A letter from Queen Victoria to Lincoln’s Alfred Lord Tennyson has been bought by Lincolnshire County Council for the Tennyson Collection.
A two-page letter, dated March 1884, detailing the Queen’s ‘terrible sorrows’ after her youngest son died, written to the famous Lincolnshire-born poet, has been added to the Tennyson archive in the city.
The letter was purchased by Lincolnshire County Council at an auction in New York, on March for £4,400.
It was paid for with the assistance of the Heritage Service’s Donations Fund, and included a contribution from the Tennyson Society.
The document will be housed in The Tennyson Research Centre Collection at Lincolnshire Archives.
Cllr Nick Worth, executive member for heritage, said: “This letter is a fantastic addition to the Tennyson collection.
“Not only does it underline the close friendship between Tennyson and Victoria, but it also offers an insight into her state of mind at an incredibly trying time.
“I’m delighted we’ve been able to purchase it for the county, and would like to thank the Tennyson Society for their support in doing this.”
The Tennyson Research Centre opened in 2017 and houses other letters from Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and a copy of Through the Looking Glass that Lewis Carroll gave to Tennyson.
by Tom McBeth
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