COURTS

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 4to. On first leaf of bifolium. Forty-three lines of neat text. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with a few small closed tears. The author ('Sir') is unnamed, but is presumably the 'Editor' referred to in the text. Signed 'Wm Ballantine'. By recipient, at head of first page: 'Letter from Mr Sergeant [sic] Ballantine / United Club -'.

The third letter gives an excellent indication of Birkett’s pride in his use of language. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient Vere Henry Collins (1872-1966), was an author and grammatical stickler. All three signed ‘Norman Birkett’. In fair condition, lightly aged and little grubby. The first letter with a small hole to one corner, and the two leaves of the last letter held together with a pin. ONE: ALS, 9 July 1953. 1pp, 4to. He is adding Collins’s book to his ‘select library on “words”’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. From the Piffard papers. 1p, 12mo. On first leaf of bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. Reads: 'Lord Justice Fry would be obliged if Mr Piffard would send him a Micro-slide of Conidia bearing Hyphae of Eurotium repens, isolated & stained by a new application of Iodine Vapour. He encloses 2/- in stamps.'

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. From the papers of Arthur George Liddon Rogers (1864-1944), son and editor of the economist Thorold Rogers [James Edwin Thorold Rogers] (1823-1890), for information regarding whom see his entry in the Oxford DNB. A little grubby, but in fair condition, folded once. Good clear signature. Reads: ‘The 1st. of January 1926. / My dear Rogers, / Many thanks for your letter and information re the hostel. I have already brought it before The Bishop of St. David’s and hope that something may result. / With kind regards and best wishes.

See the account of his life in the entry for his father the serjeant-at-law John Humffreys Parry (1816-1880) in the Oxford DNB. Signed ‘faithfully yours / Edward Parry / April . 1930’, across the headline of a 22 x 21 cm. cutting of a newspaper article, with text in three columns, the headline reading: ‘BREACH OF PROMISE / THE LAW, THE LADY, AND SEX EQUALITY/ By His Honour SIR EDWARD PARRY’. In good condition, on browning high-acidity paper. Folded once and with one crease. Begins: ‘Marriage is not the gilt-edged security that it was. Its stock is not rising.

Vol.1: [1] + 78pp. Vol.2: 8 [+ 8]pp. A total of 86pp of extracts from Park's twelve volumes of diaries. Unpublished. In two uniform stapled notebooks, small 4to, in orange card covers, with the following printed on the reverse of each: 'Manufactured by Supplies Department, Kent County Council'. Accompanied by eleven pages of typed transcriptions from the notebooks. Altogether in good condition, lightly aged and worn. Each volume titled in manuscript on the front cover, with the following shelfmark or entry number: '(M265)'.

12pp., 12mo. Stapled pamphlet. On aged paper, with rusted staples. The first report is on pp.2-4, the second on pp.5-8, signed in type (p.8) by Roberts; pp.9-11 carry the 'Report of the Committee', signed in type (p.11) by Roberts and dated 3 November 1905; p.12 carries financial accounts by Roberts for the year 1905. A point of discussion is 'the Bill relating to County Courts, now before Parliament'. From the papers of Sir Richard Harington of Ridlington, 11th Baronet, who is listed among those present at the first meeting, at the beginning of which he made a couple of contributions.

Seven items. The first two are ink stained but still entirely legible, otherwise the material is in fair condition, lightly aged and worn. ONE: Carbon typescript (7pp., 8vo) headed 'Observations by Sir Richard Harington on the questions submitted to the Judges of County Courts and others by Sir J. G. Barnes' Committee.' Dated from Whitbourne Court, Worcester, 12 November 1908. Docketed by Harington: '1908 | County Courts | Observations by Sir Rd. H.' With a few minor autograph emendations. Giving detailed answers to four questions.

