (saddles and bridles, for example). On 15 December 1815 he reports on "a great quantity of English troops consisting in cavalry and infantry, they are daily shipped for the other side." The names of the vessels used are frequently mentioned and occasional lists are supplied of payments made to ships' captains. Letters and parcels are regularly shipped from Paris to NMR in London via Leveux who undertakes to transmit some consignments in the particular care of a member of his house. The letters contain comments on shipping problems, detailed lists of bullion shipped, its volume and value, detailed accounts of shipping expenses, information on tonnage dues, harbour duties and customs duty on bullion.
French, English
Leveux, Jacques & Co., 1837-1847 XI/38/169, 1 box
A forwarding agent based in Calais whose letters inform NMR of parcels of bonds, bullion, coupons, dividends and specie, mostly sent on to Dover for NMR from the Paris house, but sometimes in the other direction. Leveux also shipped personal packages between the cousins, including music for Louise, sweets for the Baroness, porcelain, asparagus, wine and shoes. Also included are Leveux' invoices for shipping, duties and courier costs from Paris to Calais.
French, English
Lonergan Bros., 1824; 1827; 1829; 1832-1847 XI/38/171, 2 boxes
This firm operated in Cadiz, handling bills of exchange and drafts, managing an NMR account and providing market reports. There are recommendations of various agents and comments on shipping problems and the political situation including disturbances around Barcelona on 12 October 1838.
English
Mannion, R. B., 1867-1873 XI/38/172, 2 boxes
A firm based in New Orleans, whose services to NMR included administering NMR’s stock dividends, shipping tobacco, handling bills of exchange, buying coupons as agents and handling cotton shipments. The letters include details of transfers to the Paris Rothschild account and comments on the quality of tobacco, US canal shares, City of New Orleans coupons, the shipping of cotton to Liverpool and Le Havre and, in 1840, on Germany and the tobacco market.
English
Marsh, John, 1823-1830 XI/38/173-174, 4 boxes
John Marsh wrote from Dover where he acted as a forwarding agent. Some parcels were forwarded from Cullen (q.v.) to NMR through John Marsh. These four boxes of letters give details and comments on imports and exports of wool, including German wool, reports of foreign messages to NMR, including Russian dispatches and reports on all activities through Calais and Boulogne. These include the times of arrival of messengers, details of messengers carrying dispatches for the Foreign Office and express deliveries to other City houses, and the movement of silver and gold through the port.
English
Mendelssohn & Son, 1865-1872 XI/38/175, 1 box
A Berlin firm handling NMR remittances, providing regular account reports and transferring remittances to NMR. There are comments on remittances for Russian railways and details of parties paid on NMR’s behalf.
German
Meyer, E. M. & Co., 1868-1886 XI/38/176-177, 4 boxes
This firm was based in St. Petersburg and handled remittances for NMR as well as an NMR account for purchases, including coupons.
German
Meyer & Schönfeld, 1838-1845 XI/38/178, 1 box
In December 1838, G. S. Meyer from the Bradford based firm dealing mainly in worsted stuffs, called at Rothschilds', handing in a letter of credit for £5,000 per three months by Michaelson & Benedick (q.v.) of Stockholm, thus opening an account at New Court on which Meyer & Schönfeld could draw. They were given letters of reference and permitted to mention the connection with Rothschilds in their circulars. The account was designed to allow "the purchase from the small producers" of the areas of Leeds, Bradford and Manchester. On 24 November 1841 they wrote of themselves, "three years ago we established a firm in Hamburg specialising in manufactured goods in support of which purpose we received in addition to our own capital a considerable amount at ten years from Michaelson & Benedick."
German
Michaelson & Benedick, 1826-1859 XI/38/179, 2 boxes
The series opens with a letter from M. Benedicks in his own hand commenting on his 35 years of business association with Mayer Amschel Rothschild and 20 year connection with Nathan. The early correspondence also comments on the firm B.A. Goldschmidt. This firm handled drafts, bills at sight and circular credit notes in Stockholm and provided details of rates of exchange, mostly on Amsterdam, Hamburg and London.
German
Montefiore Family, 1834-1853 XI/38/7, 1 box
Various members of the Montefiore family are represented in this small series of letters. The earliest are from Montefiore, Kelsall Carmichael of Calcutta (1834-1837), but the series includes a small number of letters from Montefiore, Furtado & Co. of Hobart Town, 1838-1839. The largest element is from Joseph Barrow Montefiore of Melbourne (1851-1853), who sent detailed reports of the discovery of gold in Ballarat and charted the development of the community following this event.
English
Morel & Son, 1811; 1814-1815 XI/38/180, 1 box
Morrell handled bills at sight, remittances and drafts, especially on Paris and shipping goods from Dunkirk where the firm was based. There are references to a meeting with Mr. & Mrs. Montefiore on their way to Paris in April 1814, comments on a meeting with Salomon Rothschild in 1814, reports on his movements and details of the shipping of bonnets, gloves, shoes, cloth and china cups.
English, German, French
Morpurgo & Parente, 1837-1879 XI/79/0-3, 9 boxes
Early letters from this Trieste firm contain news of the sugar market with details of sales made, acknowledgements of receipt of shipments and the occasional protest about lost shipments, such as the one made by Noah Nason, ship master of Kennebunk. Some early letters also deal with the delivery of rails and other materials ordered on behalf of the Viennese Rothschilds. Included are some reports on political and social events where these affect the markets as well as a few letters of recommendation for new clients, but the majority of the correspondence deals with routine business.
German, French, Italian, English
Musgrove Edgar & Co., 1868-1874 XI/38/181, 1 box
Letters from these Liverpool cotton brokers give details of the cotton market. Frequently enclosed is the weekly circular of the Liverpool Cotton Brokers Association. The correspondence thins dramatically in 1873 and 1874, where approximately 50 letters span both years.
