YORKSHIRE

An interesting collection of material relating to a significant school, including thirteen items of correspondence from a notable headmaster, and four printed items, two of them scarce. Founded by Benjamin Franklin’s friend Dr John Fothergill in 1779 (see his entry in the Oxford DNB), Ackworth is the second-oldest of the seven English Quaker schools. (See Fothergill’s entry in the Oxford DNB. Franklin could ‘hardly conceive that a better man ever existed’.) Originally a co-educational boarding school, it is now a Girls’ boarding and day school.

The third of these letters in particular gives a good indication of his Yorkshire bluntness (his entry in the Oxford DNB describes him as ‘a man of arrogance and bile, [...] capable of generosity, strong friendships, and kindness towards people in need of help’). The three items are in good condition, lightly aged; the third with slight wear along one edge. All three are signed ‘E B Denison’ and the second and third are addressed to ‘My dear Plumptre’. ONE (14 January 1856): 3pp, 4to.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB, which characterizes him as ‘the most remarkable pulpit orator of his time’, and that of his father. 3pp, 12mo. On bifolium. Somewhat aged and with the recto of the first leaf grubby, but with text clear and complete, with thirty-three lines of text in Parsons’ close and neat hand. Signed ‘James Parsons’ and addressed to ‘Revd. J. Rawlinson’. He ‘must, reluctantly, decline to comply’ with Rawlinson’s request. He wonders whether he has ‘seen, or heard of an announcement in “the Leeds Mercury” with reference to my intended retirement from my Pastorate in York’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On one side of irregular sheet of blue-grey paper, roughly landscape 12mo, evidently used as a cover to a package. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. In Montomery’s untidy hand, at foot, with a fragment of a red wax seal: ‘With J Montgomerys respects / and a Volume of the / Sheffd Register & the / 1793-4 / Oct. 27. 1821 [seal]’. Above this, neatly, in another hand: ‘Mr. John Holland / Sheffield Park. / To the care of Mr. James Montgomery, / Hawkshead, Sheffield / Paid.’

Two pages, 12mo, small closed tear on fold, edges dusted, some staining not affecting text, remnant of page on which formerly laid down or tipped on verso, not affecting text. Text: I understand that a Person named Thomas Parker from the neighbourhood of Pateley Bridge has been for some time in confinement in the Wakefield Asylum, and that He has lately been discharged.

256pp., 12mo. With frontispiece engraving and vignette on title. In original brown cloth binding, with blind-stamped decorative pattern on the boards, and title and design on the spine. Ownership inscription of 'Arthur Baxter | Runcorn | 1861' on piece of paper laid down on front pastedown. A tight copy, on stained paper (particularly the last few leaves) and aged paper, in worn binding with gilt almost dulled. An interesting production, reminiscent of previous Minerva Press publications, and looking ahead to the yellow-back.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The item is a nice association between Austin and his birthplace. An 8 x 13.5 cm post card, printed on both sides. In fair condition, aged, with central vertical fold. The form is a request for a ticket to the degree ceremony, but Austin has altered the text in autograph to read: 'I shall be glad [if you will kindly admit the bearer of this] ticket [to] the Degree Ceremony, at the Town Hall, Leeds, on Thursday, October 6th, 1904.' He signs 'Alfred Austin' at bottom right, underlined with two short lines.

Three excellent and characteristic long letters, neatly and closely written, in the first of which he describes 'the little tide of misfortune' which has befallen him, including shipwreck and indisposition; in the second he gives a vivid account of a visit to Wakefield by the temperance campaigner Father Mathew; and in the last he explains is reluctance to dissect the body of a bird she has sent him, exclaiming: 'I never do things by halves in Natural History'. Along the way there are references to 'my little roman owls' and 'my lions and my lion cubs'.

Tindal is notable for defending Queen Caroline in her 1820 adultery trial, and for introducing the special verdict 'Not Guilty by reason of insanity', in the case of Daniel M'Naghten. The letter is undated, but Tindal states that it was a written a week after the death of Rev. John Kirk, Rector of Thwing, which took place on 6 November 1827 (see Kirk's death notice, Gent. Mag., November 1827). 3pp., 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and worn. Folded four times. Tindal begins his letter: 'My dear Lord Chancellor, | I am requested by my friend, the Revd. T.

