Catalogue description Correspondence and Papers of Harold Chaloner and the Hon. Mary Dowdall, 1901-1954.

This record is held by Liverpool Record Office

Details of 920 DOW
Reference: 920 DOW
Title: Correspondence and Papers of Harold Chaloner and the Hon. Mary Dowdall, 1901-1954.
Description:

Summary

 

920 DOW/1 Newscuttings Book of Harold Chaloner Dowdall, 1909-1954, 1 vol., 3 docs.

 

920 DOW/2 Correspondence and papers of Harold Chaloner Dowdall relating to his Mayoralty, 1908-1909, 34 docs.

 

920 DOW/3 Personal correspondence and papers of Harold Chaloner Dowdall, 1901-1938, 33 docs.

 

920 DOW/4 Correspondence of the Hon. Mary Dowdall, 1907-1909, 1923 and n.d., 71 docs.

 

920 DOW/5 Letter from Vivien White [née John], and miscellaneous papers, 1967, n.d., 4 docs.
Date: 1901-1967
Held by: Liverpool Record Office, not available at The National Archives
Language: English
Creator:

Chaloner Dowdall, Harold, 1865-1955, Lord Mayor of Liverpool

Dowdall, Chaloner -, Harold, Harold, 1865-1955, Lord Mayor of Liverpool

Dowdall, Hon Mary Frances Harriet, 1877-1939
Physical description: 1 vol., 145 docs.
Restrictions on use:

No quotation or reproduction of any kind may be taken from or made of any letter written by Augustus or Ida John without first obtaining the permission of either:

 

Rebecca John

 

Of Holland Dwellings.

 

Newton St

 

London WC2B 5ES.
Immediate source of acquisition:

The correspondence and papers of Harold Chaloner and the Hon. Mary Dowdall were received in these libraries on three separate occasions from three separate sources. The newscuttings book of Harold Chaloner Dowdall was deposited on permanent loan by Judge Dowdall in 1946. Those papers of Harold Chaloner and the Hon. Mary Dowdall bearing a blue stamp were donated to these libraries by Miss A. Campbell in 1955 whilst those letters bearing a green stamp (mainly letters from Augustus and Ida John) were deposited here in 1970 by Mrs. Vere Cotton.
Custodial history:

Accs. 0184

 

147

 

2282
Administrative / biographical background:

Harold Chaloner Dowdall (1865-1955) married the Hon. Mary Frances Harriet, (1877-1939), daughter of the 16th Lord Borthwick, in 1897. Two years later Dowdall became a member of Liverpool City Council. In November 1908 be became Lord Mayor of Liverpool and much of this correspondence relates to his portrait as Lord Mayor painted by Augustus John. The Dowdalls would appear to have become acquainted with Augustus John and his wife Ida (née Nettleship) during John's period in Liverpool as art master at the School of Art, and this personal friendship seems to have influenced Dowdall's decision in his choice of artist (see 920 DOW/1 below).

 

Augustus John in his Chiaroscuro: Fragments of Autobiography, 1952, seems to dismiss this friendship lightly, although Mary Dowdall and Ida John entered into correspondence which would appear to have lasted for a considerable length of time (see 920 DOW/4 below).

 

Although Harold Chaloner Dowdall was active in many spheres, holding the position of Chancellor of the Diocese of Liverpool and that of a County Court Judge, amongst others, none are reflected in the contents of this correspondence. Details of these can be found in Biographical Newscuttings: Dowdall, H.C. in this library's local history collection.

 

Judge Dowdall retired from his position as County Court Judge in 1940, although he remained Chancellor of the Diocese of Liverpool until 1947. He spent his last years in Boar's Hill, Oxford.
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