PHILANTHROPIST

Two pages, 12mo, bifolium, fold marks and sl.aged, small smug=dge, mainly good condition. In reply to your kind note dated 30th ulto. which came to me yesterday, I have to request that you & the Mayor of Brighton will please to distribute the 100£ in accordance with my original direction, and do not trouble yourselves to as my advice, or togive me any account of how you expend it [phrase underlined word by word] for I have full confidence in your Judgment - I write with difficulty and scarcely legibly. [...] Note: In fact, it is more legible than most of the letters work on. See Image.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB, from which the scandalous recipient, a high-society fixer, is unaccountably absent. 4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. Fifty-seven lines of text, sloping upwards. Addressed to ‘Mr Broadley’ and signed ‘Burdett Coutts’. The handwriting is difficult, and the following reading tentative.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB, from which the scandalous recipient, a high-society fixer, is unaccountably absent. 4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. Fifty-seven lines of text, sloping upwards. Addressed to ‘Mr Broadley’ and signed ‘Burdett Coutts’. The handwriting is difficult, and the following reading tentative.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. With regard to the subject of the letter, the 'penny banks' that were established in mid-Victorian England to encourage thrift among the working classes, see J. W. Dirring's thesis 'The Organization and Practice of Banking in Cornwall, 1771-1922', which states that ' the Penryn Penny Bank (founded in 1861), [...] was forced to stop payment in February [1879] with its funds inaccessible in the failed Cornish Bank'. 2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged and creased, with postage folds, one of which has as short closed tear at edge.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 4to. Eighteen lines of typed text, under the heading ‘VISION AND SERVICE.’ Undated, but certainly written after 1918, since the document is responding to changes since ‘the pre-war world of yesterday’. The final reference to a ladder, echoes a passage in Leverhulme’s 1919 tract ‘The Six-hour Day and other Industrial Questions’. Large bold signature at bottom right: ‘Leverhulme’. The signature and its environs are in good condition, on a document of aged and worn paper, with tearing to a central horizontal fold repaired with archival tape.

See the two men's entries in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded for postage. Addressed to ‘Edw Walford Esq M.A’ and signed ‘George Smith’. The handwriting is somewhat opaque, rendering the following transcription tentative. He begins by thanking him for sending a cutting ‘from the “Gossip of the Clubs” ’, before continuing: ‘In consequence of the opposition there is still against me in the Brick & tile trade, the amount of time & Correspondence [it takes?] is [?] with the [?] of the act, I find it anything but [?] to get along.

See his entry, and that of Ross, in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. On blue paper. Folded twice for postage. Ross is not named, the letter being addressed to him as ‘The Provost, / Oriel College, / Oxford.’ Bold signature: ‘Nuffield’.

See Merle Curti’s 1937 edition of Burritt’s letters and journals, titled ‘The Learned Blacksmith’. He was in England from 1846 to 1853. 2pp, 12mo. On a bifolium. 33 lines of text. In fair condition, lightly worn and spotted, with minor traces of mount at one edge. Folded once for postage. The recipient is not named, and the letter is signed ‘Elihu Burritt’. He has mislaid the letter the recipient sent a few days before, inviting him to deliver a lecture, ‘in behalf of your cause, sometime in the beginning of May, I think’.

See his long entry in the Oxford DNB, which sums up his achievements as ‘very substantial’ and ‘a source of enduring inspiration to others’. 1p, 16mo. On bifolium with thin mourning border. In good condition, folded twice. Written in his characteristically-inky hand, and signed ‘Shaftesbury’. Reads: ‘Dear Mr Rowley / I did not forget your request. I trust that, by the blessing of God, your [fears?] are [removed?]. / Yours tr[ul]y / Shaftesbury’. Seee image.

