WILLIAM

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On a 17.5 x 12 cm piece of ruled paper, laid down on a piece of card. The high-acidity paper is browned, otherwise in good condition, with small nick to one edge. The signature ‘W. H. Hudson / June 27. ’20’ is beneath two lines written in a foreign language, a tentative reading of which is ‘Te semiron mulei moy / To dariau tis viden’. See Image.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded for postage. Addressed to 'Dear old Lee' and signed 'W A Spooner -'. He explains that he and his colleagues thought Lee's 'testimonials & references very good, as you may gather from our having put you on our list of selected candidates, but you did not quite reach the very highest place in our judgment'.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB, along with that of E. D. Morel, a campaigner like Roger Casement against abuses in the Belgian Congo. (Morel had been given a 'testimonial luncheon' two days before the writing of this letter.) 1p, 4to. In good condition, lightly aged, creased and worn. Folded for postage. Ten lines of stylishly-written text. Signed ‘W. Rothenstein’. After thanking her for writing he states: ‘Nothing could please me more than to feel that you care for something I have put into the painting of your noble husband.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 16mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once for postage. Signed ‘W. L. Wyllie.’ He is sorry that he will be unable to avail himself of ‘the kind invitation to dinner sent me by the Master of the Salters Company’. He is starting for Norway on the last day of the month, and will not return until the end of July.

An interesting letter, in which Webb sets out his approach to bookplate design. According to his entry in the Oxford DNB, ‘By 1899 Webb was in poor health and losing money. His meagre savings were insufficient to build a cottage, so he accepted Caxtons, a four-bedroom sixteenth-century yeoman's house at Worth, near Crawley, Sussex, offered at a selflessly low rental by his friend William Scawen Blunt.’ For the context of the present letter, see the letter from Webb to Sydney Cockerell, 1 September 1902, in volume 3 of John Apin’s edition of Webb’s letters.

See her entry, and that of Whittaker, in the Oxford DNB. 1p, landscape 12mo. A corner of the letter carrying a few words of text has been torn away on opening; it is still attached, beneath a red wax seal, so that the entire document is present in two parts. Otherwise in fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Addressed by Mitford 'To / Messrs. Baynes & Son / 23 Paternoster Row'. Begins: 'Miss Mitford presents her Compts. to Mr.

Written with the charm for which she was renowned. See her entry and his in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 4to, on two leaves of cartridge paper. In good condition lightly aged. Folded twice for postage. Mostly written in pencil, with good firm signature (‘Yrs / Diana Cooper’) and last few lines in red ink. Begins: ‘My dear admiral - Forgive the scruffiness of the paper & the rudeness of a pencil but I’m in an unoccupied house & can find no essentials, tho’ I found y. letter to-day & have no idea when it was posted.

From the papers of Sylvia and Robert Lynd. A scarce item: five copies on JISC. In NLI, but not in the British Library. Bigger, a notable antiquary and republican (see Dictionary of Irish Biography), is the friend to whom Sir Roger Casement entrusted the ‘black box’ of incriminating documents, which Bigger destroyed after Casement’s execution. 12pp, 16mo. Stapled. In good condition, lightly aged, with lightly-rusted staples.

According to his entry in the Oxford DNB, Shee entered the House of Commons as Member for County Kilkenny in 1852, and promptly took charge of the Irish Tenant Right Bill. ‘On 16 February 1854 Shee brought in a bill which, with the exception of three clauses, was the exact counterpart of Sharman Crawford's bill of the previous session, but it met with little encouragement.’ Shee’s speech is reproduced in his ‘Papers, Letters, and Speeches in the House of Commons, on the Irish Land Question’ (London, 1863).

See Smirke’s entry, and those of Cooke and Heath, in the Oxford DNB. His most celebrated design is the Reading Room of the British Museum. 2pp, 12mo. With monogram and mourning border. On first leaf of a bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded for postage. Begins: ‘My dear Sir, / Vernon Heath, of Piccadilly, has made me a photograph of our new front, which is I think fairly satisfactory.’ He has told Heath to deliver a copy ‘addressed to you at the R. Academy’. As it is ‘rather large’, he did not like to send it ‘by post or Parcel’, as it ‘might get crushed on its way to you.

Neither Curtis nor the 'Mr Recorder' named Preston mentioned in the letter feature in G. Roberts’s ‘History of Lyme Regis’ (Sherborne, 1823). Preston may be ‘Richard Preston Esq.’ of ‘Marino’ named as living near Barnstaple in Cary’s New Itinerary, 6th ed, 1815. The recipient’s name is not decipherable. Six years previously a parliamentary committee had examined ‘Mr. Follett, the town clerk of Lyme. He said, he had held that office fifty years.’ (Luders, Reports, 1789) 2pp, 4to. On first leaf of bifolium, the reverse of the second leaf being addressed to ‘Mr Wh[encon?] / Town Clerk / Lym’.

