Sir Austen Henry Layard was an archaeologist, politician, and diplomat. Beginning in 1845, Layard worked on excavations at Nimrud and Nineveh. His early experiences in the Middle East, and especially Constantinople, shaped his attitude towards the Ottoman Empire and subsequent diplomatic career: Layard's belief that Britain could encourage administrative reform in the Ottoman Empire through energetic diplomacy and capital investment and that Turkey should receive greater support from Britain as a bulwark against Russian influence in the region often brought him into conflict with prevailing government policy. His commitment to the cause of administrative reform in Turkey also led him to establish the Ottoman Bank, of which he remained Chairman until 1861. He briefly held the post as under-secretary of foreign affairs in early 1852.
During the Crimean War, Layard led an extra-parliamentary campaign targeted at family and party influence in government, and helped establish the Administrative Reform Association. In October 1869, Layard was appointed ambassador to Madrid. He and his wife Lady Enid Layard showed sympathy for Spanish Liberals during the Third Carlist War and participated in the escape Francisco Serrano from Madrid in 1873. In March 1877, Layard was appointed Ambassador to Constantinople and, throughout the Russo-Turkish War [1877-78] urged a more aggressively anti-Russian policy. Layard was awarded the GCB in 1878 but was recalled from Constantinople following the return to power of WE Gladstone amidst pessimism about the prospects for reform. Despite his hopes for another diplomatic post, an appointment was not forthcoming and the Layards retired to their home in Venice, Ca Capello. Sir Austen Henry Layard died in July, 1894.
Lady Enid Layard, christened Mary Enid Evelyn Guest, was born on 1st July 1843 at Dowlais House, Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales. She was the third daughter and eighth child of ten born to the industrialist Sir Josiah John Guest, owner of the Dowlais Ironworks, and his wife Lady Charlotte Elizabeth Bertie, only daughter of Albemarle, 9th Earl of Lindsey. In early 1869 when she was aged twenty-five, Enid's older cousin Henry Layard, then aged fifty-one, proposed to her, and they were married on 9th March of the same year. Despite the difference in age, the marriage proved to be a happy one. Lady Layard survived him and died in 1912.
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This collection contains correspondence of Sir Austen Henry and Lady Enid Layard and Charlotte Maria Guest between 1869 and 1884. One series mainly comprises the correspondence of Enid Layard with her sister Charlotte Maria Guest and a smaller number from Sir Austen Henry Layard to Charlotte Maria Guest. A second series comprises a file of letters from members of the Du Cane family, including letters written by Alicia Marie Du Cane while staying with the Layards in Constantinople. Much of the material relates to Layard and the custodianship of his collection. There is also some published material relating to Layard, photographs of the Layard family, and some associated family and biographical material including objects and artefacts.
The material is grouped into two main series, Layard Papers (LAY1) and Related Family Correspondence (LAY 2). Items are subsequently grouped in chronological order.
The archive came to Special Collections in 2016 from the Du Cane family. Julia Du Cane, who left the collection to Richard Du Cane on her death in 1963, was the niece of Sir Austen Henry Layard: Julia Du Cane's mother, Charlotte Maria Du Cane [nee Guest], was the recipient of much of the correspondence contained within the Layard Papers [LAY1], primarily from her sister Lady Enid Layard [nee Guest].
A selection of items from this archive has been digitized and is available on CollectionsCaptured: https://cdm21051.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p21051coll111/search
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Comprises materials relating to Sir Austen Henry Layard and his wife Lady Layard [Mary Enid Evelyn Guest]. Primarily consists of 2 boxes of letters from Enid Layard to her sister Charlotte Maria Guest [wife of Richard Du Cane] and a file containing a smaller number of letters from Sir Austen Henry Layard to same. Topics include Layard's work as a diplomat in Madrid and Constantinople, the Third Carlist War [1872-76], the Russo-Turkish War, and the Guest family. Also includes a file of pamphlets and newspaper clippings on subjects relating to the Layards and the death and funeral of Enid Layard, a file of pictures, and a file of additional materials relating to the Layard family. Also includes some items which belonged to Richard Du Cane.
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Consists of 2 boxes of letters from Enid Layard to her sister Charlotte Maria Guest [wife of Richard Du Cane] and a file containing a smaller number of letters from Sir Austen Henry Layard to same. Regular topics include Layard's work as a diplomat in Madrid [1869-1877] and Constantinople, the Third Carlist War [1872-76], the Russo-Turkish War [1877-78], and news from the Guest family.
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Comprises 178 letters from Enid Layard to her sister Charlotte Maria Guest [wife of Richard Du Cane]. Regular topics include Layard's work as a diplomat in Madrid [1869-1877] and Constantinople, the Third Carlist War [1872-76], the Russo-Turkish War [1877-78], and news from the Guest family.
