Papers of Meredith White Townsend (1857-1911)
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- Held At: Parliamentary Archives: GB-061
- Catalogue Reference: MWT
- Former Archival Reference: Historical Collection 423
- Date: 1857-1911
- Level: Fonds
- Extent: 8 files
- Creator Name: Townsend; Meredith White, 1831-1911
- Administrative or Biographical History: Meredith White Townsend (1831-1911) began his journalistic career in India where he became editor and owner of the "Friend of India". He was present in India during the mutiny but left in 1859 on grounds of ill-health and returned to England. In 1860 Townsend purchased "The Spectator" and entered into partnership with Richard Holt Hutton. Under the joint editorship of Townsend and Hutton the fortunes of the paper improved; Townsend specialised in foreign politics, particularly Indian affairs and the two men courted controversy in their support of the North in the American civil war. Hutton died in September 1897 and in 1898 Townsend was succeeded as editor and proprietor of the Spectator by John St. Loe Strachey.
- Acquisition: Donated to the House of Lords Record Office by "The Spectator" in 1997. Accession number 3362
- Category: Personal/Political Papers
- Description: Correspondence and papers of Meredith White Townsend, Journalist, Editor and Proprietor of "The Spectator"; letters from various correspondents, including R H Hutton, Lord Carnavon, Lord Duffin, and M Wylie; also included are press cuttings.
- Terms:
- System of Arrangement: Chronologically by file
- Related Material: Papers of John St Loe Strachey (STR) are held in the Parliamentary Archives
- Access Status: Open
- Physical Description: Manuscript