Original family manuscript · 17 May 1845

Lord Mount Edgcumbe and the missed concert

An original two-page letter in the Hawes family collection concerns concert tickets sent by William Hawes to Lord Mount Edgcumbe. The writer explains that the tickets arrived too late for him to attend and apologises for missing the performance. It provides evidence of correspondence between William Hawes and an aristocratic concert-goer late in Hawes's career.

Working transcription

Lord Mount Edgcumbe presents his compliments to Mr Hawes and begs to say that he only received yesterday his obliging note containing the tickets for the Concert.

He had expected Lady [E?] to send for them and [she?] thinking that they would all be sent in a sealed cover, put the letter that contained them among a number of other letters directed to Ld Mt Edg., and he in consequence was only aware of their having been sent upon his arrival from the Country where [important engagements?] detained him.

He regrets extremely having been deprived of the pleasure he feels sure he would have derived from attending it.

32 Curzon St
May 17th 1845

This is a provisional transcription from supplied photographs. Square brackets indicate words not confidently read. Punctuation is lightly normalised. The second page has been rotated to make its text readable.

Photographs of the manuscript

First page of the handwritten 1845 letter from Lord Mount Edgcumbe to William Hawes

Second page of the 1845 letter, including Curzon Street address and date

Who was Lord Mount Edgcumbe?

At the date written on the letter, the title belonged to Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe (1797–1861), 3rd Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, who succeeded his father in September 1839. His father, Richard Edgcumbe (1764–1839), the 2nd Earl, was a notable writer on opera and music. Consequently this 1845 letter should not be attributed to Richard without contrary evidence.

Useful external biographical sources: National Portrait Gallery — Ernest Augustus, 3rd Earl; Oxford DNB — Richard, 2nd Earl.

Research significance

The surviving letter shows that William Hawes extended an invitation or sent tickets to a concert, and that Lord Mount Edgcumbe intended to attend but did not receive the necessary communication in time. It does not identify the concert, its performers or venue, and does not prove the Earl was William's patron. A contemporary concert advertisement or programme may help identify the event shortly before 17 May 1845.

Dating and identification: The handwritten address reads approximately “32 Curzon St”, with the date appearing to be “May 17th 1845”. The writer uses the title “Lord Mount Edgcumbe”; identifying the individual as Ernest Augustus is based on the title's succession in 1839, not a full personal signature.

Catalogue details

Document: Two-page handwritten letter concerning concert tickets.
From: Lord Mount Edgcumbe (attributed to Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, 3rd Earl).
To: Mr Hawes (identified by family provenance as William Hawes, the composer).
Date: Probably 17 May 1845.
Address: 32 Curzon Street, London (reading provisional).
Source: Family-owned original, photographs supplied 7 November 2026.