FREDERICK

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.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium on monogrammed letterhead. In fair condition, lightly aged. The body of the letter is written by a secretary. A useful communication, laying out the requirements for a batchelor's degree in music during Ouseley's tenure as Heather Professor, between 1855 and 1889. Ouseley writes in reply to Le Tenore's letter, setting out what is 'required of Candidates for the degree of Mus. Bac.', beginning with the composition of 'an exercise in 5 real parts, with accompaniments for a quintett [sic] band.

On one side of a slip of paper cut from a letter. In good condition, lightly aged. The conclusion of a letter, reading: '[...] also to get another Servant, so I shall put it off till my return & I have every thing in order. | My kind love to all of you & you my dear Mother ever truly | F Marryat'.

Half-penny postcard printed in purple. In fair condition, lightly aged, with thin strip along one edge from former mounting obscuring parts of a few words. Addressed to 'F. Davis Esq. | 4 Upper Phillamore [sic] Place | W.' The communication reads: 'Sir, | I beg to inform you that we have bought out Maltons Gt. Treatise on Perpective in the columns of the Forge & Lathe a fortnightly Journal devoted to Practical Mechanics &c. The Preface appeared in our No. Published yesterday price 6d by post 7d Terms for Subscribers 16/- Yearly 8/- ½ Yearly 4/- Quarterly. | A. Absolon | Publisher'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. The year of writing is supplied in a contemporary hand. Beside his address at the head if the ketter Tayler writes: 'This will sound tarnation rural in the catalogue.' He begins the letter by explaining that he is 'dating from my little Cottage here', and that he has let his house in town, 'reducing my Rent to less than half and I can paint to more purpose and without interruption of idle Callers here'. The delay in replying has been occasioned by 'so much of bustle and packing'.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and creased paper, with strip of paper from mount adhering to reverse. The leaf has been folded in two, with 'Mr: Heath' written by Campbell on one part, beneath which, in another hand are the recipient's initials 'J. H.' and the date 1819. Above this, in pencil, in a third hand: 'Ld. Fredk Campbell still living at the age of near 90'.

On 7.5 x 12 cm piece of paper, cut from the front of an envelope. With frank postmark in faint red ink. Laid out in the customary fashioin, with the date and address reading 'London June Twenty Four 1833. | Captn. Wood | 10th Hussars | Kilkenny', with 'Castlereagh' at bottom left.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Mourning border. The recipient's 'most entertaining note' finds Tayler 'just starting off to Highgate'. He only has time 'for a line in reply', and he ventures 'at the risk of being thought impertinent' to advise the recipient's mother not to 'put too Fanciful a price on the Sketches, but let them go to the advancement of the Charity with all their imperfections on their heads'. Tayler considers himself 'the obliged party', and ends with his best respects.

S1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged, with minor traces of mount on reverse. Addressed to 'Frederick I. Cowles, Esq., F.R.S.L., F.R.S.A., F.S.A.' Reads: 'Dear Sir, | In reply to your letter, I should have liked to oblige you but it is impossible for me to do so. The matter would require much more time than I have to spare.'

Printed on one side of a 28 x 34 cm piece of vellum, and completed by Parker in manuscript. With the customary tax stamp and embossed Admiralty seal. In good condition, with the customary aging and wear of the vellum. Headed 'By The Commission for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland &c.' Godfrey's seniority is given as 30 August 1841, and the document is signed by 'J Parker', 'M. F. F. Berkeley' and 'Alexr Milne'. The word 'Commissioned' is written at the foot.

Three interesting letters, intelligent, well-informed and affectionate, by a member of a leading Liberal family.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'Dr. Temple returns his thanks to Major Macgregor for the Greek Anthology received by Post which will be placed in the School Library. Dr Temple is much interested with the little he has been able to see of the Book.' Macgregor's 'Translations from the Greek Anthology' was published without date in London by Nissen and Parker.

