Rochester

[Randall Davidson, Archbishop of Canterbury.] Two Autograph Letters Signed to ‘Mr. Cremer’ (Sir Randal Cremer, Liberal MP), the first regarding the lack of 'reforming direction' from the present government..

Author: 
Randall Davidson [Randall Thomas Davidson, 1st Baron Davidson of Lambeth] (1848-1930), Archbishop of Canterbury from 1903 to 1928 [Sir Randal Cremer (1828-1908), winner of Nobel Peace Prize]
Publication details: 
ONE: 21 January 1891; on letterhead of the Deanery, Windsor Castle. TWO: 7 February 1893; Bishops House, Kennington, on letterhead of the Athenaeum club, London.
£45.00

Davidson is the longest-serving Archbishop of Canterbury since the Reformation. See his entry, and that of Cremer, in the Oxford DNB. Both items in good condition, lightly aged, and each with a postage fold. The first with glue to margin from mount. ONE (20 January 1891): 2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. Signed ‘Randall T. Davidson’. He thanks Cremer for his ‘letter about Mr Phillips’, and will bear in mind what he has said.

[Rochester, New York State.] Manuscript ‘Arbitration Bond’, with ‘the very rare signature of Everard Peck, pioneer printer Father of Wm. F. Peck’ and that of Walter S. Griffith.

Author: 
Everard Peck (1791-1854), Rochester printer, newspaper editor, father of the historian William Farley Peck (1840-1908); Walter S. Griffith (c.1810-1872) [Lewis Selze; Monroe County, New York State]
Publication details: 
No date [1860s or 1870s?]. [Rochester, Monroe County, New York State.]
£320.00

Accompanying this item is a piece of paper with the following note in a mid-twentieth-century hand: ‘Interesting because of the very rare signature of Everard Peck, pioneer printer Father of Wm. F. Peck’. He was a bookbinder from Connecticut who moved to Rochester around 1816 and opened a bookstore. He moved into printing and publishing, founded the successful weekly Telegraph newspaper and later became a banker. He was a generous benefactor of the early city, co-founding the University of Rochester and the Rochester Orphan Asylum and becoming a leader in the Female Charitable Society.

[General Election of 1835: the Duke of Wellington's brother Lord Charles Wellesley defeated at Rochester by one vote.] Manuscript documents from legal team of victorious candidate T. T. Hodges, at House of Commons 'Controverted Election' committee.

Author: 
Lord Charles Wellesley; Thomas Twisden Hodges; General Election, 1835; Rochester Kent; Controverted Elections; House of Commons Committee of Privileges and Elections; Duke of Wellington
Publication details: 
House of Commons, Houses of Parliament, Westminster (London). [Rochester, Kent.] 1836 and 1837.
£500.00

Between 1604 and 1868 the House of Commons exercised jurisdiction over controverted (disputed) elections, which were usually referred to its Committee of Privileges and Elections. The Parliamentary Archives hold the Controverted Elections Court Evidence minute books for the period between 1829 and 1906. The minute books contain transcripts of the evidence laid before the committee.

[ Henry Gardiner Adams ('Nemo'), juvenile author. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('H G Adams') to 'Mr J S Lamb' [ regarding contributions to his 'Cyclopaedia of Poetical Quotations' ].

Author: 
H. G. Adams [ Henry Gardiner Adams ] (c.1811-1881) of Kent, druggist and author, writer of juvenile literature under the pseudonym 'Nemo'
Publication details: 
Rochester [ Kent ]. 29 September 1852.
£45.00

2pp., 12mo. On bifolium of grey paper. In good condition, lightly aged. The letter would appear to be addressed to a contributor to Adams's 'Cyclopaedia of Poetical Quotations' (1853). It begins: 'Sir | I have much pleasure in acknowledging the receipt your obliging communications, and in thanking you therefore: the extract on Love I shall endeavour to find room for'. As it is 'a subject on which so many beautiful things have been said', he cannot include everything.

