Description:Duchess Millicent was a prolific writer and much of her correspondence survives in the Sutherland Papers, including letters relating to her personal life. Her personal papers include letters from members of the British and foreign Royal Families, such as King George V. There are also letters from Winston Churchill, the author J.M. Barrie and actresses Ellen Terry and Mary Pickford. Duchess Millicent's papers also include many touching examples of correspondence with her children.
In addition, the collection includes Duchess Millicent's political and personal wartime correspondence from both the First and Second World Wars, and also a scrapbook of newspaper cuttings and extracts from printed accounts from 1914. In addition to the many manuscripts written by the Duchess herself, including her works of fiction and descriptions of her foreign travels, the Sutherland Papers also include many photographs of Duchess Millicent and her family. There are also many photographs of Millicent posing with her pet dogs, particularly with her beloved travelling companion Gingko the Pekinese.
Duchess Millicent's letters often provide a private insight into the lives of prominent public figures. A letter written by the Editor of Headway magazine in December 1938 refers to the ‘admirable human touches’ in Duchess Millicent's writing, and it is this warmth reflected in her correspondence which makes Duchess Millcent's papers a particular pleasure to explore.