MARLBOROUGH

[Victor Silvester, bandleader and ballroom dancer.] Autograph Signature on ‘Souvenir Programme’ for the ‘Grand Empire Day Dance’ at the Alexander Hall, Halifax, with local band 'Harry Nicholl and his Alexandrians' .

Author: 
Victor Silvester [Victor Marlborough Silvester] (1900-1978), British bandleader and ballroom dancer [Harry Nicholl and his Alexandrians; Alexandra Hall, Halifax]
Silvester
Publication details: 
Date of the ‘Grand Empire Day Dance’: 24 May 1957. At the Alexandra Hall, Halifax, for T. F. Firth & Sons Ltd. Sports Club.
£25.00
Silvester

On 15 x 11 cm card, with vertical central fold making it into a bifolium with front and back covers, and central text across the opening. In fair condition, a little aged. Perforated outer corner removed from bottom of second leaf, no doubt as proof of use; with slight creasing to first leaf at same point. Printed at the head of the back cover is the word ‘AUTOGRAPHS’, and here in blue ink is the signature ‘Victor Silvester’. There are no other autographs. The front cover is headed ‘T. F. Firth and Sons Ltd.

[Sir James Mackintosh, Scottish historian and politician.] Autograph Letter Signed thanking an unnamed peer for gaining him access to the Duke of Marlborough’s papers, and expressing a zeal for investigating the history of the Glorious Revolution.

Author: 
Sir James Mackintosh (1765-1832) of Kyllachy, Scottish historian and politician [Thomas Babington Macaulay]
Publication details: 
21 June 1813; Cheltenham.
£60.00

A prescient note regarding his projected history of the Glorious Revolution, in which Mackintosh expresses the desire to ‘leave the ground somewhat more clear to a successor of greater talents’. And this is indeed what he did: his history was not published during his lifetime, but his voluminous notes proved invaluable to Thomas Babington Macaulay in writing his great history. See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. 2pp., 12mo. Twenty-four lines of text. In fair condition, on lightly aged paper, with short closed tear to one edge. Signed ‘James Mackintosh’.

[George, Duke of Marlborough] Autograph Note Signed Marlborough to My Lord [not known] about Oxford Yeomanry.

Author: 
George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough (1739 – 1817), sometime Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, courtier, nobleman, and politician
Publication details: 
Blenheim, [ Aug 1807?]
£85.00

Half a 12mo page, fold mark, good condition. I have the Honor to transmit to your Lordship this Letter which I have received from two of the officers commanding Troops of Yeomanry in the County of Oxford. See image. These letters are NOT present.

[George, Duke of Marlborough] Autograph Note Signed Marlborough to My Lord [not known] about Oxford Yeomanry.

Author: 
George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough (1739 – 1817), sometime Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, courtier, nobleman, and politician
Marlborough
Publication details: 
Blenheim, [ Aug 1807?]
£85.00
Marlborough

Half a 12mo page, fold mark, good condition. I have the Honor to transmit to your Lordship this Letter which I have received from two of the officers commanding Troops of Yeomanry in the County of Oxford. See image. These letters are NOT present.

[George Spencer-Churchill, 5th Duke of Marlborough ('the Profligate Duke'), bibliophile.] Autograph Note of Admittance to 'Blenheim Palace and Gardens', signed 'Marlborough', for 'Dr. Cotton', i.e. Rev. Dr Horace Salusbury Cotton, Ordinary of Newgate

Author: 
George Spencer-Churchill, 5th Duke of Marlborough ['the Profligate Duke'] (1766-1840), until 1817 styled Marquis of Blandford, bibliophile [Horace Salusbury Cotton (c.1774-1846), Ordinary of Newgate]
Publication details: 
No date or place.
£100.00

The Duke was Winston Churchill's great-great-grandfather. His library at Whiteknights Park was celebrated, and his purchase of the Valdarfer Boccaccio at the 1811 Roxburghe sale was the spur to the formation of the Roxburghe Club. Like the Duke, Cotton was a notable collector of books and autographs. He was generally considered a faintly-ridiculous figure, and condemned men were said to die 'with Cotton in their ears'. 1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged. Folded once. Reads 'Admit Dr.