[ Thomas Fisher, artist and antiquary. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Thos Fisher') to <J. T. Home?>, regarding 'plates of [Chinese?] symbols'

Author: 
Thomas Fisher (1772-1836), artist and antiquary
Fisher
Publication details: 
19 September 1825. Place not stated [ London? ].
£80.00
Fisher

1p., 4to. In fair condition, somewhat aged and worn. The letter reads: 'My dear friend | On examining your plates of symbols I find no perceptible [corrected from 'practicable'] difference between Nos 154 & 155; although the former is described as a dog and the latter as a hairy shaggy dog. Is the fact so? Excuse the freedom of yours | very sincerely | Thos. Fisher'. Fisher's letter may be connected with Robert Morrison's 'Dictionary of the Chinese Language' (1815-1823), which has a symbol for 'A hairy, shaggy dog.'

[ Rev. Robert Whiston, inspiration for Trollope's 'The Warden'. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Robert Whiston') to the Mayor and Corporation of the City of Rochester, regarding an application to make a dock and use a creek in the River Medway.

Author: 
Robert Whiston (1808-1895), Headmaster of Rochester Cathedral Grammar School [ King's School ], 1842 -1877, inspiration for Anthony Trollope's 'The Warden'
Publication details: 
Rochester [ Kent ]; 16 June 1854.
£180.00

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and worn. Docketed: 'Application of the Revd. Robt. Whiston to make Dock & use Creek'. Written in a hurried hand.

[ Edward Knatchbull, 9th Baronet, MP for Kent. ] Autograph Note, both Signed and Franked 'E Knatchbull', with his seal, apologising to the Lord Mayor of London [ John Crowder ] for declining an invitation.`

Author: 
Sir Edward Knatchbull, 9th Baronet (1781-1849), Member of Parliament for Kent, Tory politician [ John Crowder, Lord Mayor of London ]
Publication details: 
'<?> Hotel'. 11 July 1829.
£25.00

1p., 12mo. On aged and worn grey paper, with a corner torn away, affecting a couple of lines of text. Franked on reverse: 'Ashford July eleven 1829 | The Right Honble | The Lord Mayor | &c &c &c | Mansion House | London | E Knatchbull'. Knatchbull's small seal, depicting a dog, is present entire in black wax. He writes that he would have had 'much pleasure' in meeting him at Rochester, but that his 'House will be full of Company on the 24th'.

[ Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester, and Sir John Ernle. ] Signatures of 'Rochester' and 'J Ernle', cut from a treasury document.

Author: 
Laurence Hyde (1642-1711), 1st Earl of Rochester, statesman, Lord High Treasurer and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland [ Sir John Ernle (1620-1697), Chancellor off the Exchequer, 1676-1689 ]
Publication details: 
Date and place not stated.
£90.00

On rectangle of laid paper, roughly 4 x 7 cm. In good condition, lightly-aged paper with one vertical fold. Good firm signatures, wih Rochester's above Ernle's. Writing on reverse relates to Sir Thomas Vernon and the payment of an order.

[Printed Press Extracts' relating to the geologist William Hobbs Shrubsole.] 'Biographical Sketch of W. H. Shrubsole, F.G.S.' from the East Kent Gazette; 'Presentation to Mr. W. H. Shrubsole, F.G.S., F.R.M.S.' from the Sheerness Times, and two others

Author: 
William Hobbs Shrubsole [W. H. Shrubsole] (1837-1927), British geologist, who made discoveries at Sheerness
Publication details: 
Extracts from the East Kent Gazette, the Sheerness Times, the Proceedings of he Geological Society of London, and the Rochester & Chatham Standard; dating from 1894 and 1895.
£95.00

Shrubsole was a frequent contributor to the Manchester Guardian, and its obituary of 21 May 1927 was headed 'DEATH OF GREAT SHEERNESS GEOLOGIST WHO WON FAME THROUGHOUT THE WORLD' ('Experts in every continent sought his wonderful advice, and it was during his researches at Sheppey that he made many valuable discoveries. Below we are able to give a detailed account of his brilliant career. He was a frequent contributor to the columns of the "Guardian" up to the time of his death.'). 3pp., foolscap 8vo, in a bifolium. Printed in three columns of small print.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Saml. Smith') from the Whig poltician and barrister Hon. Samuel Stevens, asking the Adjutant General of the State of New York, L. Ward Smith, to be one of the 'groom's men' at his wedding.

