FRY

1p, 8vo. In good condition. Folded twice. With secretarial note in blue pencil, recording response by 'C.F.' The letter concerns Fry's screenplay for the 1966 film 'The Bible: In the Beginning...', produced by Dino De Laurentiis and directed by John Huston, which recounts the first 22 chapters of the Book of Genesis. Stallworthy wonders whether Fry remembers 'that, “in the dark backward and abyss of time”, the OUP wanted to publish your screen-play for the film of Genesis, but the film company's lawyers wouldn't allow it.

Five items in good condition, all lightly aged. ONE: ACS. Signed 'Kathy'. 1 March 1990. Clearly a covering note on sending the other material. Simply reads: 'Good to speak – | love | Kathy'. TWO: Duplicated copy of typescript of speech by 'Fr. John Gilling'. Headed: 'REQUIEM MASS: St. Mary the Virgin, Bourne Street. 7th February 1990. | JONATHAN GRIFFIN'. 2pp, 8vo.

Both items in good condition, lightly aged, as is an enclosure to the second letter, a photocopy of Lowbury's pamphlet 'A Letter from Hampstead'. ONE: 24 September 1969. 2pp, 12mo. In envelope addressed to Fry at his East Dean home The Toft. He is grateful for Fry's letter praising his collection of poems 'Figures of Light'.

All three items in good condition, with both letters lightly-creased at the foot. ONE: TLS. Signed 'John Mortimer'. 11 November 1995. 1p, 8vo. He was delighted to receive Fry's letter and would 'like to visit a writing group with which you're connected. If I'm free on May 10th I'll come. I'm just waiting to hear about a trip to Florida – so do let the committee write to me. I'll know by then more clearly what I'm doing.' TWO: TLS. Signed 'John', with Mortimer deleting the typed word 'sincerely'. 1 March 1997. 1p, 8vo. He found it 'a delight' to hear Fry's 'lecture at the RSL'.

2pp, landscape 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Begins: 'Dear Christopher Fry, | I am sorry to contradict you, but I showed my co-editor, the poet Rodney Pybus, your poem “For Edmund Blunden”, and we both [last word underlined] feel it should be published, and that we would like to publish it. Please.' In the hope that Fry will agree, he asks him to 'sign and return an acceptance form and send us the biog. note you would like to print alongside the poem'. He continues: 'I do hope you'll agree.

A total of twenty-eight items of correspondence, comprising: nineteen Autograph Letters Signed (two on the backs of cards), two Typed Letters Signed, and seven Autograph Cards Signed. In good condition. All signed 'Mary', and the large part addressed to 'Christopher', with a few to 'Kit' and one to 'Dear Phyl [i.e. Fry's wife Phyllis], dear Christopher'. The correspondence indicates a deep affection and long-standing intimacy.

Unpaginated stapled pamphlet of 24pp, small 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with slight damage at head of spine. On the second page: 'The arrangement of this Programme has been the work of the Rev. Hugh Ross Williamson.' Programme for the day on front cover, including a talk by 'Mr Robert Speight: “Touring in Canada with Murder in the Cathedral”'. The final event, at 7pm in the Chapter House, is a performance entitled 'The Drama of our Festival years', and the text of this piece makes up 21pp of the pamphlet.

For the context of the letter see Pamela M. King's 2007 paper 'Twentieth-Century Medieval-Drama Revivals and the Universities', which states that at the time of the writing, there was in Canterbury 'to be a new play by Robert Gittings about St Alphege and the Danish invasion entitled Makers of Violence', and that at the Pilgrim Players in Norwich planned to put on, at the church of St Peter Mancroft, a production of Fry's 'Sleep of Prisoners'. 2pp, 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with a little light damp spotting. Folded once.

