IV

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On 11 x 7 cm panel cut from the cover of the envelope. In good condition, lightly aged, laid down on brown paper cut from album. The intial ‘C’ of the Duke’s name curls under the rest of the signature with a loop, and with end of flourish possibly trimmed in cutting the panel. (Comparison with other examples of the future king’s signature as Duke of Clarence indicate that whatever loss there may be would be minimal.) Laid out in the customary fashion. Reads: ‘Bushy. December twenty third 1827 / Mrs: Skelton / Sandridge Lodge / St: Alban’s / Street’.

See the entry on the Murray family in the Oxford DNB. In fair condition lightly aged and worn. Folded for postage, with short closed tears to the edges of central horizontal fold. Small biographical slip laid down at top left. Addressed to ‘Dear Colonel Fellows’ and signed ‘John Murray junr.’ Reads: ‘Our binders have done the best they can with your Volumes, short of rebinding, but as you know patching up leather bindings in a really satisfactory way is not easy. / However, I hope that you will be satisfied with the volumes which I am sending on to you today.’

See the entry for the ‘Sailor King’ in the Oxford DNB. On 12 x 7 cm piece of paper, cut from the cover of a frank. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with slight smudging and a small patch of light discoloration at centre (away from signature). Set out in customary fashion, and addressed by the future king (with the year cropped): ‘London. December fourth [...] / Dr: Carmichael Smith / M. D. / Upper [?] / Near Staines / Middlesex’. Firm signature at bottom left, with slight smudging to loops of the initial ‘C’: ‘Clarence’. See Image.

See Taylor’s entry, and that of Princess Sophia’s brother William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh (1776-1834), in the Oxford DNB. Bagshot Park was the residence of her brother the duke (Silly Billy’), to whom she was very much attached. The siblings were not entirely accepted by the Royal Family due to the unequal nature of their parents’ marriage. 3pp, 12mo. On bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded for postage. Taylor, who is not named but is clearly the recipient, has marked the letter as ‘Private’. Good firm signature ‘Sophia Matilda’.

2pp, foolscap 8vo. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to one edge. Folded twice. Large heavily-smudged signature of the king ('George R.') at head of first page, which has the royal seal under paper in the left-hand margin. Signed at end of document ('By His Majesty's Command') by the Home Secretary and future Prime Minister: 'R Peel'.

This document, signed by George IV as Prince Regent, and by the former Prime Minister Lord Sidmouth as Home Secretary, relates to Matthias Maher (1798-1865), a Royal Navy officer who was twice tried at the Old Bailey on a charge of forgery. On the first occasion, 6 May 1818, he was found not guilty by reason of insanity; and removed to the criminal asylum in St George's Fields. Maher was found sound of mind – as the present document reveals by Sir George Leman Tuthill (1772–1835) and Edward Wright (c.1788-1859), the latter to die of disgrace in Australia.

See his entry, and hers, in the Oxford DNB. From the papers of her relation Lady Theresa Lewis. 2pp, 8vo. On the first leaf of a bifolium, the recto of the second leaf being addressed by him to ‘Countess of Jersey / &c &c &c’. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded for postage. Written in high eighteenth-century style.

See Bloomfield’s entry, and that of Norton, in the Oxford DNB. The fragment of the letter bearing his signature is 5 cm x 4.5 cm. It is dated at one corner ‘1845’, and reads ‘R. Bgham / Bloomfield’. It is laid down on one side of a 4to leaf extracted from an album and paginated 58.

An interesting collection of eleven items from the reign of George IV, giving a view of administration of immigration in London (and one item from Manchester, Number Six below). The Alien Office was created as a department of the Home Office to implement the Aliens Act 1793, which attempted to control the influx of foreign visitors and refugees caused by the turmoil in France. It ceased to exist following the Registration of Aliens Act 1836. created to control the influx of French refugees and suspected revolutionaries.

The daughter of the fifth Duke of Argyll, Lady Charlotte bore eleven children to her two husbands, and was forced to write novels by her first husband’s death and second husband’s profligacy. See her entry in the Oxford DNB. 4pp, 16mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Neatly attached by a paper hinge to part of a leaf from an album. Begins: ‘Lady Charlotte Bury presents her Compts to Sir William Hamilton, & takes the liberty of soliciting for the honor & favor of his name, as a subscriber to a work by Lady Charlotte of which the enclosed Prospectus gives every particular.

