FOOT

[12th (The Suffolk) Regiment of Foot.] Manuscript 'Assignment Offreckonings [sic]' to Messrs John, Nicholas & Brice Pearse, with Clothing Board certification, signed by 3 British Army Generals: William Picton, Sir William Fawcett, Sir David Dundas.

Author: 
General William Picton (c.1724-1811); General Sir William Fawcett (1727-1804); General Sir David Dundas (1735-1820); 12th (The Suffolk) Regiment of Foot; British Army; J. C. Pleydell
Publication details: 
'From 6th July 1800: | To 5th July 1801' With certification by three General Officers of the Clothing Board, from Horseguards [Whitehall, London], 18 November 1801.
£300.00

See E. A. H. Webb, 'History of the 12th (The Suffolk) Regiment, 1685-1913' (1914). Picton was the uncle of 'the illustrious Picton', Lt-Gen. Sir Thomas Picton (1758-1815), who was his sole executor and residuary legatee. The year of Picton's birth is variously reported, but the Monthly Magazine, December 1811, is among several sources reporting his death in Bond Street at the age of 87. 4pp, folio. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and with closed tears along the three fold lines. Endorsed on reverse of second leaf: '12th.

[ Privately printed for internal distribution, with fifteen colour illustrations of regimental colours and company badges, in dustwrapper. ] First or Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards. Review of the Regiment by His Majesty The King.

Author: 
[ First or Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards ] [ Buckingham Palace, London; the British Army ]
Publication details: 
[ Privately printed, London. ] 'Buckingham Palace, 29th June, 1910.'
£100.00

39pp., 12mo, with an additional fifteen plates. In boards of white shiny paper, with the royal crest of King George V stamped in blue and gilt on the front cover, and with all edges (including the boards) gilt. White dustwrapper with the following printed on the front: 'Extra Copies of this Book may be had on application to the Regimental Orderly Room.' Inscribed three times (reverse of title and last leaf, and on back of a plate) by 'Col. Sergt C. Riches | 3d: Battn. Grenr Gds'.

[ Edward Mason Wrench, an Englishman in New York City in 1881. ] Cyclostyled pamphlet, in facsimile of his handwriting, with illustrations by him, describing in vivid terms for his children a visit to New York.

Author: 
Edward Mason Wrench (1833-1912), of Baslow, Derbyshire, Assistant Surgeon, 34th Regiment of Foot [ New York City in 1881 ]
Publication details: 
New York. 22 October 1881.
£65.00

6pp., 12mo. Cyclostyled in purple ink on two loose leaves of 8vo paper (one printed on one side only, and the other on both sides). A facsimile of small handwriting, with five illustrations, including one captioned 'Steamer on the Hudson River' (the others a view of the Brooklyn Bridge from the river, a silhouette of a racing 'sulky' carriage, a steamer, and an ancient statue 'From Cyprus'). In fair condition, lightly-aged, with light rust marks from a paperclip. The second sheet, of four pages, ends abruptly, with a pencil note: 'concluding pages wanted'. The text begins: 'New York.

[Edward Mason Wrench] Three hectograph duplicates of manuscripts describing his service and that of his uncle Captain Henry Kirke in the 12th Royal Lancers, during the Sepoy Mutiny [Indian Rebellion] of 1857. With typed transcript and commentary.

Author: 
Edward Mason Wrench (1833-1912) of the 34th Regiment of Foot and 12th Royal Lancers [The Indian Mutiny; Sepoy Mutiny; Indian Rebellion of 1857; Capt. Henry Kirke; Maj.-Gen. William Astell Franks]
Publication details: 
Two duplicate letters, one dated from Park Lodge, Baslow, Derbyshire, on 23 December 1907 (and 'Christmas 1907'); and the other from the same place, 'Aug 1909' and 13 September 1909. Third duplicate and typescript without place or date.
£550.00

Wrench was the son of a clergyman, and well educated and well connected (being presented to the Prince of Wales and staying at Chatsworth in his old age). His obituary in the British Medical Journal (27 April 1912), describes how, after service in the Crimea, 'he was transferred to the 4th Lancers, went to Madras with that regiment in the following month, and served with it during the whole of the Indian Mutiny. For his services in India he received the Indian medal and clasp for Central India. He returned to England in 1860, and married in 1861 his cousin, the daughter of Mr.