[Lady Augusta Spencer-Churchill, as Chairman, British Legion Women's Section.] Two Typed Letters Signed (both 'Augusta Spencer-Churchill') to 'Mrs Everett' of the Legion's Kettering Branch, regarding a funfair, and her award of an OBE.

Author: 
Lady Augusta Spencer-Churchill [née Warburton] (1854-1941), wife of Lord Edward Spencer-Churchill (1853-1911), half-brother of the 7th Duke of Marlborough and close relation of Winston Churchill
Publication details: 
ONE: 28 Grosvenor Street, London SW1; 16 November 1934. TWO: Queensmead, Windsor; 9 January 1935. Each on letterhead of the British Legion, Women's Section, Haig House, 26 Ecclestone Square, London, SW1.
£56.00

Each 1p, 4to. Both in fair condition, lightly aged and worn, and each folded three times. On the letterhead she is referred to as 'The Lady Edward Spencer-Churchill O.B.E.' Chairman of the British Legion. Women's Section. ONE: 16 November 1934. Having been informed by 'Miss Gerds' that the recipient 'would like to know if I am coming by Car or by train on December 1st, to open your “Fun Fair,”' she states that she is 'not sure how long it would take to motor from London', but thinks it would be quicker by train. 'I see a good one arrives at 2-47!' TWO: 5 January 1935.

[William Guidott embezzles John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough.] Two printed documents: 'The Case of the Appellants' (including Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough) and 'The Respondent's Case', the latter carrying the judgement in a contemporary hand.

Author: 
[William Guidott (1671–1745) of Lincoln's Inn, lawyer to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, and MP for Andover, Hampshire, embezzler] C. Talbot; Tho. Reeve; P. Yorke; Tho. Lutwytche
Publication details: 
Both documents with docket title stating that the case is to be heard at the bar of the House of Lords, 4 March 1727. [ESTC tentatively dates the items to 1728.]
£420.00

The background to the two documents is given in Guidott's entry in the History of Parliament, which states that his uncle Anthony was 'for many years a lawyer to the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and described the latter in his will as “my particular good friend”. Guidott benefited from the connexion, succeeding his uncle as lawyer to the Marlboroughs. […] He proved a disappointment to the Duchess of Marlborough, however, as by 1711 he had begun the embezzlement of funds from the Marlborough estates for which he was sued in 1725.

[ Frederic William Farrar, Headmaster of Marlborough College. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('F W Farrar') to 'My dear Duckworth', regarding his visit, and Prince Leopold.

Author: 
F. W. Farrar [ Frederic William Farrar ] (1831-1903), Headmaster of Marlborough College, one of the Cambridge Apostles and friend of Charles Darwin [ Prince Leopold (1853-1884), Duke of Albany ]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of The Lodge, Marlborough College. 26 October 1873.
£56.00

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'My dear Duckworth, | It will be a real pleasure to us to look forward to your visit. As Prince Leopold will be at Osborne, & not at Oxford I think that we had better not invite him. | Mrs Farrar joins me in kind regards, & I am | Sincerely yours | F W Farrar'. Prince Leopold, Queen Victoria's youngest son, was at Christ Church, Oxford, between 1872 and 1876.

[ Rev. Thomas Arthur Preston of Marlborough College, botanist. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('T. A. Preston') to J. Ramsay, regarding 'the connection between Vegetation & Climate', a subject 'in its infancy'.

Author: 
T. A. Preston [ Rev. Thomas Arthur Preston ] (1833-1905) of Marlborough College, botanist
Publication details: 
On letterhead of The College [amended by Preston to 'Green'], Marlborough. 28 May 1881.
£250.00

12pp., 12mo. On three bifoliums. In good condition, lightly aged. A long speculation - of great interest in the light of subsequent developments - on 'the connection between Vegetation & Climate', beginning with a discussion of 'the case of the Hawthorn'. 'The whole subject', he notes, 'at present is in its infancy and there are so many varied questions for wh. we seek answers that at present I do not think we can state any certain conclusions. | Botanically, the constitution of each species is an interesting source of investigation.

