[Lord Bathurst, Tory politician.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Bathurst') [to the agent of the Marquis Wellesley, elder brother of the Duke of Wellington], regarding a dispute over the fittings to be left behind on quitting Apsley House.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The present item dates from 1807, the year in which Bathurst sold the celebrated Apsley House ('No. 1 London') to the Duke of Wellington's brother the Marquis Wellesley, who sold it on to the Duke ten years later. It is now the Wellington Museum. This item casts an interesting light on the initial sale. 2pp, 4to. Thirty-four lines of text. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded four times. He is disappointed that the unnamed male recipient (presumably Wellesley's agent) has not called on him. 'For several days past I fully expected to see you, as it is quite necessary that I should come to a decision about some Articles which you consider as fixtures but which I not only thought but others have assur'd are not of that description.' The letter continues with reference to 'my Upholsterer Mr Blade' and his anxiety to 'shew every attention to Ld Wellesley's wishes'. He continues: 'the sooner we can come to an Agreement the better & the delay rests with you for Mr Blade has been here every day expecting to meet you'. He will leave 'what are always consider'd as fixtures' (he has admitted 'loose Grates & the Kitchen Table' to be among them), but he 'cannot allow my servants to proceed in the removal of my Family and Furniture untill [sic] those doubtful points are decided [...] on further Examination of the Catalogue there seems so many things that I find are not call'd fixtures in the Houses I have look'd at now that I must conceive it necessary to have a person on my Side of the question which I had no thoughts of till these doubtful things encreased'.