SENIOR

An odd and seemingly-negligent correspondence, hardly likely to fill the recipient with any confidence. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. From the Piffard papers, with the first letter addressed to ‘B. Piffard Esq’ and the second to ‘Mr B. P’. Both with his distinctive signature ‘R. Etheridge’. ONE: 30 October 1888. 1p, 12mo. ‘Dr Sir / Your box and contents I now return. / The chalk specimen is a cone probably of [?] - the other specimen is part of the jaw & tooth of a reptile which is easily seen on exambination, no semblance of Wood’. TWO: 25 October 1888. 1p, 16mo.

There is a record of one 'Heinrich Ernst Seiffert aus Altona bei Hamburg' in 1787. The letter is clearly addressed to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, whom, we may be sure, were not taken in by what was either the production of a madman or a clumsy confidence trickster. 3pp, foolscap 8vo. On bifolium of gilt-edged paper. In fair condition, on lightly aged paper with slight wear and short closed tears to extremities. Folded twice.

The 1812 HMS Dublin was the third Royal Navy ship of that name. At the time of this document she was a 40-gunner, and the flagship of the Commander-in-Chief of the South American station Vice-Admiral Sir Graham Hamond (1779-1862). See the entries on Barton, Hamond and Tait in O’Byrne’s ‘Naval Biographical Dictionary’ (1849), and Hamond’s in the Oxford DNB. 1p, landscape foolscap 8vo. Aged and creased. Docketed on reverse: ‘Dublin / Treasure conveyed. / 31. March 1838. / E1/1 / Entd 2d. April. / W Let’.

See his entries in the Oxford DNB and History of Parliament. The signature (‘Vere’) is good and bold, at the bottom right of the document, as is that of first witness Henry Woodall (‘Hez Woodall’), but there is slight loss at the beginning of the signature of the second witness ‘[...] Ogborn’, and the left side of the document has been torn away also causing loss to printed text, and there is wear and pitting along the top and left edge. The customary printed document, completed in manuscript. 1p, 8vo.

According to Duncan's entry in the Oxford DNB, 'In 1809 he founded the Caledonian Horticultural Society, and in later years he was actively occupied in promoting the establishment of a public experimental garden.' 2pp, 4to. In good condition, on aged paper, creased. The recipient is not named, and the letter begins: 'Although I have already often interrupted important business of State, yet I trust you will once more, forgive an Octogenarian, when he can plead, that his principal temptation, to transgression, is an earnest desire to promote the publick good -'.

Printed in blue on one side of a piece of white paper roughly 60 x 40 cm. Good: lightly-aged and creased. The text is enclosed within an ornate decorative border, and is headed 'Charles Ingle Robinson Esqr., | B. Sc. (Lond.), Associate R. S. M., | M. I. C. E., M. I. M. M., | Senior Inspector of Mines, F. M. S.' This is followed by nineteen lines, expressing 'deep regret and genuine sorrow' at his 'departure for Europe on retirement'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, with light signs of age a some dabs of glue from mounting on blank reverse. The letter has an unusual calligraphic layout. The message reads: 'My Dear Sir | When I last lent you my plate after The Parthenon Frieze I expected it returned at furthest in two weeks it now eight weeks I would be obliged if you could let me have it by the Bearer I hahve the Honor to be with respect yours truly | John Henning senr | To | S. C. Hall Esqr'. At foot, in a contemporary hand, signed 'J.

2pp., 12mo. On leaf with mourning border. With 7.5 x 12.5 cm frank cut from front of envelope, reading 'Calne September fifth 1837 | Nassau Senior Esq | Ilfracombe | Devon | Lansdowne'. In good condition, lightly aged. While Senior is known to have been a protégé of the Marquess of Lansdowne, this letter suggests that he acted as his agent. The Marquess asks him to 'secure me a lodging at the hotel at Ilfracombe or if full at any house in the town on Friday, when I expect to be there pretty early'.

