[ George Sterling Ansel Ryerson, Canadian politician and physician. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('G Sterling Ryerson') to the Secretary, Royal Society of Arts, regarding his subscription arrears, describing his recent misfortunes. With calling card.

LETTER: 3pp., 8vo. Bifolium with mourning border. In good condition, with the Society's stamps and annotations. He apologises for being 'behind in my annual dues', explaining that he has 'suffered severely from the war, financially & personally - my wife went down in the Lusitania - and have had my means seriously reduced'. Nevertheless he would like to renew his subscription and would like to know 'on what terms I can rejoin the Society'. Docketed in pencil and ink on reverse of second leaf: 'Elected June 1911 | Paid 2 years | taken off Dec 1916' and '2.2 for arears £5.5 up to Xmas 1925'. Ryerson's misfortunes were greater than he describes. His second wife had died the previous month. He would succumb to a heart attack a little more than six months after writing this letter.. CALLING-CARD: 3.5 x 7 cm. Presented in copperplate in somewhat old-fashioned style, with mourning border. Reads: 'Major-General G. Sterling Ryerson.' At bottom-left Ryerson has written 'Niagara-on-the-Lake'.