NINETEENTH-CENTURY

Gertrude Ward trained under Florence Nightingale at St Thomas’s Hospital in London (see below), after which she became a district nurse, and then sister at the Medical Mission, Zanzibar. She was appointed to the position of Matron at Eton in 1901. 2pp, 12mo. Bifolium, folded twice. In good condition. Nineteen lines of text. Signed ‘Gertrude Ward.’ She confirms the day of an appointment, but wishes to change the hour, as ‘unfortunately another UMCA Candidate has arranged to come at 3.30 on that day’.

The company, founded in 1887, operated a broad gauge railway network in the Argentine provinces of San Luis, San Juan and Mendoza, and was taken over on a lease by the Buenos Aires and Pacific Railway in 1907. It features in three studies: Colin M. Lewis, 'British Railways in Argentina 1857-1914: A Case Study of Foreign Investment' (1983); H. R. Stones, 'British Railways in Argentina 1860-1948' (1993); and Winthrop R. Wright, 'British-Owned Railways in Argentina – Their Effect on Economic Nationalism, 1854-1948' (1974).

Small octavo. 124 pages. Four illustrations (pages, 9, 11, 76 and 100), including one of kangaroos and another of 'King Okalia with suite'. Good, in worn late 19th/early 20th century binding. Front wrap (with illustration of aborigine throwing spear) bound in. Bookplate of Gunnar von Heideken, and neat initials of 'F. V. Hen' at head of wrap. Apparently an account of a stay in the area of Adelaide. Includes glosses in Swedish of such words as boomerangs, bushrangers, waddies, piccaniny and swag. Intriguing (to non-Swedish speakers) mention of Lord Byron and Dick Turpin.

American physician and explorer of Africa (1866-1939). The recipient was Assistant Secretary at the Natural History Museum, London. One page, 12mo. Good, on slightly discoloured paper, and with remains of stub still neatly attached to one edge. A significant letter, sent on the eve of Donaldson Smith's most notable expedition. 'Just a line in haste to tell you I & Dodson [a taxidermist engaged for the expedition] are ready to start for Rudolph Gillitt [another taxidermist] having left for England after hearing of his father's death.

American physician and explorer of Africa (1866-1939). The recipient (1830-1914) was Keeper of the Zoological Department at the British Museum, 1875-95, and Vice-President of the Royal Society, 1875-6. Two pages, 12mo. Very good, on slightly discoloured paper with a little light spotting. Traces of previous mount adhering to one edge. He is sending some 'spirit-specimens' from his collection and has written to Sir William Flower 'as to the disposition of the entire collection'.

American physician and explorer of Africa (1866-1939). The recipient was Assistant Secretary at the Natural History Museum, London. One page, 12mo. Good, on slightly discoloured paper, and with remains of stub still neatly attached to one edge. A significant letter, sent on the eve of Donaldson Smith's most notable expedition. 'Just a line in haste to tell you I & Dodson [a taxidermist engaged for the expedition] are ready to start for Rudolph Gillitt [another taxidermist] having left for England after hearing of his father's death.

Full title: 'The Revised School Law, Part II. Official Regulations and nearly two hundred Decisions of the Supreme Courts, relating to school matters affecting Township, County, City, Town and Incorporated Village Municipal Councils; School Section Boundaries; City, Town and Village Public School Boards; Arbitrations and Awards; Public School Inspectors; Boards of Examiners; Also, the Acts relating to Roman Catholic, Protestant and Coloured Separate Schools. With a copious analytical Index to Parts I. and II.' viii + 171pp. (paginated 111-281).

4pp., 16mo. Bifolium. 57 lines of closely-written text. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. She begins by exclaiming 'I have been so very sorry for you!', before urging her correspondent to 'keep quarantine'. 'But about Isabel? [...] I would gladly take her to stay here as I have done beforetime - but there are some impediments - we must have complete separation between our house & yours - Mr Harris's dread is indescribable - he lost his wife & (I think) two sisters with scarlet fever. I think they wd.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with short closed tear at head of second leaf. She begins: 'I was so disturbed and disappointed when I came in on Tuesday to find I had missed you. And I believe you had been kind enough to call when we ought to be, and almost invariably are in - after 4.

