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Record 1 of 1

Aldrich, Harriet A., 1888-1972
Accessibility:
Title:
  • Winthrop W. and Harriet A. Aldrich Papers
Author/Creator:
  • Aldrich, Winthrop W. (Winthrop William), 1885-1974
Call Number:
  • MSS 938, Sub Group 3
Record Level:
  • Subgroup
Physical Description:
  • 18 ft.
  • 14 RB, AB, 2 BB, vol., 2 OB, 2 LB
Inclusive Dates:
  • 1902-1974
Bulk Dates:
  • 1950-1974
Cataloged By:
  • Amy Lappin, May 1997
Summary:
  • Banker/Diplomat and Wife of New York and Providence

  • Professional and social correspondence, party arrangements, diaries, address and appointment books, financial and family estate records, biographical and genealogical information, and papers relating to property and real estate.

  • Professional and social correspondence, party arrangements, diaries, address and appointment books, financial and family estate records, biographical and genealogical information, and papers relating to property and real estate.
Cataloging Note:
  • Some of the correspondence in this collection came to us with WWA's responses stapled to the front of the letter received. Many of the other papers also came to us stapled together either by one of the Aldrichs or their secretaries. The staples have all been replaced with archival staples. The papers remain filed chronologically using the date of the top paper in the bundle. Much of the correspondence came already organized and without envelopes so some last names and places of origin are unfortunately lost.
Historical Note:
  • Winthrop Williams Aldrich (1885-1974) was born in Providence, RI, the tenth child of Sen. Nelson Wilmarth Aldrich and Abby Pearce Chapman Greene. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1910. After spending 13 years as an attorney, Aldrich made a very successful transition into banking. He served as president of Chase National Bank in New York from 1930-1934 and then as chairman of the board of directors at Chase from 1934-1953. President Eisenhower appointed Aldrich as Ambassador to the Court of St. James in 1953, a position which he held until officially retiring in 1957. Harriet Crocker Alexander (1888-1972) was born in Seabright, New Jersey, the daughter of Charles B. Alexander and Harriet Crocker, and the granddaughter of Charles Crocker, one of the builders of the Central Pacific Railroad. During World War II, she participated in the leadership of the N.Y. women's division of the USO and served as chairman of the Civil Defense Volunteer Organization. Both Winthrop and Harriet Aldrich were socially active and belonged a large number of social and charitable organizations throughout their lives. Winthrop and Harriet had six children: Winthrop Williams (1917-1921), Mary (b.1921), Harriet Crocker (b. 1922), Lucy Truman (b. 1924), Elizabeth "Liberty" Brewster (b.1925), and Alexander (b. 1928). Winthrop Aldrich's sister Abby (1874-1948) married John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and some of the correspondence and other papers in this collection relate to various Rockefellers. The Aldrich's owned several homes, but divided most of their time between an apartment on Fifth Avenue in New York City, 110 Benevolent Street in Providence and a house in Dark Harbor, Maine. This excludes the majority of the period 1953-1957 when they lived in the ambassador's residence, first at 14 Prince's Gate and later at Winfield House, London, England. The house at 110 Benevolent Street, Providence is the current home of the Rhode Island Historical Society and was a bequest to the RIHS from Winthrop W. Aldrich in 1974.
Scope and Content:
  • This collection is arranged into eight series and contains a wide variety of items including correspondence both professional and social, party arrangements, diaries, address and appointment books, financial records and family estate records, biographical and genealogical information, and papers relating to property and real estate. Much of the collection relates to events after Winthrop Aldrich's retirement in 1957, although Harriet Aldrich's letters home from 1953 -1957 (series I, subseries 2) provide a detailed look into the social aspects of their life at the American Embassy in London, England. Series III relates primarily to Aldrich's professional life, but is not complete as he donated many of his earlier papers to the Baker Library at Harvard University in 1965. Letters from U.S. presidents, various members of the British royal family and other dignitaries can be found throughout the collection and have been noted in this finding aid whenever possible. SERIES INDEX: Series I : Correspondence, Subseries 1 : Winthrop W. Aldrich, Subseries 2 : Harriet A. Aldrich Series II : Social, Subseries 1:Appointment and Address Books, Subseries 2 Parties, Subseries 3: Travel, Places, Yachts, Subseries 4 : Guest Books, Subseries 5 : Menus, recipes and diets, Subseries 6 : Christmas, Subseries 7 : Memberships, Clubs, Associations and Committees, Subseries 8 : Weddings Series III : Professional, Business, Public Service, and Volunteer Organizations, Subseries 1 : Winthrop W. Aldrich, Subseries 2 : Harriet A. Aldrich Series IV : Diaries SeriesV : Biographical and Genealogical Information, Subseries 1 : Aldrich, Subseries 2 : Crocker, Subseries 3 : Alexander, Subseries 4 : Rockefeller, Subseries 5 : WWA Notes for Biography Series VI : Financial and Estate, Subseries 1 : Winthrop W. Aldrich, Subseries 2 : Harriet A, Aldrich, Subseries 3 : Other Estates Series VII : Property and Real Estate Series VIII : Miscellaneous, Subseries 1 : Family, Subseries 2 : Other.
Subjects:
Accession Number:
  • 1974.33.340.3.1-
Provenance:
  • This collection was received as a gift from the Aldrich family estate in 1974.
Inventory:
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