For more information on Marshall Hall's illustrious career, see his entry in the Oxford DNB. Fifteen items, the collection in fair overall condition, lightly aged and worn. ONE: Ten original photographic portraits of Hall, ranging in size from 14 x 9 cm. (carte-de-visite by 'The Biograph Studio | 107 Regent St, W.') to 29 x 21 cm (on mount stamped '185 Piccadilly W1', the studio of Kohler & Sons). Eight of the ten are mounted on paper or card, with printed photographers' details, and three of these are signed (two photographs by Carl Vandyk, both signed in pencil by 'C.

On one side of a 20 x 15 cm piece of vellum. Main text in black ink. Sonnet titled 'A Great Advocate', with author's name 'Edward Marjoribanks' at foot. From the papers of Sir Edward Marshall Hall, and presumably produced for his widow, possibly by the author. (Hall's widow is said to have claimed that on reading this poem he appeared to her in a vision - the Halls were keen spiritualists - directing that Marjoribanks write his biography. The book was published in 1929.) Title, capitals of octave and sestet, and author's name in red ink. In very good condition.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, on aged and lightly-worn paper, with a few minor rust stains. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to the Secretary of the Commission of the Peace. In the hand of a secretary, and signed by Lansdowne. Addressed by Lansdowne on reverse of second leaf 'Sec[retar]y. of Commission'. Docketed: 'Decber. 20th 1861 | Wilts | Ld. Lansdowne recd several | <?> all but the 2 parsons'.

14pp., small 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper, in ruled notebook, in worn black morocco binding, with marbled endpapers, and the following stamped in gilt on the front cover: 'The Right Honble John Manners | Earl of Hardwicke deceased | Inventory of Heirlooms'.

Engrossed on both sides of a long strip of vellum, 18.5 x 76 cm. Written in a neat clerk's hand. The vellum is worn, with slight damage at the head, and some passages, particularly at the start, are illegible. The heading appears to be 'Court Leet Charge', and the sub-heading 'Charge in the Court Baron' appears twice. The text is strongly reminiscent to the relevant sections in Giles Jacob's 'Complete Court-Keeper, or, Land-Steward's Assistant'.

Three pages, 12mo. Good only: some staining but text clear and complete. He's been away and so has only just received his correspondent's letter. He continues: "It is impossible for me to give you any information as to the probable amount of the Expence of presenting your claim to the Earldom of Huntingdon before the House of Lords. As however the pedigree is a very long one & the attendance of many witnesses with the original parish Registers will be necessary I apprehend that it must be very considerable.

All six letters in quarto; good, on aged paper; and with text neatly-written, clear and entire. Letter One: 3 May 1759. 2 pp. 40 lines of text. Giving advice regarding a will to be drawn up by a Mrs Robertson. 'As to the place where Mrs. Robertson makes the Disposition it is absolutely immaterial, [...] and then her will wrote in her own hand writing without witnesses will be as good as with twenty witnesses [...]'. Valediction from 'your affectionate friend & Cousin'. Letter Two: 30 June 1759. 1 pp. 24 lines.

8vo. 94 pages. 2 pages facsimile of an electoral handbill. One fold-out plate. In poor condition. Damp stained, and in remains of repaired grey printed wraps. Paper browning. 'Printed by J. Rochford O'Driscoll, Printer, Dagmar House, Lowestoft.' The case for the plaintiff, Harry Seymour Foster, was led by the celebrated F. E. Smith (Later Earl of Birkenhead). The defendant was Edward (later Sir Edward) Beauchamp. The main cause of what the judge in summing-up described as 'a political action' was a letter by 'FISHERMAN' (i.e.

8vo: 334 pp. Portrait of Northcliffe as frontispiece. Three facsimiles of letters in text and fold-out with facsimiles of three of Northcliffe's letters. Inscribed by Owen on front pastedown 'To Elaine from Louise and Northcliffe. | Nov. 1938'. (The reference to 'Northcliffe' is explained by the fact that Owen considered herself a spirit medium, in contact with the deceased Viscount.) Internally good: sound and tight, on lightly aged paper. In original worn red cloth, with slight bloom on front.