The first two items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The third in fair condition, aged and worn. ONE: Typed Letter Signed (over a penny tax stamp) by 'W Senior' and 'R B Marston', announcing their resignation as trustees, to be replaced by Walter Durfee Coggeshall, William Milner Ratcliff, and John Assheton Rennie'. 1p., 4to. Manuscript postscript. With a 'certified copy of the resolution of the General Meeting of Members by which the above appointments were made'. 1p., 4to. Signed by Major-General Desmond O'Callaghan and the secretary.

On one side of a 47 x 20 cm piece of paper. Docketted on reverse. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. In part a form, printed in copperplate, with the details completed in manuscript, and signed on behalf of the firm 'Bristol 3rd December 1822 | Errors Excepted | Gibbs Son & Bright'. Included on the debit side are: Duty; Entry Fees, Wharfage, Town & Dock dues; 95 day's Interest; Freight; Warehouse Rent, Porterage, Weighing & Hauling; Insurance from Fire; Brokerage; Commission, leaving 'Nett Proceeds' of £257 18s 10d on £819 5s 0d.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on aged paper, with original worn and torn envelope, with stamp and postmarks, addressed by Lucas to 'H. W. Stuart Esq. | Mulgrave House | Rectory Place | Woolwich'. Stuart's son has 'shown himself so good a worker' at Guy's that Lucas is 'anxious that he should have an opportunity of taking a good position in the profession'. Lucas has 'persuaded him to try for the fellowship & if possible, to pass the preliminary next September'. Lucas hopes Stuart will encourage his son, as he is 'convinced that he has the power, if you give him the opportunity'.

2pp., 4to. On bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'Wm. Hamilton Esq'. Streatfeild has received directions from 'Mr. Secretary Bruce' granting Hamilton 'the Dignity of a Knight Bachelor of the United Kingdom'. Hamilton is to place £96 14s 6d in Streatfeild's account at Drummond's Bank in Charing Cross, 'being the Account & the Expenses attending the passing of the Patent under the Great Seal'. Streatfeild will 'proceed with the Patent as soon as you inform me whether the enclosed is your proper description'.

Folio, 2 pp. On the rectos of the two leaves of a bifolium. On laid paper watermarked 'Gilling & Allford 1816'. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The first page contains a letter addressed to 'General Hall' from 'Union Office | Norwich 16th Novr. 1818', forty lines long and signed 'J Crowe'. The second page is headed 'Norwich Union Life Insurance Society | Statement of the particulars of the misconduct of the Secretary Mr Thos Bignold Senr.' It contains a six-point indictment of Bignold, totalling thirty-seven lines.

The three items are good, on aged paper. Letter One: Undated. Signed 'B Pollock'. 4to, 1 p. In pencil. Headed 'please forgive stationery'. On reverse is a cancelled carbon page of autobiographical typescript. He is travelling to London and asks for the addresses of a couple of doctors. 'I have had very slight bleeding from the prostate, but this has become much greater in the last 24 hours. Pulse and temperature quite normal, some constipation, no pain. I dont know whether my walks should be reduced'. Letter Two: Dated 26 August 1943.

Printed in blue on one side of a piece of white paper roughly 60 x 40 cm. Good: lightly-aged and creased. The text is enclosed within an ornate decorative border, and is headed 'Charles Ingle Robinson Esqr., | B. Sc. (Lond.), Associate R. S. M., | M. I. C. E., M. I. M. M., | Senior Inspector of Mines, F. M. S.' This is followed by nineteen lines, expressing 'deep regret and genuine sorrow' at his 'departure for Europe on retirement'.

English social reformer and essayist (1800-90), Jeremy Bentham's literary assistant. Dimensions of paper roughly three-quarters of an inch by two and a half. Signed 'E Chadwick' over light traces of stamps in red and green, on foxed paper discoloured with age. Small portion at head of 'E' trimmed away.