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Comprises 9 letters from Sir Austen Henry Layard to Charlotte Maria Guest [wife of Richard Du Cane]. Regular topics include Layard's work as a diplomat in Madrid [1869-1877] and Constantinople, the Third Carlist War [1872-76], the Russo-Turkish War [1877-78], and news from the Guest family.
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Consists of a file of published material, including pamphlets, and a bundle of press cuttings.
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Concerning the origin and history of Huguenot families in England.
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'Ba'albek: Thirty Views of the German Excavations.' Concerning the German excavations of Ba'albek.
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Concerning the Funeral of Lady Layard.
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'Order of Service for the Dedication of the Memorial Window to Enid, Wife of Sir Henry Austen Layard.' [2 copies].
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'Catalogue of Fine Tapestry: The Property of the Right Hon. Lord Lucas and Dingwall, the late Lady Layard, and Others, and Porcelain of the Late Frederick Nettleford, Esq.'
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Concerning the Lady Layard Memorial Fund. [3 copies].
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Concerning the raising of funds for the English Church in Venice.
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Concerning the death of Austen Henry Layard.
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Concerning the death, funeral, and estate of Lady Layard, bequests to the British Museum and the controversy regarding the Layard Collection in Venice. Featuring British Italian and German newspapers, all with annotations. One cutting from the Daily Telegraph (dated 12th April 1960) is annotated in a different hand and relates to a Sotheby's auction of Nineveh marble.
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Auction catalogues and other printed material relating to the sale of archaeological items originally discovered by Henry Austen Layard, including: Catalogue for the sale at Sotheby & Co. on 11th April 1960 of Lot 72 Assyrian Relief, sold by Julia Du Cane Catalogue for the sale at Sotheby's on 4 December 1979 of two Assyrian Reliefs, sold by the Earl of Harrowby Catalogue for the sale at Christie's on 6th July 1994 of the Canford Assyrian Reliefs, sold by the Governors of Canford School in Dorset Newspaper cuttings relating to the sale of the Canford Assyrian Reliefs Edition of TIME magazine, publiished 18th July 1994, containing a news item on the sale of the Canford Assyrian Reliefs.
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Comprises a selection of images, in various formats, of Enid Layard, including two watercolour paintings by Ludwig Passini. Also includes a copy of a portrait painting of Albermarle, 9th Earl of Lindsay.
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Copy of a portrait painting of Albermarle, 9th Earl of Lindsay and Charlotte Susan Layard.
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Black and white portrait photograph of Lady Layard as a young woman.
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Copy of a black and white portrait photograph of Lady Layard.
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Black and white portrait photograph of Lady Layard.
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Black and white portrait photograph of Lady Layard.
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Two watercolour paintings of Lady Layard by Ludwig Passini; one framed painting and one smaller, unfinished portrait behind it.
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This section comprises assorted materials concerning Sir Austen Henry Layard and Lady Enid Layard.
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Concerning the history of the Layard family, thought to be composed for John Layard
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Concerning the history of the Guest family. Includes a letter [unsigned] concerning the recent consultation of records relating to the Guest family, and a printed Pedigree of Guest of Brosley, Salop, printed by Mr. Hewins and entitled A Brief Note on the History of the Guest Family.
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House history concerning the history of the house at 3 Savile Row, Burlington Gardens, London (owned by the Layards).
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Drawings of medals with notes. Presumed to be either Enid Layard's award as a Lady of Mercy due to the cypher of the Sultan, or an award for Sir Austen Henry Layard.
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Hand-coloured sketches of unidentified friezes.
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Designs for the Enid Layard memorial window in St George's Anglican Church, Venice. Designs bear the stamp of James Powell & Sons, Whitefriars Glass Works, London. 3 copies.
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Material concerning the financial accounts of Lady Layard.
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The passport of Sir Austen Henry Layard, issued on 9th September, 1859, for his travels on the Continent.
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Twenty calling cards for Lady Enid Layard, bearing her name and the address 3 Savile Row.
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Austen Henry Layard's Huguenot Society of London medal, presented to him on 15th April 1885. Engraved with Austen Henry Layard's name and the date of the medal's presentation on the reverse.
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Fragments of what appears to be shell wrapped in a small paper parcel and labelled. "Mrs Austen with Mrs Layard's best regards". The shell fragments are fragile.
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Copper printing plate for Richard Du Cane's letterhead. With paper wrapper bearing the letterhead and the label of C & E Layton, Seal Engraver.
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Ornamental ivory letter opener presented to Sir Henry Layard by H.M. The Empress Frederick and bearing the signature of Victoria, Princess Royal. In its original presentation box.
