The Archive of Lady Mary Pamela Madeline Sibell Strickland / Lyon (1895-1991), née Charteris

To include nine various leatherbound diaries in manuscript spanning 1916-1927; including some typewritten transcripts thereof (Volumes 1-4)

Two ring binder files containing letters of response to the wedding of Ariel Susan Clare (adopted daughter of Mary Lyon) to Christopher Elliott in 1964, predominantly from the gentry of Gloucestershire and including from the author Michael Innes and Anne Fleming (wife of Ian Fleming)

Two prisoner of war diaries by Lieutenant Algernon (Tom) Walter Strickland of the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Yeomanry, dating from 1916-18, written while he was held prisoner in Turkey, measuring 13cm x 8.5cm each with cloth boards, with an accompanying manuscript book by his wife, Mary Strickland, summarising letters received from her husband while imprisoned, with a folded map of Gallipoli, alongside two files of manuscript letters from Algernon (known in the family as Tom or Tommy) to Mary spanning 1917-1938 including those from camps in Egypt, Switzerland and Gallipoli (Turkey).

A folder of various letters to Mary Pamela Lyon, some dealing with the publication of Cynthia Asquith's diaries (Mary's sister), including from Sir Rupert Hart-Davis (1907-1999) and an envelope of press cuttings and reviews of Elizabeth Longford’s biography of Wilfred Scawen Blunt, letters from Elizabeth Longford and Roger Fulford

Two small notebooks with manuscript entries in pencil, one entitled 'Bird Notes' (spanning 1955-1965) and Birds seen in South Africa Orange Free State Dec 1937- March 1938

A folder of Letters entitled 'Letters from Sara from 1929 up to 1950' (daughter of Mary Lyon) including juvenile correspondence

A folder of documents relating to World War I & II with related memorabilia including a typed manuscript ‘Torpedoed’ by Martin Charteris (1913-1999), a favourite courtier of Queen Elizabeth II and her longest serving Private Secretary, several ephemera publications by the British Legion, 1950-54, an auction catalogue Bruton, Knowles & Co. ‘The Gloucestershire Treasure Sale’ 1944 for the Red Cross, including a pencil drawing ‘Paternity’ by H.G. Wells, Mary Strickland and Mrs Belloc Lowndes, drawn at Stanway as part of a parlour game. Several WWII armbands for the British Red Cross, WVS Rest Centre and WLA (Women’s Land Army), several badges including a Royal British Legion Poppy brooch, ARP Women’s Voluntary Services, Women’s Land Army and Civil Defence Corps

A folder entitled ‘Soldier’s Letters 1917-1918’, mostly addressed ‘Dear Nurse’ to Mary Strickland

A folder of newspaper cuttings Jan 1977 to ..., a further folder of press cuttings of reviews of Cynthia Asquith’s diaries, 1968 and other books

A marbled paper notebook entitled ‘Last Will and Testament of Mary Constance Wemyss’ dated March 9^th 1929

A manuscript poem by Herbert Asquith ‘Youth in the Skies’ with his accopmpanying letter, dated 1940

An envelope of letters and ephemera relating to J. M. Barrie including two copies each of Stanway Mysteries programmes for ‘The Wheel’ and ‘Where was Simon’ by Barrie, nine signed manuscripts letters by J. M. Barrie, all to ‘Lady Mary Strickland’ at various addresses, 1923-1936

Folders of Letters

Folder entitled ‘Cynthia Asquith to her sister Mary’ but containing various letters including one manuscript letter from Augustus John, September 19, 1936 to Lady Mary regarding his works in Chelsea portraits and advance for his portrait of Mary and another letter from Augustus John regarding the same; a typewritten autograph letter to Lady Mary from Anthony Powell, 1977

Folder of Letters to Mary Lyon on occasion of Cynthia Asquith’s death, amongst others by Osbert Sitwell, ‘Bibs’ Plymouth, Denis Mackail, Lord Tavistock, etc.

Five folders of letters from Mary Strickland/Charteris to her mother (1899-1937)

A folder of letters entitled ‘Bibs’ Plymouth (1910s-1920s)

A folder of letters from Denis Mackail 1920s-1960s

Five letters from Wilfred Scawen Blunt to Mary Constance Wyndham Countess Wemyss (1862-1937) [with whom she allegedly had an affair] including one poem dedicated to her

An extensive collection of letters dating circa 1899-1978 to Mary Strickland from various correspondents including from Wilfrid Scawen Blunt, Sir Walter Raleigh, George Vernon, Cynthia Asquith, various members of the Asquith, Wemyss and Charteris family, Denis Mackail, Augustus John, H. G. Wells, Violet Bonham Carter, Henry Yorke, Hugo Charteris, Osbert Sitwell, L. P. Jacks, Joan Webster-Young, Sybell Fulford , Roger Fulford, Anne Fleming and others

Lady Mary was the adopted daughter of Percy Scawen Wyndham. Her mother was Mary Constance Charteris Wyndham and her biological father Wilfrid Scawen Blunt. Wyndham and her siblings and their spouses were members of The Souls, an elite English social group. She and her two sisters were the subjects of John Singer Sargent's 1899 painting The Wyndham Sisters.

Mary was first married to Algernon (Tom) Strickland, who died in 1938, her second husband was Major John (Jack) Lyon, whom she married in 1943. Her older sister was the author and society hostess Lady Cynthia Asquith, married to Herbert Asquith, younger son of the Liberal Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith, who was Prime Minister at the outbreak of the First World War. Mary lost both her brothers during the war in quick succession, Yvo Alan Charteris in October 1915 and Hugo Francis Charteris (Lord Elcho) in April 1916. She resided both at Stanway House (her family home) and Apperley Court (family home of the Strickland's).

Her fascinating diaries span the early years of a young Mary Strickland, documenting the outbreak of the First World War and its aftermath, nursing duties, attending seances with her mother, escapades to London and household and society gossip. Through her sister Lady Cynthia Asquith, the English writer and socialite, she was well connected with the literary elite and through her brother-in-law's family, she gained intriguing insights into the political machinations at the time. The diaries intersperse major international events with the comparative monotony of daily life in a country house and seemingly endless letter writing. An avid correspondent, the diary also documents, alongside original letters, the death in service of her brother Yvo in Gallipoli.

The diaries describe varied events, from an altercation with her maid at Harrods, lunch at 10 Downing Street, bombs dropped in London, dinner with H.G. Wells, descriptions of her nursing duties during WWI at Winchcombe Hospital, her husband's imprisonment in Turkey and country house visits interspersed by reports and commentary on the events and battles of the First World War.

Alongside the diaries, the archive includes extensive correspondence and documents spanning most of the 20^th century with letters from literary figures such as H.G. Wells, J. M. Barrie, Denis Mackail and Osbert Sitwell alongside the family correspondence.

Lady Mary Charteris pictured in the Tatler at the time of her engagement to Lieutenant Algernon W. Strickland of the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars.