MALTA

[General Sir J.G. Maxwell, Commander-in-Chief in Ireland during the 1916 Easter Rising.] Autograph Letter Signed to 'Mr. Peverley Dodd', with regard to the etiquette for an engagement in Malta by the Duke of Connaught.

Author: 
General Sir John Grenfell Maxwell (1859-1929) British Army officer, Commander-in-Chief in Ireland during 1916 Easter Rising and its aftermath [Rev. Henry Peverley Dodd (1875-1938), army chaplain]
Publication details: 
‘The Palace / Malta / March 24.’ [1908] On letterhead of the High Commissioner, Mediterranean.
£220.00

The context of the letter is explained in Maxwell’s entry in the Oxford DNB: ‘In the autumn of 1902 Maxwell was chosen by the duke of Connaught, then acting commander-in-chief in Ireland, as his chief staff officer at Dublin. There he remained until May 1904, when Connaught became inspector-general of the forces, and Maxwell followed him to London.

[Lord Grenfell [Francis Wallace Grenfell], British Army soldier, Governor of Malta, Commander-in-Chief, Ireland.] Autograph Signature (‘Francis Grenfell / Maj Genl’) cut from a letter for an autograph hunter.

Author: 
Lord Grenfell [Field Marshal Francis Wallace Grenfell, 1st Baron Grenfell (1841-1925)], British Army soldier, victor at Suakin and Toski in Mahdist War; Governor of Malta; Commander-in-Chief, Ireland
Lord Grenfell
Publication details: 
16 April 1892. No place.
£45.00
Lord Grenfell

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On 13 x 6.5 cm piece of thin paper, apparently cut from the end of a letter for an autograph hunter. In good condition, lightly aged and creased, folded twice. Reads: ‘Francis Grenfell / Maj Genl / April 16 / 1892.’ See image.

[Lieut.-Gen. Sir Manley Power, British Army officer in the Peninsular War and then Lieutenant Governor of Malta.] Autograph Signature (‘M. Power / M Genl. Comm[andin]g’).

Author: 
Lieut.-Gen. Sir Manley Power (1773-1826), British Army officer who lead a Portuguese brigade in the Peninsular War, later appointed Lieutenant Governor of Malta
Power
Publication details: 
No date or place.
£50.00
Power

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On piece of 8.5 x 4.5 cm laid paper cut. In fair condition, on aged paper with reverse bearing traces of glue from mount. Reads: ‘M. Power / M Genl. Comm[andin]g’. Endorsed on reverse: ‘M General / Sir Manley Power / K.C.B’. See Image.

[Field-Marshal Grenfell; Sirdar] Autograph Note Signed (or scrawled) F Grenfell to the Duchess of Cleveland, saying he'd like to make the acquaitance of a Mr Powlett.

Author: 
Field Marshal Francis Wallace Grenfell, 1st Baron Grenfell, (1841-1925), Army officer.
Grenfell
Publication details: 
[Headed] Maison, Ali, Pacha Fehmy, Cairo, 12 Feb. [no year; c.1888]. See image.
£38.00
Grenfell

One page, 12mo, minor foxing, mainly good condition. Pray [? something like tell] Mr Powlett I am most anxious to make his acquaintance truly yrs [...].Note: Field Marshal Francis Wallace Grenfell, 1st Baron Grenfell, 1841-1925 was a British Army officer. After serving as aide-de-camp to the Commander-in-Chief, South Africa, he fought in the 9th Xhosa War, the Anglo-Zulu War and then the Anglo-Egyptian War.

[ Trafford Smith, Lieutenant-Governor, Malta [ Typed Letter Signed Trafford Smith to Miss Felicity Ashbee, apparently giving her influential contacts for her travels.

Author: 
Trafford Smith, Lieutenant-Governor, Malta
Publication details: 
The Palace, Valletta, 14 August 1958.
£40.00

One page, 8vo, fold marks, very good condition. Text: I enclose two letters from Maitland, the Malta Area Manager of Shell, whose sway extends over the Shelkl Company in Tripoli, one addressed to yoy and the other to the Tripoli Manager. | I have probably done you wrong in saying that this is the first time you are visiting an Arab country, but anyway your presumed naivete will, I hope, only make them the more helpful. | I hope it all works out, and that you find Libya as rewarding as I did.

[Lady Pamela Mountbatten, daughter of Earl Mountbatten of Burma.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Pamela Mountbatten'), as Lady-in-Waiting to the Queen on her royal tour, to 'Mr. McCrindall',

Author: 
Lady Pamela Mountbatten [later Lady Pamela Carmen Louise Hicks] (born 1929), younger daughter of the 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma by his wife, Edwina Mountbatten, Lady-in-Waiting to Queen Elizabeth
Publication details: 
On letterhead of Admiralty House, Valletta, Malta. 27 August 1953.
£36.00

2pp, 4to. She begins by apologising for the tardy response to his letter, explaining: 'During these past months we have been very busy and I have found it almost impossible to find time for writing private letters beyond those to my immediate family.' She apologises for the fact that she was 'just going out when I met you in London last November. I did not then realise that you had come especially to see me.' The letter ends: 'Your tour of Canada and The States must have been extremely interesting.'

[ Edward Caruana Dingli; Art and the War in Malta ] Autograph Letter Signed E Carnana Dingli to Mr Tuckwell

Author: 
Edward Caruana Dingli, Maltese artist.
Publication details: 
52 South St | Valetta, 2 Dec. 1943.
£350.00

Four pages, 12mo, a word for a part of a destroyed building cut out (text runs, including part of the [...cut out, in fact CENSORED]), otherwise clear and in good condition. He begins by discussing Tuckwell's recent operation, praising doctors,concluding that it's no wonder your nation heads the world in all that pertains to civilization, science, art, politics, &c. He continues, It gives me great pleasure to know that my pictures are still a source of pleasure to you [...]. He refers to Tuckwell's loss of his wife and his kindnesses when Dingli was in England.

[ William Kelty McLeod, Lieut. Col. Comding, 74th Highlanders; Kaffir Wars ] Autograph Signed Testimonial ('W K McLeod Col. | Lt. Col. Com 74th. Highlanders') in favour of Major Philip Philpot, who desires to obtain employment as a 'public servant'.

Author: 
Brigadier General William Kelty McLeod (1862-1928), Regimental Colonel of the Highland Light Infantry
Publication details: 
Malta. 7 January 1896.
£120.00

3pp., tall 8vo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded four times. With regard to Philpot's desire to obtain 'employment under Her Majesty's Government' as a 'public servant', he has applied to McLeod 'for a testimonial as to his Conduct and Efficiency as an Officer during the seven years he served in the 74th Highlanders': ''There has been but one opinion of him in the Corps, which was, that he was a most able, active, intelligent and gallant officer, possessed of much common sense and sound judgment.

[ H. H. L. Malcolm, as Lieutenant-Colonel, 2nd Cameron Highlanders. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Huntly Malcolm') to G. J. S. Scovell, discussing his desire for an exchange from the first battalion, and his own polo accident.

Author: 
Brigadier-General H. H. L. Malcolm [ Brigadier General Henry Huntly Leith Malcolm ] (1860-1938) [ Lieut-Col. George Julian Selwyn Scovell (1881-1948), 1st Cameron Highlanders ]
Publication details: 
From Fort-Manoel [ Malta ], on letterhead of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders ('Egypt'). 22 December 1903.
£90.00

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly aged paper. He begins by telling him that there is 'no chance of an exchange to this Battalion, all were asked lately and said they did not wish to exchange to the 1st Battn.' He suggests that Scovell's 'best chance' is to 'fill a vacancy caused by a Promotion', in which case he may be 'brought in instead of their gazetting a youngster to us'.

[ Paul Bugeja, Maltese author. ] Typescript of a play: 'Honour Her Brave People. A Tragedy in 3 acts about conditions in MALTA G.C. as they are and as they might be'. With covering Typed Letter Signed to the theatre historian W. Macqueen-Pope.

Author: 
Paul Bugeja, Maltese author [ Malta; W. Macqueen-Pope [ Walter James Macqueen-Pope ] (1888-1960), theatre historian ]
Publication details: 
Play from 13 Caledonia Mansions, Qui S Sana, Sliema, Malta G.C. Undated [ containing reference to 1942 ]. Bugeja's covering letter from same address, 30 June 1952.
£650.00

ONE: Typescript. [3] + 94pp., 4to. Stapled in green tyed wraps. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper; in aged and worn wraps. Stage directions underlined in red pencil, and a handful of minor manuscript changes. 'The action of this play takes place in Malta G.C.

