Milltown Papers

Part of the Institutional Archive

Description

The Milltown archival fonds consists of papers relating to the Milltown collection at NGI. This includes papers dating from 1897-1913 relating to the intended donation of collection by Countess Milltown, papers relating to the proposal, design, and fit out of an extension to NGI to house the collection, and papers relating to disputes between the donor and NGI regarding reattribution of works the collection. Also included are papers relating to negotiations for the transfer of the collection and its delivery in 1906, continuing disputes between the donor and NGI regarding display of the collection, and an addition in 1913 of silver and furniture to the initial gift Papers from 1914-1934 largely concern the loan of part of the Milltown Collection to Lord Turton at Russborough; papers from 1929-1934 details effort by NGI and Turton to have the borrowed items returned to NGI. The sale of Russborough to Captain Denis Daly in 1931 meant that Captain Daly was involved in the later stages of returning the Turton loan and the retention of seven George Barrett paintings at Russborough. There are several different inventories and partial inventories among the Milltown papers. They relate to the donation of the collection by Countess Milltown (1897-1913), the loan of some of the collection to Sir Edmund Turton (1914-1919) and the return of the Turton loan (1929-1934). It has proved difficult to date some of the inventories and to identify the compiler. Where possible efforts have been made to ascertain the date and purpose of a particular inventory. Papers from 1923 and the 1930s detail the loan of books from the Milltown collection to the Oireachtas Library and the National Library, as well as the transfer of the Milltown silver to the National Museum in 1938; there are some papers from 1960-62 dealing with furniture, which was part of the Milltown Collection. Papers dating from 1929-1933 detail a proposal to extend NGI. The Milltown archival fonds further includes enquiries to NGI from members of the public regarding the Leeson family in 1938 and 1939 and again between 1962 and 1965. Restrictions on access to later enquiries apply. There is also a file containing research for an article by Dr Michael Wynne, then assistant director of NGI, entitled ‘The Milltowns as patrons’ published in Apollo in February 1974 and three articles on Russborough house by John Cornforth, published in Country Life in December 1963. The latest addition made to the Milltown archive collection is the oldest item included: a receipt book of the second Earl of Milltown, covering the period 1799 -1800 when he resided in London. This was purchased by the National Gallery at Sothebys in1988.