[ The Duchess of Marlborough, the Earl of Godolphin, and Lord Sundon. ] Autograph Signatures ('S: Marlbrough | Godolphin | Sundon') on part of an Exchequer receipt.

Author: 
Sarah Churchill (1660-1744), Duchess of Marlborough, wife of the great Duke of Marlborough; Francis Godolphin (1678-1766), 2nd Earl of Godolphin; William Clayton (1671-1752), 1st Baron Sundon
Publication details: 
[ Court of Exchequer, London. 17 May 1740. ]
£80.00

On an irregular piece of paper, 18cm. high and 23cm. wide at the extremities. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. Torn from a larger leaf, with one side carrying manuscript additions completing printed text ('In Repayment of Loan on the Eighteenth, 2s. Aid, Anno 1739.'). In manuscript: 'The most Noble Sarah Dutchess Dowager of Marlborough, the Right Honble Francis Earl of Godolphin, the Right Honble William Lord Sundon Executors of the late most Noble John Duke of Marlborough'. The signatures are on the reverse, with more manuscript text.

[ 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).

[ Lady Maria Theresa Lewis, author. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('M Theresa Lewis') to Sir George Scharf.

Author: 
Lady Maria Theresa Lewis [née Villiers] (1803-1865), author, wife of Thomas Henry Lister and George Cornewall Lewis [ Sir George Scharf (1820-1895), Director, National Portrait Gallery ]
Publication details: 
Lathom House [Lancashire]. 22 November 1861.
£65.00

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly-aged. She is out of town, and Scharf's letter has followed her to Cheshire and Lancashire, and she is sending a letter of introduction to Lord Essex, whom she hopes will 'afford you every facility in your interesting pursuits'. She is flattered 'at the manner in which you always speak of my Grove Catalogue - it was a great pleasure to me & I much regret that other duties & occupations have prevented me for a time from continuing my Biographies'. She concludes by wishing him 'every success in your Blenheim Catalogue'.

[Duchess of Marlborough] Autograph Note Signed "F Marlborough" to unnamed woman, about patronisation of hospitals..

Author: 
Frances Anne Emily [nee Vane] (1822-1899), Duchess of Marlborough, grandmother of Winston Churchill.
Publication details: 
[Crest removed making it difficult to read address] , March 1925
£45.00

One page, 12mo, black-bordered, bifolium, edge sl. turned, remnants of mounts on verso of second leaf, generally good condition. She'll be happy to benamed as a Patroness of the "Bayone[?]" "in favour of the Royal Hospital Belfast but I regret to say I cannot give it any further assistance as I have [?] heavy claims for me in England."

[Count von Brühl and Duke of Marlborough.] Autograph Letter Signed from Marlborough and Autograph Notes by von Brühl, about the 'Difference of Level between a Blenheim Barometer in the Duke of Marlborough's dressing Room, & the Harefield Barometer'.

Author: 
Hans Moritz von Brühl (1736-1809) [John Maurice, Count of Brühl], German diplomat and astronomer; George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough (1739-1817), FRS, English nobleman and amateur astronomer
Publication details: 
Marlborough's letter from Blenheim [Woodstock, Oxfordshire], 9 November 1796. [von Brühl's notes from Harefield, circa 1796?]
£850.00

A Fellow of the Royal Society, Marlborough's main scientific interest was astronomy, a subject on which he corresponded with von Brühl. The four items in good condition, with light signs of age and wear. They are accompanied by a typewritten (1960s?) report (3pp., folio), whose purpose is to disprove any connection between them and 'the name of Henry Cavendish and his work on the barometer'.

[Francis Spencer Churchill, 2nd Baron Churchill [Lord Churchill].] Autograph Note Signed ('Churchill'), giving permission to an unnamed recipient to fish at Cornbury Park.