[ General Sir Charles Grey, Private Secretary to Prince Albert and Queen Victoria. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Grey'), on behalf of Prince Albert, to unnamed individual, regarding gifts of a photograph of Folkestone Harbour, and a book on Malta.

Author: 
General Sir Charles Grey (1804-1870), Private Secretary to Albert, Prince of Wales, and Queen Victoria
Publication details: 
Buckingham Palace [London]. 20 February 1858.
£38.00

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Thanking him for 'the Photograph of Folkestone harbour, & the volumes you have sent on the subjects of Malta, & the Order of St. John. [by Major-General Whitworth Porter (1827-1892) of the Royal Engineers]'. Prince Albert had intended to buy the book, but will take pleasure in accepting the copy the recipient of the letter has 'had so handsomely bound'.

[Alec Clifton-Taylor, architectural historian.] Corrected Signed Typescript titled 'Tour of Naval Establishments in the Mediterranean with Mr. John Dugdale, January, 1946'. [A tour of 'about 7,000 miles, almost all by air'.]

Author: 
Alec Clifton-Taylor, architectural historian [John Dugdale (1905-1963), Labour politician, Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty under Clement Attlee, 1945-1950; Royal Navy]
Publication details: 
Undated, but with covering signed page, on British Government letterhead, with alternate title: 'Mediterannean Tour | January, 1946'.
£350.00

[1] + 26pp., foolscap 8vo. On twenty-seven leaves held together with a brass stud. In good condition, on aged and worn paper. The covering page is headed with the embossed government letterhead (lion and unicorn in oval) and has the words 'Mediterannean Tour | January, 1946' in the centre, with the signature 'Alec Clifton-Taylor' in blue ink in the bottom right-hand corner. The twenty-six pages of text, carrying a few minor autograph corrections by Clifton-Taylor, are headed with the full title.

[Printed pamphlet.] Poems from the Diary of a V. A. D. By Carrie Portelly.

Author: 
Carrie Portelly (1893-1966), V.A.D., of Buckfast, Devon [Voluntary Aid Detachment; field nurse; nursing]
Publication details: 
Printed by Edwin Trim & Co. Ltd. Wimbledon S.W.19. Undated, but individual poems dated between September 1938 and October 1942.
£150.00

[1] + 38pp., 12mo. Stapled into brown printed wraps, with the title and printer's slug on the cover, which also carries the price of two shillings and sixpence. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Introductory note reads: 'These few pages refer to war-time troubles at home and in hospital, and other people's love laments. C.P.' Unpretentious poetry, giving an insight into the work of a V.A.D.

[Printed] Rules and Regulations for the Government of the Malta Union Club 1893. Established 1826.'

Author: 
[Malta Union Club; Sir Stephen Herbert Gatty (1849-1922), Chief Justice of Gibraltar, 1895 to 1905]
 Rules and Regulations for the Government of the Malta Union Club
Publication details: 
[1893.] Printed at the "Malta Chronicle Office," 80 Strada Sta. Lucia.'
£150.00
 Rules and Regulations for the Government of the Malta Union Club

16mo, 20 pp. Stitched. In original blue printed wraps. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with the pamphlet folded once. The Club's 25 rules are preceded by a list of the Committee of Management. Ownership inscription of L. Barnes-Lawrence at head of front wrap, but annotated and amended throughout in Gatty's hand. From the residue of Sir Stephen H. Gatty's papers. A scarce piece of Malta ephemera: no copies at the British Library or listed on COPAC (although the latter does carry a record for a 1903 edition).

Autograph Letter Signed ('J. R. Drummond | V Adml | Comr. in Chief') to Sir George Granville Randolph (1818-1907) ('Rear Admiral G. Randolph, C.B.').

Author: 
Vice Admiral the Hon. James Robert Drummond (1812-1895), Royal Navy, Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean [Victorian; naval and maritime]
Publication details: 
H M S Lord Warden Malta | Feb 23rd. 1874'.
£85.00

12mo, 2 pp. On Drummond's embossed crested letterhead. Good: on lightly aged paper with corners a little dogeared and slight discoloration along one margin. Small glue stain from previous mounting at foot of reverse (not affecting text). Headed 'General Memo -'. Instructing Randolph 'to conduct all necessary evolutions relative to the exercise of guns, Sails, Boats - small arm | men landing, & Marines - on acting permission for the same from my Flag as he may find conducive to the instruction of the Ships of the Ships herein named of the squadron [five ships named at end of letter]'.

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