[Bamber Gascoigne (1935-2022), television presenter and author, original quizmaster on the ITV television series ‘University Challenge’.] Autograph Letter Signed to Philip Dosse, on reviewing (for ‘Books and Bookmen’), Harold Acton and Lord Longford.

Victoria Coren’s comment to the BBC on Gascoigne’s death is most apt: ‘No quiz host has ever seemed more like they could answer all the questions themselves.’ The recipient Philip Dosse was proprietor of Hansom Books, publisher of a stable of seven arts magazines including Books and Bookmen and Plays and Players. See ‘Death of a Bookman’ by the novelist Sally Emerson (editor of ‘Books and Bookmen’ at the time of Dosse’s suicide), in Standpoint magazine, October 2018. 1p, 4to. Written in green ink. Addressed to ‘Dear Mr. Dosse’ (the accent appears to be incorrect) and with large assured signature ‘Bamber Gascoigné’. Dosse’s letter only reached him that morning, ‘and if I read your date right I’m afraid it must have been mouldering at Cape [the publishers Jonathan Cape] for some weeks. My apologies.’ He is delighted to hear that ‘Harold Acton is going to do our China book. As to Lord Longford, I’m afraid I find myself with so many things on at the moment that I am turning down all requests for reviews - intriguing though the life of that eccentric peer no doubt is.’ He ends again ‘My apologies.’