MANUSCRIPT

1p., 4to. Addressed on reverse, with red wax seal, to 'C. W. Dilke Esq:'. Hayward writes that he is enclosing a note (not present), which was sent to him 'in one to me received only today though apparently written on Wednesday last. A d - d foreigner kept it in his pocket in the interim.' Clearly referring to a fee for an article, he continues: 'The lady will be quite satisfied with what you name, but I suppose it may stand over till she does something else'.

The collection is of great interest, providing a mass of information regarding the Victorian building trade. The owner of the volume, W. H. Dudley, would appear to be a War Office official, and, as described at the end of this entry, it contains manuscript details of two contracts. The ten printed schedules - totalling [34 + 17 + 14 + 10 + 12 + 13 + 12 + 10 + 16 + 11 =] 149 pp., folio - are uniform in design and format, bound together in a contemporary half-binding, with brown leather spine and corners, and marbled boards. All ten are in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, in worn binding.

The 'Ape' cartoon: 21.5 x 32.5 cm. In good condition, on aged paper, with a neat horizontal fold 4 cm up from the bottom. Hayward's autograph note: 1p., 32mo. In good condition, on aged paper. It reads: 'Mr Heywood presents his compliments to Viscountess Combermere and has much pleasure in accepting her invitation to luncheon on Wednesday 21 June. | 8 St. James St | June 9'.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Tipped in onto a leaf removed from an album. Holderness's predecessor Sir Richmond Ritchie (1854-1912) had died ten days before the writing of the letter, as a result, according to the Oxford DNB, of the undermining of his health by 'unremitting hard work [...] over several years'. Holderness begins the letter: 'It is very good of you to congratulate me on succeeding to poor Ritchie's responsibilities.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'My dear Sir'. England and Ireland are not named in the letter, but subject of the letter is clear from the context. He has read 'with very great pleasure' the pamphlet which the recipient sent him. 'You are correct in surmising that for the present at least I take no part in the political question of the day - but my views show no change'.

The collection, deriving from the Ewart family papers, is in good condition, on aged paper, with fraying to the extremities of the report. Sir John Spencer Ewart, son of General Sir John Alexander Ewart, Colonel of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, entered Sandhurst in 1880, and left the following year, with the sword of honour, to join the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. (For more information about Ewart and his father, who also obtained 'special distinction' at Sandhurst, see their entries in the Oxford DNB.) ONE. Manuscript 'Report'.

1p., 4to. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. Granville explains that 'Edmonds' (the economist Thomas Rowe Edmonds (1803-1889)?) asked him before the House of Commons Committee about giving Ricardo 'the evidence - the Committee saw it was quite irregular', but if Ricardo 'can manage to call on me at the Bd. of Trade tomorrow (Saturday) at about 12 o clock, I will show you what you want'. Postscript reads: 'Pray come at all events on Monday at one to the Committee'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Of great interest, as giving the informal position of the British Home Secretary on what was at the time the most important problem facing him. Granville would only last as Foreign Secretary for a week after writing this letter, as Russell's Liberal Government would fall on 27 February. Ironically, his elevation to the post of Foreign Secretary the previous Boxing Day had been due to Russell forcing Palmerston's resignation over his unauthorized recognition of Louis Napoléon's coup d'état. The letter is addressed to 'My dear Baron'.

On a piece of thick paper, 36.5 x 38 cm. In fair condition, on aged and spotted and dusty paper, flattened out after being tightly furled, with one short closed tear in margin repaired with archival tape. The field plan is delicately drawn in ink to a 'Scale of four inches to one mile', and coloured in green, blue, grey and red.

Both Sylvester's letter and the copy of the letter by Starmer to which it is replying are in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, each with punch holes to one margin. Starmer, who at the time of writiing was proprietor of a large group of newspapers, had begun his career on the 'Northern Echo'; he had for many years been a Liberal member of parliament, standing down in 1931 due to ill health. Cober Hill Guest House was at that time an early experiment in what would become the children's home or retreat. For clarity's sake this description begins with the copy of Starmer's letter: 1p., 4to.

