[Horatio Bottomley, MP and fraudster.] Ten legal documents (three signed by Bottomley) relating to his purchase, from the receiver Charles Fox, of the assets of his 'Sol Syndicate', set up for the acquisition of The Sun newspaper.

From the papers of The Sun's receiver, Charles Fox of 11 Old Jewry, London. The ten items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. According to Bottomley's entry in the Oxford DNB, ' In 1902 he bought a moribund evening newspaper, The Sun. Despite the ingenious changes he made, a series of increasingly dubious investigatory stunts, and a highly successful racing tipster, the Scorcher, The Sun failed to prosper, and he sold it in 1904.' The entry also points out that Bottomley was 'pathologically averse to paying bills', and the present collection hints towards this, with the receiver exclaiming (Item Ten) 'I must really ask you to let me have a remittance for this amount within a week from this date.' The other party, H. F. G. Weber, would appear from other sources to have been a Bottomley front man. In presenting his accounts (Item Nine) the receiver himself is uncertain whether a sum of £450 from Bottomley was advanced by Weber. The ten items are: ONE: Typed Letter Signed from Bottomley to 'Harry Weber' [H. F. G. Weber] of Finsbury House, Blomfield Street, EC. 4 December 1902. 1p., 4to. Headed 'Sol Syndicate'. Recording the fact that Weber has advanced £3000 to Fox. TWO TO FIVE: Four legal Typed Letter Signed from Fox (each over a penny tax stamp). All four headed 'In the High Court of Justice | Chancery Division | Mr. Justice Joyce', and 'IN THE MATTER OF THE SOL SYNDICATE LIMITED | BETWEEN | THE INTERNATIONAL TRUST & FINANCE CORPORATION LIMITED on behalf of itself & all other holders of First Mortgage Debentures issued by the Defendant Company Plaintiffs | and | THE SOL SYNDICATE LIMITED Defendants'. TWO: Fox to Bottomley. 2pp., folio. 4 October 1902. Regarding £500, and with the following appended at the end of the second page: Manuscript Letter in secretarial hand, signed by Bottomley, to Fox, and dated 21 January 1903, regarding the £500 advanced by Weber. THREE: Fox to Weber. 4 October 1902. 1p., folio. Regarding £1000. FOUR. Fox to Weber. 4 October 1902. 2pp., folio. Regarding £500. FIVE: Fox to Weber. 2pp., folio. 14 November 1902. Regarding £1000. SIX. Typed legal agreement 'BETWEEN CHARLES FOX of 11 Old Jewry Chambers in the City of London (hereinafter called "the Receiver") of the one part and HORATIO BOTTOMLEY of Broad Street Blomfield Street in the City of London (hereinafter called "the Purchaser") of the other part'. 13 April 1903. 5pp., folio. Signed by Fox and witness H. Gardiner. Tied with green ribbon. With embossed tax stamp. Regarding the conditions of the purchase by Bottomley of 'all the property and assets belonging to the Syndicate'. SEVEN: Autograph Letter Signed from Weber to Fox. On letterhead of Finsbury House, Blomfield Street, London, E.C. 4 June 1903. 2pp., 12mo. Authorising him to pay to advances to Bottomley. EIGHT. Typed Letter Signed from Bottomley to Fox. Broad Street Avenue, EC. 30 June 1904. 1p., folio. Guaranteeing to pay him within a year 'all monies which you may be out of pocket or be liable for'. With reference to Fox's brother Edwin, the Argus Printing Company Limited, and 'the Debenture Holders Association against the Sol Syndicate Limited'. NINE. Manuscript accounts: 'Sol. Syndicate Ltd | Summary of balances of Receipts and Payments of Receiver also showing balance of amounts advanced by him | July 11th. 1906.' 5pp., folio. The first page of accounts headed: 'Abstract of Loan A/c. from P.L. 198 & 199.' Two-page double-column accounts headed: 'Summary of balances of all Receipts and Payments of Receiver and showing balances of advances made by him July 11th. 1906.' Second two-page double column accounts, in black and red, headed: 'Horatio Bottomley in account with Charles Fox, the Receiver.' Loosely inserted is a slip of paper with pencil calculations. TEN. Typed unsigned 'Draft suggested Letter from Mr. Charles Fox to Mr. Horatio Bottomley.' from 'Receiver and Manger' (i.e. Fox). 2 January 1907. 2pp., folio. Requesting remuneration from Bottomley for 'the actual amount which I am out of pocket at the present time', £2400 19s 5d. 'After taking into account various sums provided by you and Mr. Weber from time to time for the purpose of enabling me to make payments to Messrs. Spicer Bros. and other creditors [...] I must really ask you to let me have a remittance for this amount within a week from this date.' Pencil note: 'Approved by Mr. Mayo 2. 1. 07'.