12mo: 3 pp. Good, on lightly aged paper. Small spike hole through both leaves of the bifolium. Text clear and entire. Execrable hand. Begins 'I certainly shall not secede from my conditional Promise'. Paragraph describing the weather ('The Heat of the Weather here is intolerable.') 'I agree entirely with respect to the Character of our worthy departed friend. It is a great loss to this Part of the Country.'

8vo, 2 pp, 33 lines. Good, on lightly aged and creased paper. An interesting letter, written by a former policeman to a former probation officer, on the subject of the latter's book 'Come to Prison: A Tour through British Prisons today' (Longmans, 1957), about which the former has written a negative review. Begins by praising Stokes' 'really generous letter, written at what cost in self-control I can only dimly imagine'. When Hewitt 'read the published review', he thought 'that it was still on the whole unfair'. 'I hate reviewing really, and am a bad reviewer.

One page, in two 62-line columns. Octavo leaf with blank reverse. Good, on lightly aged paper with slight nicking and creasing to edges. Satirical account of 'simple soul' Michael James's dealings with his hypocritical neighbour Susan Elizabeth, who hands him a white feather when he refuses to enlist in the British Army during the Great War. On 'the Day' of the Easter Rising James fights and is wounded and 'thrown into the interment camp at Frongoch'. Susan Elizabeth then becomes 'a great Sinn Feiner.

Letter: four pages, folio. Good, with a little aging and staining to verso of second leaf of bifolium. In Cruttwell's absence Cockburn has taken it upon himself 'to settle Richardson & . Taylor has communicated the result of his interview with Hellings the previous evening. 'He informed me that he had seen certain letters written by the D[e]f[endan]ts to Mrs. Richardson, in which he solicited her to leave her husband, and to bring away with her money and goods belonging to the husband'. Taylor recommends that Hellings' offer of £50 be accepted.

English lawyer (1802-74) and Master of the Rolls, 1851-73. The recipient (1817-80) was a noted chemist. Two pages, 16mo. Very good, but sumwhat dusty and grubby. Reads 'My dear Sir Benjamin | I am much oblig'd to you for your kind. [sic] I am not aware of the circumstance, or rather the rule you mention or I should not have committed thte 'indiscretion' of asking you to sign my sons recommendation'. Signed 'John Romilly'.

Three pages, 12mo. In good condition, but with the name of the recipient scored through. Judge (born c. 1832), and son of Sir James Bacon (1798-1895), the last of the pre-1875 Vice-Chancellors. A late reply to a request for information for an article on snuffboxes for The Windsor Magazine. 'I have no snuffboxes I suppose somebody suggested our name but I have never been a collector and my father [the late Ex Vice Chancellor] who took snuff always used the commonest of boxes.' The name of the recipient has been scored through.

Lord Chancellor of England (1825-1921), author of the monumental 'Laws of England'. One page, 4to. In good condition though somewhat grubby. Folded twice, and with embossed House of Lords stamp and armorial stamp in red ink in top left-hand corner. Opening ('My dear Judge') and salutation ('faithfully yours | Halsbury') by Halsbury, the rest in secretarial hand. Reads 'I have to thank you for your letter of the 11th., and for the arrangements which have been made, at Mr. Justice Stirling's request, and of which I entirely approve'.

English judge and Tory politician (1816-88; DNB). Both letters 3 pages, 16mo, and both in good condition. Interesting letters giving his views on an important matter.

Last of the cursitor Barons of the Exchequer (1788-1856). 2 pages, 16mo. In good condition though grubby. 'As I am afraid my former letter may not have reached you, I venture again most earnestly to request your support being convinced that the fate of the contest may probably be determined by a small number of votes, & that consequently the personal attendance of every friend to the cause of which I am an humble advocate becomes of the most serious importance under these circumstances you will I trust excuse the earnest manner in which I urge my present applications.'

Lord Chief Justice of England (1842-1915). One page, 12mo. Marked "Confidential". "My sister told me of the letter. I have made some enquiries about the man who wrote to you and from what I hear I certainly think you ought not to engage him. You will of course treat this letter as strictly confidential."