SECRET

[Royal Navy, 1804: Board of Admiralty, Whitehall.] Contemporary Manuscript Translation of 'Project' by 'Hy: Ernst: Seiffert, senior' of Hamburgh, who offers to arrange for the inventor of a naval weapon to come to England with 'four proper workmen'.

Author: 
[Royal Navy, 1804: Board of Admiralty, Whitehall] Heinrich Ernst Seiffert senior, Hamburgh, Germany
Publication details: 
'Hamburgh. 6 Nov 1804'. Postscript dated from same place, 9 November 1804. On paper with Britannia watermark, dated 1803.
£220.00

There is a record of one 'Heinrich Ernst Seiffert aus Altona bei Hamburg' in 1787. The letter is clearly addressed to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, whom, we may be sure, were not taken in by what was either the production of a madman or a clumsy confidence trickster. 3pp, foolscap 8vo. On bifolium of gilt-edged paper. In fair condition, on lightly aged paper with slight wear and short closed tears to extremities. Folded twice.

[Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh in Rattigan’s ‘Sleeping Prince’.] Duplicated typescript of article by W. Macqueen-Pope: ‘This is Real Theatre / The Oliviers Return to Town’, with carbon of covering TL, and commissioning ALS by Barbara Beauchamp.

Author: 
[Laurence Olivier [Lord Olivier] and Vivien Leigh] W. J. Macqueen-Pope [Walter James Macqueen-Pope] (1888-1960), theatre historian; Barbara Proctor Beauchamp (1909-74), journalist and novelist
Publication details: 
Beauchamp’s commissioning TLS: 15 September 1953; on letterhead of publishers Newnes & Pearson’s, London. Carbon of MP’s covering TL: 24 September 1953. MP’s article undated, but contemporaneous.
£150.00

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. The occasion of the article was the forthcoming premiere of Rattigan’s play ‘The Sleeping Prince’, Olivier’s production of which, at the Phoenix Theatre in London, opened on 5 November 1953. The movie rights were bought by Marilyn Monroe, and the Hollywood film appeared in 1957 as ‘The Prince and the Showgirl’, with Olivier reprising his stage role, and Rattigan also writing the filmscript. See the entries on the Oliviers and Macqueen-Pope in the Oxford DNB. Interest in Beauchamp’s novels has grown in recent years.

[Battle of Normandy, 1944.] 'Secret' British Army pamphlet titled 'OPERATION “OVERLORD” - 1944 | Report by AQMG (Ops) EASTERN COMMAND', describing 'the part played by Eastern Command in the preparations for and launching of the operation'.

Author: 
[Operation Overlord (Battle of Normandy), 1944] 'AQMG (Ops) EASTERN COMMAND' [i.e. Lieut.-Col. Colin Thornton-Kernsley (1903-1977)]
Publication details: 
[Operation Overlord, Eastern Command, 1944] On final page: 'D 53664-1 175 D/d E.C.2144 11/44 70'. '11/44' signifies the date of the pamphlet, November 1944, and '70' the number of copies printed.
£600.00

Sir Colin Thornton-Kernsley is identified as author from the first of the pamphlet's seven appendices ('Eastern Command | List of officers principally concerned with plans for the mounting of Overlord'), where he is described as: 'Chairman: AQMG(Ops) Lt. Col. C. N. Thornton Kernsley MP-RA'.

[Sir Robert Hamilton Bruce Lockhart, diplomat, author, secret agent.] Autograph Letter Signed ('R. H. Bruce Lockhart.') to Lloyd Humberstone, describing his book 'Your England' as a tribute to the 'broad-minded, tolerant, and humane' English.

Author: 
R. H. Bruce Lockhart [Sir Robert Hamilton Bruce Lockhart] (1887-1970), diplomat, author and secret agent [Thomas Lloyd Humberstone, Secretary, University of London]
Publication details: 
16 August 1935. On letterhead of 30 Douglas Crescent, Edinburgh, 12.
£45.00

1p, landscape 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. He thanks him for his letter containing 'kind words about my book, Your England'. He did not expect anyone to agree with all he wrote in it. His aim in writing was 'to pay a tribute to the English who are the most broad-minded, tolerant, and humane of all the numerous peoples among whom I have lived.'

[Sir Robert Hamilton Bruce Lockhart, diplomat, author, secret agent.] Autograph Letter Signed ('R. H. Bruce Lockhart.') to Lloyd Humberstone, describing his book 'Your England' as a tribute to the 'broad-minded, tolerant, and humane' English.

Author: 
R. H. Bruce Lockhart [Sir Robert Hamilton Bruce Lockhart] (1887-1970), diplomat, author and secret agent [Thomas Lloyd Humberstone, Secretary, University of London]
Publication details: 
16 August 1935. On letterhead of 30 Douglas Crescent, Edinburgh, 12.
£45.00

1p, landscape 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. He thanks him for his letter containing 'kind words about my book, Your England'. He did not expect anyone to agree with all he wrote in it. His aim in writing was 'to pay a tribute to the English who are the most broad-minded, tolerant, and humane of all the numerous peoples among whom I have lived.'