1p, 4to. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to the blank reverse. Folded twice.Unsigned. Eighteen line typescript with a number of autograph emendations.He begins by thanking 'Dr Osler' for the letter he has sent containing a request made not only in his own name, but also in those of the American neurologists Silas Weir Mitchell (1829-1914) and James Jacksom Putnam (1846-1918), and which Jackson has 'carefully considered'. He continues: 'Many of my papers, all the old ones, are very old fashioned and are not worthy of reprint.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. In fair condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to blank reverse of second leaf. Folded once. Forty-three lines of text. He begins by expressing pleasure at the prospect of being associated with Pierce 'in the Course of Lectures on Mental Diseases', and at the news that Pierce has 'decided to take up the Systematic Part'. He leaves the choice of day to Pierce, and offers to put him up for the night.

2pp, 4to. Bifolium, addressed, with broken seal in red wax, on reverse of second leaf, to 'R. M. Milnes Esq | Pall Mall | London'. In fair condition, lightly aged, with stub from mount adhering. Folded three times. The earlier part of the letter is reproduced in Smith's daughter Lady Holland's 1855 memoir of him. Smith begins the letter by stating that he is 'very much oblig'd' by Milnes's 'kindness in procuring for me the papier Chimique – pray let me know what I am in your debt it is best to be scrupulous and punctilious in trifles'.

8pp., 16mo. Disbound pamphlet without wraps. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Pp.3-6 carry the 'Friendly Hints to the Teachers of the Christ-Church Sunday-School, Bradford.', signed in type at the end 'W. Morgan' and addressed to 'My dear Fellow-Labourers'. Pp.7-8 carry the ten 'Rules for the Teachers of the Christ-Church Sunday-School, Bradford, Agreed upon at their Monthly Meeting, Sep. 28th., 1828.' No other copy traced, either on OCLC WorldCat or on COPAC.

1p., 12mo. In good condition. Reads: 'My dear Bro [meaning in this case 'Brother Minister'] | Our own Missionary Meeting for New Radford will be on that same evening. I should not wonder if Mr Taylor will not rather want to borrow you than lend me. You will see that I cannot accede to your wish or it would please me to do it.'

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Tipped in onto paper mount. Reads: 'Mr Gally Knight requests Mr Radley to let him have a Room for a few Hours on Monday Morning - He & Mrs Knight purpose to be at Liverpool about twelve oclock & will go to Manchester by the 1/2 p 2 Train. - They wish to have some Luncheon between one & two oclock.' Scott's Ivanhoe is set near to Firbeck Hall, and Knight may have been his source of local information.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium on grey paper. In good condition, lightly aged. He begins by calling in 'the small Acct', explaining that he has 'lately been subjected to rather an expensive personal, [sic] having taken the old established Marble Works late in the occupation of Mr. Tilney, directly opposite the Gt Northern Railway Station'. He is obliged to use all his endeavours 'to get together all my small outstanding Accounts, or exclusive of any other, I would not of some time yet caused [sic] yourself the slightest trouble concerning its remittance'.

2pp., 4to. In poor condition, on brittle, aged paper, with closed tears and chipping to extremities causing slight loss to some words of text; repaired long since with archival tape. 2pp., 4to. Addressed to his 'Dear Brother', i.e. Sir William Wentworth of Bretton.

The four items in fair condition, on aged and worn paper, and all four rolled into the one packet. The material derives from the Harington family papers. ONE: Coloured pedigree to 1856, watermark: 'J WHATMAN | TURKEY MILL | 1848'. Roll, roughly 108 x 30 cm., made by attaching several leaves of thick paper together. Thirty-three generations, in a column of thirty-three coloured armorial shields flanked by circles containing the names of the couples connected with each shield (men to the left and women to the right).

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. He explains that his 'first object' in calling on Walker was to ask him 'to say a few emphatic words on the subject of the Notice you are requested to read this evening at Waltham Street. I refer to the Public Meeting to be held in the Public Rooms in Jarratt Street on Friday evening next at 7 o'clock.' He complains that 'Mr. Greathead simply read [last two words underlined] the Notice this morning; and unluckily he did this while the boxes were being circulated for the Chapel Fund Collection', and that 'the reading of it would, if heard at all, make little impression'.

