Sara Anne Catherine Whinyates Robertson Letters and Estate Documents LSC.2379
Finding aid prepared by Jasmine Larkin, 2019.
UCLA Library Special Collections
Online finding aid last updated 2020 January 24.
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Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Title: Sara Anne Catherine Whinyates Robertson letters and estate documents
Creator:
Robertson, Sara Anne Catherine Whinyates
Identifier/Call Number: LSC.2379
Physical Description:
0.4 linear feet
(1 box)
Date (inclusive): 1806-1808
Abstract: The collection consists of 46 letters, written in India by Sara Anne Catherine Whinyates Robertson. The letters are primarily
to her grandmother Lady Frankland, her aunt Harriet Frankland, and her brother Sir Edward Charles Whinyates. The letters describe
social life and conditions in British Colonial India. In addition, there are two documents concerning her father's estate
in India. The materials date from 1806 to 1808.
Physical Location: Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Physical Description: The letters are generally in very good, clean, and legible condition, with some minor tears, and loss along folds.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
Property rights to the physical objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright
and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
UCLA Catalog Record ID
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Sara Anne Catherine Whinyates Robertson letters and estate documents (Collection 2379). UCLA Library
Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Michael Brown Rare Books, LLC from the Manuscript Funds, 2019.
Processing Information
Processed by Jasmine Larkin, 2019. The materials are arranged in the order in which they were received from the seller.
Collections are processed to a variety of levels depending on the work necessary to make them usable, their perceived user
interest and research value, availability of staff and resources, and competing priorities. Library Special Collections provides
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Biographical History
Against her family's wishes, Sara Anne Catherine Whinyates married Lieutenant James Robertson of the Bengal Engineers in 1803.
Her grandmother, Lady Frankland, her Aunt Harriet, and her brother Edward Charles were the only family that supported her
and wrote to her. Sara and her husband initially resided at Fort William. Situated on the eastern banks of the River Hooghly,
the major distributary of the River Ganges, Fort William was an important stronghold and the major trading hub for the East
India Company. From the time of their marriage until 1805, British and Indian soldiers clashed in the Second Anglo-Maratha
War – Britain's sixth conflict with India since 1766. British forces managed to maintain control of Fort William, but, by
1806, the region still experienced some violence.
Source:
Michael Brown Rare Books, LLC. Invoice correspondence, November 15, 2019.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of 46 letters, written in India by Sara Anne Catherine Whinyates Robertson. The letters are written
to Robertson's grandmother Lady Frankland; her Aunt Harriet; her brother Sir Edward Charles Whinyates, British Army general,
veteran of Waterloo; her uncle William Frankland; and her sisters Amy, Rachel, and Bella. In addition, there are two documents
regarding her father's estate in India.
The letters describe social life and conditions in British Colonial India. The letters chronicle when Sara's parents die in
Allahabad, India and leave behind two younger orphaned sisters and many debts. Sara sends her two younger sisters home to
England so that they may be educated. The Robertsons are transferred from Calcutta to Allahabad after Mr. Robertson is promoted
to Chief Engineer at that post. Mr. Robertson is sent into the field several times during various uprisings and insurgencies.
Sara desired bringing her older sisters to India so they could "marry well" and be "settled."
Source:
Michael Brown Rare Books, LLC. Invoice correspondence, November 15, 2019.
Custodial History
Collection acquired by dealer at an auction in 2017.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
British -- India -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
Letters (Correspondence).
Robertson, Sara Anne Catherine Whinyates -- Correspondence
box 1, folder 1
Letter to Harriet Frankland
1806 January
box 1, folder 2
Letter to Lady Frankland
1806 January 15
box 1, folder 3
Letter to Harriet Frankland
1806 February 12
box 1, folder 4
Letter to Lady Frankland
1806 February 13
box 1, folder 5
Letter to Lady Frankland
1806 March
box 1, folder 6
Letter to William Frankland
1806 April 12
box 1, folder 7
Letter to Lady Frankland
1806 May 7
box 1, folder 8
Letter to Lady Frankland
1806 May 16
box 1, folder 9
Letter to Edward Charles Whinyates
1806 May 18
box 1, folder 10
Letter to Amy
1806 May 31
box 1, folder 11-12
Documents regarding estate
1806 June 7
box 1, folder 13
Letter to Lady Frankland
1806 July 14
box 1, folder 14
Letter to Harriet Frankland
1806 August 24
box 1, folder 15
Letter to Lady Frankland
1806 September 11
box 1, folder 16
Letter to Lady Frankland
1806 September 12
box 1, folder 17
Letter to Lady Frankland
1806 September 15
box 1, folder 18
Letter to Rachel Whinyates
1806 September 15
box 1, folder 19
Letter to Edward Charles Whinyates
1806 September 18
box 1, folder 20
Letter to Lady Frankland
1806 October 19
box 1, folder 21
Letter to Lady Frankland
1806 November 3
box 1, folder 22
Letter to Harriet Frankland
1806 November 16
box 1, folder 23
Letter to Edward Charles Whinyates
1806 December 20
box 1, folder 24
List of clothes
1806 August
box 1, folder 25
Letter to Edward Charles Whinyates
1807 January 9
box 1, folder 26
Letter to Harriet Frankland
1807 February
box 1, folder 27
Letter to Lady Frankland
1807 February 13
box 1, folder 28
Letter to Lady Frankland
1807 February 20
box 1, folder 29
Letter to Lady Frankland
1807 April 28
box 1, folder 30
Letter to Harriet Frankland
1807 May 19
box 1, folder 31
Letter to Edward Charles Whinyates
1807 July 6
box 1, folder 32
Letter to Harriet Frankland
1807 July 13
box 1, folder 33
Letter to Edward Charles Whinyates
1807 July 23
box 1, folder 34
Letter to Lady Frankland
1807 August 3
box 1, folder 35
Letter to Lady Frankland
1807 September 30
box 1, folder 36
Letter to Lady Frankland
1808 January 12
box 1, folder 37
Letter to Lady Frankland
1808 January 24
box 1, folder 38
Letter to Lady Frankland
1808 March 14
box 1, folder 39
Letter to Edward Charles Whinyates
1808 March 28
box 1, folder 40
Letter to Lady Frankland
1808 March 29
box 1, folder 41
Letter to Harriet Frankland
1808 April 7
box 1, folder 42
Letter to Lady Frankland
1808 April 23
box 1, folder 43
Letter to Harriet Frankland
1808 July 27
box 1, folder 44
Letter to Lady Frankland
1808 September 2
box 1, folder 45
Letter to Edward Charles Whinyates
1808 September 20
box 1, folder 46
Letter to William Frankland
1808 September 24
box 1, folder 47
Letter to Lady Frankland
1808 September 25
box 1, folder 48
Letter to Lady Frankland
1808