A nice piece of London ephemera, the subject being Rotten Row, which runs along the south side of Hyde Park. 2pp, 4to. On wove paper with watermark ‘J WILMOT / 1823’. Forty-one lines of text. Having been torn in two vertically (presumably by the irate recipient) the item has been repaired in an unusual way: with the two pieces sewn back together from top to bottom. Otherwise in fair condition, lightly aged and creased, with slight loss to one edge from breaking of seal or wafer. Folded for postage.

The first item is fairly witty, while the second exhibits the sort of ‘excruciating puns’ for which Jekyll is, according to his entry in the Oxford DNB, largely remembered. See also Agar-Ellis’s entry in the same work. The two items are in good condition, lightly aged. ONE: Letter of ‘Sunday Morning’ to ‘Dear Ellis’. 2pp, 12mo. Signed ‘Joseph Jekyll’. Folded twice. Minuted by recipient at head of first page: ‘May 1825 / Jekyll’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. From 1821 to the end of his life Barnard served as a courtier, notably as Equerry to King George IV, and it would appear that the present item is written in response to an enquiry made to the recipient of the letter regarding paintings in the royal collection. He writes from Camford House, where Queen Adelaide, widow of William IV, had taken up residence. 4pp, 12mo. On bifolium with thin mourning border. In fair condition, on aged paper. Folded twice.

1p, 4to. Bifolium endorsed on reverse of second leaf: 'Ansd. 30th. | Transfg. an Address of Condolence from the County of Fife'. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. The subject of the address is the Prince Regent's mother Queen Charlotte (1744-1818), and is addressed to him rather than her husband George III as the king is incapacitated. Morton served as Queen Charlotte's Chamberlain between 1792 and her death in 1818.

1p, 4to. In fair condition, aged and creased, on thin Whatman wove paper, with wear to edges. Reads: 'I was acquainted, for some years, with Mr. Horatio Goodday, while he was residing as a pupil, with my friend Mr. Fincham, of Spring-Gardens, [i.e. the surgeon George Fincham] and had many opportunities of observing his excellent moral qualities and professional acquirements. Mr. Fincham has always expressed himself as highly pleased with the excellent conduct of his pupil.'

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to the blank reverse of the second leaf. Tipped-in below the signature is the letter's envelope, addressed, with postmarks, to 'Mrs Hewitt | Wrenbury Hall | Nantwich', amended to 'Chislehurst | Kent'. He begins by explaining that he has 'been for the last few weeks on the continent, & in consequence of the gross neglect of the Geneva post office' her letter has only just reached him. He is sorry that he should have been 'made to appear so negligent'.

1p, 4to. On grey paper. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to reverse. Folded three times. A typical prescription, in Latin, beneath the heading 'Miss Smedley. April [last word deleted] May 1 1845'. The prescription begins with the usual 'Rx'; the last of the fourteen lines that follow ending with Brodie's signature ('B C Brodie').

2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to reverse. The recipient is not identified. Reads: 'My Dear Sir | I hope that I shall not put you to inconvenience by making my visit to your patient today as late as half past five o clock. A particular circumstance has occurred which will prevent my being in your part of the town at the time originally proposed.'

1p, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to the second leaf, which has been cut down the middle vertically, resulting in loss to one of the two postmarks, as well as to Gooch's addressing of the letter: '[...]ent Esqre | […] Webb Street | […] Borough –'.

4pp, 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to reverse of second leaf, which is addressed by Wadd, with his seal in red wax (the breaking of which has caused slight loss to a couple of words), to 'Henry Dewey Esqr | Surgeon | King Street | Yarmouth | Norfolk'. The recipient is in fact the surgeon Henry William Robert Davey (1798-1870) of Yarmouth, son of surgeon Henry Sallows Davey (1781-1855) of Beccles. An interesting letter, casting light on print and autograph collecting in Georgian London.

