HUMPHREYS

[Irving Wardle, theatre critic.] Autograph Letter Signed to Gerald Wynne-Rushton, giving advice on offering a play, with reference to a letter he has received from Emyr Humphreys, producer of BBC TV production of Saunders Lewis’s ‘Siwan’.

Author: 
Irving Wardle [John Irving Wardle] (born 1929), theatre critic and champion of Harold Pinter [Gerald Wynne-Rushton (1894-), Catholic writer]
Publication details: 
16 March [no year, but between 1960 and 1963]; on letterhead of the Observer, London.
£45.00

Wardle worked as Kenneth Tynan’s deputy on the Observer between 1959 and 1963. Wynne-Rushton had published a play titled ‘The Gull’s Way’ in 1930, and a book on the papacy for Catholic publishers Burns, Oates and Washburne two years later. 2pp, 4to. In fair condition, folded three times, with wear and loss along one fold line of the second leaf, resulting in loss of a few words of text. Signed ‘Irving Wardle’ and addressed to ‘Dear Mr. Rushton’, identified as G. W. Wynne-Rushton by associated correspondence.

[British Embassy Medical Officer in Cold War Moscow and Bucharest.] Unpublished typed account by T. V. Humphreys of his journeys around Romania and Russia during five years of service, also describing medical aspects and 'Soviet methods of medicine'.

Author: 
Col. Thomas Victor Humphreys (b.1922), O.B.E., M.B., B.Ch., B.A.O, Royal Army Medical Corps, British Embassy Medical Officer at Moscow and Bucharest [USSR; Soviet Union; Iron Curtain; Russia; Romania]
Publication details: 
December 1952 to January 1953. Romania and the USSR (Russia). Russian locations: Moscow, Leningrad, Peterhof, Tsarskoe-Selo, Gatchina, Pavlovsk, Kharkov, Kiev.
£1,250.00

Biographical details regarding Humphreys are hard to come by. He features in two Times reports of the indisposition of the pianist Cyril Smith in Moscow in 1956 (8 May and 9 June). On his award of the OBE in the 1958 New Years Honours List he was described as 'lately First Secretary and Medical Officer at Her Majesty's Embassy in Moscow'. On his retirement in 1987 he was described as 'Col. T. V. Humphreys, O.B.E., M.B., B.Ch., B.A.O.

[ Sir George Murray Humphry, Cambridge Professor of Anatomy. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('G. M. Humphry MD - F.R.S. | Professor of Anatomy in the University of Cambridge.'), a letter of recommendation on behalf of 'Mr. Henslow' [ George Henslow ].

Author: 
Sir G. M. Humphry [ Sir George Murray Humphry ] (1820-1896), University of Cambridge Professor of Anatomy and Physiology [ George Henslow (1835-1925), Royal Horticultural Society Professor of Botany ]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of The Keys, Cambridge. 19 December 1867.'
£60.00

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. The words 'Professor Humphreys [sic]' have been written at the head in a Victorian hand. Humphry's letter of recommendation reads: 'Mr. Henslow's good reputation as a botanist inclined the University authorities to appoint him one of the Examiners for our Natural Sciences Tripos; & he has admirably fulfilled the duties of the Office. My personal knowledge of him assures me that he would spare no pains to justify his election as Professor of Botany and render his lectures acceptable to the members of the University of Oxford'.

[ Rev. Dr E. R. Humphreys, disgraced headmaster of Cheltenham Grammar School. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('E. R. Humphreys'), enclosing a certificate and sending his good wishes to the family of a boy who is leaving the school.

Author: 
E. R. Humphreys [ Rev. Dr Edward Rupert Humphreys ] (1820-1893), disgraced headmaster of Cheltenham Grammar School, 1852-1859 [ now Pate's Grammar School ]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of Cheltenham Grammar School. 28 August 1858.
£80.00

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. The recipient is not named. He has sincere pleasure in enclosing the certificate (not present) awarded to the recipient's son, whom he is sorry to lose as a pupil. 'I trust this will, with God's blessing, be but the prelude to an honourable and useful Career. My kind wishes will follow your boy through life, and to yourself also I heartily wish happiness in your new home.' Humphreys is described in the School history as 'a Classical scholar of doubtful repute'.

Autograph Letter Signed ('R: Griffiths') from Ralph Griffiths, editor of the Monthly Review, to an unnamed editor [John Nichols of the Gentleman's Magazine?] recommending the grandson of Dr Philip Doddridge. With engraving of Griffiths by Ridley.

Author: 
Ralph Griffiths (1720?-1803), editor of the Monthly Review [Dr Philip Doddridge (1702-1751), dissenting minister and writer; John Nichols (1745-1826), printer and editor of the Gentleman's Magazine]
Publication details: 
'Turnham Green, June 13th.' [no year].
£65.00

1p., 4to. In good condition, on aged paper, with thin trace of glue from mount on blank reverse, and minor chipping beneath flourish of Griffiths's signature. Addressing his letter to 'Dear Sir!', Griffiths suggests that if his correspondent is 'in want of any assistance' in carrying on his 'very extensive literary concerns, the Bearer can be well recommended. - He has had a liberal education, possesses a good taste, & may be useful to you in revising, correcting, translating, &c. &c.' The 'young Gentleman' to whom Griffiths refers is, he states, 'Grandson to the Celebrated Dr.

Autograph Letter Signed to the Birmingham inventor Samuel Timings (active between 1853 and 1869).

Author: 
Henry Warren (1794-1879), English painter of Biblical and oriental themes
Publication details: 
28 March 1863; on letterhead of 24 Upper Phillimore Place, Kensingon, W.
£120.00

12mo, 4 pp. Good, on aged paper with a little light staining at head. A significant letter, in which Warren gives information of those of Warren's 'poor works' which have been engraved: 'they have been chiefly for book illustration and are spread through many publishers'. Begins by describing how 'Murray's Childe Harold has many vignettes, very well engraved from my drawings'. Ends by saying that 'There is also a print in the mixed style of considerable size engraved by Humphreys but not yet published. It is from my picture of a story teller reciting in a coffee house of Damascus'.

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