Catalogue description LETTERS OF THE REV. THOMAS BRAND 1779-1795

A series of letters written by Brand, while travelling on the Continent, to his sister Susan in England. Bought from Marlborough Rare Books 1987.

According to J. Peile: Biographical Register of Christ's College (vol II p.282) Brand was absent from all except two College meetings from Michaelmas 1779 to Michaelmas 1784, and continued to be absent thereafter; his Fellowship was declared vacant in May 1789. These letters show that the reason for his absence was that he was acting as Tutor to a succession of young men doing the Grand Tour of Europe.

Of the 40 letters (some incomplete), 38 are to Brand's sister Susan, addressed as Miss Brand, Newmarket, up to Oct 1788, thereafter (from Nov 1789) as Mrs Carr, Hadstock, near Linton. One letter is from Brand to the Rev. Joseph Hall, Rector of Bartlow and Brand's brother-in-law, and one is from G. Pretyman to Miss Brand, apparently about the possibilities of preferment for Thomas. Most of the letters are travelogues, describing the scenery, art galleries, concerts and operas of the various cities visited.

There are a further 90 letters from Brand to his sister in the National Library of Scotland (Acc 10061), and the University of Durham has correspondence between Brand and Robert Wharton (d.1808), which includes 227 letters from Brand from the 1770s to 1795.

Brand, Thomas, c 1750-1814, clergyman

Thomas Brand (c.1750-1814) was born in Newmarket, the son of William Brand. He was admitted pensioner of Christ's College, Cambridge in 1766, aged 15, gained his BA (5th Wrangler) in 1771 and MA in 1774. He was ordained priest in 1775, and was Senior Greek Lecturer and Mildmay Preacher 1778. He held various livings concurrently and in 1789 was a Prebend of Lincoln and from 1808-1814 Chancellor of Lincoln. He married (1790s or 1800s) Deborah, daughter of Thomas Wharton of Old Park, near Durham. Brand died on 26 Apr 1814 at Rodborough, on his way to Bath. Venn: Alumni Cantabrigienses