[John George Jackson, Leamington architect.] Autograph Letter Signed ('J G Jackson') to William Hookham Carpenter, regarding payment to his father the bookseller James Carpenter, the building of a villa for 'Mr Woolryche', and a bust of Shakespeare.

For John George Jackson (c.1798-c.1851), architect of Leamington Priors, pupil of P. F. Robinson, see Lyndon F. Cave's 'Royal Leamington Spa' (1988). He erected Newbold Lodge on the site of Strawberry Cottage in the early 1830s. See the entry for the recipient William Hookham Carpenter (1792-1866), later Keeper of Prints and Drawings at the British Museum, in the Oxford DNB. At the time of the present letter Carpenter was working for his father the Old Bond Street bookseller James Carpenter (c.1768-1852). 2pp, 8vo. Bifolium. Addressed with postmark on reverse of second leaf to 'Mr Wm Carpenter | New Bond Street'. In fair condition, lightly aged. Spikeholes through the centre of both leaves, and also Jackson's signature, discreetly repaired with archival tape. Folded three times. The letter begins: 'If your Father will be so good as to send to Messrs. Ladbrookes Kingscote & Gillman Bank Bldgs, they are advised to pay to Mr Carpenter the sum of £18 .. 6 .. 2 on Monday the 5th. and when convenient I shall be obliged by receipt.' He is sorry to hear of Mrs Carpenters indisposition, and hopes 'that the approaching Summer will re instate her in health'. He continues: 'You laugh at the bust on my Pedestal but I can assure you he is one of the Worthies, ay & a Warwickshire Worthy. It is William Shakespeare whom I placed there on the Anniversary of his Birth Day Ap 23d.' If Carpenter has 'any communication with Mr Woolryche', Jackson would like to 'ascertain his ideas on the following subject. When last here he spoke of his desire to have a villa in the immediate neighbourhood, and one of my building men is shortly about to erect a Villa in a very beautiful situation. If I could obtain Mr Woolryches ideas and found them such as would answer for a general saleable residence I would endeavor to have the building erected accordingly'. Endorsed at head of first page: 'Mr. Carpenter's best Compts. to Mr Gillman'.