38pp., 16mo. Internally in very good condition, in red paper boards printed in gilt, with bubbling at front and back, and in chipped and aged glassine wrapper. The number of the meeting has been added to the title in manuscript ('511'), and the signatures of 'Frederick Keel | Singer' and 'Walter Braithwaite' are written in pencil beneath the limitation (no 24 of 133 copies). Scarce.

2pp., 4to. Closely written, with forty-three lines of text, in a somewhat difficult hand. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper with closed tear and creasing at head of leaf. The letter is written to a relation, after Flood has been shown a letter by 'yr Cousin, L[ad]y Flood', in which the recipient complains of having been 'injur'd or slandered'. It is Flood's intention in the letter to show that 'the business &c has been wholly misunderstood'. He also states that 'the view of imploying you proceeded from friendship strengthened by connexion'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. 'While wishing all good success to the proposed Naval & Military Relief Exhibition', he is sorry that he does not feel able to 'take part in the <?> fund'.

2pp., 4to. Printed in black on the inner two pages of a bifolium. The left-hand page (i.e. verso of the first leaf) carries text, in two columns of small print, of a prospectus for a share flotation for 'Hanman's Cycle and Needle Co.', dated 16 March 1897. The facing right-hand page (i.e. the recto of the second leaf) is headed 'Twenty-first Year | No. 1,065.] The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart. [Friday, March 19th, 1897'. It carries Mountfort's lithographed illustrations, with a facsimile of his signature at bottom right, printed by 'E. C. OSBORNE & SON. LITHO. NEW ST.

Both C. B. Cochran, who promoted her career, and Noel Coward, who wrote 'Poor Little Rich Girl' for her, wrote highly of Delysia and her work. Three items, in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. All three in an envelope addressed to Pollock and docketed by him 'Delysia (tour) Contract March 1941'. ONE: Typed Letter Signed from 'Alice Delysia' to Pollock. From her London address, 7 March 1941. 1p., 12mo. She writes that she agrees with his letter and has signed the copy (Item Two below).

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly-aged, with fold to one corner. Fairholt's handwriting is legible, but unfortunately the names of the recipient and subject of the letter are not so. It begins: ' seems very anxious to come to some arrangement. Can we meet on the point. I do not know if you are in London, if you are will you give me a call on Thursday evening'. He gives a few other options, before concluding.

16pp., 4to. Unstitched and unbound. In fair condition, lightly aged, worn and spotted.. Priced at a penny. In small print and double column. Consisting, after a short introduction, of an area-by-area report of the effects of the flood, beginning with 'Midnight in the Dolemeads. | Distressing Scenes.', 'Corn Street, Milk Street and Avon Street' and 'Southgate Street', and ending with 'Batheaston', 'Radstock' and 'Midsomer Norton'. Perren's photographs show 'Dolemeads and Association Cricket Fields', 'The Old Bridge', 'Southgate Street' and 'The Quay from the Old Bridge'.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Addressed to 'My Dear Lord Chief Baron'. He is coming 'to Town for my waiting for a few days', and hopes that Pollock's 'important time could allow of you to see me for a few minutes'. He is willing either to call on Pollock, or receive a visit from him, 'at any time you would kindly appoint'.

3pp., 16mo. Bifolium. On aged and foxed paper. He wishes to be informed 'whether the Forget Me Not" so long and ably edited by your Father will be published for the ensuing year - i.e. for 1848'. One of his daughters has 'written down Stories one or two of which have already appeared, and she would be very happy to avail herself of an opportunity of writing something' for the annual, so he asks him to 'ascertain whether your Father would like to insert a short Nouvellette [sic] to the extent of 4 to 5 pages'.

