The Bevan Family letters - an insight into Regency Brighton and beyond

The Bevan Family Crest

The Bevan (and Dewar) family letters were provided to the Regency Town House  by the historic paint consultant, and owner of Papers and Paints, Patrick Baty. Patrick is a descendant of the Bevans / Dewars.

The Bevans were a relatively well-off family during the late 18th and 19th centuries with a variety of interests including significant ones in the banking industry. The modern Barclays Bank traces its roots back through to the Bevans. Robert Polhill Bevan became a well known painter. More about the Bevans.

The letters are best thought of as being in two distinct groups. The earlier ones, written in the 1820s to 40s, between the Bevans,  and the later ones, written in 1856 and 1870, between the Dewars.

The Bevan family correspondence covers a variety of topics but is especially useful in providing us with an insight into general family life during the late-Regency period; sometimes as it was being led in Brighton. 

The Dewar correspondence is concerned with events outside of the time period studied at The Regency Town House and these later letters are offered more by way of completeness than for information on the Regency period per se.

The main topic of the Dewar letters is the Crimea war and the loss of a family member during this conflict. More about the Dewars.

Using this section of The Regency Town House website