[UK Parliament: the first Secret Session in House of Lords, 1916.] Twenty-seven items from papers of N. D. Bosworth Smith of Privy Council Office, including draft Order in Council, correspondence from Lords Crewe, Lansdowne, Morley, Haldane, Milner.

Author: 
UK Parliament: the first Secret Sessions, 1916 [House of Lords; Secret Sittings; N. D. Bosworth Smith of Privy Council Office; Lords Crewe, Lansdowne, Morley, Haldane, Milner, Duke of Devonshire
Publication details: 
Privy Council Office and other locations in London and elsewhere in Great Britain. 20 to 25 April 1916.
£1,350.00

An interesting collection of material relating to the preparations for the historic first Secret Session in the House of Lords, from the papers of Neville Digby Bosworth Smith (1886-1964) of the Privy Council Office. The material dates from the five days preceding 25 April 1916, when the House of Lords having voted in favour of the measure, it held a secret session to debate a motion regarding conscription following the passing of the Military Services Act 1916. (For a contemporary account of the parallel proceedings in the other house, see Sir C. P.

[ Sir William Evans on the [secret] ballot, 'secret voting', 'evils of intimidation'. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('T W Evans') to Rev. W. Griffith, expressing 'serious doubt' on the question, and explaining his reasons for abstaining to vote on it.

Author: 
Sir William Evans [ Sir Thomas William Evans ] (1821-1892) of Allestree Hall, Liberal Party politician, Member of Parliament for Derbyshire South
Publication details: 
Allestree Hall [ Derbyshire ]. 11 April 1859.
£100.00

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. He declares his belief that he will 'act well in accordance with what I stated on the nomination day in 1857, by pursuing the course followed by me since I have been in parliament, & abstaining from voting either way on the ballot'. The subject is one concerning which he feels 'great difficulty': 'I fully appreciate the evils of intimidation & bribery which the ballot is intended to cure, although I hope that they are gradually diminishing & will be still further diminished when we have fewer small constituencies'.

[ Henry Ferne, Receiver General; Secret Service ] Autograph Signature ('Hen: Ferne') on manuscript receipt of payment from fund 'for Secrett Service'.

Author: 
Henry Ferne, Receiver General, and Cashier of His Majesty's Customs [ Richard Porter; English secret service; Stuart spying; espionage ]
Publication details: 
[ His Majesty's Customs, London. ] 24 December 1701.
£220.00

1p., on 24 x 16cm. piece of paper. The first part of the document reads: 'Recorded 24 Decembr 1701 | Received of the Lord ffitcharding three hundred pounds part of an Order of ten thousand two hundred pounds out of the 4½ P Cents for Secrett Service'. Below this, in the right-hand margin, Ferne has written: 'Three Hundred Pounds | Hen: Ferne | ple of 10200 | Pr Secret Service | 22 Decr. 1701'. At the foot of the page, in another hand: 'Witness. | Rd: Porter'.

[ Henry Ferne, Receiver General; Secret Service ] Autograph Signature ('Hen: Ferne') on manuscript receipt of payment from fund 'for Secrett Service'.

Author: 
Henry Ferne, Receiver General, and Cashier of His Majesty's Customs [ Richard Porter; English secret service; Stuart spying; espionage ]
Publication details: 
[ His Majesty's Customs, London. ] 24 December 1701.
£80.00

1p., on 24 x 16cm. piece of paper cut from Customs' ledger. The first part of the document reads: 'Recorded 24 Decembr 1701 | Received of the Lord ffitcharding three hundred pounds part of an Order of ten thousand two hundred pounds out of the 4½ P Cents for Secrett Service'. Below this, in the right-hand margin, Ferne has written: 'Three Hundred Pounds | Hen: Ferne | ple of 10200 | Pr Secret Service | 22 Decr. 1701'. At the foot of the page, in another hand: 'Witness. | Rd: Porter'.

Binder containing forty mimeographed typed documents from the Control Commission School (Air), Regent's Park, London, a top secret wartime organisation to prepare Allied officers for the occupation of Germany. With an autograph paper by a student.

Author: 
Air Vice-Marshall D. M. T. MacDonald (1909-1988), Officer Commanding, Control Commission School (Air), Regent's Park [F/o A. H. Reeve]
Publication details: 
[Control Commission School (Air), Viceroy Court, Prince Albert Road, Regent's Park, London.] February and March 1945.
£650.00

A significant collection of documents relating to the secret effort, at the end of the Second World War, to prepare officers of the British and allied armed forces for the coming occupation of Germany. Excessively scarce: the only other holdings appear to be in the British National Archives, and the Maurice M. Goodner papers (OAC), the latter relating to a later Parisian branch of the school.

