The Mountbatten Papers Database
About the Mountbatten Papers Database
The papers of the late Louis, Earl Mountbatten of Burma, and Edwina, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, form part of University of Southampton Library MS62, the Broadlands archives. The Mountbatten Papers are an archive of the first importance for the study of much of the twentieth century and they are also a collection of considerable size, containing approximately 250,000 papers, 50,000 photographs and quantities of recordings on audio-tape, film and video-tape. This includes the 907 files of papers and 68 photograph albums of Edwina Mountbatten (nee Ashley), later Countess Mountbatten of Burma, 1923-60, with papers as Vicereine of India, 1947 (MB1/P-R, MB2/K-M), and c.4,000 files of papers of Earl Mountbatten of Burma, c. 1900-79.
A separate summary catalogue of the papers of Earl Mountbatten of Burma has been published (L.M.Mitchell, K.J.Sampson, C.M.Woolgar (eds.) A Summary Catalogue of the Papers of Earl Mountbatten of Burma (University of Southampton Library, occasional paper 9; 1991)). This summary catalogue is available as part of the Mountbatten Papers Database, together with detailed catalogue descriptions of sections of the archive. The detailed catalogue descriptions that are currently available in the Mountbatten Papers Database concentrate on material material from MB1/C and MB1/D, relating to Earl Mountbatten of Burma as Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia and as the last Viceroy and first Governor General of India respectively. This is complemented by descriptions of sequences of the photograph albums.
Further information is available on the arrangement of the Database and sorting codes used in the cataloguing process.
Access to the Database
Access to this database is by permission only. Inquire about access.
The Mountbatten Papers
The archive is divided into the following sections:
- MB1/A Papers of Earl Mountbatten of Burma: private papers, 1900-48
- MB1/B Papers of Earl Mountbatten of Burma: Fifth Destroyer Flotilla and Combined Operations, 1939-43
- MB1/C Papers of Earl Mountbatten of Burma: South East Asia Command, 1943-6
- MB1/D Papers of Earl Mountbatten of Burma: official papers as last Viceroy and first Governor General of India, 1947-8
- MB1/E Papers of Earl Mountbatten of Burma: correspondence files, 1946-8
- MB1/F Papers of Earl Mountbatten of Burma: First Cruiser Squadron, 1948-50
- MB1/G Papers of Earl Mountbatten of Burma: Fourth Sea Lord, 1950-2
- MB1/H Papers of Earl Mountbatten of Burma: Commander in Chief Mediterranean and Commander in Chief Allied Forces Mediterranean, 1952-4
- MB1/I Papers of Earl Mountbatten of Burma: First Sea Lord, 1955-9
- MB1/J Papers of Earl Mountbatten of Burma: Chief of Defence Staff, 1959-65
- MB1/K Papers of Earl Mountbatten of Burma: civilian life, 1965-79
- MB1/L Papers of Earl Mountbatten of Burma: organisations, 1937-82
- MB1/M Papers of Earl Mountbatten of Burma: speeches and broadcasts
- MB1/N Papers of Earl Mountbatten of Burma: miscellaneous (recurrent subjects), 1921-81
- MB1/O Papers of Earl Mountbatten of Burma: miscellaneous
- MB1/P Papers of Edwina, Countess Mountbatten of Burma: correspondence files, 1923-47
- MB1/Q Papers of Edwina, Countess Mountbatten of Burma: correspondence files, 1947-8
- MB1/R Papers of Edwina, Countess Mountbatten of Burma: correspondence files, 1948-60
- MB1/T Papers of Prince Louis of Battenberg (Louis Alexander Mountbatten, first Marquis of Milford Haven from 1917): naval and personal papers, 1868-1921, 1962-79
- MB1/U Papers of the German branch of the Mountbatten family
- MB1/W Papers of William Wilfrid Ashley, Baron Mount Temple: political and private correspondence, 1898-1938
- MB1/X Papers of Sir Ernest Cassel, 1887-1920, including correspondence with King Edward VII and King eorge V
- MB1/Y Milford Haven family papers
- MB1/Z Papers of Earl Mountbatten of Burma: correspondence with Solly Zuckerman, first Baron Zuckerman
- MB2/A Photograph albums: Prince Louis of Battenberg (Louis Alexander Mountbatten, first Marquis of Milford Haven from 1917)
- MB2/B Photograph albums: Princess Louise of Battenberg (later Queen of Sweden); Victoria, Princess Louis of Battenberg (Marchioness of Milford Haven from 1917)
- MB2/C Photograph albums: Nona Kerr (Mrs Richard Crichton), lady in waiting to Victoria, Princess Louis of Battenberg
- MB2/D Photograph albums: Prince George of Battenberg (second Marquis of Milford Haven)
- MB2/E Photograph albums: Prince Alexander of Hesse; Prince Gregory Gargarine
- MB2/F Photograph albums: Baroness Sophie Buxhoevden; Elisabeth, Grand Duchess Serge
- MB2/G Photograph albums: royal families in Europe; Montenegrin family
- MB2/H Photograph albums: Evelyn Ashley; Sybella Ashley; Maud Ashley (nee Cassel); William Wilfrid Ashley, Baron Mount Temple; sketch book of Emily, Viscountess Palmerston
- MB2/I Presentation albums: Sir Ernest Cassel
- MB2/J Visitors and calling books, 1884-1956
- MB2/K Photograph albums: Edwina, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, 1920-2
- MB2/L Photograph albums: visits and tours by Edwina, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, 1922-45
- MB2/M Photograph albums: visits by Edwina, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, 1932-60
- MB2/N Photograph albums: Earl Mountbatten of Burma, 1904-80
- MB2/O Articles and photographs of houses, including Brook House, London, and 2 Wilton Crescent
- MB2/P Address books, stamp and coin collections
- MB2/Q Photograph albums, including of Mahatma Gandhi and of India; photographs, shooting script of In which we serve
- MB2/R Photograph albums: visits by Earl and Countess Mountbatten of Burma, 1939-59
- MB2/S Photograph albums: visits by Earl Mountbatten of Burma, 1939-76
- MB2/T Game books: Classiebawn, County Sligo, Ireland; Adsdean; Broadlands estate; Lord Mountbatten's personal game book
- MB2/U Account books, Broadlands estate books, cash and personal expenditure analysis book
- MB3 Photographs, including for SACSEA, India, Chief of Defence Staff; family photographs for the Russian imperial family, Battenberg and Mountbatten families, Cassel and Ashley families, the royal family
- MB5 Bound volumes, mainly naval notes of Earl Mountbatten of Burma and inventories and lists of articles of Adsdean and Brook House
- MB7 Press cuttings, 1921, 1944-85
- MB11 Papers of Victoria, Princess Louis of Battenberg (Marchioness of Milford Haven from 1917): copies and translations of poems
- MB12 Papers of Nona Kerr (Mrs Richard Crichton), lady in waiting to Victoria, Princess Louis of Battenberg
Within Lord Mountbatten's papers are separate collections relatiing to HMS Kelly (MB1/B1-3), the papers of Wing Commander the Marchese de Casa Maury, Senior Intelligence Officer, Combined Operations Headquarters (MB1/B25-7) and copies of the papers (with some original material) of Vice Admiral J.Hughese-Hallet (MB1/B32-47). Further information on how the archive has been formed and arranged is set out elsewhere.