At the Archive Table

Something NEW is coming to Gilded Heiresses

Dear fellow Gilded Age obsessives,

Over the past few months, something rather unexpected has happened.

Whenever I’ve shared even the smallest glimpse into the Muniment Room at Mapperton — how I organise Alberta’s letters, what I’m catalouging that week, the quiet rituals of working with old paper — I’ve received more messages than almost anything else I write about.

People telling me about boxes under beds.
Suitcases in attics.
Bundles of letters tied with ribbon that no one has opened in decades.

The ‘Alberta’ files, Muniment Room, Mapperton House

And last month, after I shared a few practical archive tips in my American Countess newsletter, the response was so enthusiastic that it prompted me to do something I’ve been quietly thinking about for a while.

So, I’m starting something new.

From the 1st of every month, I’ll be publishing a monthly archival piece as part of Gilded Heiresses — a practical, intimate, behind-the-scenes look at how I work with our family archive here at Mapperton, particularly Alberta’s extraordinary letters.

Think of it as sitting with me at the archive table.

Each month, I’ll share:

• What I’m focusing on in the Muniment Room that month

• How I organise and care for letters, photographs, diaries, and papers

• The equipment and supplies I actually use (nothing fancy, all achievable at home)

• Simple, doable tips you can apply to your own family papers

• And a quiet invitation to work alongside me — whether you’re sorting one letter or one hundred

This isn’t about perfection, professional archives, or doing everything “properly.”

It’s about not letting stories disappear.

It’s about understanding that the everyday — letters, lists, marginal notes, pressed flowers — often turns out to be the most valuable thing we have.

This monthly archive piece will be for paid subscribers, as it’s where I can go deeper, be more practical, and share more freely from our own archive. But I wanted to tell everyone about it first—because many of you are the very reason it exists.

If you’ve ever wondered:

• Where to start with family letters

• How to store fragile papers safely

• What to keep (and what not to panic about)

• Or how to turn a jumble of documents into something meaningful

…I think you’ll really love this.

The first instalment will arrive on the 1st of February, and I can’t wait to begin.

With warmest wishes from the Muniment Room,
Julie