English
Mutzenbecher, F. M., 1818-1820 XI/38/182, 1 box
Writing from Hamburg, Mutzenbecher supplied regular reports on money exchanges, handled specie, remitted bills for NMR on London and maintained an account for NMR. Details include the rates of exchange and stocks.
English
Myers, Jacques & Co., 1848-1855 XI/38/183-86, 8 boxes
From Liverpool, Myers undertook routine business in bills of exchange, received commodities from the New World and sold bales of cotton, tobacco and corn on NMR's account, supplying NMR with details of the market for these goods. They also dealt with shipments of specie, especially Mexican dollars. There are occasional accounts enclosed with the letters, as well as comments on weather conditions affecting the arrival of shipped goods.
English
Oppenheim Family, 1870-1905 XI/81/0-3, 9 boxes
These are principally letters of recommendation, introduction and credit for private individuals, drafts, remittances and bills of lading for shipments of commodities, especially textiles but also cigars. There is a consecutive run of letters between 1870 and 1905, although there are fewer letters for the earlier years. The series includes letters from Oppenheim & Enke and Oppenheim & Warshauer, B. L. Fould and Fould Oppenheim.
English, German, French
Oppenheim, Rudolph & Son, 1877-1880 XI/38/188, 2 boxes
Writing from Berlin, this firm handles drafts, protests, and foreign exchange dealing for NMR.
German
Osy, J., 1810; 1814-1815 XI/38/193, 1 box
From Brussels and Hamburg. Handling bills of exchange, regular lists of prices re short term bills on Amsterdam, London, Paris, Oporto and Leghorn. Reports on relative level of demand, reports on impact of Vienna Congress on market, comments on state of market and factors influencing the business.
English, German
Osy, J. J. R., 1814-1826; 1829-1849 XI/38/194-98, 9 boxes
This firm was based in Antwerp, providing regular reports on trading in public securities, regular lists of prices of public securities, state loans, maintaining an NMR account and dealing in bills of exchange. The correspondence gives details about the progress of state loans, such as those to Belgium, Denmark and Brazil and provides regular comments and quotations on the markets.
English
Osy, Jean & Son, 1810; 1814-1842 XI/38/189-92, 4 boxes
This Rotterdam firm handles bills at sight, bills of exchange, drafts, supplying almost daily lists of Exchange prices and public securities covering most loans to European and South American governments.
English
Palmer, Aaron H. & others, 1837-1840 XI/38/199, 1 box
A small series of letters from the Office of American and Foreign Agency, New York under the directorship of 'Aaron H. Palmer' which provided NMR mainly with accounts of affairs relating to banking and commerce in the US. In the letters there are detailed accounts of events concerning laws and governmental activity affecting banking, including orders by the Treasury and their subsequent reception by Congress, petitions to the Senate for acts to establish incorporate new banks, etc. The Agency also supplied information on negotiations of loans and reports on the raising of loans and bond issues within the US, and on many aspects relating to US State Banks and their activities. Other news items provided such diverse pieces of information as tales of piracy, including the infestation of pirates around the archipelago of Borneo and Java, the arrival of officers from England, the arbitrage of the King of Prussia in the potential difficulties between Mexico and the US in 1838, the current state of the Treasury, affairs concerning the cotton crop and rail roads.
English
Paravey & Co., 1823; 1825-1827 XI/38/200, 1 box
Letters from a company based in Paris, whose services to NMR included maintaining the account with them, handling drafts and remittances, providing NMR with abstracts of their account. The letters contain nothing beyond routine business.
French
Parish, Agie & Co., 1819-1822 XI/38/201, 1 box
Letters from the correspondent bank of David Parish, an Anglo-German Hamburg banker, writing from Hamburg and Antwerp offering NMR services such as the acceptance and discharge of bills, handling protests and obtaining and sending bullion and specie to NMR and to various others. They supply NMR with regular stock market quotations on Amsterdam and provide detailed accounts of the difficulty of shipping due to poor weather condition, and include comments on movements in rates of exchange, statements of accounts giving shared profits.
French, English
Passavant & Co., 1836-1848 XI/38/202, 2 boxes
Passavant writes from Manchester with details of the movements on Rothschilds’ account with them.
English
Pescio & Co., 1829-1847 XI/38/203, 2 boxes
Letters written from Genoa begin just as the firm is taken over by Stephen Pescio on the death of his father-in-law, Giovanni Bandeuf. The correspondence is concerned with bill business.
French
Pfeiffer Bros., 1830- XI/38/204, 1 box
Routine correspondence regarding bills of exchange written from Cassel.
German
Phillips, R. & J., 1821-1837 XI/38/205, 2 boxes
Agents for NMR in Philadelphia, handling accounts on US loans, shipping specie and providing market information. In the final letter, 31 March, 1937, Phillips announce that they are "cut down at [their] most prosperous moment" as they are forced to suspend payments.
English
Poggi, G. M., 1830-1841 XI/38/206, 1 box
Based in Milan, the firm handled bills of exchange and forwarded details of the exchanges.
French
Prime, Ward & King, 1837-1847 XI/38/208, 1 box
This firm handled remittances etc. for NMR in New York.
English
Richtenberger, L., 1827; 1835-1841 XI/38/209-12, 8 boxes
This correspondence series begins in 1827 with business letters from Amsterdam. Lazare Richtenberger was the first agent of the Rothschilds in Brussels, established in the post by James de Rothschild. Some years later, Samuel Lambert became agent in Antwerp and took over the agency of Richtenberger, his father-in-law, running the two branches concurrently.
German
Roux de Fraissenet & Cie., Marseilles, 1836-1883 XI/88/0-4, 11 boxes
This series begins in 1836 although letters to the company (called Fraissenet et Roux in the early years) can be found in the Letter Copy Books (XI/148) as early as 1834. The company received shipments from Java, Spain, and Mauritius.