6pp., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. The recipient is not identified, but is a 'Brother' minister, husband of the 'Mrs Walker' and father of the 'young Sam' named at the end.

2pp., 16mo. In good condition, lightly aged, neatly attached by stub to another leaf. He hopes Everett will be 'able and willing to comply' with his request that he attends, at a future date, in 'the school room of Salem Chapel at a meeting on behalf of our Sabbath and day schools'. As Everett is 'relieved from some of [his] wonted Engagements', Parsons hopes 'that no obstacle will exist'. According to Everett's entry in the Oxford DNB, he 'moved to York in 1839. Through failure of health he was […] made a supernumerary minister in 1842, but remained in York, writing more actively than ever'.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. The recipient (who dockets the reverse of the second leaf) is not named. He has received the letter in which the recipient, as Chairman, has requested him 'in pursuance of the 8th Resolution agreed to at that Meeting, to accept the office of Vice-President'.

32pp., 8vo. With two photographic plates: 'The Pageant Ground' and 'The Friends' School, Ackworth'. Stapled booklet in grey wraps with '1910 | THE ACKWORTH PAGEANT.' on cover, with illustration of two turrets. In fair condition, on aged paper, in worn wraps, with rusting staples. 'Finale' ('The whole School will sing') by Dr Ernest B. Ludlam, followed by page of details of 'Incidental Music' ('specially composed by Miss Helen Bullock, I.R.A.M., A.R.C.M.'), 'Orchestra' ('Mr. R. B. Walker has kindly consented to conduct') and 'Committees'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Heavily creased and worn. A large number of Norton's productions are listed on the front and back pages. Eleven eight-line stanzas. The poem, which does not mention Bradford once, begins: 'On the 21st of August, | In the year nineteen-sixteen, | A great munition works in Yorkshire | Was a busy, lively scene.

50pp. used, 41 x 16cm, poor condition, surviving front cover (title "High Sheriff's Book") detached, gatherings partly detached. Most in Latin. One page only (November 1721) interpreted by scholar seems to be a record of the civil cases (names, dates, etc.) coming before the Sheriff, almost all concerning debt of relatively minor claims of damages.

4to bifolium (on two 19.5 x 22.5 cm leaves). The 'Ground plan' is neatly drawn on the reverse of the first leaf, and the two-page key is on both sides of the second leaf, lettered A to Z, and headed 'A. B. C. D. E. F. G. The Church & parts thereto belonging'. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Entries among the keys include 'I. Places groined over with stone one of which is supposed to have been the infirmary', 'K. Arches under which the River Skell runs' and 'S. Cloisters groined with stone the pillars whereof were painted - Over these was the Dormitory.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly aged paper, tipped in onto part of a leaf from an album. The main body of the letter reads: 'I am sorry to say the portmanteau has not arrived - will you enquire about it - I hope you addressed it to the Kirkahm Station on the North Eastern railway.' In a postscript he gives the full address as 'Mr Hudson Kirkham Station on the North Eastern railway York', adding that he will pick it up 'in a few Days when we return'. The letter may result from a mix-up with Kirkham Station in Lancashire.

One page, 8vo, bifolium (second leaf blank). "I am sorry the ill-heald wound breaks out again. If Mr Walbank had submitted to the Court, & had made an acknowledgment by order or injunction of the court his adversaryes had not have renewed their old articles again: [ ... ] wthin the statute of limitation of actions.

1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. He is enclosing 'Squeaker Toys', which are 'a few of a large series which I designed for a toy Firm'. He thinks they may assist Adams 'to get interesting "expressions" on the faces of some of your less sophisticated sitters!' He concludes: 'They would be a variation of the old request to "Watch for the dickey bird."' Adams was Britain's foremost children's photographer, patronised by the Royal Family, and was famed for his Dover Street studio disguised as a children's playroom, complete with toys.

[6] + 77 + [1]pp. With frontispiece photograph of Draft. Stapled. In orange printed wraps. Compliments stamp of the Yorkshire Evening news on front cover. In good condition, with light signs of age and wear. Two-page introductory note on Gough states that 'His first close interest in the study of economics was aroused when an old shoemaker - of the class now largely driven out by modern machinery - advised him to read Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations." [...] Mr.