POSTAL

See the entries on Tierney (Physician-in-Ordinary to George IV and William IV) and Freeling (also a noted bibliophile) in the Oxford DNB. The letter is 3pp, 12mo, with underlinings in red pencil (probably by Freeling), and the reverse of the second leaf carrying the address and annotations by Freeling and Critchett. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with folds for postage and strip of tape from mount adhering to reverse of second leaf, which also has a strip of paper with an ANS by Critchett laid down lengthwise along the outer edge.

An interesting and informative item in postal history, which in 1956 received the endorsement of being exhibited at the Pall Mall headquarters of the Society of Postal Historians (see below). Manuscript title-page reads: ‘The Posts in Norfolk. / Related under the headings of the respective Towns and Villages. / With various Post Town Lists, Introductory Notes, and Illustrated with Letters, Covers, Stamps, Postmarks, Cuttings, and other Postal Material. / Compiled and Arranged by / A. E. Strout / South Cave. E. Yks.’ 173pp, 4to.

See the two men’s entries in the Oxford DNB. Empty 12 x 9.5 cm envelope. In fair condition, lightly aged and a little grubby, with ink from postmark on the reverse. Reads: ‘Private / The Right Honble / W. E. Gladstone / M P. / &c &c &c / Downing Street / S. W’. Two postmarks, one (‘W / 26’) over the envelope’s self-printed pink stamp. In a Victorian hand, at bottom left: ‘(Abp Manning)’.

Frank on 7 x 13 cm panel cut from front of envelope. In good condition, lightly aged, laid down on part of leaf from album, with the reverse carrying part of the frank to a letter from another unidentified individual, with free postmark from 1826. Byron's frank has the customary red-ink postmark at top right ('FREE | 8 DE 8 | 1826'), and is laid out by him in the customary fashion: 'Portsmouth December Seven | 1826 | The Honble. Mrs. Collingwood | Hawkhurst | Kent'. Byron's signature 'Byron.', at bottom left, is only underlined, and not enclosed within the two parallel lines as required.

Six items. The collection in fair condition, apart from Item Two. ONE: Printed form, a 'List of Subscribers' for the 'Post Office Relief Fund. | Second Appeal.' Dated '11/14T', i.e. November 1914. (In 1914 the Post Office set up a relief fund to help relatives of GPO staff who had gone off to fight.) 1p, folio. Eleven lines of text are followed by the 'List of Subscribers', in three columns headed: 'Name', 'Rate for every complete 10/-' and 'I hereby authorise the deduction of my Subscription from my salary', the last subdivided into 'Signature' and 'Rank'.

3pp, 4to. Bifolium. Signature ('Edward') in the prince's hand, the rest of the letter by a secretary. In good condition, lightly aged, with slight damage to one corner of first leaf, and thin strip of paper from mount adhering to reverse of second leaf, which is franked 'Kent & Strathearn', with postmark, and addressed to 'Francis Freeling Esquire | &c &c &c | Genl. Post Office | Lombard Street | London'. Folded four times.

On 14 x 12 cm section cut from front panel of envelope. In fair condition, lightly aged. Cropped postmark at head. Laid out in the customary fashioni, and reading: 'Holkham. Augt. Twenty Third | 1830 - | Willm. Barth Esq | Yarmouth | Norfolk | T W Coke'. Manuscript note at foot in another nineteenth-century hand: 'Mr. Coke, M.P. of Holkham Norfolk - afterwards 1st. Earl of Leicester'.

The recipient of the letter, the 5th Earl of Chesterfield, was Postmaster General between 1790 and 1798. The 'Mr. Palmer' mentioned in the text is John Palmer (1742-1818), MP for Bath, who was Comptroller General of the Post Office between 1786 and 1792. Harraden appears to have been regarded by his superiors as a whistle-blower and trouble-maker.

4pp., 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Docketed crosswise across the valediction, including the signature, but not in an overly-obtrusive fashion. An interesting letter, casting light on the franking system and fraud within the pre-Hill Post Office.

The collection of 37 items (35 publicity items and two cables) is in good condition, in a blue card folder. The following description is divided into seven parts. ONE: 22 issues of the 'Philatelic Release' of the 'information Service | Post Office Department', dating from between 22 October 1965 and 11 June 1966. Totalling 51pp., 8vo. An incomplete run. Giving information relating to the new releases of stamps, including 'the John F.