French
Samuel, Phillips & Co., 1815-1816; 1819-1833; 1841-1843 XI/38/215, 2 boxes
Letters in the ‘Sundry’ correspondence series suggest that Rothschild was in contact with this firm from 1812. Early letters in the XI/38 series show that the company was called Samuel & Phillips, but that after 1819 was Samuel, Phillips & Co. The company was based in Rio de Janeiro (with an office in London - letters from this to be found in the Sundry series). They accepted bills and drew on NMR, and much of the correspondence is concerned with this routine business; letters may include schedules of bills drawn, and there are also some pages of accounts of Samuel Phillips & Co. in account with NMR. In addition the company collected specie and bullion; some invoices are included, and there are some lists of prices of local specie, bullion and commodities, such as coffee, tallow, cotton, rum, sugar and hides. Letters cover details concerning the insurance of consignments. The company supplied NMR with information on bullion, financial and commodity markets, especially coffee and sugar. They also acted as a source of information concerning events in Brazil and Portugal, including changes in government, and the attitude of Portugal to Brazil as a colony.
English
Sandeman, George, 1835-1846 XI/38/214, 1 box
An agent in Oporto, coincidentally with a London office in St Swithin's Lane, produced a series of routine correspondence based on bills of exchange.
English
Schaafhausen, A. & Co., 1830-1848 XI/38/216, 2 boxes
Routine correspondence from Cologne, relating to the handling of bills. The firm was a great competitor of Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie., and the latter firm tried to win the business of NMR from Schaaffhausen with particular vigour after the marriage of Charlotte Beyfus (a granddaughter of Mayer Amschel Rothschild) to Abraham Oppenheim in 1834.
German
Scharfenberg, Tolmé & Co., 1845-1873 XI/38/217-19, 6 boxes
The correspondence to 1855 is from Carl Scharfenberg alone, the former clerk in the Paris House and Rothschild agent in Havana. From 1855 the letters are from Scharfenberg, Tolmé & Co. The majority of the letters are written in German, though there are clusters of English letters, the reason for this being unclear. There are on average two to four letters per month.
Scharfenberg describes in great detail the Cuban sugar business, including forecasts for harvests, the production process, the shipping and the buying of sugar by his firm and competitors. He also covers, in less detail, the tobacco business.
Cuba was a staging post for Mexican silver sent to Europe and Spanish quicksilver sent to Mexico, and these and other business deals are discussed.
Scharfenberg covers political developments only in passing, chiefly speculating on American-Spanish negotiations over Cuba. From 1855 the correspondence becomes very standardised, mostly covering individual financial transactions, and there is less information about the sugar market.
He was popular with the Rothschild family, prompting reports from Alphonse de Rothschild that he, "has done well, more conscientiously and with more concern for business than has been done in New York." (14 January 1849). Tolmé’s own letters are to be found in the Sundry series.
German, English
Scheurer, A., 1833-1845 XI/38/220, 1 box
Some of the correspondence in this series, written from Dusseldorf, relates to railway company issues, especially from 1835.
German
Schultze & Wolde, 1878-1890 XI/38/222-223, 4 boxes
This correspondence relates largely to the management of NMR’s account with the firm, based in Bremen, and includes extracts from these accounts.
German
Schwann, F., 1845-1849 XI/38/224, 1 box
Routine business correspondence relating to handling of bills. Schwann was based in Huddersfield and described by Bank of England Manchester officials as the "Rothschild of Huddersfield."
English
Sichel, B. & S., 1807-1819 XI/38/232A, 1 box
A small bundle of letters in Judendeutsch from B. & S. Sichel, including one from "Betty" Sichel, née Rothschild, thanking her brother Nathan for the splendid hat he sent her.
Judendeutsch
Sichel, J. B., 1837-1838 XI/108/0-1, 1 box
The correspondence is entirely in Judendeutsch, and has little within beyond routine business communication.
Judendeutsch
Sichel, S. B., 1827-1853 XI/38/233-41, 17 boxes
The firm, with bases in Lisbon and Amsterdam, became Sichel Brothers from January 1838.
German, English, Judendeutsch
Sichel & Hildesheimer, 1802-1814 XI/38/241A, 1 file
A handful of letters in Judendeutsch from the newly formed firm. In the earliest letter, Nathan is asked to send them textiles at good prices with which they can attract good custom.
Judendeutsch
Simon, E., 1835-1849 XI/38/242, 2 boxes
A routine correspondence from a Hanover-based firm.
English
Standaert, F., 1828-1845 XI/38/246-48, 5 boxes
Five boxes of correspondence from Brussels and Antwerp. Standaert wrote every few days although there are fewer per year in the 1840s. The letters show the company handling bills, buying and selling shares on NMR's behalf. In particular Standaert was authorised to purchase Belgian loan obligations for NMR. There are details on the stock exchange, as well as some items of news that might affect the stock exchange.
French
Stieglitz & Co., 1825; 1830; 1832; 1833-1850 XI/38/249, 1 box
This correspondence is a routine business correspondence confirming transactions with letters of credit, drafts etc., handled in St Petersburg.
German, English
Terwange, F., & vande Wiel, 1829-1837 XI/38/250, 2 boxes
This firm is a continuation of P.J. vande Wiel & Co. Terwangne’s correspondence from Antwerp. The correspondence encloses printed exchanges and confirms transactions between the two firms.
German
Thomson & Co., 1855-1880 XI/38/251-60, 18 boxes
A long series of daily letters from a Liverpool firm which handles bills for acceptance on behalf of NMR. The correspondence also deals with sales of cotton and copper on behalf of NMR and arranges shipments of these commodities. The letters include comment on the state of the cotton market in particular. The correspondence is continued in the Sundry series.
English
Valentin, A. S., 1876-1883 XI/38/261-65, 8 boxes
Letters in from the firm in Amsterdam concerning the acceptance of bills on Holland that are credited to NMR's general account. Valentin reports on the creditworthiness of various firms and provides details on the exchange. There is very little recorded beyond the routine business information. The letters from Albert Gansl follow on from this series.