[Edward Mason Wrench] Manuscript describing events in 1855-6, during his service in the Crimean War with the 34th Regiment of Foot. With duplicated (hectograph) letter by him and handbill advertisement for talk by him, both on the Siege of Sebastopol

Author: 
Edward Mason Wrench (1833-1912) of the 34th Regiment of Foot [The Crimean War; Siege of Sebastopol; Crimea]
Publication details: 
The account of 'Events in 1855 [and 1856]' dated by Wrench from Park Lodge, Baslow [Derbyshire], 1902. The duplicated letter dated 12 December 1880. The printed advertisement for talk at the School, Baslow, and dated 14 January 1881.
£600.00

Wrench was the son of a clergyman, and well connected, being presented to the Prince of Wales and staying at Chatsworth in his old age. His obituary in the British Medical Journal (27 April 1812), describes how he went out to the Crimea in 1854. 'He had been gazetted Assistant Surgeon to the 34th Regiment in November, and joined it on its arrival in the Crimea. He served during the terrible winter of that year, and was present at the capture of the quarries, the successful assault on the Redan of June 18th, and the final capture of Sebastopol on September 8th, 1855.

[ Michael Foot, sometime leader of the Labour Party. ] Autograph Manuscript, extensively revised, of an early draft of his book 'The Pen and the Sword: A Year in the Life of Jonathan Swift'.

Author: 
Michael Foot [ Michael Mackintosh Foot ] (1913-2010), leader of the Labour Party, author and journalist [ Jonathan Swift ]
Publication details: 
Composed in the years preceding the publication of the book by Macgibbon & Kee, London, 1957.
£1,800.00

Heavily influenced by its author's own journalistic career, 'The Pen and the Sword' is not only of great significance in the development of Michael Foot's thinking, but is also an important work in the study of Jonathan Swift. The book was a firm success, going through four printings between 1957 and 2008. It was first published in London by Macgibbon and Kee, with the subtitle 'A Year in the Life of Jonathan Swift' (the year in question being 1710).

[ Francis Humberston Mackenzie, 1st Baron Seaforth. ] Three Autograph Letters Signed (all 'Seaforth') to James Cockburn Ross of Edinburgh, the regarding the planned sale of the Seaforth Estates at Lewis, Kintail and Lochalsh.

Author: 
Francis Humberston Mackenzie (17544-1815), 1st Baron Seaforth [ Lord Seaforth ], Chief of the Clan Mackenzie who raised the 78th Regiment of Foot [ John Cockburn Ross of Rowchester, Edinburgh ]
Publication details: 
The first from Hereford Street [ London], 13 July 1799. The second from Aberdeen, 5 February 1800. The third from Portsmouth, 11 February 1801.
£300.00

All three items bifoliums in good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. ONE: 13 July 1799. 2pp., 4to. Regarding his endeavours to sell 'the whole Estates of Lewis & Kintail & Lochalsh [...] either in Cumulo or Lots with a resolution to sell to the amount of the debt that is upon them'. He states that it has always been his 'wish & endeavour to satisfy any Creditor on the Seaforth Estate & the interest is paid with a punctuality not exceeded'. He complains of 'the singular hardship of the times'.

[The Royal Fusiliers in the Peninsular War.] Autograph Letter Signed from Sergeant-Major Dove of the Royal Fusiliers ('of six Years service [...] in the Peninsula') to 'Mr. Smith' of Manchester, regarding his journal history of the Regiment.

Author: 
Sergeant-Major Dove, Royal Fusiliers (7th Regiment of Foot) [Smith, Mechanics Arms, Henry Street, Manchester]
Publication details: 
Chester Castle. 10 July 1827.
£95.00

2pp., small 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly aged paper. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Mr. Smith | Mechanic Arms | Henry Street | oppe Ancott Street | Manchester'. With contemporary note, in another hand, on separate piece of paper: '312. | Journal of Sergt. Major Dove, of six Years Service of the 7th Royal Fusiliers, in the Peninsula'.

Album of poems by Captain William Gamul Edwards of The Cedars, Bromley Common, Kent, both original compositions in his autograph and cuttings of poems published by him, mainly under the pseudonyms 'W. G. E.' and 'Gamul'.

Author: 
Captain William Gamul Edwards (1808-1884) of HM 38th Regiment of Foot and The Cedars, Bromley Common, Kent, Director of the Mid-Kent Railway, son of Rev. Thomas Edwards, Rector of Alford, Cheshire
Publication details: 
[The Cedars, Bromley Common, Kent.] Dated from between September 1835 and February 1880.
£320.00

146pp., 12mo, in autograph, almost entirely consisting of poetic compositions, with numerous emendations; with a further 35 cuttings of poems laid down (33 of them by Edwards) and another two cuttings of another two poems loosely inserted. Also loosely inserted are two poems (totalling 7pp., 4to): 'To Ill Health', dated September 1835; and 'The last hope', 28 December 1869. In contemporary dark-green crushed morocco binding, gilt, recently rebacked by Ipsley Bindery with new enpapers. All edges gilt.

