Scrapbook, assembled and annotated by Pymm, containing newspaper cuttings, letters and other material relating to his wife's involvement in the 'Liberal Unionist Tea Party Scandal' of 1893.

The nature of this somewhat Pooterish 'scandal' is explained in one of the cuttings in the scrapbook: '[...] the Unionists of North Lambeth are making secret but strenuous efforts to insure the return of Mr. H. M. Stanley at the next election. To this end the working women of the constitutency are invited to "At Homes," where, after hearing speeches against Home Rule and the present Government, their names and addresses are taken down, and they sign a book and are told that they are members of a committee for promoting the election of a Unionist, "wich 'is name aint mentioned," said my informant, [...]' ('Star', 28 January 1893). On nineteen pages of a notebook roughly 21.5 x 13.5 cm, with sixteen items laid down. All items and annotations clear and complete, though lightly-aged. Somewhat shaken, in worn black leather half-binding, with '1893' in gilt on front board. An initial note by 'H. P.', covering the whole of the first page, explains the scandal and his wife's involvement in it: 'In January 1893 a lady called on Mrs. Pymm and had some conversation about an "At Home" that Mrs. Stanley [the wife of the explorer Henry Morton Stanley, Liberal Unionist M.P. for Lambeth North] proposed to hold, and left an invitation card with Mrs. P's name on. | [...] Mrs. P. [...] thought it a somewhat extraordinary proceeding [...] decided that it would be better not to be there, so the ticket was given to a male [underlined] friend. [...] Not hearing anything further for about a month we had almost forgotten the matter, when suddenly two ladies, Mrs. Richardson & Mrs Rücker, called, and finding that Mrs. P. was not "in evidence", left word that Mrs. R. would write. This is the little correspondence. [...]'. Laid down on the reverse is the invitation card. There follow four newspaper cuttings. The first (from the 'Star' of 27 January 1893) titled 'Stanley's Dark Design. Illuminated by the Bus Talk of a Garrulous Lambeth Lady'. Next is a long autograph letter (8vo, 3 pp) by Agatha M. Richardson to Mrs Pymm, dated 3 March 1893: '[...] you perhaps have not heard that a very hostile and satirical article and paragraph were published in the Star, [...] All the ladies present at the last committee meeting emphatically denied having had anything to do with the matter, [...]'. Followed by copy (foolscap, 1 p) of Pymm's reply, 3 March 1893, beginning 'You have addressed a letter to Mrs. Pymm. Mrs. P. has never been a member of your Committee, - she is, and wishes to be, a stranger to you.' Ends 'I have been a resident of North Lambeth for fifty years, and I am glad to be able to say that, of my many neighbours and friends, both Liberal and Conservative, I do not believe there is one who would have written such a letter to my wife'. This is followed by Mrs Richardson's reply to Pymm's letter (8 March 1893; 8vo, 3 pp), claiming that a woman attended the meeting in Mrs Pymm's name, describing her as 'the person who intruded herself into a private house on a false pretence of political sympathy, ridiculed her hostess & fellow-guests in the public press, & tried to conceal herself behind the name of the friend who had been so imprudent as to trust her.' This is followed by the draft of a long reply by Pymm (15 March 1893, 8vo, 3 pp), together with a note giving three reasons why it was not sent ('3rd. - The lady was allowed the last word.'). Next is a printed circular invitation by Henry J. Smith to the opening of Brixton Central Free Library, 4 March 1893 (said by Pymm to be 'referred to in the preceeding reply'). Next a letter by E. O'Callaghan (6 May 1893, 12mo, 1 p) asking Mrs Pymm to favour the Committee of the North Lambeth Constitutional Club 'with the name of the friend to whom you gave a ticket of admission'. Followed by copy of letter from Mrs Pymm (8 May 1893, 12mo, 2 pp) in which she claims to have 'had no ticket for the meeting [...] and therefore could not have given it away'. Note by Pymm describes this as 'a quietus', and referring to the subscription for a memorial wreath to O'Callaghan ('the gallant Captain [...] sometime Editor of the "United Service Magazine"'). The final item is a cutting ('ML 13.7.01') concerning 'Professor Rücker, the new Principal of the London University'.