Introduction to the Chatsworth Papers
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The Chatsworth Papers in PRONI include photocopies of around 1,925 documents and volumes, constituting four main blocks of correspondence on Ireland during the period 1693 to1812:
11 letter-books on the Irish estates of the earls of Burlington, 1693 to 1758 (which passed into the possession of the future 5th Duke of Devonshire in the latter year)
Correspondence, on all subjects, of the 3rd Duke of Devonshire while Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, 1737 to 1745
Correspondence of the 4th Duke while Lord Lieutenant, 1755 to 1757
Selected Irish estate and other Irish correspondence of the 3rd Earl of Burlington and his wife/widow, 1729 to 1758, of the 4th Duke of Devonshire, 1757 to 1763, and of the agents of the 5th and 6th Dukes, 1766 to 1812
Some other, scrappier Irish material of the period 1794 to 1727 has also been photocopied and calendared; and all the non-Irish and non-Viceregal correspondence of the period 1729 to 1756 has been photocopied. But with these two exceptions, the Chatsworth Papers in PRONI fall into the four broad categories outlined above. The actual arrangement of the photocopies is slightly different.