Author: 
Hon. Samuel Stevens (c.1798-1854) of Albany, New York, American barrister, Whig politician, friend and associate of Daniel Webster [L. Ward Smith (d.1863), Adjutant General of the State of New York]
Publication details: 
New York. 15 June 1842.
£180.00

Stevens married Mary Frances Smith (d.1890; second husband John Fowler Butterworth), daughter of Silas O. Smith of Rochester, and two of their children were the novelist Augusta de Grasse Stevens (1852-1894), and Marie de Grasse, Lady Evans (d.1920), wife of the English Liberal politician Sir Francis Henry Evans (1840-1907). 2pp., 4to. 35 lines of text. In good condition on lightly-aged paper. Addressed on reverse of second leaf, with postmark, to 'Mr L Ward Smith | Rochester | N.Y-'. The letter begins: 'My dear Ward | How affectionate & familiar a man is, when he is about to ask a favor.

Autograph Letter Signed to Helen Frances Church [née Bennett].

Author: 
Robert Scott (1811-1887), Dean of Rochester, lexicographer [Liddell & Scott's Greek-English Lexicon; Richard William Church (1815-1890), Dean of St Paul's]
Publication details: 
23 July 1875. Deanery of Rochester.
£30.00

12mo, 2 pp. Fourteen lines of text. He has put her 'memorandum' with 'the others of a like kind', and does not doubt that he will 'be able to vote for your Orphan Boy -'. The Scotts are 'on the point of escaping to Folkestone', and hopes that Mrs Church is 'going to some place which [will] do you all much good'. Sends kind regards to Mrs Church '& the Dean'.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Tho. Roffen.') to Thomas Adams of Alnwick, Northumberland; with the Bishop of Rochester's episcopal seal, in red wax.

Author: 
Thomas Dampier (c.1749-1812), Bishop of Ely and book collector [Bishop of Rochester from 1802 to 1808]
Publication details: 
Harley Street, Septr. 14. 1802.'
£80.00

4to: 1 p. Very good on the first leaf of a bifolium. A third quarto leaf carries the address, in Dampier's hand, with his franking signature 'free | T. Rochester.' Also the oval seal, c.3 cm high, a clear impression in red wax. 24 lines of text. Interesting letter. Dampier begins by thanking Adams for 'your Congratulations to me on my Promotion to the See of Rochester.

Indenture between the Mayor and Citizens of the City of Rochester in the County of Kent and Thomas Lediard Citizen and Clothworker of London.

Author: 
[LOCAL HISTORY: ROCHESTER, ENGLAND] Thomas Lediard
Publication details: 
22 January 1682/3.
£250.00

An important piece of local history. Neatly engrossed on one side of piece of stained and discoloured parchment, dimensions approximately 24 inches by 22 inches. Signed at foot by Lediard and with his seal (in poor condition). Signatures of five witnesses on reverse. In poor condition but with text mostly legible. Four holes, two of them affecting text, at intersections of folds in document.

Early Kent Maps. (Sixteenth century).

Author: 
Grevile M. Livett, B.A., F.S.A., Honorary Canon of Rochester
Publication details: 
[1937;] 'Reprinted from "Archaeologia Cantiana," Vol. XLIX. Printed by Headley Brothers, Ashford, Kent.
£45.00

Offprint of pp.247-77. Small 8vo. 4 plates, 3 of them folding. Foxed, loose copy with closed tear and crease to first leaf. In original light-brown printed wraps, which have become detached.. Presentation copy, with inscription to 'Mr. Edward Lynam from the writer' on front wrap. Manuscript annotation in pencil, presumably by Lynam.

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