German, English
Veit Bros., 1829-1842 XI/38/267-68, 1 file
Routine correspondence from Berlin commenting on the value of the funds and handling bills on behalf of NMR
German
Warburg, Elias, 1838-1845 XI/38/269, 1 box
The earliest letter is dated 2 January 1838, in which Elias Warburg announces that he has left the firm M.M. Warburg and has established his own firm in Hamburg. He hopes to do business with NMR on the same terms as before.
German
Warburg, M. M., 1815-1930 XI/90/0-42, 59 boxes
The correspondence, beginning in 1815, is rather thin in the early years: only a couple of letters from each of the years 1815, 1816, 1820 and 1827 to 1830 are present, but the numbers gradually increase from that date. No letters at all survive for the years 1861 to 1864 inclusive. The volume increases substantially after 1865, perhaps because of the death of Carl Heine of S. Heine, Rothschilds' main contact in Hamburg, an event that Warburgs record as the end of the first private bank in the city.
The correspondence is basically commercial, and usually encloses an extract from Rothschilds' account with the firm. In one early letter (27 December 1816) Warburgs regret that they cannot send an abstract as requested since they were unable to enter the firm's wartime transactions into their ledger. Later Warburgs make use of telegrams to issue requests for purchases of stock and other transactions on their behalf and these are enclosed in the series.
Outside events are reflected here too. In 1870 Warburgs are jubilant about the "splendid" victories of the Prussian forces which have caused great excitement on the Exchange (8 August) although by 13 December they are reporting that the Exchange is upset by the stubborn resistance of the French.
The closeness of the two firms is shown in a letter of thanks for a portrait of 1st Lord Rothschild, presented to the firm in January 1898, their centenary year. Moritz Warburg expresses his gratitude to Lord Rothschild for having trained his son, Max, during an apprenticeship at New Court earlier in the decade.
The correspondence ceases in 1914. One letter only exists for the year 1918, a letter of condolence on the death of Alfred de Rothschild.
German
Weisweiller & Bauer,
Weisweiller, W. D., 1837-1879 XI/110/0-10, 9 boxes
The private correspondence of Daniel Weisweiller, the Rothschild agent in Madrid is actually contained in two series, XI/109 and XI/110. Virtually all the letters are in German, with occasional use of Hebrew characters for names. Most have been written from Madrid, but there are some from other European cities including Bayonne. On the whole the letters are addressed to de Rothschild Frères in Paris, but one or two are written to NMR, to Baron James and to Lionel. Three different hands appear but two dominate the correspondence. Unfortunately, the general legibility of the correspondence is bad and sometimes impenetrable.
Weisweiller wrote on a very regular basis, at least once a week, and sometimes almost daily. The series has some gaps, such as November 1840 and February to April 1842. In 1838 numerous letters are written by Scharfenberg; these too are addressed to the house in Paris and in London and contain similar information to those of Weisweiller who continued to write during the year.
Many of the letters are very detailed and contain a lot of business information. In 1837 to 1839 the business of the Almadén quicksilver mines predominates. Business intelligence relates to the Madrid stock exchange and to various deals the company undertook. In the 1840s especially, there are frequent references to "Manila business", "Havana business" and "Mexico business".
With regard to political information, the wars of the Spanish succession feature most frequently, with news of troop movements and gains and losses being reported to the Paris house. Weisweiller obtained his information from contacts with army officers and other individuals close to the Court and the Parliament, whose business he also monitored closely. He gave ready advice on the appropriate reactions to political developments.
Most files contain a few letters addressed to Weisweiller, which he copied and forwarded. These usually serve to underline a point made by Weisweiller himself. Some of these letters are in Spanish from various people, often in South America, and a few are in French, some of which have been translated into German.
German, French, Spanish, Judendeutsch
Weisweiller & Bauer, 1881-1892 XI/92/0-5, 20 boxes continued as
Bauer, G., 1893-1917 XI/59/0-9, 18 boxes
This series of private letters is full of political and social comment, providing a vivid description of life in Spain during the period. All of Rothschilds' business interests in Spain and Spanish colonies - railways, quicksilver, government bonds and tobacco - are discussed and analysed, and prospects for new business ventures are suggested and described. Early reports of the formation of a British naval construction company, with yards in Bilbao, are discussed in 1888; in 1885 the behaviour of the population of Málaga (making false claims on emergency funds in aid of earthquake victims in Granada) provokes withering comment. The correspondences includes lots of personal news, about the Spanish agents themselves and about the Rothschild family and their other associates.
The series is divided between two references: the firm changed name in 1893
French, German
Weisweiller, W. D., then Weisweiller & Bauer,
then Bauer, G., 1833-1930 XI/91/0-16, 32 boxes; XI/58/0-17, 10 boxes
The House or general correspondence of the Weisweiller & Bauer agency is contained across two series. The firm begun by Daniel Weisweiller began to trade as Weisweiller & Bauer in 1863, and then as G. Bauer from 1894.
French, German
Wendt & Co., 1899-1900 XI/93/0, 2 boxes
The letters in this series, which continues in 'Sundry W', confirm payment by the London firm under various insurance policies.
English
Wertheimstein, 1827-1829 XI/38/270, 1 box
Routine business letters from Amsterdam.
German
Wiel, P.J. vande & Co., 1827-1828 XI/38/266, 1 box
See F. Terwange & vande Wiel.
Worms family, 1805-1842 XI/38/271, 1 file
A small package of letters in Judendeutsch from various members of the Worms family in Frankfurt, Offenbach, Manchester and Manila, the latter dated 11 January 1842 from Moritz who reports on business opportunities and undertakes to forward plants, seeds and two bloodhounds.
Judendeutsch
Return to top
Banks and Governments
For the purposes of this Guide, the correspondence from banks has been placed first in sequence before the correspondence from governments. The order is alphabetical, using the title of the bank in the language used in the correspondence, rather than the English title given by the compilers of the Old Catalogue.
