So Dearly Loved, So Much Admired: Letters to Hester Pitt, Lady Chatham from Her Relations and Friends 1744-1801

This book traces the daily life of Hester Chatham through the letters she received from her family and her friends. The correspondence presented here has been selected from letters among the Chatham Papers at the Public Record Office. An emphasis has been placed on those that illustrate social and family life in the second half of the 18th century. Hester was a home-loving woman. Although steeped in politics all her life, she was essentially non-political; letters to her husband and son contain little reference to affairs of state other than great naval or military victories. This reluctance to take part in political discussion on paper was recognised by her correspondents; their letters, with few exceptions, contain only brief mention of public matters.