FLEET

In good condition, lightly aged. Written with purple ink. Addressed to 'J. W. Arrowsmith Esq | Publisher | Bristol.' The message begins, without salutation: 'Booking Office blocked with Copy. But I have had the "Modder River" taken out of turn. You will find a notice in tomorrow's "Punch"'. He announces that on the fifteenth of the following month he is 'to be a guest of the New Vagabond Club', and notes that Arrowsmith is a member, adding 'we may possibly meet'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Addressed to 'My dear Richard'. In the first paragraph he explains that he will not be able to accept his inviation as he is 'obliged to go into the country'. In the second he writes: 'Arthur Locker will succeed me here after the first of May; and he will attend at the office, with me, for about a week before his engagement begins. If you don't know him and if you will look in I will introduce you.' The Graphic was first published on 4 December 1869 by William Luson Thomas's company Illustrated Newspapers Limited.

1p., 12mo. On grey paper. Aged and with light discoloration and chipping along one edge. A somewhat barbed missive, reading: 'Sir, | I thank you for your offer, but I have so many subjects on hand just now that I fear I could not find room for your article even if I approved of it.' The Graphic was first published on 4 December 1869 by William Luson Thomas's company Illustrated Newspapers Limited, with Henry Sutherland Edwards (1828-1906) as editor. Locker had taken over the editorship only a few days before the writing of this note, on 1 May 1870.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged. Strip of glue from tape at head of page. Written in response to a request for an autograph. Centred in the page, and reading: 'Yours truly | James Payn | March 28th 1887.'

A marvellous slice of Victorian social history. The entry for 'Matrimonial News' in 'Frederick May's London Press Dictionary and Advertiser's Handbook, 1871' runs as follows: 'MATRIMONIAL NEWS AND SPECIAL ADVERTISER – 2d. F. Farrah, 282, Strand, W.C.

31 + [1]pp., 8vo. Stapled without wraps. Drophead title. (Offprint from Transactions of the Medico-Legal Society.) In fair condition, lightly aged, central vertical fold, rusted staples. 'No reasonable person', Riddell writes, 'suggests the wholesale sterilisation of masses of lunatics and defectives. Only very moderate measures are proposed.' Riddell's suggestion is that 'in suitable cases, subject to the consent of the Board of Control, or some similar body', and with the consent of the subject, lunatics and mental defectives be sterilised.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, laid down on piece of card, with slight staining from the glue employed. The note reads: 'My dear Benthall. | I enclose what you wished for, a slip of Sala's “Copy”, and one of my own. They are both sufficiently grimy, having been through the printers' hands. | Sincerely your's [sic] | Edmund Yates'.

Six items from the Rothermere papers, on disparate subjects, casting light on the workings of 1930s Fleet Street. In good condition, lightly aged. The six are described below in chronological order. ONE: Typed Copy of letter, '(sgd) ROTHERMERE', to Donald. Hotel Splendide, 105 Piccadilly, W.1. 12 November 1929. 1p., 4to. The letter begins: 'My dear Donald, | I quite understand all the peculiar difficulties with which you are surrounded in connection with the Anglo-Foreign Newspapers Ltd.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged. Handwriting practice in a nineteenth-century hand on the blank reverse of the second leaf. He 'must beg to correct' Nichols's 'intended Paragraph' (in the Gentleman's Magazine obituary of Sir Richard Colt Hoare) on the question of 'my Father's Christian names'. He has written 'Hugh Henry', 'which must be reversed to Henry Hugh'. He proceeds to give a transcription of how 'the paragraph will run': 'The Baronetcy devolves on his eldest Half-Brother Henry Hugh Hoare Esqr. the head of the eminent banking house in Fleet St.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, aged and worn, with traces of mount on blank reverse. He is sending, 'as promised, the address', but has forgotten 'the exact member of the club'. 'I conclude, however, that it is well known to Sir Rowland's myrmidons' (Sir Rowland Hill and his postmen). He asks for 'a line of assurance', and for a proof if the recipient prints the address. A pencil postscript at the foot of the leaf has been neatly torn away, except for the following, up the right-hand margin: '<...> I have pencilled might be omitted. She can judge'.

1p., 4to. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The first paragraph reads: 'Dear Cuming Walters, | Forgive me for not writing sooner. The fact is I have been down with influenza and pneumonia for the last three weeks. The worst time of the year for me! After the first week I contrived with difficulty to carry on with things, lying on my back dictating letters to my daughter, who has helped me enormously. But I am up again, and though not allowed out of doors have for the last four days been working in my room here, so shall manage all right and get my Christmas No.

Dobell is not named, but the second letter contains a reference to the recipient's wife 'Mrs. Dobell'. Both letters 2pp., 12mo, and both in good condition, on lightly aged paper. ONE: 21 August 1895. Signed 'G. J. Harney.' He makes an order of books from the library of George Augustus Sala, of whom he 'cannot profess to be an admirer': 'clever, versatile, a typical journalist; but not of the stuff of Cobbett, Wooler, Hone (before he became a melancholy mad religious crank) or Hetherington – or Hunt (John).

1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged, laid down on leaf removed from album. Clarke writes that a King's student, also named Clarke, whom Stuart took 'for vacation work', has returned 'full of enthusiasm & gratitude for all you & your people have taught him'. He only hopes that the student 'made as good an impression on you as you have done on him'. He concludes: 'Why don't you come and give the students a talk one day?' According to an official account: 'The University of London ran courses in journalism from around 1923.

3pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. For information on the eccentric Moran see F. David Roberts' article 'Who Ran the London "Globe" in the 1830's, 1840's, and 1850's?' (1971). The letter begins: 'My Dear Webster | If you want a useful subsidiary piece producible without cost or trouble. It contains a part that of Frederick William of Prussia admirably adapted for your own filling up.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. He begins by granting her permission to quote from his 'little Keir Hardie book'. He is glad she is 'going to make him better known'. He continues: 'What you tell me about the encouragement I gave you when I was editing the Daily Herald has made me feel happy. Looking back, I find that what gives me most satisfaction is to have been able now & then to give a helping hand. I am so glad you were en- and not dis-couraged.'

Aged and worn postcard. Written in pencil, and addressed to 'The Mac Finck | 21 Heatherfield Pk | Willesden Green | NW'. Reads 'All right Sunny | See you soon. So busy. No time to Finck of ennyfinck for a week | Yours | GRS'. The image of 'MR. GEORGE ROBERT SIMS' on the front of the card shows a seated Sims pondering what to write with pen in hand and finger on cheek, seated surrounded by curios in what is probably his study. Finck's 'In the Shadows' was one of the last songs played while RMS TItanic went down.

12pp., 8vo. In faded green printed wraps. Disbound. In good condition, on aged high-acidity paper. Beneath the drophead title on p.1: 'Can England feed herself?' Now scarce.

12pp., 8vo. In faded green wraps with full title and advertisements. Disbound. On aged high-acidity paper, in brittle wraps with back cover detached. P.1 is headed '"Pioneer" Pamphlets. - No. 1.', followed by a numbered list of the three essays. Now scarce.

32pp., 12mo. In faded green printed wraps with full title and advertisements. Disbound. In good condition, on aged high-acidity paper in brittle slightly-chipped wraps. The first edition was published in 1893 in Dorking by R. J. Clark. This third edition includes new material in seven appendices, pp.19-32, beginning with 'Results in 1893 - A year of drought.' Now scarce.

4pp., 12mo. Two pages on bifolium with two-page postscript on loose leaf. In good condition, lightly aged. He thanks him for his 'kind note and opinion respecting my "Many Thoughts" [ anthology of 1857 ] of which nearly 267 - tons have been sold, an odd way of putting it you will say, but such is the fact.' He is working on a 'curious and suggestive book now on Aphoristic Wisdom'. He thinks he may 'gather something' from Girdlestone's 'Collection', which he undertakes will be 'most carefully and thankfully returned'.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper. Newspaper cutting of obituary laid-down at foot. He asks to be sent 'some Printed cards, for the Election of Poor Brother Moss' Son'. These are wanted 'to send to a friend in Warwickshire, as also to one in Surrey - for them to Distribute.'

The three items in fair condition, on aged and worn paper, the last two items with traces of grey paper from mounting adhering. ONE: From Charlotte Street. 'Saturday' (undataed). Signed 'Irving Montagu'. 2pp., 8vo. Arranging to dine at Draper's in the face of a clashing invitation. TWO: From Briar Cottage, 2 January 1893. 4pp., 12mo. Signed 'Montagu'.

43 + [1]pp., 8vo. Strapled ino printed card wraps. Internally in good condition, lightly aged, in aged and worn wraps with rusted staples. Over 24 pages the speeches by Henderson, Lloyd George and the Marquis of Londonderry are reported in full, as is that of the chairman, quoting letters he has received from Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald, Viscount Rothermere, General Smuts and several others. This is followed by a five-page list of guests, and a final seven-page 'Extract from "The Observer" of Sunday, Nov. 17, 1929', titled 'The Soul of a Newspaper'.

On 1.5 x 6 cm. slip of paper. In good condition,, with light signs of age. Presumably cut from a letter in response to a request for an autograph.

1p., 8vo. On aged and creased paper. Lily Braytonis is a 'vague relative' of his, and she sends her 'good wishes [...] a propos the Chu Chin Chow article'. She would like to 'read through the relevant proofs' and Routh sends on her address. Brayton appeared in more than 2000 performances of 'Chu Chin Chow'. For more on Routh, see his obituary in the Independent, 8 June 2008.

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with slight smudging to second page. Annotated by the recipient 'read & burn'. He explains that he is 'just off to Eastbourne', and asks her to send on her letter 'to The Editor [of the Morning Post]', adding that it is 'a risk to send to me'. He concludes by explaining that he and his wife have 'given our present long ago & I am subscribing to a Kensington one. We cannot subscribe to all.'

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Reads: 'Dear Mr. Fisher | I am so sorry I cannot attend the meeting. Unfortunately, I am absolutely obliged to attend to my newspapers all day long. | Yours faithfully | Alfred Harmsworth'. The Daily Mail was little more than two years old at the time of this note.

4pp., 12mo. On aged and lightly-creased paper. Originally a bifolium, but with the two leaves separated, and evidence of previous stitching into a binding. Regarding his new book 'Cruel London', he asks him if he can send six copies of what is not only 'a kindly notice, but excellently well written. All the more gratifying. The Spectator is always my enemy just as the Saturday was Thackerays, to compare a big man with a small one.' He refers to a notice in the Sunday Times by Joseph Knight, who 'also sent me a charming letter of congratulation'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Written in pencil. A long and interesting complaint, casting an interesting light on the journalistic practices of the period. Hurd begins without preamble, pointing out, with reference to a previous letter, that he 'never promised 35000 words', and stating that the publisher 'would doubtless be able to put in a few extra illustrations to fill it out'.

2pp., 12mo. 33 lines of text in blue ink. In good condition, lightly-aged. He writes that his family have 'all been listening to your third broadcast on Gandhi with pleasure and admiration'. He cannot imagine 'a better treatment of the subject', and is 'lost in admiration for the skill with which you pieced all these fragments together, and wove out of them a thrilling and convincing narrative [...] The old charwoman at Bow was a delight, and how sympathetic & interesting was Lord Templewood! But there wasn't a "dud" among all your many contributors, both the Indians & the English.