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A shard of ancient decorated pottery from Nimrud donated by H. Rassam to Layard; the reverse of the fragment bears a label which is largely illegible, although identifiable words are "Temple of Ni[remainder of the word no longer visible]" and "20th June 1878". Very fragile.
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Despatch box formerly belonging to Richard Du Cane and bearing his name engraved on its brass handle. Contains a set of writing implements and a pair of scissors.
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Large red folder consisting in the front page of the volume Monuments of Nineveh, originally published in 1849. A label attached on the cover describes its contents as Monuments of Nineveh, AH Layard, proofs and drawing s, but the folder also includes scattered folios and later additions. Indeed, inside it there are 16 pages comprising proofs, corrected by Layard himself, of both _Monuments of Nineveh_ and of the later volume _A Second Series of the Monuments of Nineveh_ (published in 1853). The folder also contains some of the original drawings and engravings of plates for both volumes, with annotations and captions in English and German written by Layard and likely by the engraver, Ludwig Gruner. Additional material consists of: one envelope containing the Report of the Assyrian Excavation Fund, February 20, 1855 19 plates from Layard's publications one newspaper cutting from The Illustrated People's Paper with an image of the Nineveh Court at Crystal Palace 2 printed images and 2 pages with handmade sketches 1 photograph of Henry and Enid Layard with their 2 nieces (Ola and Nela) and Sir Henry Thompson having a picnic on the Lido in Venice (dated May 1892) watercolours, sketches and palace maps (some of them with annotations and measurements) made by Layard while he was travelling through the East and working in the field envelope sent by W.K. Loftus containing copies of some of the plate of his Lithographic Facsimiles of Inscriptions in the Cuneiform Character from the Ruins of Susa (1852) together with six copies of inscriptions made by Layard.
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Printed, published map of Kaleh Sherkat, the site of the ancient Assyrian city of Ashur. By Colonel Rawlinson and dated 7th August 1854. Oversize rolled item.
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Large photograph album containing images of people, castles and landscapes, including Eastnor Castle and Lady Eastnor herself among the subjects.
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This series consists mainly of letters to Charlotte Maria Guest [wife of Richard Du Cane] from other members of the Guest or Du Cane families, including Lady Charlotte Elizabeth Schreiber [mother of Charlotte Maria Guest] and Alicia Marie Du Cane [known as Alice; daughter of Charlotte Maria Guest]. Letters from Alice Du Cane concern her stay in Constantinople with Sir Austen Henry Layard and Enid Layard. Also includes several later letters [1913-1960] relating to the Layard estate.
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Concerning the Spanish Regent [Francisco Serrano] and family news involving Adeline Mary Chapman and Constance Rhiannon Guest.
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Concerning the Layards' journey to and arrival in Constantinople.
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Concerning a recent visit to Turkey, the Paris Exhibition [Exposition Universelle], and family news.
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Concerning the arrival of the Layards in London.
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Concerning her stay with Austen Henry Layard and Enid Layard in Constantinople.
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Concerning her stay with Austen Henry Layard and Enid Layard in Constantinople, social events, and a visit from Baker Pasha [Valentine Baker].
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Concerning her stay with Austen Henry Layard and Enid Layard in Constantinople and a friend's visit to Philippopolis.
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Concerning her stay with Austen Henry Layard and Enid Layard in Constantinople, her attendance at lectures, and the family of Swedish diplomat Selim Ehrenhoff.
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Concerning her stay with Austen Henry Layard and Enid Layard in Constantinople and Richard Du Cane's illness.
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Concerning her stay with Austen Henry Layard and Enid Layard in Constantinople.
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Concerning Alice Du Cane and Austen Henry Layard and Enid Layard in Constantinople.
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Concerning her stay with Austen Henry Layard and Enid Layard in Constantinople, social life in Constantinople, and the family of Swedish diplomat Selim Ehrenhoff.
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Concerning her stay with Austen Henry Layard and Enid Layard in Constantinople and social life.
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Concerning her stay with Austen Henry Layard and Enid Layard in Constantinople and refugees.
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Consists of four letters from 'Pavillet' to an unknown correspondent [presumed Charlotte Maria Guest or Enid Layard].
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Consists of two theatre programmes for a performance of the play 'Donkey Skin' by the Du Cane family.
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Concerning the possessions of Lady Layard.
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Concerning six Panizzi pictures, formerly owned by Sir Austen Henry Layard held by Messrs. Maple to be handed to Beamont and Son.
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Concerning the Layard letters.
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Concerning an Assyrian relief in possession of Julia Du Cane.
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Concerning a pencil sketch of features at Nimrud, the frontispiece of Sir Austen Henry Layard's 'Nineveh and its Remains,' Volune 1 (1848), and an upcoming biography of Sir Austen Henry Layard by Gordon Waterfield.
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Concerning some photographs for Waterfield's consultation and Lady Layard's diary in the British Museum.