LEADER

[Herbert Morrison, Labour politician.] Three Typed Letters Signed to Sir David Ross, the first regarding the release of Harold Butler from work for his department, and the last two regarding personal arrangements for a debate at the Oxford Union.

Author: 
Herbert Morrison [Herbert Stanley Morrison; Lord Morrison of Lambeth] (1888-1965), Labour politician, leader of London County Council, Home Secretary in war under Churchill [W. D. Ross] (1877-1971)]
Publication details: 
ONE: 25 November 1941; on letterhead of the Ministry of Home Security, Whitehall, S.W.1. TWO: 19 January 1944; on Home Secretary letterhead. THREE: 24 January 1944; on Whitehall letterhead of Home Secretary.
£100.00

See the entries for Morrison and Ross in the Oxford DNB. The three items are in good condition, lightly aged and folded for postage. The second item has a punch hole centred at the head of the leaf. All three 1p, 12mo, and each with Morrison’s sprawling signature ‘Yrs sincerely / Herbert Morrison /’, the first in green ink. ONE (25 November 1941): Addressed by Morrison in green ink to ‘Dear Sir David’. Thanking him for a note ‘in which you assure me of the appreciation of the Nuffield College Committee at my action in agreeing to release Mr.

[Lord Granville [Granville George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville], Liberal politician.] Original unpublished Autograph Poem (‘Oh! Mr. Delane, Oh! Mr. Delane’) to the editor of The Times, with reference to Landseer, Sir Robert Peel and others.

Author: 
Lord Granville [Granville George Leveson-Gower (1815-1891), 2nd Earl Granville], Leader of the Liberal Party in the House of Lords [John Thadeus Delane (1817-1879), editor of The Times]
Publication details: 
23 June 1861. On letterhead of 16 Bruton Street, London, W.
£120.00

See both men's entries in the Oxford DNB. 3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, folded twice for postage, and with negligible remnants of windowpane mount adhering at edges of blank reverse of second leaf. A pleasant specimen of ‘Vers de société’ (The recipient's entry in the Oxford DNB states that 'In the social circles which Delane frequented [...] he was welcomed as a delightful companion').The poem consists of twenty-two lines in heroic couplets, unsigned and without any other text. The poem reads as follows: ‘Oh! Mr. Delane, Oh! Mr.

[Maurice Thorez, leader of the French Communist Party.] Typed Letter Signed (‘Thorez’), in French, to Roy Hopkins of the Foreign Press Association, London, agreeing to an interview but asking to see the questions in advance.

Author: 
Maurice Thorez (1900-1964), leader of the French Communist Party (Parti Communiste, Section Française de l’Internationale Communiste’)
Publication details: 
15 October 1936; Paris, on letterhead of the ‘Parti Communiste / Section Française de l’Internationale Communiste’.
£100.00

1p, 4to. On somewhat worn and aged paper, cropped at head, and with traces of tape from mount to inner edge. Folded three times. Bold signature: ‘Thorez’. Having been informed of Hopkins’ request by the ‘secrétariat de notre Parti’, he will be very willing to grant him an interview, but asks if he can see the text of the questions in advance.

[‘Another lunatic!’ Spencer Leigh Hughes, Liberal politician and journalist.] Autograph Note Signed to ‘Armstrong’ regarding a critic of his use of the word ‘British’.

Author: 
Spencer Leigh Hughes (1858-1920), Liberal politician, journalist (the 'Sub Rosa' of the Morning Leader) and engineer.
Publication details: 
20 November 1904; on letterhead of the Morning Leader, Stonecutter Street, London.
£38.00

Hughes began as a journalist, writing the popular column ‘Sub Rosa’ in the Morning Leader, before descending from the Press Gallery onto the floor of the House of Commons. However short, the present item gives a faint echo of the verve for which he was renowned as a backbencher and after-dinner speaker. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Signed ‘Spencer Leigh Hughes’. Reads: ‘Dear Armstrong / Another lunatic! There are many about. I was lecturing in Scotland recently & had quite an ovation when I talked about the “British” parliament.’

[Hugh Gaitskell, Labour politician] Typed Note Signed boldly Hugh Gaitskell to M.B. Bradshaw, Director, Art Exhibitions Bureau [...] permitting the exhibition of the Road to Tarbet, presumably a picture in Gaitskell's private collection.

Author: 
Hugh Gaitskell (1906-1963), sometime leader of the Labour Party.
Publication details: 
[House of Commons stamp] 23 June 1955.
£45.00

One page, 12mo, very good condition. He gives permission for 'Road to Tarbet' to be exhibited at Scarborough and Hull, on the understanding that you will take full responsibility for returning it to me in London when the Hull Exhibition ends.