Author: 
Francis Spencer Churchill (1802-1886), 2nd Baron Churchill [Lord Churchill], of Wychwood and Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire
Publication details: 
Cornbury Park [Oxfordshire]. 15 October 1870.
£50.00

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. The note reads: 'My dear Sir | You and your Brother are quite welcome to come and fish here, on any day that you like; and I only hope that you may find any sport. | Believe me| Very faithfully Your's [sic] | Churchill'.

Autograph Letter in the third person from George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough, apologising to the Prince Regent (George Augustus Frederick, later King George IV) for having to decline an invitation.

Author: 
George Spencer (1739-1817), 4th Duke of Marlborough [George Augustus Frederick (1762-1830), Prince Regent between 1811 and 1820, thereafter King George IV]
Publication details: 
'Blenheim | April 19th'. [Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire; 1812.]
£120.00

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and creased laid paper with watermark '1810'. The letter reads: 'The Duke of Marlborough is very sorry it will not be in his power to obey His Royal Highness the Prince Regent's commands on Thursday the 23d of April, which he should have been very happy to have done had it been possible for him. | Blenheim | April 19th.' The only 23 April falling on a Thursday during the Regency before the 4th Duke's death was in 1812.

Holograph poem (signed 'G J W A E') by George James Welbore Agar-Ellis, titled 'Remembrance & Hope | addressed to my dearest Caroline', lamenting the depression of his sister Caroline-Anne Agar-Ellis over their mother's death.

Author: 
George James Welbore Agar-Ellis (1797-1833), 1st Baron Dover, politician and art patron, and his sister Caroline-Anne Agar-Ellis (1794-1814), children of Henry Welbore Agar-Ellis, 2nd Viscount Clifden
Publication details: 
Dated 'April 1814'.
£180.00

2pp., 4to. Fair, on aged paper, with a thin strip from a stub adhering to one edge on the reverse. Previously folded into a packet, and docketed in a contemporary hand 'by Agar Ellis'. 24 lines in heroic couplets. Agar-Ellis's sister Caroline-Anne would die at Roehampton on 12 May 1814, a month after the writing of this poem, which links her demise with that of their mother, Caroline, daughter of the 4th Duke of Marlborough, a few months before (23 November 1813).

Autograph Letter Signed ('Spencer') from George John Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer to an unnamed recipient [his agent?], requesting him to engage 'Mrs. Hope's house' and 'the stables at Mr. Wrights'.

Author: 
George John Spencer (1758-1834), 2nd Earl Spencer [Thomas Hope (1769-1831), connoisseur, and Hon. Louisa Hope (d.1851), his wife]
Publication details: 
'Spencer House Saturday [no date]'.
£38.00

1p., 12mo. On aged and lightly-spotted paper. Reads: 'My dear Sir, | Mrs. Hope's house will do & I shall be obliged to you to engage it for me, from the Saturday before the show for a week & the stables at Mr. Wrights also. | Yours most truly, | [signed] Spencer'. Mrs Hope is probably the Hon. Louisa Hope (d.1851), wife or widow of the connoisseur Thomas Hope (1769-1831), and one of the wealthiest women of England. If this is the case the letter was written before her second marriage in 1832 to her cousin Viscount Beresford.

[Printed handbill.] The Humble Address of the House of Commons to the Queen. [Numb. 3.] [Regarding the victory of the Duke of Marlborough at Ramillies.]

Author: 
John Smith, Speaker, House of Commons [Queen Anne; Jacob Tonson; Timothy Goodwin; the Duke of Marlborough; the Battle of Ramillies, 1706]
The Humble Address of the House of Commons to the Queen. [Numb. 3.]
Publication details: 
London: Printed for Jacob Tonson, within Grays-Inn Gate next Grays-Inn Lane; and Timothy Goodwin, at the Queen's-Head against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet. 1706.
£56.00
The Humble Address of the House of Commons to the Queen. [Numb. 3.]

8vo, 1 p. Text clear and complete. Blank reverse. Fair, on aged paper. Paginated 9, with 'Numb. 3.' in the top right-hand corner. Returning thanks for the 'speech from the throne', and for Marlborough's victory at Ramillies, 'A Victory so Glorious and Great in its Consequences, and attended with such Continued Successses, through the whole Course of this Year, that no Age can Equal.' Tonson's and Goodwin's appointment, by Smith, is signed in type.

