| Description | The majority of these letters were written by Isabella Douglas before her marriage to Joseph Strutt and the content illustrates her affection for him and her constant desire to see him. They also contain information about members of her family, particularly about the career plans of her brother, William Archibald Douglas, and about her leisure interests, particularly her fondness for reading. Letters written after her marriage are also characterised by the expression of her obvious affection for her husband, but also discuss her frequently poor health, and give details about the health of their children, social activities and domestic matters. Several of these letters were written during Joseph Strutt's absence in London in the autumn of 1794, when he gave evidence at a the trial of John Home Tooke. Joseph Strutt's courtship correspondence to Isabella Douglas can be found at MS3101/C/E/4/8 |