DOWNING

See her entry, and those of Robey and her husband, in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. With two folds. Addressed to ‘Geo Robey. Esq. C.B.E.’ and signed ‘Margaret Lloyd George.’ She gives details of a concert she is having at Downing Street the following month, ‘in aid of the Electrical Industries Association’, and has been asked by its committee to ‘invite your kindly assistance’.

See Christian's entry in the Oxford DNB. (He was the newly-created Downing Professor of the Laws of England at Cambridge from 1788 to his death.) 1p, landscape 8vo. On one half of a 4to leaf that has been torn in two. In fair condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of tape at the right-hand edge, and two punch holes at the left-hand edge of Manington's side. ONE (Christian): Conclusion of autograph draft legal document, numbered '(9)' and signed at bottom left 'Ed. Christian'. With several deletions. Relates to 'Jno Hutchings & Son', who deny 'Combin[ation] & Confederacy &c'.

2pp, 4to. Bifolium, annotated on second leaf ‘Mr Sargt. Frere’. Watermark: ‘STAINS & CO | 1819’. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded for postage. Addressed to ‘Captain Munby &c &c’, and signed ‘William Frere’. He apologises for not answering sooner ‘the communications I have been honored with from you respecting a house at Yarmouth’. He has been in London, where he has suffered ‘some uncertainty as to accepting or declining the offer’.

See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. Empty 12 x 9.5 cm envelope. In fair condition, lightly aged and a little grubby, with ink from postmark on the reverse. Reads: ‘Private / The Right Honble / W. E. Gladstone / M P. / &c &c &c / Downing Street / S. W’. Two postmarks, one (‘W / 26’) over the envelope’s self-printed pink stamp. In a Victorian hand, at bottom left: ‘(Abp Manning)’.

On 11.5 x 7.5 cm calling card. In good condition, lightly aged. The calling card is printed in copperplate font, with the name ‘Mrs. Neville Chamberlain.’ centred, and the address ‘10, Downing Street, / S.W.1.’ at bottom left. Two lines of the inscription are written above the name and the rest beneath. Reads: ‘Thank you so [sic] & Major Cripps so much for those more lovely carnations which I appreciated so much. / Anne Chamberlain’. See image.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB, where she is described as a ‘philanthropist’. 2pp, 12mo. With mourning border. A 4cm triangle of paper has torn away from the bottom of the letter, far below Mrs Gladstone’s slightly-smudged signature, otherwise in good condition, lightly aged and folded twice. Reads: ‘Downing St. / Saturday / Dear Sir. / You have often encourage me to appeal to you upon matters of charity. it will be very kind if you will give the enclosed [a] place in your Paper. / Yours truly / Cath Gladstone’.

According to his entry in the Oxford DNB, Arbuthnot 'served as private secretary successively to seven patronage secretaries; to the permanent head of the department, Sir Charles Spearman, and his successor, Sir Charles Trevelyan; to the prime minister, Sir Robert Peel; and to Sir Charles Wood, chancellor of the exchequer in Russell's administration'. The present item was written by Arbuthnot while holding the last position. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Laid down on part of a leaf from an album.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Should Auckland's statement become 'the subject of enquiry' it will be deemed 'perfectly satisfactory', there being 'no question as to the right of appointing a deputy, altho' there might be aas to the reduction of his salary, which was the circumstance referred to me'. The subject is one which must 'necessarily come within the view of the Committee of Finance, whose observations upon every public department it is my anxious wish that we may be enabled to anticipate'.

2pp., 12mo. On the first leaf of a bifolium. In fair condition, aged, and with traces of mount adhering to the blank second leaf. He writes that Gladstone has asked him to thank her for sending 'the illustrated cards' issued by the Association, 'and to say that they appear to him to be suitable for the very good purpose you have in view'.

1p., on 20.5 x 8.5 cm slip, headed by the Prime Minister's official letterhead. Sayer's apology is headed 'Mrs Attlee', and she writes that she feels she 'must apologise in writing for the mistake I made over the arrangements for giving your two seats to the Misses Trevor', hoping that it did not cause inconvenience and promising not to do the like again. Violet Attlee's reply, headed 'Miss Sayer', is at the head of the letter: 'Please don't worry. It is quite a relief to me to find that somebody besides myself makes mistakes! | W H A 30/3'.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. Fair, on aged paper. De Grey begins: 'You have very much obliged me by accepting a small Present of Game, and many of my neighbours as well as myself will rejoyce in your Correspondent supplying me with a pipe of Port and a Hogshead of Calcavalla, [sic] if a Hogshead of Sherry could be procured without any additional trouble, it would add to the Obligation'.

