The collection contains letters written between the three daughters, (Anne, Elizabeth, & Mary) of the antiquarian, William Cunnington, of Heytesbury, Wiltshire, England. Some are written between the sisters, some to other relatives, friends, or business associates. The collection includes some incoming letters as well. Much of the correspondence from this side of the family concerns the disposition of their father's antiquarian collections, including their possible purchase by the Bishop of Salisbury.

William Cunnington (1754-1810) was an antiquarian, born at Grafton, Northamptonshire, in 1754. He settled as a tradesman at Heytesbury in Wiltshire about 1775. Frequent rambles among the Wiltshire downs caused him to turn his attention to sepulchral tumuli. He formed a collection of British antiquities, and also of minerals and fossils, and opened numerous barrows in Wiltshire, among which were the Golden Barrow in the parish of Upton Lovel and the barrows at Corton, Boyton, Sherrington, &c. He is said to be the first to excavate at Stonehenge. Cunnington was a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. His collection was purchased by Sir Richard Colt Hoare and was deposited at the museum at Devizes. He suffered ill health for twenty years before dying in 1810. He was a correspondent of William Smith, the geologist.

In 1787 he married Mary, daughter of Robert Meares, by whom he had three daughters, Anne, Elizabeth, and Mary.

The collection also contains correspondence between family members, friends, and business associates of William Cunnington (1804-1871), a well-known composer, musician, and orchestra leader of the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Cunnington may have been a son of the antiquarian's brother,

William P. Cunnington (1804-1871), musician, composer, director of the orchestra of the Walnut Street Theater.

William P. Cunnington was born in England about the year 1804. His wife Jane was also born in England, circa 1808-09. Jane Cunnington's maiden name appears to be Cook. A letter, written to "My Dear Jane" is signed by "your loving brother William Cook."

An advertisement in the New York Herald (Jan 22nd, 1843) states that "William P. Cunnington" was in charge of an immense orchestra at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia, the largest and most efficient in Philadelphia. He was described as "a soi disant physician," (there was a William P. Cunnington that graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1837 with a medical degree and would appear to be our correspondent.)  He was also said to be vocalist. He was the leader for 26 years of the Walnut Street Theater's orchestra (retiring c1865) and considered in his time as one of the "most accomplished musicians in the country." It was also stated that perhaps, "he has hitherto been denied his proper credit by captious critics because of his strict adherence to the works of the acknowledged masters of operatic and orchestral music, never resorting to any claptrap or sensational efforts to attract attention or applause."

The 1850 Census shows William P. Cunnington and his wife enumerated in the 2nd Ward of Moyamensing, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, which matches the address of his letters written to his wife Jane in the 1840s present in this collection. This area would be incorporated into the City of Philadelphia in 1854 when the whole of Philadelphia County was consolidated in the city. In 1850 William and his wife had living with them three children, William H. Cunnington, 22 years of age, Oldine A. Cunnington, 9 years of age, and Francis H. Cunnington, 6 years old. His oldest son William was born in England, the other two children in America. The elder son was listed as an engineer.

William P. Cunnington declared his intention to become an American citizen on October 14, 1851. He took his oath of allegiance and was naturalized on February 22, 1854 by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. On December 13, 1865, a massive "Testimonial Benefit" was tendered to "Dr. William P. Cunnington," at the Academy of Music.

William P. Cunnington, died on January 14th, 1871, at the age of 67, from debility. At the time of his death he lived at 1019 Fitzwater Street, a couple of blocks from where he was found in the 1850 and 1860 Census. He was buried at Monument Cemetery, in Philadelphia. His obituary tells us he was a member of Montgomery Lodge No 18, A.F.M. He previously had composed the music that was played during the laying of the cornerstone of the great Masonic Temple in Philadelphia.

Cunnington's wife Jane died the following year on December 30th, 1872. She died from acute bronchitis at the age of 64. When she died she was living at 2001 Poplar Street, in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia. She was buried with her husband at Monument Cemetery.

William H. Cunnington, the eldest son, who was born about the year 1829 in England, died on February 6th, 1897 and was buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery. His birth in England would seem to confirm that his father did not immigrate to America until sometime after 1829. William H. Cunnington in his lifetime had become a well-known Civil War correspondent.

The collection includes letters by William P. Cunnington to his wife Jane Cook, dated 1840-1847, and 1 letter by Jane Cook to her husband, dated c. 1847

These letters are from a period when Cunnington was working with an orchestra at Baltimore and Richmond. The letters are addressed to his wife at several locations in Philadelphia (8 Union Square, George Street, above Schuylkill 8th St, below Chestnut, Philadelphia and No. 46 Lebanon Street, bet 9th & 10th Streets, below Catharine Street). The letter from Jane Cunnington was addressed to her husband at Marshall Hotel, Baltimore, or Holliday St. Theater, places where he was living and working.

Much of the text of these letters describe and concern the difficulties of living apart from his wife, he in Baltimore, and she in Philadelphia. He is particularly irate that his wife does not write more regularly and that when she does, the letters do not appear to be as affectionate as he would like:

"I must confess my dear Jane I am very much dissatisfied with your letters. They are both so very brief - &, with the exception of the all-important intelligence of your health & the children, they contain very little of the kind of writing I always wish to have from you..."

Mrs. Cunnington's letters to her husband contain considerable gossip, which causes further irritation to Mr. Cunnington:

"Nearly half your last letter was taken up about Mrs. Long. What do I care a damn about that? You are better off than I am - you are at home, you have the dear children around you - I am at an hotel with nobody to speak to that I can care about."

This epistolary disagreement over his wife's letter writing went on for the whole period of his time in Baltimore. Cunnington offered to move his wife to Baltimore, but she apparently was not interested.

Cunnington at this time was working for a man named "Marshall," probably Ethelbert A. Marshall, the well-known theater owner/manager, who started out in business with the Walnut Street Theater in 1840 and by the mid-1840s owned theaters in New York and Baltimore. He also expanded into New Orleans, St. Louis, Cincinnati, as well as several other cities. Later in life he operated Philadelphia's Academy of Music.