[The Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps (RNZAC).] 'Restricted' information document, duplicated typescript with illustrations.

Author: 
[The Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps (RNZAC)]
Publication details: 
Communications Wing, School of Armour, Army Training Group, Waiouru [New Zealand]. 2 November 1975.
£100.00

6pp., 8vo. On three leaves stapled together, with punch holes for ring binder. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. With 'RESTRICTED' at head and foot of each page. Corps badge at head of first page and six illustrations in text. Divided into 24 sections, with headings: Formation; Early History; The First World War; The Second World War; Post War; Alliances; The Badge; Corps Colours; Dress Distinctions; Corps Day; Official Music; Patron Saint; Corps Motto. Written in a no-nonsense style. For example, the final two sections read: 'Patron Saint | 23.

Binder containing forty mimeographed typed documents from the Control Commission School (Air), Regent's Park, London, a top secret wartime organisation to prepare Allied officers for the occupation of Germany. With an autograph paper by a student.

Author: 
Air Vice-Marshall D. M. T. MacDonald (1909-1988), Officer Commanding, Control Commission School (Air), Regent's Park [F/o A. H. Reeve]
Publication details: 
[Control Commission School (Air), Viceroy Court, Prince Albert Road, Regent's Park, London.] February and March 1945.
£1,250.00

A significant collection of documents relating to the secret effort, at the end of the Second World War, to prepare officers of the British and allied armed forces for the coming occupation of Germany. Excessively scarce: the only other holdings appear to be in the British National Archives, and the Maurice M. Goodner papers (OAC), the latter relating to a later Parisian branch of the school.

A Memorial of the Proceedings of the Late Ministery [sic, for 'Ministry'] and Lower House of Parliament. With An Account of several secret Correspondences [...] To which is added, A short History of a Plot to dethrone Queen Anne, [...].

Author: 
by the Author [i.e. Charles Povey] of An Inquiry into the Miscarriages of the Last Four Years Reign' [Queen Anne; Jacobite; House of Stuart]
Publication details: 
1715. London: Printed for the Author, and Sold by J. Roberts in Warwick-lane, A. Bell in Cornhill, R. Robinson in St. Paul's Church-yard, Mr. Robinson against Serjeants-Inn, [...] and Mrs. Boulter, next Old-Man's Coffee-House at Charing-Cross.
£450.00

12mo: 44 pp. Unbound. Text clear and complete on aged paper. Ten paragraphs on pp.7-10 have terse, sardonic phrases added at the end, apparently by a Jacobite sympathiser. For example, 'by <?> the old cause' added to one ending 'a Country brought to Ruin, or in a fair way to it.'; 'in this world' added to one ending 'will never come to Light.'; 'in a publick manur' added to one ending 'the secret Treaty now concluded.'; also 'much adoe about nothin'. Scarce: all but a handful of the entries on COPAC are for facsimiles. No 'finis' at end, but complete according to COPAC entries.

Four Autograph Letters Signed ('W. Marshall') to Messrs Bradley & Son Ltd[, The Crown Press, Printers, Caxton Road, Reading], giving formula for 'Spacine' ('for the prevention of rising spaces in Monotype') and instructions for its application.

Author: 
W. Marshall, East Dulwich printer and inventor [Bradley & Son, Reading printers; Monotype; Spacine]
Publication details: 
30 Jan. [1929], 8 and 13 May 1929 and undated; the first three from 92 Upland Rd, East Dulwich, London, S.E.22.
£180.00

The four items, all on aged and lightly spotted paper, are attached by four rusty staples. One (five pages, octavo): In reply to the firm's inquiry regarding 'the prevention of rising spaces in Monotype', Marshall states that, instead of giving information, he 'would rather send you the method and you try it out and prove for yourself its value, then pay me afterwards'.

Programme, with signatures, entitled 'The Centenary Meeting of the Reading Lodge of Union No. 414, held at the Masonic Hall, Greyfriars Road, Reading, on Thursday, Twenty-sixth day of October, Nineteen Hundred and Thirty-three.'

Author: 
Reading Lodge of Union No. 414 [Freemasons; Freemasonry; Masonic]
Publication details: 
Printed at The Crown Press. Caxton Street, Reading, by Bradley & Son, Ltd. [1933.]
£45.00

Octavo, 16 pages. In original cream wraps, tied with blue ribbon, and with the insignia of the Lodge printed on the front. Good, if a little aged. Creased where folded in half. With the signatures of seven of the Lodge's members in pencil on front wrap (Bob Bradley, P. H. Crozier, Herbert L. Hawkes and others). From the collection of the pamphlet's printer Robert W. Bradley, who is listed among the Lodge's Officers as 'Organist', and who signs 'Bob Bradley'.

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