Manuscript transcript of 'the entry of the Hunting Journal of 1816. [18]17', addressed to Triphook, giving costs for printing '20 Copies of Belvoir Hunt'.

Author: 
[Robert Triphook, London bookseller (d.1868); Belvoir Hunt; hunting; printing]
Publication details: 
Undated [1818?].
£56.00

Landscape 8vo, 1 p. On aged and discoloured paper, with four spike holes. Neatly written out, in a contemporary hand. Addressed on reverse to 'Mr. R. Triphook'. Pencil annotations on both sides. Headed 'The following is the entry of the Hunting Journal of 1816. 17 -'. First item (of six): 'Setting Press & Printing 20 Copies of Belvoir Hunt 1816.17 13 Sheets & 1/2 Demy, Pica & long Primmer with Tables fine ink. @ 83/. Pr Sheet } 56. 0. 6'. At foot of page: '1817-18 - furnished by R.

Autograph Letter Signed ('F. Storr') to Rev. E. J. Shepherd of Luddesdown, containing a reference to Thomas Hardy.

Author: 
Francis Storr (1839-1919), M.A., editor of the Journal of Education; Master of Marlborough College, 1864-75; Merchant Taylors' School, 1875-1901 [Edward John Shepherd (1805-1874); Thomas Hardy]
Publication details: 
4 April [1874]; on letterhead of Marlborough School.
£45.00

12mo, 3 pp. Bifolium. Thirty-two lines. Very good, on lightly-aged paper, apart from the tearing away of the single-word answer to 'a very old riddle' in ancient Greek from Sir Thomas Browne, resulting in the loss of a few words of text from the reverse. Begins by thanking Shepherd for the unnecessary return of 'the Harper', followed by congratulations on his birthday. Hopes to amuse him with the riddle.

Typed Letter Signed ('Marlborough') to Mrs. [Cecilia] Perkins.

Author: 
George Charles Spencer-Churchill (1844-1892), 8th Duke of Marlborough [Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire]
Publication details: 
28 April 1889; on his Blenheim letterhead.
£45.00

On piece of watermarked laid paper(12.5 x 20.5 cm). Printed letterhead reminiscent of telegram: headed 'Memorandum' and with 'PARCELS OR GOODS, WOODSTOCK RD. G.W.R.' at foot. In fair condition: lightly ruckled and with the purple ink of the typewritten part bleeding slightly. Five lines of text. He thanks her for her letter. 'Do not on any account come to the Inn at Woodstock to stay the night.

Document signed by these four parties, part printed, part manuscript.

Author: 
Earl Marchmont, Thomas [ Secker ] Archbishop of Canterbury, Beversham Filmer, J. Stephens.
Publication details: 
15/11/58
£250.00

One page, 4to, one small tear, staining, pinholes, text clear and complete. The four parties acknowledge receipt of £62.10 in their office aas "executors of Sarah late Duchess of Marlborough assignee of John Rudghe as per margin. In the margin, in manuscript is a list of years 1828-1838 with a list of yearly sums which add up to the £62.50 they are acknowledging. The list has the name John Rudge next to it. They received the money from James Earl Waldegrave (written in ms.

Autograph Letter Signed ('F W Farrar') to [Herbert Armitage] James[, Headmaster of Rossall School].

Author: 
Frederic William Farrar (1831-1903), Dean of Canterbury and Master of Marlborough College, 1871-6 [Herbert Armitage James; Rossall School; Rugby School]
Publication details: 
21 September 1875; on letterhead of The Lodge, Marlborough College.
£100.00

Four pages, 12mo. Very good, on lightly aged paper, with minor traces of two mounts adhering to verso of second leaf of bifolium. Praises 'the excellent Sermon'. 'You will doubtless have a difficult work at Rossall, but every term will render it less difficult' [...] One can't ask for a greater blessing than difficult work when it is also - as yours is & will be - entirely hopeful & immensely useful.

Syndicate content