NORTH

Something akin to a CV in a neat contemporary hand (perhaps Ord’s own, in pursuit of preferment or a pension?). A useful summary of Ord’s career features in ‘Commissary Wilson’s Orderly Book. Expedition of the British and Provincial Army, under Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Amherst, against Ticonderoga and Crown Point. 1759.’ (New York, 1857): ‘THOMAS ORD was appointed Captain in the Royal Artillery on 1st March, 1746. He was an excellent Officer, and stood high in the Duke of Cumberland’s esteem, by whom he was selected to Command the Artillery in Braddock’s Expedition.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB, which states that he lived in Gloucester Place from 1825. The recipient is the novelist Thomas Henry Lister (1800-1842), and the item is from the papers of his wife, Lady Theresa Lewis (1803-1865): both also have ODNB entries. The three letters are in good condition; each 2pp, 12mo, and on the first leaf of a bifolium, and all lightly aged and folded for postage, with slight damage from mount to the second leaves of each (all carrying the address in Wilson’s hand). All three with Wilson’s sprawling signature ‘John Wilson’.

An interesting indicator of the economic impact of the continental blockade in the year of the Battle of Trafalgar. Roger Knight provides an excellent overview of the background to the present document in his ‘Convoys: The British Struggle against Napoleonic Europe and America’ (2022), and in particular the fifth chapter, which deals with North Sea Convoys between 1804 and 1812.

A highly-interesting correspondence of some historical significance, in which North tells ‘the whole story’ as he sees it of his controversial wartime dismissal, to one of his leading supporters in the attempt to clear his name. A marked antipathy to Churchill is shown on both sides, with added attacks by Elibank on Earl Mountbatten and Montgomery of Alamein.

A valuable artefact of the American War of Independence: a leaf from a British War or Colonial Office ledger detailing payments to officials in General Leslie’s administration in Carolina in 1782.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. On recto of first leaf of bifolium. Addressed on reverse of second leaf: ‘123456 / [T. W. Naellz?] Esqr / Ambleside’. Aged and worn, with closed tears along folds, and damage to second leaf from breaking of seal. Reads: ‘Dear Sir / If you can send me Madame Cottin’s romance about Saladin you will much oblige me. / Yours truly / John Wilson’. Good large signature. The first edition of ‘The Saracen; Or, Matilda and Melek Adhel: A Crusade Romance, From the French of Madame Cottin, with an Historical Introduction, by J.

For such a prolific author, it is odd that so little is to be gleaned about Dorothy Jarman (1902-1978; Fellow of the Institute of Arts and Letters, widow of Roy H. Jarman), who claims in this letter, written as ‘Dorothy Desana’, that ‘Ann Trent’ is her pseudonym, while in the 1971 edition of ‘The Author’s and Writer’s Who’s Who’, ‘Ann Trent’ is given as her real name, while ‘Dorothy Desana’ is one of four pseudonyms. Whatever the case, twenty-six books were published under the name ‘Davide Sernicoli’ between 1936 and 1953, with twenty more books published by her under other names.

In this letter Tower describes his personal experience of the winning of the North Sea trophy by C. L. Salaman’s 35-ton yacht Dianthus. 4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged paper chipped at head. Folded for postage. Addressed to ‘My dear Dick’ and signed ‘Beauchamp Tower’. A long letter with 105 lines of text. He begins by congratulating Harington ‘on getting an Indian judge ship which will enable you to marry, though I and all your other friends will be very sorry to lose you’.

In addition to acting as editor of the works of his colleague James Clerk Maxwell, Niven was the teacher of one of the greatest mathematicians and philosophers of the twentieth century, Alfred North Whitehead. The item is from the papers of the presumed recipient, Mrs Evelyn Julia Allan of the Chelsea Red Cross. 2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Signed ‘W. D. Niven’ and addressed to ‘Dear Mrs Allen’. He was pleased to receive her letter, ‘reminding me of old times’, but he had not forgotten her, as he has ‘sometimes heard Dr. J. M Bruce speak about you & your family’.

1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded three times. In order to mark the request as dealt with, the recipient has written a thin ink line across the page. Reads: ‘W J Chadwick Esqre / Sir / Please send me price list of your Teacher’s Patent Lantern Microscope / Yours truly / C. V. Creagh / Governor of North Borneo / Address / Sandakan / North Borneo / via Singapore’.