The significance of the present item with regard to the Colenso Case - a turning point in the history of Victorian theology and ideas - is explained by the Baroness’s entry in the Oxford DNB: ‘Angela Burdett-Coutts's deep religious beliefs informed her early interest in colonial expansion. In 1847 she endowed the bishoprics of Cape Town, South Africa, and Adelaide, South Australia, both of which were strictly modelled on the English diocesan system. [...] She intended that her colonial bishoprics should remain dependent on the Anglican church in England.

Card, c. 11 x 9cm,rounded corners. Very many thanks dear Mrs Taylor for your kind remembrance of my work | Agnes E. Weston.

2pp, 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded twice. The content is remarkably sprightly and the handwriting firm. The letter begins: 'My dear Russell, | Telephone: no good. So I guess that you are holiday-making. | Lord Drogheda is my close friend & collaborator. His wife Joan is a pianist[.] I have heard her only when she gave her services. But she appears to practice daily, like a professional trooper.' He has advised her to 'play chamber music.

2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with traces of grey paper from mount adhering at head of second page. Folded once. Reads: 'The Baroness Burdett Coutts sends her kind compliments and thanks to Mr. Blunt and regrets that she is unable to avail herself of the kind proposal of his Father and Mother, as she has another engagement between the City and Chelsea, but her Ladyship hopes to be at the Rectory as near Six o'clock as possible'.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, but with traces of glue on blank reverse of second leaf, which has a vertical closed tear the length of a fold line in blank space beneath signature. The male recipient is not named. The letter begins: 'Dear Sir | Do not think me intrusive but I cannot resist offering you in writing the warm thanks of my heart for your Protest against that hateful thing known as Vivisection'. She has read with 'feelings of thankfulness the expression of your opinion which Mr Froude stated with his own to Mr Cross'.

2pp, 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded twice. The content is remarkably sprightly and the handwriting firm. The letter begins: 'My dear Russell, | Telephone: no good. So I guess that you are holiday-making. | Lord Drogheda is my close friend & collaborator. His wife Joan is a pianist[.] I have heard her only when she gave her services. But she appears to practice daily, like a professional trooper.' He has advised her to 'play chamber music.

2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with traces of grey paper from mount adhering at head of second page. Folded once. Reads: 'The Baroness Burdett Coutts sends her kind compliments and thanks to Mr. Blunt and regrets that she is unable to avail herself of the kind proposal of his Father and Mother, as she has another engagement between the City and Chelsea, but her Ladyship hopes to be at the Rectory as near Six o'clock as possible'.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, but with traces of glue on blank reverse of second leaf, which has a vertical closed tear the length of a fold line in blank space beneath signature. The male recipient is not named. The letter begins: 'Dear Sir | Do not think me intrusive but I cannot resist offering you in writing the warm thanks of my heart for your Protest against that hateful thing known as Vivisection'. She has read with 'feelings of thankfulness the expression of your opinion which Mr Froude stated with his own to Mr Cross'.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded twice. He reports that he 'wrote a line to Gladstone about the condition of the East urging the Govt. to take it up either by Equalization of Poor Rates, Emigration or Alteration of License System or all of these'. He considers that 'a good case is made out' and the measures he suggests 'wd do something'. He wonders whether the recipient might be able to 'put a few statistics together'. He thinks that 'the worst part is the permanent depression of the trading class wh takes away all vitality'.

For information on Tait, see her entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. Aged, worn and lightly stained. The fact that Tait was able to produce a lithographed circular for such a minor purpose indicates her resources. The only words in the document in Tait's genuine autograph are the interpolated 'now & in Jan'. The circular reads: 'My dear Sir | I am very anxious to secure the election of Harriet Amelia Johnson to St Ann's School Brixton. Her father who was well known to us died this year leaving a widow and three children unprovided for.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Docketted on reverse of second leaf of bifolium: 'London 6th. Decr. 1861 | Sir Daniel Cooper', and beneath this in pencil 'Australian Bart.' The letter has an embossed armorial motif at its head. Written to a family member or close friend, the letter begins: 'I will meet you at the Bank of New South Wales on Monday at One O'Clock when I hope Mr. Ludlow will also be able to give me the statement for Thomas -'. He asks him to inform him 'what has become of the £580 alluded to in the enclosed letter'.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged, with traces of stub adhering to reverse. Addressed on reverse, with broken seal in red wax and postmarks, to 'Miss Beavan | Brynry Hydd [ i.e. Bryn yr Hydd] | Glasbury | Hay | South Wales'. An expansively-written note, above a similar signature, reading: 'May I request you to read the accompanying Circular, and to give it your favourable consideration?'