12.5 x 16 cm. Irregularly-cut and laid down on paper backing. Lightly-aged and worn. Slight loss to extremities. Crisply printed, with characteristic eighteenth-century engraved border of floral and architectural details. Text reads: 'James Salmon | Cambridge Carrier, | Sets out from the Green Dragon Inn Bishopsgate street | London | evry [sic] Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday, in ye. Forenoon, & carry Goods as usual For | [list of places in four columns] Cambridge Ely Lynn Wisbeach Holbeach March Downham Dereham Watton Fakenham Swaffham Walsingham | And all other adjacent Places.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged paper. Addressed to 'My Dr Sawyer'. He begins by thanking him for the photograph: 'Whenever I look on it - and I shall do so often - I shall be reminded of the fourth gentle poet who did all he could to make a few pleasant hours for a humble brother <?> during his short sojourn in the great metropolitan maze of this England of ours'.

The two items relate to the book 'An Old Coachman's Chatter with Some Practical Remarks on Driving. By a Semi-Professional. Edward Corbett, Colonel late Shropshire Militia.'(London: Richard Bentley and Son, 1890). Both the letter and the proofs are in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. LETTER: 3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. 34 lines of text in a particularly difficult hand. He will endeavour to 'throw all the light' he can on the subjects mentioned in his correspondent's letter, beginning:: 'I think the time between Cape Curig & Holyhead must be correct.

The envelope is 27.5 x 12.5 cm, and the cartoon is printed lengthwise (around 15cm long including caption) on the front in brown ink, with facsimile signature. In good condition, lightly-aged and worn, with the flap of the apparently-empty envelope gummed back into place. The stamp is attached in its customary place, with the address in Thomas's autograph beneath it: 'Wm. Booth Esq | The Rosery | Cambridge Rd. | Felixstowe'. Thomas's original cartoon had been drawn in ten minutes for the Weekly Dispatch 'Smokes for Tommy' campaign.

8pp., 12mo. Stapled and unbound. In good condition, on aged high-acidity paper, with slight wear to extremities. Blind stamps and shelfmark of the Hartford Theological Seminary. The text begins: 'The House having under consideration the bill (S. 5876) to establish postal savings depositories for depositing savings at interest with the security of the Government for the repayment thereof, and for other purposes - | Mr SULZER said: [...]'.

99 + [3] pp., 4to, of which 31pp. are original photographs, on grey card mounts, each with tissue guard and manuscript caption in white ink. A further five small photographs laid down on pages of the typed text. In very good condition, on aged paper, in modern green leather quarter-binding with cloth boards and misleading title on spine 'THE BUDGET | CAMBRIDGE' In a contemporary hand on leaf preceding title-page: 'Please return to | Chas Nunneley | (Room 1, 3rd Floor) | A & R Branch | A. G. Dept | General Post Office (North) | (London) | E.C. | or to | C. O.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with water staining to a couple of words. Written in a stylish, calligraphic hand. He begins by thanking the recipient for a letter and postal order, before continuing: 'In case you are interested, I also do paintings of antique weapons. An example of my work can be seen in the August 1962 issue of "Guns Review".' He explains that such illustrations can be in either black and white or full colour, and concludes: 'If you have a particular favourite I shall be pleased to quote.'

59pp., 12mo. Stitched. Front wrap present, with the title printed within an ornate border on yellow paper, and the price given as sixpence. In fair condition, on aged paper, with dog-eared corner and slight loss at foot of the worn front wrap. Two ownership inscriptions: 'David Davies his Book' on the inside wrap, and 'David Davies his Book | 1852 | Tynyfawnay Llanfair | Montgomeryshire'.

On piece of paper cut from front panel of envelope, 7 x 12.5 cm. In fair condition, with hole in paper made by seal or wafer (not affecting text). Red circular government postmark: 'FREE | 4 MY 4 | 1839'. All in Molesworth's hand, and reading: 'London May four 1839 | H H. Molesworth | St John Coll | Cambridge', with the signature as usual at bottom left: 'Wm Molesworth'.

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.