A significant document, providing a clear exposition of the late-Victorian colonialist position on the two branches of occupation: annexation and settlement. Untraced. T. J. Lawrence of Downing College is the probable author, as the section on 'annexation' also features in his 'Handbook of Public International Law' (1890). 1p., 8vo. Printed in landscape on one side of a piece of unwatermarked laid paper. In fair condition, lightly-aged and creased. The document begins: 'Occupation in International Law applies only to territory not previously held by a civilised State.

4to, 1 p. On cream paper with letterhead printed in green. Fair, on lightly spotted and creased paper. She cannot make an appointment for an interview 'for various reasons [...] The chief reason being that I do not give interviews'. Owston-Booth was a contributor to the Windsor Magazine.

The front cover of the envelope, 9.5 x 12 cm, cut away and laid down on a ruled piece of paper cut from an autograph album. A little grubby, but good. Reads 'L N Guillemard Esq | 11 Downing St. | [signed] W E Gladstone'. Signature approximately 4.5 cm long, and underlined.

4to: 1 p. 22 lines. Text clear and entire on lightly aged and creased paper, with one 1.5 cm closed tear (not affecting text). Congratulating Place on her 'Assistant Principalship'. He considers she was 'very wise to take the opportunity'. He has discussed 'the house-key question with the Keeper [T. D. Kendrick]', who regards Saturday afternoons 'as a sacred time reserved for peaceful work, undisturbed by ones colleagues'. Consequently 'it would be rather difficult to accommodate you as a helper on Saturdays and after your week's work at the ministry'.

8vo: 16 pp. Unbound and stitched. On brittle, discoloured paper chipping at extremities and with the first and last leaves detached from one another. All but the first four pages consisting of a 'list of Original Papers, published by resident members of the University during the years 1886 and 1887', compiled to indicate the 'extent to which the country is indebted to the endowments of the University'. Including works by J.J. Thomson, Francis Darwin, George Darwin. Scarce: no copy in the British Library and the only copy on COPAC at Cambridge University Library.

Both items written in pencil and good, on lightly aged paper, with their stamped and postmarked envelopes addressed by Asquith. Both envelopes with traces of brown paper mount adhering to reverse, and both docketed by the Graphic's editor 'To me Harold Lawton'. Letter One (12mo, 4 pp, headed 'Private'): Amusingly outraged letter regarding a visit by 'two gentlemen' of whom Asquith 'had no sort of knowledge'. Graphic journalists, they assured Asquith 'that nothing wd. be written about me without my seeing it first [last five words underlined in red]'.

all octavo, in worn nineteenth-century binding, with front hinge loose, lacking spine. New endpapers. All items good, on aged paper with occasional foxing. An invaluable collection, providing a snapshot of secondhand bookselling in provincial Victorian England within an extremely short timescale. Several of the booksellers are not represented in the British Library collection, and others are only represented by catalogues of a later date. Of note are the two catalogues published by Sotheran's Manchester arm, the existence of which is not mentioned in Andrew Block's 'Short History' (1933).

Two pages. On piece of paper roughly five inches by nine wide. Aged and with a few nicks, but good overall. Seven lines, beginning 'Debentur Carolo Duci St. Alban Magro Austrag Dni Rs [...]'. 'Letter Money' in margin. Various docketings cross-wise on reverse, including signature of 'Jno: Bidleson' ('John Bidleson Atto. Int. J Dawson') and sums totalling £343 2s 6d.

English Chancellor of the Exchequer (1766-1851). One page, 4to. Formal letter in the third person. Very good, with remains of brown-paper stub adhering to the verso of the blank second leaf of the bifoliate. 'Mr. Vansittart presents his Compliments to Mr.

Scottish advocate and statesman (1742-1811). One page, quarto. Bifoliate on good laid paper watermarked 1798. Grubby and somewhat ruckled, and with small printed notice neatly pasted in bottom right-hand corner. 'My Dear Sir | I have your letter, and should be glad to see you before you see Lord Liverpool or any other Person. Will you dine with me tomorrow. | Yours sincerely | Henry Dundas'.

Peel (1829-1912) was a Liberal politician and Speaker of the House of Commons. Primrose (1846-1923) was a Privy Councillor, Secretary to Gladstone and Speaker of the House of Commons. Both items are 3 pages, on 16mo bifoliates. Both are creased and discoloured. Between 1873 and 1874 Peel was Patronage Secretary to the Treasury. The exchange apparently concerns an election or by-election in Exeter.

A piece of laid paper, 4 inches by 2. "<...> humble Servant / Robert Peel". Grubby and with minor discoloration from previous mounting.

Conservative politician (1818-87). 2 pp, 12mo. In the handwriting of an amanuensis. "I have promised Mrs Moncrieff, the writer of the enclosed letter, to mention the name of Silas to you. / If you could see your way to meeting her wishes, I should feel grateful to you on her behalf. I am not personally acquainted with Mr. Silas." Signed "Iddesleigh". Creasing from paperclip, and with four pieces of gummed paper adhering to the recto of the blank second leaf.