See her entry in Grove. The letter can be dated by the reference to Sir William Mitchell (see Oxford DNB) and the operetta 'The Rival Beauties', which he produced in London and then Plymouth. The letter is on one side of the paper, has been cut down to 11 x 9 cm, and laid down on a piece of card. Aged and worn, with slight loss at top right, affecting one word of text. Thirteen lines of close and neatly-written text, addressed to ‘Dearest Mrs. Sprague’ and signed ‘Yours affectionately, / Erminia Rudersdorff’, with a little of the flourish beneath the signature cut away.

ay is said to have preached nearly a thousand sermons before the age of twenty-one. On 11 x 8.5 cm piece of paper. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, but with patches of sunning. At the head of the page is the order for the books, presumably in Godwin's hand: 'A Volume of Crabbe's Works - to bind / 2 Vols to match it'. Beneath this is Jay's heavily-inked response: 'Will Mr Godwin leave the ordering of the binding till I see him? / Wm Jay'. Scan on application.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On 12 x 5 cm piece of paper, cut from letter for an autograph hunter. In good condition, lightly aged. On one side: ‘With much esteem, / Believe me, my dear Sir / Yours ever Sincerely / W Morley Punshon’. On the other side: ‘[...] desire, of every part of the service but the Sermon & while we would not on [...]’ Annotated in pencil: ‘An eminent Wesleyan minister not long dead’. Scan on application.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On 10 x 7 cm piece of paper, cut down from letterhead. In good condition, lightly aged, with pin holes at top left. Clearly sent in response to a request for an autograph. Reads: 'Yours very truly / W. W. Jacobs'. See scan

See his entry and Wordsworth’s in the Oxford DNB. The Prince was Chancellor of Cambridge University from 1811 to his death. Wordsworth was Vice-Chancellor twice: 1820-1821 and 1826-1827. On 13 x 7 cm panel cut from the cover of the envelope. In fair condition, lightly aged, laid down on brown paper cut from album, with slight wear to corner of letter just touching the initial ‘W’ of the Prince’s name. Laid out in the customary fashion, and reading: ‘London June Twenty seven 1827 / The Revd / Dr. Wordsworth / Vice Chancellor of the University / of Cambridge’.

Anderson spent six years in England in the 1880s, acting to much acclaim at venues including the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford-on-Avon. In 1887 she was the first actress to take on both roles of Perdita and Hermione at once in the Winter’s Tale. On 14 x 9 cm postcard, addressed (by the recipient) to ‘Norman Wetton / 7, Claremont Road, / Forest Gate, / Essex.’ Slightly grubby and worn, but in fare condition overall. On the blank side she writes: ‘Broadway / Worc / Mary Anderson de Navarro / Auto Graph only’. Scan on application

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On 11 x 7 cm panel cut from the cover of the envelope. In good condition, lightly aged, laid down on brown paper cut from album. The intial ‘C’ of the Duke’s name curls under the rest of the signature with a loop, and with end of flourish possibly trimmed in cutting the panel. (Comparison with other examples of the future king’s signature as Duke of Clarence indicate that whatever loss there may be would be minimal.) Laid out in the customary fashion. Reads: ‘Bushy. December twenty third 1827 / Mrs: Skelton / Sandridge Lodge / St: Alban’s / Street’.

Johnson’s career began with a job singing on an NBC radio show. His 1940s Hollywood films included “Keep Your Powder Dry”. He later returned to Broadway, where in 1956 he received a Tony nomination for his performance as ‘Doc’ in Rodgers and Hammerstein's last musical ‘Pipe Dream’. He died of a heart attack in 1957. 10.5 x 10 cm black and white glossy photographic print on shiny art paper. In good condition. Stylish signature 'Bill Johnson' in white at bottom left.

Four interesting Peninsular War items, from a collection of Beresford material. In 1813 the Duke of Wellington described Beresford as ‘the ablest man I have yet seen in the army’. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The four items are in good condition, lightly aged and worn (but see descriptions of Items One and Three), and folded for postage. ONE: Apparent Autograph Draft of Letter. ‘Abranles July 4. 1809’. 2pp, 4to. On laid Whatman paper. Reverse somewhat grubby with glue stains (from display in an album?) at foot of reverse of leaf.