1p, 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with a few small holes, and thin strip of paper from mount adhering to the blank reverse. Reads: 'The Assignees of Mr George Underwood will please deliver up to Messrs Renshaw & Reid all the Copies of my “State of Lunatic Asylums” also all copies of my “Letter to Lord Robert Seymour” as also Any Copies of “Letters from Germany & Holland” or any other of my works that may remain or be found among the stock of the said George Underwood as the whole are my individual Property - | Andrew Halliday | Hampton Court | 31 August 1831'.

7pp, 4to. Containing 112 lines of text on two bifoliums. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded three times. Headed 'Private', and with the heading, date and place written by Halliday at a different time from the rest of the text. A long and impassioned letter, in which Halliday offers to become inspector of 'all the public and Private Asylums in England and Wales', at a payment of no more than £150 a year in expenses.

On one side of a 29 x 39 cm piece of vellum. In fair condition, with the usual discoloration found in vellum. A printed document, completed in manuscript, with a good example of George IV's signature as Prince Regent ('George P R') at top left. The royal seal has been removed from the space beneath the Prince Regent's signature. The signature of the Home Secretary ('Sidmouth') is at bottom right, somewhat faded. The document is a warrant appointing 'George Philips Esqr. Captain in the York Chasseurs', 'Commanded by Our Trusty and Welbeloved Major General Hugh Mackay Gordon'.

William IV ceased to be styled the Duke of Clarence on his accession to the throne in 1830. For 'the family of Griffinhoofe, Saffron Walden', see Charles K. Probert's piece in Notes and Queries, 14 November 1874, which states that 'The first of the family who came to this country was a Mr. Griffinhoofe, who, as Court Apothecary, accompanied George I. from Hanover.' The family clearly continued their connection with royalty, as the author of this document W. J.

The recipient Roger Wilbraham (1743-1829) was a Member of Parliament, Fellow of the Royal Society, antiquary, dilettante and member of the bibliophile Roxburghe Club. 1p, 4to. On bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to the blank second leaf. Folded three times. The letter begins: 'Very dear Sir, | If I do not err in recollection I have to reproach myself with not having sent you my little encomium on the Character of Your old Friend Mr.

Regarding the recipient of this letter see Dorothy Bentley Smith, 'No Ordinary Surgeon: The Life and Times of William Binley Dickinson' (2017). 1p, 4to. On bifolium. In good condition, with minor loss to edge of second leaf through breaking of seal. Addressed on reverse of second leaf, with postmark, to '- Dickenson Esq | Surgeon | Macclesfield'. Cooper begins by thanking Dickenson for his 'very kind present of a Brace of Grouse received this morning – I beg yourself & Mrs Dickenson to believe that I feel grateful for your recollection of me'.

1p, 4to. On bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded three times. The letter reads: 'My dear Duke | I have much gratification in acquainting Your Grace that I have placed Mr Edward Gage in my Regiment, and I am sure You will believe that it affords me great satisfaction to have had so early an opportunity of meeting Your Wishes It will be necessary for him to lodge the purchase money at Messrs.

2pp, folio. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded twice. Excellent bold signature by the king ('George R.') in the customary position at the head of the first page. Signed at the end of the document by three of the six Lords Commissioners of the Treasury: 'B Paget | G C H Somerset | E A McNaghten'. Embossed tax stamp in left-hand margin of first page, together with remains of red wafer.

2pp, folio. On a single leaf. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to inner edge of first page. Folded twice. Good firm signature of the king ('George R.') at top left of first page, which has a thin mourning border. Left hand margin of first page with embossed £1 10s tax stamp. Written out ('By His Majesty's Command') in a secretarial hand, and addressed 'To The Husband for taking up all Goods consigned from Barbadoes and the Leeward Islands on Account of the Duties of Four Pounds and one Half Pounds per Centum'.

1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'Dear Sir Henry | The King desires to see You at Carlton House to morrow Morning at eleven oclock - punctually. | Yours affect | W Knighton'. Knighton was instrumental in clearing the king's enormous debts in three years from 1822. Such was his influence that letters from the King to Knighton were addressed to 'M[y] D[ear] F[riend]'. From the distinguished autograph collection of the psychiatrist Richard Alfred Hunter (1923-1981), whose collection of 7000 works relating to psychiatry is now in Cambridge University Library.