In 1826 Lieut-Col. Alexander Mackenzie, eldest son of Colonel Robert Mackenzie of Milnmount, assumed the dormant baronetcies of Tarbat and Royston [ALEXANDERMACKENZIE OF ROYSTON CROMARTY TARBET GRANDVILLE.], despite their having been forfeited under attainder in 1763. On his death without issue in 1841 his only brother Sir James Sutherland Mackenzie also assumed the titles. He died unmarried and insane on the 24 November 1858. The claim to which the present documents relate does not appear to have been pursued, and the baronetcies have remained dormant.

1p., 4to. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, laid down on the remains of a leaf of grey paper from an album. Sprague has only just received his recipient's letter, 'with its invaluable accompaniment', presuming that it was detained at New York for more than two months. He will send a proper letter in a fortnight; in the meantime he writes 'to introduce to you my worthy and much respected friend Mr Solomon Stoddard of Northampton, a direct descendant of the venerable divine whose name he bears [i.e.

A notable man by any measure, Walters is a puzzling omission from the Oxford DNB. For many years a central figure in the literary life of the north-west of England, he was an authority on Shakespeare (his extensive papers on whom are now in the Folger), Tennyson and Dickens. Walters was the author of 'about 20 books and [...] 250 lectures', and an 'actual or corresponding member of close upon fifty' literary societies, in addition to his professional work as editor of the Manchester City News (for twenty-five years), and the Manchester Evening Chronicle.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. On wove paper watermarked 'R TASSELL | 1831'. 56 lines, arranged in seven eight-line stanzas. Presentable, despite wear and age, closed tears along crease lines, and traces of yellow-paper mount on blank reverse of second leaf. There is no sign that this item was ever published, which is surprising, as it is a superior effort, written with some conviction, the subject being one on which Hollings was regarded as an authority.

A significant item, written, as his biographer Roy Abrahams explains, by a man who was 'almost single-handedly responsible for keeping academic social anthropology, and one might add the place of African research within it, alive in the small Archaeology and Anthropology Department in Cambridge in those otherwise rather barren days of the 1930s'. 45pp., 12mo. In a ruled, stitched notebook without cover. Written in pencil on stained and aged paper. Some of the text is faded.

Engrossed on both sides of a long strip of vellum, 18.5 x 76 cm. Written in a neat clerk's hand. The vellum is worn, with slight damage at the head, and some passages, particularly at the start, are illegible. The heading appears to be 'Court Leet Charge', and the sub-heading 'Charge in the Court Baron' appears twice. The text is strongly reminiscent to the relevant sections in Giles Jacob's 'Complete Court-Keeper, or, Land-Steward's Assistant'.

All three are air mail letter cards. Each with 'Field Post Office' postmark and censor's stamp. The three in fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Letter One: To his father, 17 March [1944]. Addressed to 'My dear Father', with the envelope addressed to 'Sir E. de la Rue Bart. | The Sol | Cookham | Berkshire | England.' 1p, 4to, and 1p., 12mo. A light-hearted letter, in which he jokes about his father's inability to read the word 'Aviv' ('I suppose a series of "i"s and "v"s is rather difficult even if printed') and find the place on the map ('it is much larger than Bournemouth').

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. On aged and lightly-creased paper, with one stain in margin. This offprint is scarce: the only copies on COPAC at the National Library of Scotland and St Andrews.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. With mourning border. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. At the time of writing the biography of the Liberal politician Hugh Culling Eardley Childers (1827-1896) by his son Col. Edmund Spencer Eardley Childers (1854-1919) had just been published, and Welby begins by thanking the Colonel for the gift of the book.

The signature, cut from a letter is on a strip of paper roughly 1.5 x 10 cm, laid down on a piece of paper, 7 x 11.5 cm. Lindpaintner's signature ('Js. Lindpaintner') is bold and florid; a small part at the head has been trimmed away in cutting the strip. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with one pinhole at head of mount, and traces of grey paper on reverse. The mount is neatly captioned 'Autograph of Lindpaintner, composer of "The Standard Bearer" | &c. &c. &c. | Recd. from Wessel & Co - 1859'.