3pp., 12mo. With mourning border. In fair condition, on aged and lightly-creased paper. The lower part of the second leaf has been cut away, not affecting the text. He begins by stating that he has received the recipient's 'last telegram announcing that you had postponed till to morrow your visit to London'. He has in turn telegraphed 'Mr. Benzon to propose to him to come to the Charing Cross Hotel at 11 or 12. In that case I would offer to yourself & Mr. Benson [sic] a breakfast at the Hotel'.

An evocative collection of photographs, in which, unusually, a Victorian servant has been allowed to make a record of his masters, their country house, and household. The 53 photographs are laid down on 17 leaves of a contemporary stitched 4to album. In fair condition, lightly-aged, and with the brown marbled wraps of the album detached and separated from one another. Three of the photographs are lacking from the album.

On one side of a piece of 15.5 x 11 cm laid paper. In fair condition, on lightly-aged and creased paper. The list gives the weights of nine items (Saddle; Horse Shoes & Nails; Velisse; Sword & Belts; Carbine; Ammunition 20 rounds; Cloak; Sheep Skin & Shabracque; Wallets), ranging in weight from 27 lbs to 4 1/2 lbs, and totalling 7 st 3 lbs. Apparently very scarce. No record found.

Three pages, 12mo. Good only: some staining but text clear and complete. He's been away and so has only just received his correspondent's letter. He continues: "It is impossible for me to give you any information as to the probable amount of the Expence of presenting your claim to the Earldom of Huntingdon before the House of Lords. As however the pedigree is a very long one & the attendance of many witnesses with the original parish Registers will be necessary I apprehend that it must be very considerable.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. In original stamped and postmarked envelope, addressed by Smiles. The 'last photographic likeness' of Smiles 'was taken by Mr S. A. Walker, 230 Regent Street W'. Smiles has 'no doubt' that Walker will let Bacon 'have a copy' (i.e. Bacon will not be getting a free copy from Smiles). Smiles's book 'Physical Education' was 'published by me no less than 44 years ago. It had a small sale, and is now quite out of print. Though pretty good at the time, there are now far better works on the subject.'

4 pp, 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The unnamed recipient appears to have been named as executor in a prvevious will of Sir Henry Bishop. Opens in dramatic style: 'I was very greatly surprised to receive a letter from you this morning, dated from Brighton, as my poor Brother, Sir Henry Bishop, had not the slightest idea that you were still an inhabitant of this world, having heard of your death some time since, in consequence of which, he made another will similar to the one in your possession, but changing the executors'.

On both sides of a piece of paper 25.5 x 41 cm. 44 lines. Fair, on aged paper. The upper part of the first page laid down on card, resulting in loss of text. Begins 'I am of opinion that no partnership was created between Mr. H. D. Kingdon & Mr. Newman by the Indenture of 1838 sufficient to bar the former on an action upon that deed.' The document dates from the year in which Cockburn took silk. H. D. Kingdon was author of 'The Old English Mastiff' (London, 1873).

Folio, 65 pp. In a number of hands. Clear and complete. Heavily aged, in worn binding with front board and flyleaf detached. Many of the leaves are blindstamped at the head with the royal crest. With stamps of the Public Record Office Library, and withdrawal stamp from 'TNA Library' (The National Archives Library) dated 28 July 2007. At head of flyleaf: 'This volume is a manuscript copy of C 1 3 on the search room shelves'. A finding aid, numerating the census returns for the districts of the various counties from Bedford to Yorkshire, Wales, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man.

The prospectus is folio, 3 pp, in a bifolium. Loosely inserted is a folio leaf, with the testimonials printed on one side, and a quarto leaf with four engraved illustrations: two of wheels under carriages, and two showing details of the springs on those wheels. The three items are on aged paper, with the illustrated leaf in good condition, and the other two items with chipping and closed tears. The texts and illustrations of all three items are clear and complete, apart from some loss to a footnote to the testimonials, caused by the page being printed too low on the leaf..

16mo, 4 pp. Bifolium. Text clear and complete. On aged and creased paper, lightly discoloured. A typographical curiosity, and interesting social document, the background to which is not easily discoverable. Three columns to a page, with the text divided into short sections including Marriages, Deaths, Shipping and Railways. The first section, 'BIRTHS', reads 'Jan. 1, at the residence of the Proprietor, The First Number of the Cosaque Times. Friends will please accept this intimation.' Spoof advertisements.

