CRICKET

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 4to. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Folded four times. Begins: ‘Lord Carnarvon presents his Compliments to Mrs. Page and is extremely obliged by her polite attention in sending him the Papers relating to the boundaries of Highclere - Burghclere, and Woodhay Parishes, which he has no doubt will prove extremely useful to him’. He has ‘many apologies to make for not sooner acknowledging the receipt of the Papers, but he has been for some time past incessantly occupied in attending the Committee on the Gt.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On the front cover of a 12 x 7 cm envelope, from which the seal has been torn away on the reverse. Otherwise in very good condition. A pleasing piece of calligraphy, with the word ‘Private’ centred and underlined at the head, and the address to ‘The Honble. Spencer Ponsonby. / Foreign Office’ across the central band, with the signature at bottom left: ‘Alaric Watts.’ See Image.

On a 16.5 x 20 cm piece of faded and lightly-worn light-green paper, with small diagonal cuts at corners where the item was mounted in an album. The players’ names are neatly presented in a column (there is no other text on either side): ‘OUCC | Greville Stevens | R. L. H. Holdsworth | J. D. Percival | V. R. Price | R C Robertson Glasgow | P E Lawrie | M Patten | R H Bettington | T B Raikes | L. P. Hedges | R R P Barbour’. This is the same eleven which won a match at Oxford against the Free Foresters on 20 May 1922.

Lyttelton was Gladstone’s private secretary during three of his terms as prime minister. The recipient Arthur George Liddon Rogers (1864-1944, son of the editor of the economist Thorold Rogers) is not named, but the item is from his papers, and was written while he was Secretary of the Liberal Publication Department, a position to which he was appointed in November 1891. 2pp, 12mo. Signed ‘Spencer Lyttleton.’ In good condition, lightly aged and folded for postage.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The correspondence dates from the year 1901, Bligh having acceded to the earldom on the death of his elder brother Edward on 31 October 1900, and the material consists of what is probably the first set of banking instructions, mainly relating to his ‘accession account’, with recipients of payments ranging from the Dowager Countess to Rochester Golf Club. 10pp, foolscap 8vo; 2pp, 4to; 10pp, 12mo. The fifteen items range in size from foolscap 8vo to 12mo. Four items (letters to Coutts from Wadeson & Malleson) are typed and the rest are in manuscript.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB, which states that he has ‘strong claims to be regarded as the greatest sporting all-rounder of his or any era since’. (Neville Cardus counted him ‘among the most fully developed and representative Englishmen of his period’.) It also seems that in 1920 he was offered the chance of becoming king of Albania. His grave at Repton is inscribed: ‘Cricketer, scholar, athlete, Author – The Ultimate All-rounder’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Both letters 2pp, 12mo. In good condition, but with the first bearing two tape stains. Both folded for postage. Each signed ‘R. E. Prothero’ and addressed to ‘Dear Mr. Speaker’. ONE (1 July 1918): He explains that ‘Agricultural labourers are specially excluded from the category of men to whom the War Office appeal to the V.T.C is addressed’, but that it was ‘only to be expected, as I had pointed out, that the appeal would still be made to them and that they would go in the middle of the harvest season. / The scheme is opposed by the Min.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The present item is a valediction cut from a letter, clearly provided for an autograph hunter. On small rectangle of paper. Neatly written and in good condition. Reads: ‘A Austen Leigh / Provost of King’s / College, Cambridge / July 13, 1890’. Text on reverse (part of testimonial) reads: ‘[...] degree in 1889, being placed in the first division of the Second class of the Classical Tripos. He has always borne a high character; and his abilities, morals & manners [...]’.

See his son Ivo Bligh’s entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 16mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. Reads: ‘Sir: / You are welcome to take some photographic views of this place: - you will please to ask to see the Houseeeper when you come. / I remain / Yours faithy / Darnley’. In worn envelope, self-stamped with pink penny stamp and two postmarks, one from Gravesend. Addressed in Autograph by Darnley to ‘Mr. F. York / Alfred Villa / Lancaster Road / Notting Hill London W.’