[Squadron Leader Nigel Rose, Spitfire pilot during the Battle of Britain.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Nigel') to Martin Corden, expressing amazement at the 'cult' of the Spitfire, and discussing the sale of Bentley Priory.

Author: 
Squadron Leader Nigel Rose (1918-2017), Spitfire Pilot with No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Royal Air Force Squadron during the Second World War Battle of Britain [Bentley Priory, Stanmore]
Publication details: 
22 October 2007. With label carrying his Essex address.
£250.00

2pp, folio. In envelope with stamp and postmark, addressed to Corden's Mill Hill address. Letter folded twice, and letter and envelope in good condition. He begins by thanking him for sending 'the inscribed copy of Ken Delve's Story of the Spitfire - a truly excellent book just jam-packed with detail, - he must have done a prodigious amount of research to put it all together'. He is 'bowled over by the extent of [Corden's] munificence'.

[Hugh Gaitskell, Leader of the Labour Party.] Typed Letter Signed to 'Rowe', sending Christmas greetings.

Author: 
Hugh Gaitskell [Hugh Todd Naylor Gaitskell] (1906-1963), Leader of the Labour Party
Publication details: 
On letterhead of Treasury Chambers, Great George Street, S.W.1. [London] 10 January 1951.
£56.00

1p., 4to. The salutation 'My dear Rowe,' and the valediction 'Yours sincerely | Hugh Gaitskell' are in Gaitskell's autograph, written in red ink; the rest of the letter is typed. Aged and worn, with discoloration and a small insect crushed onto a blank part. Reads: 'Many thanks for your kind Christmas note and good wishes.

[ Two First World War printed leaflets. ] 'Three Years of War' and, by Ethel Snowden, 'A People's Peace'.

Author: 
Ethel Snowden [ Women's Peace Crusade, London; the National Labour Press, Manchester and London; First World War ]
Publication details: 
[ Women's Peace Crusade, London. ] Both printed by the National Labour Press, Ltd., London (the first also from Manchester).
£50.00

Both items 1p., 12mo. Both complete, on aged and worn newspaper stock. ONE: 'Leaflet No.5 | Three Years of War.' Quoting from a speech by Lloyd George in the House of Commons, 16 August 1917, and from the Manchester Guardian, 4 August 1917. Illustration in top left-hand corner of distraught woman having received a letter informing her of her loved one's death, titled 'CASUALTIES'. TWO: 'Leaflet No.6. | A People's Peace'. At foot, beneath slug: 'Written by Ethel Snowden, 39 Woodstock Road, Golders Green, N.W.4.' Headed 'Passed by the Press Bureau, December 2nd. No. 00096'.

[ James Lamborn Cock, music publisher. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('J Lamborn Cock | Music Publisher') to J. H. Friswell, giving an account of Thomas Moore's song 'My Heart and Lute'.

Author: 
James Lamborn Cock of London music publishers Leader & Cock [ James Hain Friswell (1825-1878), author; Thomas Moore, Irish poet; Lewis Carroll [ Charles Lutwidge Dodgson ]; Alice in Wonderland ]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of 63 New Bond Street ('Corner of Brooke Street'), London W. 16 February 1865.
£50.00

An interesting letter concerning a song mentioned in Lewis Carroll's 'Through the Looking-Glass'. 6pp., 12mo. On two bifolium letterheads. In fair condition, on aged paper. He begins by statig that he has 'taken much interest in theh discussion in the Athenaeum respecting a song of Moore's "My heart & Lute" and possessing some information relative to it' is sends it to Friswell. He proceeds to give an account of publication, with references including the music publisher Power, Sir H. R. Bishop, John Kemble, Sherwood & James, 'The London Stage' and 'The National Airs'.

Autograph Note Signed to unnamed male correspondent [Rev. E. J. F. Davies].

Author: 
Spencer Leigh Hughes (1858-1920), British politician and journalist, 'Sub Rosa' of the 'Daily News' and 'Morning Leader'
Publication details: 
6 December 1907; on letterhead of the 'Morning Leader', Stonecutter Street, London, E.C.
£20.00

One page, octavo. Mounted on piece of card. Ruckled and lightly aged, with some rust spotting from paperclip, and a little glue in left-hand margin. 'I send you my signature below with pleasure. My father was Welsh & my mother was English.' From the collection of Rev. E. J. F. Davies.

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