One page, 12mo, edge trimmed with minor loss of text. She is working too hard to find time for "social duties or politenesses" She will be at a certain place the following day. She has a cold "who has not?") abnd asks whether he will be in his "place" the following day.

12mo, 3 pp. Bifolium with mourning border. Fair, on aged paper, with one dog-eared corner. Is concerned that, considering the labour and cost of Holden's 'very handsome volume on the Bones' (presumably his 'Human Osteology', 1855), he should have 'deemed it necessary' to present him with a copy. He cherishes Holden's friendship, and hopes he will be 'richly rewarded for all you have bestowed on the work'.

8vo, 2 pp. On first leaf of a bifolium, with the second leaf blank. Paginated [37]-38. Headed with the royal crest and words 'ANNO VICESIMO SECUNDO & VICESIMO TERIO VICTORIAE REGINAE.' and 'CAP. X.'

8vo, 9 pp. Disbound. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Headed with the royal crest. The last seven pages carry the 'Schedule'. The British legislature had refused to ratify the 1872 Dominion of Canada bill that enshrined a fixed-royalty principle for Canadian publishers to re-print British copyrighted works. This act only allowed Canadian republishing of books that had gone out of print.

8vo, 3 pp. Paginated [1233] to 1235. Disbound bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with small hole in gutter. Headed with the royal crest and 'ANNO DECIMO SEPTIMO & DECIMO OCTAVO VICTORIAE REGINAE.' and 'CAP. CXVIII.]

From Bushell's own collection, and possibly in his hand. On both sides of a piece of light-blue paper, 27 x 22 cm. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, with four labels from previous mounting (one with small closed tear) on the reverse. A delightful item, casting light on the social history of Victorian Cambridge. Thirty-six lines in couplets. Written from the point of view of Bushell's 'gyp' (college servant). Begins 'Oh! listen to me now all ye who give anyone the slip.

English astronomer (1819-92) whose mathematical prediction of the existence of Neptune anticipated Le Verrier's discovery of that planet. Octavo. Unbound. Ten leaves and one blank. Paginated [35]-53. Very good. Five pages of text (35-9), four tables (pp.40-3) and a set of 'Tables containing the corrections to be applied to the values of the moon's equatorial horizontal parallax given in the nautical almanacs 1840-1855, in order to make them agree with those calculated from Mr. Adams' tables.' (pp.46-53). One small closed tear to antepenultimate leaf.

4to, 8 pp. Stitched pamphlet on grey paper. Text clear and complete. Good, though somewhat creased, and a little stained. In small type. Divided into two sections: 'Selections from the opinions of the London press' and 'Selections from the opinions of the provincial press'. In a long quotation on the front page: 'Charles Dickens made the practice famous, and Mr. Joseph Hatton has begun his platform career in the same modest, careful, and unpretentious way [...]'. (p.1, 'From General Press Notices').

Dimensions of leaf roughly seven and a half inches by ten. Good, though grubby and with archival repair to verso. That the piece is a spoof is indicated by the printers slug, in the bottom right-hand corner: '[Spottisnotwood & Co, Printers, London.', the reference being to the leading London printers Spottiswoode & Co.

Three pages. On aged, ruckled paper, with traces of mount adhering to damaged second leaf of bifolium. Text entirely legible. He has 'selected autograph letters from some of my scientific friends, and from a distinguished philosopher and mathematician General Poncelet, and the other from an eminent Military Engineer Genl Morin at the head of the "Conservation des Art et Metiers".' He also sends 'notes from Lord Stanley, Sir D. Brewster, Dr. Robinson the Astronomer of Armagh, and my excellent friend Mr Hopkins the Geologist and Mathematician of Cambridge'.

Scottish essayist (1810-82). Two pages, 12mo. With mourning border. Good, but on discoloured paper, and with some glue staining to blank second leaf of bifoliate. Concerns the work for which Brown is remembered, 'Rab and his friends' (1859). If he is ever at Crewe he will 'certainly avail myself of Mrs. Blunt's & your very gratifying invitation. His wife is 'more delighted, I think, with your letter about "Rab" than by any other - & she has kept it - being like all good wives greedy of her husband's praise.' Signed 'J. Brown'.