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium, folded once. In good condition. 29 lines of text. He thanks her for her kindness, ‘in the midst of your great sorrow’, in writing to inform the Robertses of her husband’s death. ‘We have often talked of you both, and wondered where you were living.’ He had thought it was ‘somewhere in the valley of the Thames, at least I thought you told me so when last I met you both walking in Regent Street - some 10 years ago’. After a brief comment on Tierney’s ill health, he recalls how ‘He, Alfred Torrens, and I sat next to each other at Mills School.

A very nice item relating to one of the greatest and best-loved of all cricketers: his signature to a scorecard of his final innings in first-class cricket, in which he scored a hundred, accompanied by a newspaper cutting describing the event. Official scorecard with serial number, printed on both sides of a 24 x 12.5 cm piece of card. Priced at twopence, and headed: 'This card does not necessarily include the fall of the last wicket | 2d. Lords [MCC device] Ground | Middlesex v. Surrey | Saturday & Monday, August 28, 30, 1937. (Three-day Match.)'.

The 1880 'Balliol Masque' indicates Jowett's standing, and the pronunciation of his name: 'First come I. My name is Jowett. | There's no knowledge but I know it. | I am Master of this College, | What I don't know isn't knowledge.' 2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with fold lines. Addressing his letter to 'Edward [sic] M. S Kynnersley Esq', he asks him to 'kindly read the accompanying circular? It relates to a project which I believe to be very important to the College & useful in many other ways, as well as - the [promise?] of a Cricket Ground'.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged, with evidence of mount on reverse of second leaf, which is endorsed 'Dr. Forbes Winslow'. Two central folds, one vertical and one horizontal. The male recipient is unnamed. He is 'quite unfit to go up to London to-day', 'owing to the fatigue I underwent yesterday travelling a long distance into Northamptonshire to see a patient'.

The Greville Memoirs caused an uproar on its publication in 1874. Queen Victoria described it as a 'dreadful and really scandalous book' which should be 'severely censored and discredited'. Disraeli characterised its author as 'the vainest being—I don't limit myself to man—that ever existed; and I don't forget Cicero and Lytton Bulwer […] when he was not scandalous, he was prolix and prosy—a clumsy, wordy writer […] a more verbose, indefinite, unwieldy affair, without a happy expression, never issued from the pen of a fagged subordinate of the daily press'.

On one side of a 16 x 20 cm leaf torn from an album. In fair condition, lightly aged. The signatures of the eleven Devon players in column along the left-hand edge, and those of the Dorset players in a column along the right-hand edge. Details of the match and players are hard to find. Here is a tentative reading of the Devon signatures: 'F H Canok | A R Strephardy | W F Light | S Blakeney | K G E<?> | E. G. Trench | J R Carter | C R Russell | <?> | G H H Sherlock | E A S<?>'. And a similarly-tentative reading of the Dorset signatures: 'E. C. Walby | W Harrison | W. J. Knight | M. B.

7pp., 12mo. On two bifoliums. In good condition. A long and detailed letter, asking, '[i]n accordance with a resolution of the Wts. & Measures Committee', for Harington's opinion on a point of law, in relation to the charging of fees by inspectors, with reference to 'the provisions of the Acts of 1878 and 1889' and the 'decision in Rex v. Roberts'. Towards the conclusion Anthony states: 'The Wts.

The signatures of Sutcliffe and Woolley are on a 16 x 18 cm. piece of grey paper, cut from an album, those of the other three men are crowded onto an L-shaped piece of paper, laid down on the same leaf. At head of page: 'Yorkshire v. Rest of England, The Oval, Sept. 1923.' The odd man out is B. W. Bullock [ Burnett Wedlake Bullock ] (1896-1954), who did not take part in the match. He played for Surrey, and was presumably around when his more illustrious colleagues were giving autographs. According to the report in The Times, the match ended in a draw.

2pp., 16mo. In good condition. He is 'due at Woolwich the moment the rain stops as we have a day's match there today & tomorrow, but I don't suppose that you will be at Lords the ground must be under water.' He 'couldn't come out of the boys' room on Friday, the cricket was too exciting for words & it was cruel that we could not win'.

1p., 8vo. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. He thanks him for thinking of his birthday, and taking the trouble 'to bring me that sherry'. He has not yet sampled it, as 'it's a bit too hot for anything but water, just at present'. He will telephone him, as he doesn't 'feel cocksure' about his address. He ends with regards to 'Mrs George'. In pencil in another hand at head: 'Here it is, George | C.A.S.'