Manuscript account book of an East London sign painter: 'F. J. L. Foot | Ledger & Journal | Business Commencing | Aug 27th 1934'.

Author: 
F. J. L. Foot, East London sign painter of the nineteen-thirties [sign writing]
Publication details: 
Dating from 27 August 1934 to 9 September 1937.
£220.00

286pp., foolscap 8vo, with 143 numbered double-page spreads. In sturdy ruled account book with stamp of the London stationers Parnell & Co. Very good, on lightly-aged paper, in worn black-cloth binding. Each entry gives the name and address of the business for which the work was done, with details of the job including the dimensions of the letters, and cost. Although some work is done in central London (Bedford College, Regent's Park), most is for firms in the E17 (Walthamstow) and E18 (Woodford) postcodes, suggesting Foot's location in the same neighbourhood.

Typed insurance valuation by auctioneers Christie, Manson & Woods of the art collection and library of the Labour Party politician Tom Driberg [Baron Bradwell]. With typed and manuscript material relating to bequests to a number of celebrated friends

Author: 
Tom Driberg [Thomas Edward Neil Driberg, Baron Bradwell] (1905-1976), journalist and Labour Party politician [Sir John Betjeman; Michael Foot; Joan Littlewood; Stanley Orme; Lord Paget of Northampton]
Publication details: 
Valuation: Christie, Manson & Woods, 8 King Street, St James's, London. 1973.
£350.00

Valuation: 29pp., 4to, in a brown folder bound with green ribbon. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. With a few manuscript additions. The title reads: 'T. DRIBERG, ESQ., 601 MOUNTJOY HOUSE, BARBICAN, LONDON, E.C.2. | VALUATIONS FOR INSURANCE | CHRISTIE, MANSON & WOODS.

Nine manuscript documents relating to the death and estate of Major Anthony Coane, 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot, who died in Kandy, Ceylon [Sri Lanka], in 1819, including an inventory and account, and a covering letter from Lieut. Minter.

Author: 
Major Anthony Coane (d.1819), 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot [Kandy, Ceylon [Sri Lanka]]
Publication details: 
The nine items all from Kandy, Ceylon [Sri Lanka], and dating from October 1817 to January 1819.
£280.00

The nine items in this collection provide valuable information regarding the management of the estate of a Georgian colonial British army office. Coane's battalion had served in New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land between 1812 and 1814, and had been in Ceylon (under Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Giels) since 1814 by the time Coane died on 5 January 1819, his demise much regretted by his superiors. The nine items are on aged and worn paper with chipping to extremities. ONE: Autograph Letter Signed from 'G[eorge]. Minter' to unnamed recipient. Kandy; 29 December 1818. 4pp., 12mo. Bifolium.

Contemporary manuscript copy of a letter from Captain John Bower, 84th Regiment, to his father Alexander Bower of Kincaldrum House, Kinnettles, describing how he saved the life of the future Sir James Carmichael-Smyth while shark fishing off the Cape

Author: 
Captain John Bower (d.1800), 84th Regiment of Foot, eldest son of Alexander Bower of Kincaldrum House, Kinnettles, near Dundee [Sir James Carmichael-Smyth (1779-1838)]
Publication details: 
Letter 'dated Cape Town May 10th 1797', on paper also with watermarked date '1797'.
£120.00

2pp., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged laid paper. Bower begins by stating that he is sending 'a Copy of a Letter which I have received from Dr Carm Smyth [James Carmichael Smyth (1742-1821) of the Middlesex Hospital]'. Smyth's son (the future Sir James Carmichael-Smyth) is 'a very fine handsome young man Lieut in the Engineers come out a Passanger [sic] in the same ship with us'. Bower and Smyth 'wisely went into the Boat which was lashed to the Stern Gallery to fish sharks which were following the ship - the Boat suddenly canted round in the slings, upon which poor Smyth went plump into the sea'.

Secretarial Letter Signed ('FitzRoy Somerset') from Lord FitzRoy Somerset [later 1st Baron Raglan] to Lieutenant [Christopher Bernard] Martin, 60th Regiment of Foot.