A good letter, not the least of whose interest lies in the fact that it provides first-hand information about the Duke of Wellington. See Martin’s entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. Begins: ‘Dear Mrs. Thomas, / Your variant of the King Lear story will, I am sure, delight Mr. Furness. Unfortunately King Lear has already been dealt with by him. It forms one volume of his magnificent Edition. But he loves every thing that concerns old England.

A large, attractive printed certificate, somewhat in the style of an early Victorian public notice, with heavily leaded font. Printed in black on one side of a 32 x 41 cm piece of cream vellum paper. Discoloured and ruckled from having been rolled up, but in good overall condition, and highly suitable (once flattened out) for framing. At bottom left, signatures of six ‘Commissioners, and Members of the Board’, one above the other: ‘Adolphus Fieldmarshal / W. H. Clinton / Thomas Bradford A Gnl / J Gardiner DAG / G Scovell Govr. M. Genl. / T W Taylor Col: Lt Governor’.

Seven items in good overall condition, lightly aged and worn. See the obituary of the recipient Major General Sir Noel Galway Holmes (1891-1982) in the Daily Telegraph, 29 December 1982. ONE: Robert Fellowes (b.1941), Baron Fellowes [Lord Fellowes], Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II. TLS to NGH (‘Dear Sir Noel’). 15 December 1981; on letterhead of Buckingham Palace. 1p, 12mo. Signed ‘Robert Fellowes’. He has been commanded by the Queen to thank him, ‘and all survivors from the XVIIIth The Royal Irish Regiment, for your Christmas card’.

Rare: The BL has a copy (not annotated) and there's a copy on JISC at Reading, with the entry stating that consists of 104pp, rather than the 231pp of the present copy. See Elton’s entry in the Oxford DNB. He first served as a Conservative MP for Somerset in 1884-5, and the present item was composed during his second term, 1886-92. No title-leaf: drop-head title. At foot of first page: ‘A 55729. 30.?1/89. Wt. 6590,’. Introductory section credited on p.30 to 'Charles Elton. / B. F. C. Costelloe, / Assistant Commissioner.' Folio, 231pp.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB, together with A. N. L. Munby’s entertaining ‘The Cult of the Autograph Letter in England’ (1962). 1p, 4to. No fold. In good condition, on lightly aged paper extracted from a notebook. Signed at foot: ‘William Upcott / London Institution, / Finsbury Circus. Jan. 18. 1834.' Very neatly written out in Upcott’s best hand, which is more like type (including the signature) than the document offered separately, on the same watermarked paper.

Fowler’s entry in the DNB states that he resigned his tutorship in 1910, when he ‘retired to Kingham, where, since 1873, he had enjoyed a country home and entertained his pupils. From 1899 he lived there with his sister Alice’. On both sides of what was an 8vo leaf, the lower part of which has been torn away, leaving a piece roughly 20 cm square, with 26 typed lines and the autograph valediction, in a large bold hand, ‘Yours sincerely / W. Warde Fowler’. Aged and worn, but with the remaining text clear. A nice letter, combining Fowler’s main interests.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB, together with A. N. L. Munby’s entertaining ‘The Cult of the Autograph Letter in England’ (1962). 1p, 4to. No fold. In good condition, on lightly aged paper extracted from a notebook. Signed at foot: ‘William Upcott / a collector and preserver of Autographs. / London Institution / Finsbury Circus. / January 17. 1834’. The four memoranda are neatly written out over fifteen lines in Upcott’s distinctive hand.

One of the great figures in British history. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Good neat signature 'W E Gladstone' on 7 x 2.5 cm slip of card. In good condition, lightly aged. See Image.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 3pp, 4to. Bifolium. Fifty-eight lines of text. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded three times. Minor traces of grey-paper mount adhering to the blank reverse of the second leaf. Addressed to ‘George Anderson Esq / M.P. / House of Commons’, and signed ‘W. G. Dickson’. Two annotations in a contemporary hand, one beneath the signature. The first paragraph reads: ‘My dear Sir / I have to thank you for the copy of your bill “to extend the jurisdiction of Sheriff Courts in Scotland,” which I received this morning.

See Terry’s entry in the Oxford DNB. At the time of writing Dr. W. J. Phillips was the organist at St Barnabas, Pimlico; he was unsuccessful in the present application, but was subsequently organist of the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court. See his entry in Humphreys and Evans, ‘Dictionary of Composers for the Church in Great Britain and Ireland’ (1997). These two items are uniform on a total of three leaves of light paper. Both discoloured and worn, and folded three times. ONE: ALS from Terry to Phillips. 1p, 4to. He is ‘most pleased to have opportunity of supporting’ Phillips’s application.