1p., 8vo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He has 'not played cricket for twenty years, so you had better not count on me!' He will 'try to turn up as a spectator', and if Cathrey will send him a card, he will make 'a special effort to do so at Mesa, whichh I have visited several times'.

Paper, 8.5 x 9cm, good condition. "Yours sincerely | Harold Larwood".

2pp., 12mo. On leaf with mourning border. He thanks him for his letters, and expresses disappointment that he 'could not come to the Cricket Match', which was 'not finished, but decided in favour of Knebworth according to the score of the first Innings'. He asks him to obtain 'estimates for lightening [sic] conductors to each of the 8 turrets at Knebworth'. He fears that 'these copper domes are themselves lightening conductors which are now cut offf from all communcation with the earth'.

[ii] + 333 pp., 12mo. In yellow card covers, printed in green and red. A note on p.58 explains that the volume contains 'a large number of Advertisements of leading Houses, who cater for all kinds of Sport.

4pp., 4to. Bifolium. Complete issue, paginated 115-118. In fair condition, worn and aged. An attractive production, printed in black, with the masthead featuring the regiment's badge in green ink. 14 x 19.5 cm lithographic illustration by 'RF' on the front page, showing the library building in its setting, with a simple charm. The accompanying article reports on the centenary celebrations. 'To Captain, afterwards Colonel Drinkwater the historian of the memorable siege of Gibraltar are we indebted for the origin of this excellent institution. Thanks to the generosity of H.R.H.

1p., 8vo. In good condition, lightly creased. Although it is 'always difficult to nominate the best of anything' he would say that Bradman was the best batsman, Sobers the best allrounder and Warne the best legspinner. 'All the others would be "one of the best."' His biggest influence was his father, 'an outstanding club cricketer in Sydney, and then, when I played first class cricket, Keith Miller, Arthur Morris and Ray Lindwall'. His hobbies are 'work and golf'.

A nice collection of souvenirs of a very exciting and interesting tour. The West Indies did very well indeed, beating England in the test series 3-1. ONE: The signatures on four pieces of paper, laid down on green 8vo paper backing, with card carrying maroon and black logo of 'West Indies | 1963 | England'. All in good condition, lightly-aged. First, signature of 'G Sobers' written across 22.5 x 11.5 cm magazine photograph of Sobers at the crease. Second, signature of 'W Hall' across 8 x 5 cm magazine photograph of face of 'WESLEY HALL (Barbados), age 25.', with swollen left eye.

Eleven pages (one side of page only), folio, stapled one corner, fold mark down centre, good condition. Headings as follows: Matches 1969; The Guinness Cup 1968; Northern Cricket Union 1968; Leinster Senior Cricket; Donal Donovan, Report from Munster 1968. No other copy of this periodical has yet been traced (NLI, COPAC etc).

285pp., 8vo, including newspaper cuttings laid down on 24pp., and one loose cutting. In contemporary black leather half-binding, with brown cloth covers, and 'MINUTE BOOK' in gilt on front. Marbled endpapers. Ticket on rear pastedown of 'W. BLAIR, | Stationer, | Post Office Buildings | TONBRIDGE'. Internally in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, in worn binding with front hinge split. Manuscript title: 'Tonbridge Cricket Week. | 1894. | First Held 1890'.

In six 'Boudoir' diaries (printed by Joseph Mead, London), of uniform format and layout, but in different colours. Very good, on aged paper, with slight damp damage to a couple of the worn bindings. Although containing numerous entries, the volumes are by no means completely full of entries: there are none, for example, beyond March in the 1907 volume, or beyond Apirl in the 1908 one. Of interest is the club's proximity to the Manor Ground, Plumstead, home until 1913 of the Woolwich Arsenal F.C.

1p., 12mo. Good, on aged paper. She states that she will be 'happy to wait on Sir Stafford Northcote at 4 oclock on Wednesday the 30th instant as you mention'. Docketed by Benthall on reverse of second leaf of bifolium, 'Miss Carpenter | Oct: 15. 1867. | Will wait on you on Oct: 30. at 4 o'clock'. Benthall was described in Wisden as batting 'in an exceedingly pretty style, cutting beautifully to the off, and has made some capital scores in the best matches'.