While only a rough pencil sketch, the drawing is an attractive one, landscape on a piece of wove paper, 20 x 25 cm, with 'JESSUPS' watermark. In good condition, on lightly-aged and creased paper, folded into a packet for postage, with remains of red wafer. Beneath the drawing, in ink in a shaky contemporary hand: 'Lawn view from the backs of Mount Vernon | This is from the Orange Tree planted by himself.' The reverse carries the following note: 'I made the enclosed rough sketch of Mount Vernon the residence of Genl.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. 28 lines of text. In fair condition: aged and a little ruckled. Docketed 'The Woodcutters' (a theme around which Linnell produced several paintings). Linnell writes that he has just received Lawrie's 'half note for £5 - and will not fail to attend to your wishes about The Verification'. He explains that he usually requires, in addition to the fee, 'an assurance that I shall not be called upon personally to give evidence respecting the work said to be mine.

1p., 4to. In poor condition, on aged, stained paper, with wear and loss to corners. Boldly signed 'James Bennett'. According to his entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Bennett lived in Rotherham, 'where he was tutor in the college and pastor of the church at Masborough', between 1813 and 1828. He is delighted that the recipient is 'devising means for the revival of religion' in his town: 'It is, however, not in my power to be with you.' Nevertheless he hopes he will 'persevere & obtain effectual help'.

W1, Some Customs and Institutions of the Inhabitants of Mayfair:An unpublished 1930s parody of an anthropological study, with satirical force, of London's wealthiest district, by J. H. Driberg, Lecturer in Anthropology at Cambridge University.Unpublished manuscript parody by Jack Herbert Driberg (1888-1946), Lecturer in Anthropology, Cambridge University, 1934-42, author of several mainly anthropological works; and brother of the Labour MP and gossip columnist 'William Hickey' Tom Driberg (1905-1976), written under the pseudonym of Ludwig H.

2pp., landscape 12mo. Addressed to 'Dear Furniss'. He is glad to hear of Furniss's success: 'Your tour ends after the last dinner but one of the year. No dinner Xmas week! awful that isn't it? When all are feasting no dinner for the Punch boys!!' He hopes Furniss will be 'here with us'. Had Furniss been 'on the spot' Burnand would have got him 'to substitute something for your John Bull picture in almanack which no one (I do not speak of "The Table" but of our best friends outside) comprehends.

2pp., folio. In fair condition, on aged and lightly creased and chipped paper. The whole of the first page is filled in the same hand in two columns, with the first column beginning '4 Cops, 1 Peck, or "Sleek"; i.e. a sleekit peck - not a heaped one, as with potatoes or apples. | 4 pecks make 3 Imperial or Winchester bushels. | 1 Carlisle Bushel is 4. pks. 1 or 3 imp. Bushels.' The right-hand column begins: '1. Imp. Bush. of Barley weighs 56 lbs. The common sized cart will hold 24 pks. (or sleeks): or 18 Imp.

On one side of piece of paper trimmed down to roughly 15 x 18 cm. On aged paper, with wear and loss to corners and extremities caused by removal from a mount. He writes: 'Sir, | I should feel extremely obliged if you cou'd take out of the Post Office two Letters, directed to me at Oxford, as I unexpectedly arrived today in town - | I remain | Sir | Sincly. Yrs. | [signed] Dungannon | 7. Hertford St | 4th. Decbr. 1827'. The signature is complete, but being placed in a corner, is close to an area of wear. Docketed on the reverse in an unknown hand: 'recd.

1p., 12mo. 8 lines. On aged paper with a small hole (not affecting text) and pin marks. He thanks him for his 'kind thought' in sending 'the Danish Images', adding: 'I assure you the present was a very welcome one to me.'

Book: [xii] + 95 pp., 8vo. In fair condition, in original green cloth and worn yellow dustwrapper. Inscribed on front free endpaper: 'For Tom Driberg | With Good Wishes | Robin Skelton | May 1960'. With review slip, on the reverse of which Driberg has written: 'Blake | Graves | Frost | Plomer'. Skelton's Letter: 2pp., 12mo. 20 lines. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Regarding the book he writes that he has 'added a note to the preface to the 2 Ballads of the Muse', which he hopes 'doesn't too much spoil the layout'. He thanks Driberg for his interest in his work.

2pp., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper. A very funny letter, written in the style that became known as 'birrelling'. He begins: 'Dear Sir. | I admire the enthusiasm which from the depths of an Office bearing the historically-ominous title of "Ministry of Food", & lodged in a once ducal mansion, can dictate (in type) so spirited a letter as your's [sic] of the 27th. ult. I wish I could believe in your vision of Three hundred Boys shouting Come - to an (almost) Septuagenarian Lecturer. It is of course all nonsense.