Long and almost universally-appreciative articles, with photographs and cartoons, reflecting the excitement and energy of the period during which Fry was, as Michael Billington writes in his entry on the playwright in the Oxford DNB, ‘a dominant figure in British drama’. Ranging from three continents, with a few articles in foreign languages (Swedish, German, French). Among the material are John Gielgud’s long statement ‘Mr. Gielgud discovers Mr. Fry’, New York Times, 5 November 1950; and Richard L. Coe, ‘ “Lady” Delights A Packed Gayety’, Washington Post, 21 March 1951.

The present document carries the signatures of three central figures on the British side during the American War of Independence: King George III, his Prime Minister Lord North, and Secretary at War Lord Barrington, along with the signatures of the Earl of Onslow, Jeremiah Dyson and John Lloyd, Deputy Auditor of the Imprest. 2pp, foolscap 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Thin strip of paper from mount adhering to inner edge on first page.

24pp, 8vo. Saddle-stitched pamphlet in pink wraps the the title-page reprinted on the cover, this time within a decorative border. In fair condition, aged, worn and creased, with slight loss to outer corner of front cover. Bushnell takes as his text 2 Chronicles XXXII.30, and begins his 'Discourse': 'Any community or city will prosper that will do its duty.

A fragile survival. One page, 20 x 22cm, small closed tears, foxing, minimal loss of two or three letters, text fully legible as follows: "Whereas it is requisite and necessary that [an?] Advance of Money should be made for paying for the Repairs at Sterling [sic] & Dumbarton Castles in North Brittain. We have therefore pursuant to an Ord[e]r this day of the Board Imprested unto James Luly the sum of Twenty pounds And we desire the Honble Harry Mordaunt Esq.

See Nares' entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded three times. Clearly and boldly written, reading: 'Please give the bearer my delicate instrument for Alert or Discovery | G. S. Nares.' (Wikipedia) "Because of his previous experience in the Arctic, he was summoned from this assignment to take charge of another Arctic voyage in search of the North Pole in Discovery and Alert in 1875, the British Arctic Expedition."

The two letters in good condition, both laid down on pieces of card cut from an album.`ONE: ALS from 'Muley Ali Cherif H. de Wazan' to Lady Green. 1p., 12mo. Reads: 'Dear Lady Green | Thank you for the dog you were so kind as to send me. I find he is very good for hunting rabbits, a sport I am devoted to, It is most kind of you to promise to take care of him while I am away.' TWO: ANS from 'Muley Ahmed de Wazan'. 1p., 12mo. In purple ink. 'Dear Lady Green | I will arrange the affair you mentioned in your letter of yesterday. With compliments | Your's sincerely'.

Dempsey's obituary in The Times, explains how 'In April, 1945, he was appointed Brigadier I/C Administration, East Africa Command', holding the position into the following year, and retiring in December 1947 on account of ill health. For a full account of Dempsey's military career, see his entry in Catholic Who's Who, vol.35 (1952). In an eight-line Autograph Note Signed at the end of Anderson's letter, Dempsey states that Anderson 'had been my personal & immediate superior as G.O.C. in C., East Africa Command, when I was his Brigadier I/C Administration.

2pp., 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Addressed to 'Dear Mr Green-Armytage', corrected from 'Armitage'. The letter begins: 'You may have heard that a Committee, of which Walter De la Mare is chairman, is considering the question of putting up some sort of memorial to Edward Thomas. At the same time I am beginning work on a Life and Letters of Edward Thomas, which has Mrs Thomas' approval, and is intended to be something in the nature of a memorial edition.' He will 'shortly be issuing an appeal in the press for the loan of letters etc in the possession of E.

Printed in black ink on both sides of a 13.5 x 8.5 cm postcard. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Inscription reads: 'To F J Watt. | With best wishes | Tomasini | Feb 29/37'. The inscription is written on the photographic portrait of 'ALFREDO TOMASINI' (head and shoulders shot in suit and tie, looking dreamily upwards), which is captioned: '(Canadian baritone,) for the past nine years has been singing leading roles in the principal Opera Houses of Italy; Covent Garden, London; State Opera Houses of Finland, Latvia, and Estonia; and the Royal Opera House, Malta.

