The Creevey Papers
Thomas Creevey to Elizabeth Ord, 26 August 1828
“Stoke, Aug. 26th.
“. . . Upon our return [from Egham races] our only
company arrived was Wm. Lamb, alias Viscount Melbourne. I had
a good walk with him and found him very pretty company indeed, and very
instructive about Ireland. At about 8 we sat down to dinner—Prince and Princess Lieven, Lord and
Lady Cowper, Lord
Melbourne, [Sir George]
Warrender, Montron,
C. Greville, Frank Russell, Luttrell and Motteux, which with
C. Grenville, Churchill and
myself, and the worthy family themselves [the Seftons]
made 19 or 20. To-day the party is to be added to by Prince
d’Aremberg, Villa Real, Alvanley and our flash Tom Duncombe. . . .
“O’Connell’s election and Dawson’s speech at Derry* are
conclusive proofs to me of some great approaching change in the fate of
Ireland, and I wish to see that country before and during the operation of this
crisis.”
William Arden, second baron Alvanley (1789-1849)
The son of Sir Richard Pepper Arden, first Baron Alvanley; he was a friend of Beau
Brummell with a reputation as a wit and a spendthrift.
Emily Mary Cowper, countess Cowper [née Lamb] (1787-1869)
Whig hostess, the daughter of Sir Peniston Lamb, first Viscount Melbourne; she married
(1) in 1805 Sir Peter Leopold Louis Francis Nassau Cowper, fifth Earl Cowper, and (2) in
1839, her long-time lover, Henry John Temple, third Viscount Palmerston.
George Robert Dawson (1790-1856)
Educated at Harrow and Christ Church, Oxford, he was a Tory MP for Londonderry (1815-30)
and Harwich (1830-32) who came to support Catholic emancipation. He was Robert Peel's
brother-in-law.
George Lionel Dawson-Damer (1788-1856)
The son of John Dawson, first earl of Portarlington; he fought at Waterloo and was MP for
Portarlington and Dorchester.
Thomas Slingsby Duncombe (1796-1861)
A grandson of Bishop John Hinchliffe, he was educated at Harrow and did military service
before pursuing a political career as a Whig MP who supported Radical causes; he was MP for
Hertford borough (1826-32) and Finsbury (1834-61). Thomas Creevey described him as an
improvident gambler.
Charles Cavendish Fulke Greville (1794-1865)
The son of Captain Charles Greville (1762-1832); he was educated at Eton College and at
Christ Church, Oxford, and was clerk-in-ordinary to the privy council. His famous
Diary began appearing in 1874.
William Lamb, second viscount Melbourne (1779-1848)
English statesman, the son of Lady Melbourne (possibly by the third earl of Egremont) and
husband of Lady Caroline Lamb; he was a Whig MP, prime minister (1834-41), and counsellor
to Queen Victoria.
Henry Luttrell (1768-1851)
English wit, dandy, and friend of Thomas Moore and Samuel Rogers; he was the author of
Advice to Julia, a Letter in Rhyme (1820).
Casimir, Comte de Montrond (1768-1843)
French military officer, diplomat, and political agent allied to Talleyrand. Sydney Smith
described him as “a very witty, agreeable man” Thomas Creevey as an “infernal
scoundrel.”
Daniel O'Connell (1775-1847)
Irish politician, in 1823 he founded the Catholic Association to press for Catholic
emancipation.
Francis Russell, seventh duke of Bedford (1788-1861)
Son of the sixth Duke (d. 1839); he took an MA from Trinity College, Cambridge in 1808
and served as Whig MP for Peterborough between 1809 and 1812 and for Bedfordshire between
1812 and 1832. He succeeded to the title in 1833.
Sir George Warrender, fourth baronet (1782-1849)
Educated at Christ Church, Oxford and Trinity College, Cambridge, he was MP for
Haddington (1807-12), Truro (1812-18), Westbury (1826-30) and Honiton (1830-32). He was
Lord of the Admiralty (1812-22).