Author: 
FitzRoy Somerset (1788-1855), 1st Baron Raglan [Lord FitzRoy Somerset; Lord Raglan; General Rowland Hill (1772-1842), 1st Viscount Hill of Almaraz; 60th Regiment of Foot (King's Royal Rifle Corps)]
Secretarial Letter Signed ('FitzRoy Somerset') from Lord FitzRoy Somerset
Publication details: 
29 September 1832; Horse Guards [Whitehall, London].
£95.00
Secretarial Letter Signed ('FitzRoy Somerset') from Lord FitzRoy Somerset

Folio, 1 p. On bifolium. Docketed on reverse of second leaf. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Martin having written to him on 16 September, 'renewing [his] application to be permitted to retire with the Rank and Half pay of Captain', Somerset is 'directed by the General Commanding in Chief [Rowland Hill, 1st Viscount Hill]' to acquaint Martin 'that His Lordship can only repeat the Substance of the communication which I was desired to address to Mr. Daly on the 4th. Instant on the same subject, viz - that it is wholly out of Lord Hill's power to comply with your request'.

Copy of manuscript 'King's Warrant' [King George III], declaring 'Major General Saml. Townsend, discharged from further accounting for the Sum of £17464. 14. 8 received by him for Recruiting Service from the end of the year 1778, to 24th. June 1786.'

Author: 
[Major-General Samuel Irwin Townsend (1732-1794), 19th Foot; American War of Independence; King George III'; William Pitt the Younger; Edward James Eliot; Sir John Aubrey]
Major-General Samuel Irwin Townsend
Publication details: 
'Given at Our Court at Saint James's this First day of May 1787 in the Twenty Seventh Year of Our Reign.'
£280.00
Major-General Samuel Irwin Townsend

Folio, 2 pp. On first leaf of bifolium, with the verso of the second leaf docketed, under the heading 'King's Warrant'. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. Headed '(Copy)', and with 'George R' in a bold hand in the top left-hand corner. Although the signature is almost certainly not in the hand of the king, the document is docketed in pencil: 'Signature of his late beloved Majesty King George III on Copy of a Warrant retained by General Saml. Townsend'.

Two Autograph Letters Signed ('Charles Gibson' and 'Charles E. Gibson') by Gibson, as Lieutenant and Adjutant of the 49th, written to his 'Aunt Kate' from Sebastopol during the Crimean War, including a description of horse races during the armistice.

Author: 
Captain Charles Edgar Gibson, of the 49th Regiment of Foot [Crimean War; Sebastopol]
Publication details: 
Letter One: 'Camp Sebastopol. January 24th. 1856.' Letter Two: 'Camp 49 Regt Sebastopol. March 31st.'
£350.00

Letter One: 12mo, 4 pp. Bifolium. 75 lines of text. Clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Expresses regret at 'Morten Edens melancholy death, so young & so clever as he was'. 'There is great talk of Peace. We hardly know if to believe it - few will be sorry should the news prove to be true, as I think most of us have had enough fighting. Apparently refers to his sweetheart under a cypher. She has not written to him, but 'London gaieties have little time for correspondence'. 'The weather here is something awful - cold & wet, fogs & sleet.

Manuscript notebook, listing the infantry regiments of the British army, with brief descriptions of their mottos, uniforms, and periods of service.

Author: 
[British Army Regiments of Foot; Infantry; military]
Publication details: 
Undated [1840s?]. [English.]
£125.00

12mo (leaf dimensions 16 x 11 cm), 60 pp. Stitched notebook of thirty leaves, without covers. In fair condition, aged and with wear to extremities of outer leaves. On laid Italian paper, with the watermark of the Italian firm G. & C. Cini. Neatly written, with the body of the writing in one hand, and the mottos in another. Text clear and apparently complete. Begins: '1st. Regiment of Life Guards. | Peninsular Waterloo. | Scarlet, Facings Blue. | Returned from France, January 1816.' A typical entry reads '58th. (the Rutlandshire) Regt. of Foot. | Gibraltar, with the Castle and Key.

Autograph Signature on part of document

Author: 
Sir Charles Yorke (1790-1880), General in the British Army
Publication details: 
Date and place not stated.
£28.00

A piece of laid paper, roughly 8 x 20 cm, cut from a document by an autograph collector. Yorke's signature, large (4.5 x 7 cm) and bold, is in the bottom right-hand corner. The surviving text is in a secretary's hand, and reads: '<...> of Our Reign. | By His Majesty's Command. | C Yorke | Our Trusty and Wellbeloved William Gordon Esqr General in Our Army & Col of Our 71st (Highland) Regiment of Foot or to the Officer appointed by him to raise Men for Our said Regiment'.

Autograph Signature ('Edward Lugard') on fragment of document.

Author: 
General the Rt Hon Sir Edward Lugard, GCB (1810-98)
Publication details: 
Without date or place.
£20.00

Dimensions of paper roughly one centimetre by six wide. Close-cropped but clear and entire. On aged paper with traces of glue from previous mount on reverse.

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