2pp., 12mo. With postmarked frank (again signed 'Hardinge') addressed to 'Colonel Abbott C. B. | Addiscombe'. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. He is pleased that Abbott is 'to receive a mark of distinction from the Queen, which combines the satisfaction which your Services have given at Addiscombe [Abbott had become lieutenant-governor of Addiscombe Seminary in 1851] with those which you so efficiently & ably performed in the field in India'. He hopes to shake him at the hand 'at the Levée'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. In envelope addressed by Forbes-Robertson at 79 Netherwood Road, Shepherd's Bush. He thanks him for letting him have his address, and requests a pass for his servant for the following evening's performance of the play 'Mice and Men'. He hopes the servant will return with 'the news I desire viz that you will consent to being pro tem - one of the Hon Secs of the Te Deum Committee.

The 57-mile canal section of the two rivers was constructed between 1794 and 1810. In the face of competition by the Great Western Railway it fell into disuse in the latter nineteenth century. A process of restoration began a hundred years later, and the canal is now a popular amenity. Both items in good condition, lightly aged and worn. Both headed on first page 'Report of the Committee of Management, of the Kennet and Avon Canal Navigation.' Both are 3pp., 8vo, on bifoliums.

The seven items in fair condition, on lightly aged paper. An interesting correspondence, casting light on the company's practices. Both the recipient, Sir Richard Harington of Ridlington (1835-1911), 11th Baronet, and his son 'The Judge' - Richard Harington (1861-1931), the future 12th Baronet - came from a legal background, adding an edge to the correspondence. The six letters total 9pp., 4to. The firm appears to have had a policy of retaining the original and sending out a carbon copy, as each of the letters consists of a carbon copy of manuscript.

Three items from the papers of Sir Richard Harington (1835-1911) of Ridlington, 11th Baronet. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. ONE: Autograph Letter Signed ('Richard Harington Bt.') to Neame. With date stamp 13 January 1907. 2pp., 12mo. It's presence among the Harington papers suggests that the letter was never sent.

1p., 8vo. In good condition, with hole from paperclip at top left, and small rust spot to left-hand margin. Woolton's signature has been underlined by Luckhurst in red pencil. He thanks him for the invitation to take the chair 'at the meeting of the Society on Wednesday, 19th January, when Mr. Gray is reading a paper on "The Industrial Designer and Consumer Goods", but must decline, as he is 'already engaged for the whole of that day'.

Five items: Snow's two letters and carbons of three of Mercer's replies (5 and 25 March, and 24 June 1964). ONE: Typed Letter from Samson, signed on his behalf, to the Secretary (i.e. G. E. Mercer), Royal Society of Arts, 28 February 1964. 1p., folio. Confirming that he wishes to give a paper on 'The Relative Merits of the use of Steel or Concrete in Structures', 'with a number of slides showing comparisons of various materials'. At the foot of the page is a signed note from Mercer to Sampson, dated 2 March 1964: 'Do we want this?

1p., 12mo. On bifolium with mourning border. In good condition, lightly-aged. In envelope with Penny Red stamp and postmark, addressed to 'The Revd | Robert Hutchison | The Parsonage | Studley | near Oxford'. The envelope, carrying the Earl's seal in black wax, has a mourning border, with '11 Hereford Gardens' printed on the back. He is writing 'a few lines very sincerely' to congratulate Hutchison on the birth of his daughter. He is sorry that the 'otherwise happy event should be tempered by the recollection of so recent & so sad a bereavement'.

On one side of a 10.5 x 16.5 cm slip of grey paper. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads (with manuscript text in square brackets): '[Hutchison Robertus e Coll. Exon.] | Die [Xmo] Mensis [Decembr.] Anni [MDCCCLXVIII.] | prout Statuta requirunt Examinatus in Literis Humanioribus et in Rudimentis Religionis satisfecit nobis Examinatoribus. | Ita testatur { [Georgius Rawlinson | Fred. G. Walker | G. E. Thorley | G W Capes] } Examinatores Publici in Literis Humanioribus.' Thorley's1874-5 Lit. Hum. mark-book appears to be the earliest extant.