Doing some home renovations today and I found this collection of what look like old letters between the Duke of Wellington and a chap called Philip Hardwick from 1837-1851 behind an old hot water tank.
Where would be best to take these to find out if they are real and what best to do with them?
by MaxCherryBailBond
25 comments
Absolutely hit up a museum, they’ll love it
https://www.sothebys.com/en/sell/books/manuscripts-documents
Crikey, that’s a find and a half. Edit: can someone write out what the letter says? I’m so terrible at reading that style of writing.
A museum or a county record office.
Duke of Wellington’s family.
An auctioneer.
Update please!!
Can you keep us updated on this please?? Fascinating!!
[Philip Hardwick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Hardwick) worked as a surveyor for Wellington.
Really looking forward to updates on this!
Allow me to transcribe: ////////////////////////////////////
The British Library in London would be my first choice to contact. They have a research department so if they can’t help you they’ll know someone who will.
Good find.
Awesome find! You could try contacting the office of the current Duke of Wellington: [https://members.parliament.uk/member/4541](https://members.parliament.uk/member/4541/registeredinterests)
But as others have said, a museum would be a sound bet. Failing that, your nearest university may have a history department with an appropriate specialist who can point you in the right direction. Please do come back and drop an update when/if you find out!
Just asked a friend who sells antique books/manuscripts etc.She said these could very well be real and you should definitely contact Sotheby’s or Christie’s, initially with photos. She hopes they are love letters, lol.
Also curious to know kind of house are you renovating? And what kind of hot water tank has been there that long?
Wow that’s some heavy italics going on there. Maybe he was writing them on a ship that was listing unbeknownst to him at the time.
“Major Lennox answered with his life”
What an amazing find!
You could contact [The British Museum](https://www.britishmuseum.org/about-us/contact-us) and there is a way to contact them by phone or by email in the link.
That would be where I start unless a google search comes up with a University who specialises in that history period.
Very cool! I hope for your sake they’re real.
https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2022/history-in-manuscript-letters-and-documents-from-a-distinguished-collection/arthur-wellesley-duke-of-wellington-autograph
Where they major sharpe
We had our old hot water tank taken out a few weeks ago and all we found was four pairs of very dusty socks.
They are in fantastic condition for the age. What a great find.
All I can add is the very obvious advice of keep them well away from sunlight so they don’t fade. Put them in a box that won’t damage the paper.
Wow, what a find. That’s some antique roadshow shit
Antiques roadshow.
If legit then this will be on BBC News in the next few days.
Also contact the Ephemera Society UK to ask for a specific Wellington expert
Write back and tell him we love the beef Welly!
I think the BBC would be interested in covering this find and could put you in touch with experts quickly.