The routine business engaged in with other banks is neatly summarised in a letter from the newly established Javasche Bank, Amsterdam dated 18 June 1891:
"to collect such remittances, with or without documents, as in due course will be forwarded to your goodselves by us for that purpose, consequently also to collect the accepted firsts of exchange of such seconds or thirds of exchange as we shall take the liberty of forwarding to your goodselves for collection or other purposes;
to present for acceptance such bills as shall have to be accepted;
to pay such drafts as are issued by us against our balance with your goodselves;
to buy and/or discount such bills on London, Paris, Berlin, Hamburg, Brussels, Amsterdam, etc., as we shall take the liberty of indicating to your goodselves.
The bills so bought and/or discounted to be endorsed by your goodselves to us;
to buy, ship and when desired by us, also insure, such amounts of metal (coined and/or in bullion) as we shall require; and to supply us with such informations, either by letter or by cable, as according to your own idea may be of any use to us; in general to take, specially with regard to the sundry documents we should only be too glad to forward to your honourable firm, such steps as in our interest are required by circumstances."
Banks
Banco de Lisboa, 1834-1837 XI/38/31, 1 box
One of the earliest letters in the series contains the signatures of all the directors of the bank and much of the correspondence relates to letters of credit.
Portuguese
Banco da Republica dos Estados Unidos do Brazil, 1892-1906 XI/43/0-3, 6 boxes
In 1892 NMR issued £10,000,000 of Brazilian Government Treasury Bonds to help improve the credit of the company. NMR then entered into a correspondence with the Banco da Republica do Brazil. Following the decision to liquidate the bank's London office in Old Broad Street in 1894 and at the request of the bank, NMR became its London agent. In 1906 it was arranged that the proceeds of the issue of £450,000 of the £1,100,000 Companhia Lloyd Brasileiro 5% bonds be paid to the Banco da Republica do Brasil.
Portuguese, English
Banco do Brasil, 1907-1916 XI/44/0-5, 11 boxes
The Banco da Republica was transformed into the Banco do Brasil in 1906.
Portuguese
Banco do Commercio e Industria de São Paulo, 1894-1917 XI/45/0-13, 19 boxes
This series consists of routine printed forms detailing schedules of drafts.
English
Banco de España, 1883-1920 XI/56/0-7, 18 boxes
Letters prior to 1883 are filed in the Sundry series.
Spanish
Banco internacional do Brazil, 1886-1888 XI/38/25, 2 boxes
At the end of 1886, NMR accepted the agency of the Banco do Brazil in London at the Brazilian bank's request. Arrangements were therefore made authorising the Banco internacional to draw on NMR, issue letters of credit and undertake all banking operations connected with the transfer of funds from places in Brazil and Europe. The Banco internacional also undertook to deposit with NMR Brazilian public funds.
Portuguese
Banco Nacional Brasileiro, 1894-1904 XI/42/0-1, 4 boxes
In 1893 NMR, as bankers to the Brazilian government, helped set up the Banco Nacional Brasileiro.
Portuguese, French
Banco de Santiago, Chile, 1888-1894 XI/38/36, 1 box
A loan had been issued to the Government of Chile in 1886, and at the beginning of 1888, NMR agreed to enter into a commercial relationship with the Banco de Santiago becoming their principal banker in London.
Spanish
Bank of America, 1837-1843 XI/38/12, 1 box
This correspondence begins on 31 July 1837 with a letter from George Newbould referring to August Belmont, Rothschilds' New York agent and announcing pleasure in the commencement of a correspondence. The letters are brief, many concerning the handling of protested bills on behalf of NMR, and others discussing NMR's sale of US stock on behalf of the bank. The correspondence ends abruptly in February 1843, the year in which Barings once again became bankers to the US Government in Europe.
English
Bank of England, 1874-1876XI/38/14, 2 boxes
The correspondence consists of standard letters from the office of the chief cashier, requesting that enclosed coupons be realised, and the proceedings remitted to the Cashier's office. The lists of coupons survive with each letter. Letters after 1876 are filed in the Sundry Banks series.
English
Bank Foreinings, 1891-1893 XI/38/15, 1 box
The content of this series is routine advices about the drawing of bills on NMR's account.
German
Bank of Greece, 1851-1879 XI/38/16, 3 boxes
In the first letter in this series, the Governor of the Bank of Greece writes that he wishes to enter into a correspondence with NMR because his company has various transactions to attend to in London. He also mentions that he particularly addressed NMR because of a longstanding relationship with the Rothschild House in Paris. Letters after 1879 are filed in the Sundry series.
French
Bank Leipziger, 1869-1890 XI/38/26-30, 8 boxes
Routine advices relating to an NMR account. Letters after 1890 are filed in the Sundry series.
German
Bank of the State of New York, 1838-1839 XI/38/37, 1 file
This brief correspondence relates entirely to Water Stock of New York City in the name of NMR and includes details of the terms for forwarding the certificates of stock as agreed with August Belmont.
English
Bank of Tarapaca and London Limited, 1889-1893; 1900-1902 XI/38/38, 1 box
Following a loan by NMR in 1888 to the Bank of Tarapaca and London Ltd (a company formed in the same year to finance the nitrate export industry), NMR became their bankers in London. Arrangements were made for Chilean branches of the bank to draw on NMR. Nearly half of the capital was allotted to the Valparaíso branch. The name changed to the Bank of Tarapaca and Argentina Ltd in December 1900. Letters in this series are from the Valparaíso and Iquique branches.
Spanish
Bank of the United States, Philadelphia, 1837-1842 XI/38/39, 1 box
During the period of this correspondence, NMR acted as Bankers to the US Government in Europe.
English
Banque d'escompte de Moscou, 1872-1879 XI/38/13, 2 boxes
Rothschilds' correspondence with the Banque d'escompte de Moscou (Moscow Credit Bank) begins in 1872, the year of the Consolidated Russian Loan of 1872.