15pp., folio. Stapled. In light-green printed wraps. With black and white photographic frontispiece illustration of 'West Dereham Abbey'; and coloured 50 x 76 cm. fold-out 'Plan of Estates at West Dereham, Norfolk, for Sale by Auction by Salter, Simpson & Sons in comnjunction with Messrs. Bidwell 1894', by 'Alger & Son, Litho. Diss'. Aged, worn and creased, with rusted staples, and map with closed tear and fraying to its outer edge. Containing descriptions of the twenty-five lots into which the estate is divided for the purposes of the sale ('The Estate, containing 1170a. 2r.

Good firm signature ('Philip Carteret Webb') on damaged leaf of paper with heavy wear to corners and edges, carrying a printed Exchequer receipt for £45, made out to Webb.

1p., 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Robertson's name in capitals in blue pencil at head. In response to the invitation he writes: 'I should be grateful if you would convey to the Council my thanks for the honour which they have done me in extending this invitation. It gives me great pleasure to accept, and I enclose herewith the application form which you were kind enough to forward.' Note in pencil in another hand at bottom right.

The author Bruce Dudley Ryder was a second-cousin of the present Queen – his father Peter Hugh Dudley Ryder (1913-1993; see Who Was Who) having married the Queen's cousin Sarah Susannah Bowes-Lyon – and a great-grandson of the Earl of Harrowby. Ryder had family experience in the fields of business and transport, his father having been for many years head of the transport conglomerate Thomas Tilling Ltd.

4pp., 4to. On four leaves. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with minor rust marks from paperclip. Ownership signature at top right of first page: 'Lt M P M Ollard'. The pages are numbered in type 5 [corrected in manuscript to '1'], 2, 3 and 4. The first page is headed 'Some golden rules for the desert', with subheadings 'Desert March Discipline', 'Protection', 'Navigation', 'Messing, Rations etc.', 'Maintenance' and 'General'. The next section is headed 'Tips for the desert', with subheadings 'Clothing', 'Stores and Equipment', 'M.

Two pages, folio, minor defects including soiling, small holes and tears, but text complete and legible. Signatories at the top are: [Thomas] Parker, Henry Grey, Duke of Kent ("Kent C.P.S.), John Ker, Ist Duke of Roxburghe, James Craggs the Younger ("J Craggs"). "We do hereby direct, that out of such Moneys as are or shall come to your hands for the following Uses you lay unto William Burroughs Esqre late Commissary Generall of his Majesty's Stores, Provisions and fforage in North Britain the respective summs following Viz" Balance due ......

On one side of a 10.5 x 16.5 cm slip of grey paper. In fair condition, creased and lightly-aged. Reads (with manuscript text in square brackets): '[Hutchison Robertus e Coll. Exon.] | Die [5to] Mensis [Decris.] Anni [1866] | prout Statuta requirunt Examinatus in Literis Humanioribus in tribus libris et in SS. Evangeliis satisfecit nobis Moderatoribus. | Ita testatur { [J Conington | N. Pinder | H F. Tozer | David B. Monro] } Moderatores in literarum Graecarum et Latinarum Schola.' Thorley's1874-5 Lit. Hum. mark-book appears to be the earliest extant.

16pp., 4to. Stapled. In fair condition, on aged paper a little rolled at head and foot. Bowers' article, 'an attempt to understand the workings of Shakespeare's tragic effect', is on the first seven pages. He has inscribed the head of the first page: 'For Harry Levin - | With my compliments - | Fredson Bowers'. From the papers of the American critic Harry Levin (1912-1994). Now scarce.

On the front cover of an 8 x 13 cm. envelope. With intact small seal in red wax at back. Aged and worn. Reads: 'Coventry September thirty 1836 | William Hulton Esq | Leamington Priors | Eardley Wilmot'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. Addressed to an unnamed woman ('My dear Madam'). On embossed letterhead. Feild, the subject of the letter, is not named. Kelly begins by acknowledging the recipient's letter, sent through 'Mrs Feild', before continuing: 'Some years have now elapsed since I had the pleasure of meeting & being introduced to you at the meeting which the Master of Clare [i.e. the Cambridge college] was kind enough to allow me to address in the Combination Room of my old College.

Both items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Accompanied by an envelope, with broken red wax seal, addressed by the Maréchale to 'Madame Bodichon | Mustapha Supérieur | Chemin de la Colonne Voirol | à El Biar'. (In 1857 Bodichon had married the French physician, ethnographer, and scholar Eugène Bodichon (1810-1885), and thereafter divided her time between Algeria and England.) General MacMahon was Governor General of Algeria between 1864 and 1870. ONE: 2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. 'Alger Sunday'.