On piece of paper 19 x 12 cm. Addressed by Pech on one side, with franks and black wax seal: 'London February twenty eight 1830 | J Richardson Esq | Heydon | Aylsham | N W Peach Norfolk'. The reverse carries the conclusion of Lytton's letter, in his handwriting: '<...> remember. - | Begging again to thank you my dear Sir, for your attention & to assure you of my Consideration & Esteem | I am, very sincerely yours | [signed] E. Lytton Bulwer.'

8vo volume, bound up and interleaved for official use. Internally sound and tight, on aged paper; in worn black leather quarter-binding with repair to loose boards. In gilt on spine is the title 'P. P. L.', with 'T. K. S.' at the foot, and these abbreviations are also present in pencil on the title page. The printed guide has a total of 282pp: title leaf + pp.7-24, 43-44, 47-258, 261-280, 357-374. It is interleaved from p.48 to the end with 128 leaves (256pp).

Two pages, 12mo, bifoliate, section (presumed postal history or blank) from second leaf. Addressed to General Post Office, countersigned D'Eyncourt. Text of note: Mr. d'Eyncourt will be obliged to the officers of the G.P.O. to send his Letters to | No.1 John Street St James's Sqre | 6 June 1844. From 48 Dover Street in different hand at top of page. Verso of note is stamped No. [8527] Regd. June 7 1844 with notes by various employees of the GPO who were putting the request into effect.

4to, 1 p. Eleven lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. He thanks him for having 'appriz'd' him 'of the proposed enclosure of Tooting Common, to which I am equally hostile with the Rector, & the other principal Gentlemen who have express'd their determination to oppose the Measure'. Lady Coventry joins him in sending 'kind remembrances' to Mrs Harrison and her family. The franked envelope is a sheet of folded paper, bearing Coventry's red wax armorial seal in good condition, and postmark. It is addressed 'Pershore Octr. Seventeen | 1817 | Thomas Harrison Esqr.

12mo, 1 p. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with thin strip of stub adhering to the reverse of the second leaf. Reads 'Sir John Wrothsley requests Mr. Ridgway will direct his Newspapers [corrected from 'Letters'] Post Office Scarborough. The frank reads 'Doncaster September ten 1835 | Mr. Ridgway | Piccadilly | London | [signed] Wrothsley'. Divided circular Doncaster postmark in black, and frank ('FREE | 11SEP11| 1835') in red.

Large 8vo (33 x 21 cm), 6 pp. Four-leaf pamphlet, with the final leaf blank. Clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged and worn paper, with minor rust marks from removed staples. On the first page are twelve sections under the headings 'Letter Air Mails' and 'Parcel Air Mails'. The following four pages carry the table of 'Letter Air Mails', in columns with headings including Route, Air Fee, and Observations. The final page contains a table of 'Parcel Air Mails' and further observations.

The front cover of the envelope, 9.5 x 12 cm, cut away and laid down on a ruled piece of paper cut from an autograph album. A little grubby, but good. Reads 'L N Guillemard Esq | 11 Downing St. | [signed] W E Gladstone'. Signature approximately 4.5 cm long, and underlined.

The archive is in very good condition, with very slight creasing and aging, and with all items entirely legible. Most items quarto, and most of two pages or more (one running to seven pages). One letter has the head and first paragraph cut away. All but the first two items, which date from 1953 and are signed 'Sidney R Campion', are signed 'Sidney'. The bulk of the correspondence dates from the 1970s. An important archive consisting almost exclusively of long, interesting and discursive letters addressed to a close and trusted friend.

Three pages, 12mo. Very good: lightly aged and with the merest glue spot to blank verso of second leaf of bifolium. Mackay's 'signature' appears to be in the same hand as the rest of the letter. He has had a 'severe attack of inflammation of the eye', and this has prevented him from reading or writing during the previous week. For the same reason he is replying to Alford's letter of 1 March through an amanuensis. Three weeks previously Mackay 'received a packet from Mr.

12mo, 2 pp. Good, on lightly aged paper with slight creasing at head. He is enclosing a letter (not present) apologising 'for absence from Dr. Patersons funeral'. Asks if MacLehose can help him find the address of 'A. Craig Paterson'. 'I know that one of the sons is an English clergyman, but am not sure whether this is he.' The envelope, addressed by Caird to 'Jas. MacLehose Esq. | St. Vincent St. | Glasgow', bears a purple penny stamp, postmarked '159' beside a circular postmark in black ink, containing '4 H | GLASGOW | JU 29 | 81'