French
Banque de l'Etat, St Petersburg, 1862-1867; 1894-1919 XI/46/0-3, 6 boxes
In 1862 NMR, together with de Rothschild Frères, contracted for a loan to the Russian Government of £15,000,000 at 5%. In May the same year the Banque de l'État had NMR create a separate account for Government drafts and transactions. Other accounts were opened for various purposes and these are referred to in other letters. In September a letter announces that the Russian Ministry of Finance had directed NMR to place £100,000 of the proceeds of the loan at the disposal of the bank. Further letters refer to purchases of gold by NMR for the bank, and subsequent shipment, insurance and sales of gold. Among the letters are one or two from Baron Stieglitz, NMR's agent in St Petersburg. There are details of instructions from the Russian Minister of Finance for the bank to dispose of funds proceeding from the 1862 loan, and for the bank to draw on NMR on account of the loan. Other letters deal with the bank's drafts on and remittances to NMR, and with the opening of credits for clients. Letters between 1868 and 1893 are filed in the Sundry series.
English, French
Banque Nationale, Brussels, 1851-1855; 1875-1919 XI/47/0-10, 18 boxes
Letters from 1856-1874 are filed in the Sundry series
Banque de Pologne, 1828-1834; 1836-1840; 1845-1870 XI/38/33-35, 6 boxes
The series includes a letter announcing the establishment of the bank.
French
Berlin Bank, 1828-1879 XI/38/17-24 15 boxes
Routine correspondence revolving around bills drawn, occasionally supplemented by the lists of the bills.
German
Creditanstalt, 1856-1920 XI/71/0-34, 66 boxes
The correspondence contained in this series is all of a routine nature.
German
Crédit Lyonnais, 1870-1874 XI/38/68A, 1 file
The Crédit Lyonnais agreed to enter into regular correspondence with NMR in January 1871. Letters are from Lyon and also from the London Agency in Austin Friars set up the same year. The Crédit Lyonnais carried out operations on NMR's behalf, which mostly consisted of the sale and purchase of stock for NMR's account. There are also some details of the Franco-Prussian war, mostly as these affect the Bourse. Just one letter exists for 1874.
French
Disconto Gesellschaft, Berlin,1871-1913 XI/72/0-14, 34 boxes
A routine commercial correspondence confirming the management of NMR’s account in Berlin.
German
Disconto Gesellschaaft, Frankfurt, 1901-1920 XI/73/0-1, 2 boxes
A similar correspondence to that of the Berlin bank. The Frankfurt branch was established in 1901 to handle the residual business of M.A. von Rothschild.
German
Farmers Loan & Trust Company, 1838-1845 XI/38/105, 1 box
Most of the correspondence relates to the Company drawing bills on NMR, and to the Michigan State Loan of 1838, for which the Company acted as agents, making interest payments payable in London and Paris at Rothschild houses.
English
Finlands Bank, 1861-1896; 1903-1920 XI/49/0-13, 25 boxes
Letters between 1897 and 1902 are filed with Sundry Banks.
German
Javasche Bank, 1891-1920 XI/51/0-5, 12 boxes
NMR agreed to undertake the bank's London business following a meeting between Lord Rothschild and S. R. Leverijn of the Javasche Bank in October 1889. The correspondence in this series is from the bank in Batavia and from the Amsterdam office, established in 1891 with Frederick Insinger as a manager.
English, Dutch
Königl. Württembergishce Hofbank, 1884-1911 XI/53/0-1, 5 boxes
The papers within this series are pre-printed advices notes with manuscript amendments from the bank in Stuttgart and of a very routine nature.
German
De Nationale Bank der Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek, 1892-1901 XI/38/32, 1 box
This series related to NMR's 1892 South African Loan, and contains information on the Government's loan expense account and the payment of interest, together with other correspondence concerning the servicing of the loan.
English
Nederlandsche Bank, 1889-1919 XI/54/0-4, 9 boxes
The series contains nothing beyond routine business.
English
Norges Bank, 1897-1920 XI/55/0-1, 4 boxes
Routine business correspondence.
English, German, Norwegian
Ősterreichisch-ungarische Bank, 1882-1920 XI/41/2-7, 9 boxes
A continuation of the firm Priviligirte Österreichische Nationalbank.
German
Preußischer Bank, 1828-1879 XI/38/17-24, 15 boxes
Routine business correspondence.
German
Privalegierte Österreichische Nationalbank, 1868-1881 XI/40/0-1, 4 boxes
Schedules of remittances and statements of account make up this series. The bank continues as Österreichisch-ungarische Bank.
German
Rickets Ständers Bank, 1865-1890 XI/57/0-1, 6 boxes
These letters from the Bank of Sweden in Stockholm (continued in the Sundry Bank series of correspondence) deal with bill of exchange.
German
Ritterschaftlichen Privat Bank, 1835-1847 XI/38/213, 1 box
Routine business correspondence.
German
Sveriges Riksbank, 1865-1890 XI/57/0-1, 6 boxes
Known by the above name from 1867. Letters from 1891 are filed in Sundry Banks series.
German
Societá di Assicurazioni Diverse Istituta nel 1825, 1875-1909, XI/80/0-3, 9 boxes
The correspondence concerns business handled by NMR, such as procuring stock, on behalf of the firm in Naples.
French
Société Générale pour favouriser l'Industrie Nationale de Pays-Bas, 1832-1868 XI/38/243, 3 boxes
NMR's correspondence with the Société Générale began when NMR and de Rothschild Frères contracted for a 5% loan to the Belgian government. The letters discuss the exchange market and public funds, and they advise NMR on purchases in the Belgian loan.
French
Ungarische Allgemeine Bank, 1874-1920 XI/50/0-9, 23 boxes
The letters from Budapest concern routine business transactions.
German
Governments
Austrian Government, 1852-1860; 1862-1876; 1878 XI/38/8, 2 boxes
The correspondence within this series follows on from "the operation which [NMR] took up for the Austrian Government", i.e. the Austrian Loan of 1852.
