General Sir Neville Lyttelton (1845-1931), had a 47 year military career in Canada, Ireland, India, Egypt, Gibraltar, Bombay, Sudan and South Africa. His more prominent commanding roles include ADC to Viceroy, 1868-1873, and Commander-in-Chief of Ireland, 1908-1912, Governor of Bombay, 1885-1890 and Commander-in-Chief, South Africa, 1902-1904. He saw active service in many campaigns including the Fenian Rising, Canada, 1866, Jowaki Expedition, India, 1877, Egyptian Campaign, 1882, Nile Expedition, Sudan, 1898 and Boer War, South Africa, 1899-1900. He also undertook political appointments including, Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for War in the Liberal Government, 1880, Assistant Adjutant General War Office, 1895, Assistant Military Secretary, War Office, 1897-1898 and Chief of General Staff and First Military Member of Army Council, 1904-1908.
General Lyttelton married Katherine Stuart-Wortley in 1883. The collection contains the papers of General Sir Neville Lyttelton, 1852-1937, mainly comprising correspondence to or by Lyttelton and his wife Katherine Lyttelton (formerly Stuart-Wortley), and particularly letters exchanged between them during the Second Boer War, 1899-1902, and as Commander-In-Chief of Ireland, 1908-1912 and correspondence to and from the Stuart-Wortley family, Lyttelton's daughters and friends and associates and photographs.
It also includes the papers of their daughter Hilda Lyttelton (1886-1972), who married Arthur Grenfell Lt.Col.Arthur Morton Grenfell, and in later years became Vice-President of World's Y.M.C.A, Lady in Waiting to Queen Elizabeth II and was invested as an Officer, Order of the British Empire. Arthur Grenfell (1872-1909), saw active service in the First World War, and two of his brothers, Francis and Riversdale, and 3 cousins, all fought and died in the First World War. It includes letters from Arthur, Riversdale and Francis Grenfell to their sisters during 1st World War.