The two items from the papers of Sir Richard Harington of Ridlington, 12th Baronet, who features as 'R. Harrington [sic]' in the 'Progress Return'. The pamphlet is 6pp., 12mo. The front page is headed, with crown-and-anchor device, 'Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers. | London Brigade. | Head Quarters, | H.M.S. Frolic, off Somerset House, W.C | December, 1891.' Printed by Woodfall & Kinder, Printers, 70 to 76, Long Acre, London, W.C.' Aged and grubby. Folded into a packet and addressed, with postmarked Halfpenny Red stamp, to 'R.

4pp., folio. Paginated 1-4. Unbound bifolium. On aged and worn paper, with chipping to extremities and closed tears along folds. Docket title: 'The Yearly-Epistle, 1761.' Marginal subtitles include: 'Theh Salutation', 'State of the Meeting', 'Account of Sufferings', 'Account of fthe Prosperity of Truth' and 'The Conclusion'. Ends: 'Signed in and on Behalf of the Yearly-Meeting, | By William Fry, | Clerk to the Meeting this Year.' No copy in the British Library, and now scarce.

Document, typed, three pages, sm. fol., good condition. A "Mr. Benoist" of 36 Piccadilly (where he provided luxury food: CUISINE, CHARCUTERIE ET COMESTIBLES "FRANCAISES, on behalf of the proprietors of the Grafton Galleries, facilitates the letting of the Galleries to "Messrs Montague Morris and V. Fodor of 12 Talbot House St Martin's Lane". The document is signed by Benoist as Director of the Galleries, and by "Montague & Fodor". Clause as follows: 1. & 2. agreement that "picture and Fine Art Exhibitions" allowed from 20 Oct. 1908 to 25 Dec.1908; 3.

3pp., 12mo. On bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Docketed at head of first page. She begins by explaining that at her 'interview with Mr. Bell on the 8th. he suggested an alteration in an important sentence, giving me the alternative of taking the MS. home with me or of correcting the sentence in the proofs. At the time I thought the latter course would be the best, but it occurs to me that it would save expence if the correction was made now.' She asks Cazenove to 'ask Mr. O'Connor if he would kindly alter the words in accordance with the enclosed [not present]'.

Note: 1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly-aged, laid down on paper with traces of glue to one margin. In response to a request for an autograph it reads: 'Novr 10/69 | 21 Beauvoir St | Portland Place | London. W. | Dear Sir | I send this in accordance with your request to Mr Lacy.' | I am | Dear Sir | Yours | R. H. Holden Esqre'. Engraving: On 14 x 10.5 cm paper, laid down within border on 21 x 14 cm paper. Good: Photogravure 11 x 8 cm image cut from a magazine. Showing a bearded Horne in old age, with velvet writing cap.

Consisting of a manuscript transcription of a document allotting portions of the forest 'for the exclusive pasturage of the Commonable Cattle', and an accompanying coloured map or plan on cloth. The whole folded into a 34 x 12 cm. packet, within a covering leaf docketed: 'Dated 8th. July 1856 | Extract from Award of Commissioners under the Whittlewood Disafforesting Act of 1855 -'. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, but with the covering leaf heavily aged and discoloured. The transcription consists of 3pp., 4to, neatly written out on three stamped 41.5 x 34 cm.

12mo, 1 p. On first leaf of a bifolium. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. In reply to the recipient's note, by which he is 'much worried', Fry does not know that he can offer him 'any more than the few short notes <?> for us in "Men & Women of the Times". Little is known about Fry, apart from the fact that he was born in Van Diemen's Land, the son of the Church of England clergyman Henry Phibbs Fry (c.1807-1874).

Journalist (1855-1931), editor of Vanity Fair, 1889-1904. One page, quarto. Very good, if a little dusty. Docketed and bearing R.S.A. stamp. There is 'no apparent chance' of F. V. Brookes delivering his 'promised lecture' at the R.S.A. 'Of course I would be willing if necessary to read this paper for my old friend; but [...] I would very strongly urge that it would be better in every way to postpone this lecture for some time. Its subject is one that is peculiarly Mr. Brooks's own, and I think no one else would deal with it so well.' Signed 'Oliver A. Fry'.