German
Brazilian Government, 1825-1920 XI/65/0-13, 32 boxes
This series is an amalgamation of two distinct sets of correspondence. The first section (1825-1834) consists of letters from members of the Brazilian Legation in London, instructing that bonds should be sent to them for signature, and drawing on the Brazilian Government’s account with Rothschilds. These letters are mostly in English.
The second section (from 1840) consists of letters from the Finance Ministry in Rio and concern the management of the Government’s account in London. These are all in Portuguese.
Portuguese, English
Brazilian Legation, London, 1855-1920 XI/66/0-5, 13 boxes
The letters in this series consist of requests for payments on the Government’s account in London.
Portuguese, English
British Commissary-in-Chief's office, 1814-1816; 1819-1822; 1824-1827 XI/38/59-61, 4 boxes
A largely unordered collection of accounts, contracts, correspondence and extracts from official documents makes up this series. Their starting point is the agreements made between the British Government and N. M. Rothschild for the latter to supply coin with which to pay Wellington's troops on campaign.
English, French
Danish Government, 1826-1830; 1832-1859; 1862-1878 XI/38/72-75, 2 boxes
Denmark was one of Rothschilds' oldest sovereign clients, and the correspondence within this series relates to government loans.
German
Italian Governmenht, 1829-1912 XI/76/0-2, 4 boxes
This correspondence is divided into two main groups. The first consists of correspondence with the Minister of Finance in Naples (1829-1842) and concerns loans made to the Kingdom. The second consists of correspondence with the Sardinian Government Ministry of Finance in Turin (1854-1912) concerning the Government’s account with NMR.
French, Italian
Portuguese Government, 1829; 1834-1837 XI/38/207
Early links with Portugal go back as far as 1811 when Nathan began supplying Spanish and Portuguese gold coin across the blockade to the allied troops fighting the Peninsular War. In the 1820s and 1830s NMR issued three loans to the Portuguese Government. Letters in this series in 1829 are from the Marquis de Palmella at the Portuguese Embassy informing NMR of cheques valued on them and for which the Government should be debited. Letters from 1834-1836 are from the Portuguese Treasury and relate to the redemption of bonds and bills of exchange drawn on the Public Treasury for the paying-off of their loans. Letters also relate to the raising of a new loan in 1836 called the Provisional Fund (1834-1836).
Portuguese, English
Spanish Treasury, 1852-1855; 1872; 1874 XI/38/245, 1 box
This correspondence began in March 1852 following an agreement made on 3 March between the Spanish Government and Rothschilds' agent in Spain Daniel Weisweiller, according to which Rothschilds would sell quicksilver for the account of the Government. From then on the Treasury was constantly in debt to the Rothschilds, and the agreement had to be renewed time and again. The Spanish Government continued to sell quicksilver from Almadén's mines via Rothschilds for the next two decades. This series of correspondence relates mostly to the Exchequer's approval of sales of quicksilver by Rothschilds on their behalf. There are also some drafts for further agreements between Spain and the Rothschilds. The later letters of 1872 and 1874 are in French, some of them from Weisweiller and Bauer. They had opened a credit, as representatives of the Rothschilds, for the Government. These letters deal with remittances to Rothschilds, and with the transport of quicksilver.
Spanish, English, French
United States Government
See under American Department, (page C:2)
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Special Subject Correspondence
Affaires, 1818-1930* XI/4/0-169, 16 boxes
The small files in this series are concerned with discrete pieces of business, such as specific insurance agreements, the liquidation of a firm, and individual commodity transactions. A full list of the contents of the series is given in the catalogue listing on in Section M.
Special Correspondence, 1824-1930* XI/111/0-444, 20 boxes
In this series can be found correspondence, contracts and accounts relating to loans and issues handled by NMR. The files in this series, like the Affaires series, are arranged chronologically. A full list of the contents of the series is given in the catalogue listing in Section M.
Deceased Accounts, 1846-1930* XI/28/0-293, 17 boxes
The correspondence within this series is mostly between the executors of individuals' estates in relation to an account held at NMR. Some members of the Rothschild family and their relatives are represented here, and in some of these instances, the files contain estate inventories.
Northern of France Railway, 1845-1852 XI/38/187, 1 box
This series consists of some of the official board reports and company bulletins of the railway company with which the Rothschilds were most closely associated, the Chemin de fer du Nord. A great deal more private correspondence may be found within the series XI/109.
French
Lombardo & Venetian Railway Company, 1859-1860; 1862-1879 XI/38/170, 2 boxes
This series consists for the most part of notes of meetings of the directors of the company, for which Rothschilds issued a number of loans.
French
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Sundry correspondence
Sundry Correspondence, 1802-1834 XI/112, 118 boxes
Sundry Correspondence, 1835-1920 XI/113/-129, 923 boxes
The letters in the 112 series are arranged alphabetically for each year. Letters from 1802-1804 have been described in more detail elsewhere. Each of series 113 to 129 consists of correspondence relating to a specific letter or range of letters of the alphabet, which is arranged chronologically.
The Sundry series contain much 'hidden' material, including early letters from some agents and clients whose main correspondence can be found in named. The letters from C. Tolmé (in partnership with Havana agent Scharfenberg) are contained entirely within the Sundry 'T’ series (XI/127), and the correspondence from Russell Sturgis in Manila is in the 'R' series (XI/125).
Correspondence from private clients can also be found here. These letters are usually brief, and contain an instruction or a request relating to the client's account. If the client is a friend or acquaintance of a member of the Rothschild family - for example Nellie Melba, Sir Arthur Sullivan, or Sir Henry Irving - the letter may reveal something of the personality of the client or of their financial situation either personally or in regard to a specific venture.
Small pieces of business, for example support to a particular firm by way of a loan, are sometimes recorded here. The financial details will be in the ledger, but the reasons for the loan and other supporting information may be in the correspondence.