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with the reverse of the blank reverse of the second leaf tipped-in onto a card mount. Written in a not altogether straightforward hand. He begins: 'I sleep at Birmingham Monday – hope to be in Halifax in the course of the afternoon. | Dont for one moment think of sending your carriage – as Mr Stansfield wishes to meet me and carry me off on my way to you, to some school gathering. | I believe it is certainly not a church one'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. He is 'deeply grieved' at the news of Howard's grandfather: 'I could wish, as you all do, his life spared a few years longer but when you tell me of his serious state and suffering, I feel we must be prepared for the worst and not desire a lingering death.' He asks for his 'sympathy and regret' to be conveyed to the whole family.

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper, with slight loss to two words from damage at margin. The first paragraph reads: 'I know enough of siness never to put off acknowledging receipt of money - I got your kind letter this morning with the enclosure - You are more considerate than many people, for which I send you my best thanks.' The second paragraph relates to 'Derby's Bill', which Hanbury has 'recycled', and concerning which Guthrie asks 'What next & next?' Guthrie's entry in the Oxford DNB describes him as 'one of the greatest of Free Church leaders'.

On 3 x 11 cm. slip of paper, cut from the end of a letter. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Reads 'Yrs very sincerely | Emma de Vesci'. Fragment of letter on reverse: '[...] random of all the monies you have sent to Messrs. Puget & Bainbridge. I [...]'. Lady de Vesci founded the Abbeyleix Baby Linen Society, a co-operative supplying affordable children clothes.

Guarantee: 1p., 4to. In fair condition, on aged paper. Reads: 'Bristol 8mo 24. 1853 | I hereby guarantee to the Great Western Railway Company payment for all the tickets which may be sold for the Cheap Trip to London, on the 29th. Inst., undertaken by the promoters of the New Bedminster Temperance Hall | Robert Charleton | Orwell Villa | Cotham New Road'. Written across the page in red ink: 'Cancelled | M J Cairns'. Addressed by Charleton on reverse to 'The Manager | Great Western Railway Company'. The engraving is on a 12 x 17.5 cm piece of paper.

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper. He assures de Boinville that he 'much regrets his want of leisure to peruse the MS. that M de Boinville has been so good as to send him'. He concludes with the complaint that he is 'really so occupied that heh has not time for the discharge of the several duties that are imposed upon him'.

Letter: 1p., 12mo. In good condition. Written in a difficult hand, regarding 'Tickets' for a 'really remarkable Show'. Photograph: 9 x 6 cm. Sepia. In good condition, laid down on paper removed from album. Depicts Burdett-Coutts, in Victorian finery with bustle and veil, seated at a table, with gloved right hand pressed to her cheek (not found on Google images)..

English quaker philanthropist, son of Joseph Rowntree and author of 'Poverty, A Study of Town Life' (1901). Signed 'B S Rowntree' beneath typed 'Yours sincerely,'. Docketed in pencil in another hand, "B.S. Rowntree (chocolate)".. Fragment of around one inch by three inches.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. Addressed to 'Hugh Wortham, Esq., | 75 Courtfield Gardens, | London, S.W.5, England'. Signed in green ink. He has received Wortham's book (probably 'The Delightful Profession: Edward VII, A Study in Kingship', published that year). He is 'still in the midst of a rather big book', but once he has finished it, he will send his comments on Wortham's.