During the 1890s, Rothschilds, through its close links to the Exploration Company, became interested in mining ventures, and the Sundry series contain many reports on particular mines and invitations to invest in projects.
Copies of replies from NMR to these letters may be found in a number of letter copy books. General correspondence will be found in the Letter Copy Books at XI/148). Notes to Madame Melba, for example, about her American railroad stocks appear in the American Letter Copy Books. Details of clients' stock accounts are recorded in the books of the Stock Department.
A name and place index of a large part of the general Sundry Correspondence was compiled in the 1980s and is available in the Archive.
Sundry Banks, 1894-1910 XI/130B, 44 boxes
Correspondence in the Sundry Banks series records routine transactions, acceptances and remittances, etc. as described in the introduction to the Banks and Governments section above. The series only contains correspondence from 1894 onwards, as earlier letters were either filed in separate series (e.g. Bank Foreinings, Helsinki, 1891-1893, XI/38/15), or were contained within the general Sundry series above. The letters are filed in chronological order.
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Outgoing correspondence
Most of the letters described in this section were produced using a wet copy process. The quality of the copy thus made can therefore vary enormously and legibility is at times poor. The private letters to the Paris House (XI/130A) are on loose sheets of flimsy copy paper, while the other series are bound volumes into which copies have been pasted.
General Letter Copy Books, 1814-1920 XI/148/0-454, 455 volumes
Copies of the house correspondence recording (mainly) routine business are contained in a large series of volumes beginning in 1814. There are approximately 250 pages in each volume, onto which are pasted up to six pages of flimsy copies.
Letter Copy Book, New Russian 5% Metallic Stock etc., 1822-1824 XI/218/2, 1 volume
The volume opens with a statement of sums received in May and June 1822 on account of the Russian stock sold by NMR. The content of the volume is more general than the title would suggest, and includes a letter of reference for an unnamed individual wishing to be appointed Tide Surveyor and several letters from J. C. Green, who, in the 1830s, wrote to NMR from Canada.
Telegrams Copy Books, 1881-1921 XI/176/0-67, 68 volumes
From 1881, copies of telegrams, which had been included in the general series of letter books (above), were filed separately in these books.
Letter Copy Books 'R', 1825-1827; 1899-1920 XI/150/0-22, 23 volumes
All the letters in this series, of which just a fraction survives, are from NMR to the other Rothschild banks and concern the management of the joint business and accounts. The first two volumes cover September 1825 to January 1827 and are manuscript copies in English and German. The volumes from February 1899 onwards are bound, flimsy copies, again in English and German.
Private Letter Copy Books 'P', 1877-1891; 1907-1925 XI/149/0-5, 6 volumes
The letters in this series are signed by two senior members of staff, Mr Price and Mr Allard Jones, and are concerned with the management of the accounts and estates of members of the family, their relatives and friends such as the Earl of Gosford.
Private Letters to the Paris House, 1906-1914 XI/130A/0-8, 10 boxes
This series consists of copies of letters sent from New Court to the cousins in Paris, mainly signed by Natty, Lord Rothschild, and occasionally supplemented by letters from Leopold or Alfred. They have survived in spite of an instruction from Lord Rothschild that his correspondence should be destroyed after his death, and sadly represent the only record of the thoughts of the senior partners as expressed to the sister house at this time, as no trace of the original correspondence can be found in the archives of de Rothschild Frères. The letters are concerned with political and financial developments at home and abroad, also recording family events such as the birth of Guy (letter of 24 May 1909).
Some stray leaves of the correspondence can be found in particular files in the 'Special Correspondence' series XI/111, and also in the 'Private Letters Sundry' series, XI/109.
Brazilian Agency Letter Copy Books, 1855-1926 XI/142/0-14, 15 volumes
The first letters are written on 28 June 1855, responding to the letters received from the Brazilian Ambassador confirming NMR as the Brazilian Government’s new agents in succession to Goldsmid. Most of the letters in the series concern loans to the Government, shipping of goods, and the management of the account with NMR.
English
Brazil Funding Scheme Letter Copy Book, 1898-1902 XI/143/0, 1 volume
A small number of letters relating to the Brazilian 5% Funding of over £8.5 million issued in payments of interest and railway guarantees due between 1898 and 1901.
English, French, German
Brazilian Telegrams Letter Copy Books, 1898-1919 XI/8/1-8, 7 volumes
All the business conducted with the Brazilian Government is reflected in these copy books.
English
Chilean Letter Copy Books, 1886-1920 XI/144/0-3, 4 volumes
The series opens on 3 November 1886 with fulsome greetings to the Minister of Finance in Santiago on the occasion of the signing of a loan agreement. The letters continue to cover aspects of this and subsequent business with the Chilean Government.
English
Egyptian Letter Copy Books, 1878-1920 XI/147/0-4, 5 volumes
All the letters in this series relate to Egyptian business. They are addressed to de Rothschild Frères, NMR's representative in Cairo (Lorent), Rivers Wilson, Finance Ministers and others, mainly in English but with some French and German. Letters cover the convention between the French, English and Egyptians, the sale and mortgage of lands in the Domains and its cultivation. Many of the letters deal with loan repayments and agreements with bondholders. The final book is of letters (all in French) to the Commissaires-Directeurs de la Caisse de la Dette Publique d'Egypte and relates to loan payments.
Transvaal Government Letter Copy Book, 1892-1903 XI/153/0, 1 volume
The volume opens with a report to President Kruger on the success of the South African loan of 1892 and much of the subsequent correspondence is concerned with issues arising from this business.
Dawes & Sons Letter Copy Books, 1884-1890 XI/145/0, 1 volume
A handful of letters to the legal firm of Dawes & Sons relating to problems with the estates of clients is preserved in this volume.
Deceased Estates Letter Copy Books, 1897-1907 XI/146/0, 1 volume
The letters found in this series correspond to the series listed above as 'Deceased Accounts'.
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The American Department contains several series of copy letters | 