WEST

[Hercules Ross of Rossie Castle, Forfarshire, friend of Lord Nelson, Jamaican merchant who later denounced the slave trade.] Autograph Letter Signed

Author: 
Hercules Ross (1745-1816) of Rossie Castle, Montrose, friend of Lord Nelson, Scottish merchant in the Jamaican slave trade, who later denounced slavery to parliament and called for its abolition
Publication details: 
‘Rossie Castle Montrose 19th. June 1804.’
£120.00

See the entry on his son Horatio Ross (1801-1886) – named after his father’s friend Lord Nelson who was the boys godfather and died the year after the writing of this letter - in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 4to. Twenty-two lines of closely and neatly written text. In good condition, lightly aged and creased, with strip of paper from mount to one edge. With fold lines. The recipient is addressed as ‘My dear Sir’ and not named, and the letter signed ‘H. Ross’. Written in a spirited style.

[‘Philippe Jullian’ [Philippe Simounet], French illustrator, author and aesthete.] Three Autograph Letters Signed and Autograph Card Signed to Philip Dosse, on reviews for ‘Books and Bookmen’, mostly concerning Violet Trefusis and Vita Sackville West

Author: 
‘Philippe Jullian’ [nom de plume of Philippe Simounet] (1919-1977), French illustrator, author, aesthete and dandy [Philip Dosse (1925-1980); Violet Trefusis; Vita Sackville West; Nigel Nicolson]
Publication details: 
All undated, but from 1973 and 1974. Three (including the card) on letterheads of 54 rue de Miromesnil, Paris.
£120.00

The recipient Philip Dosse was proprietor of Hansom Books, publisher of a stable of seven arts magazines including ‘Books and Bookmen’ and ‘Plays and Players’. Like Jullian, he would commit suicide. See ‘Death of a Bookman’ by Sally Emerson, Standpoint magazine, October 2018. The card is in good condition, lightly aged, while the four letters are in fair condition, with wear and creasing, one (Item Four) with a few small holes to the leaf caused by a paper clip. None of the items is dated. ONE: ACS. On both sides of a plain card with printed letterhead and no illustration.

[Thomas Ord, Colonel Commandant of the 4th Battalion of the Royal Artillery.] Manuscript document detailing his ‘Services’ in the West Indies, Flanders and America.

Author: 
Thomas Ord (d.1777), British Army officer who served with distinction in the West Indies, Flanders and America, latterly as Colonel Commandant of the 4th Battalion of the Royal Artillery
Publication details: 
Entries between 1740 and 1762, regarding the West Indies, Flanders and America. In a contemporary hand (Ord's own?).
£180.00

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.

[Ralph Bernal, Whig politician, slave owner and art collector.] Autograph Signature to frank addressed to William Smith, with postmark.

Author: 
Ralph Bernal (1783-1854), Whig politician of Sephardic Jewish extraction, archaeologist, slave owner and art collector
BERNAL
Publication details: 
‘London January twenty nine 1831’.
£28.00
BERNAL

See his entries in the Oxford DNB and History of Parliament. Frank cover, laid out in the customary fashion, on 12.5 x 7 cm panel cut from front of envelope. In fair condition, on lightly aged paper. Usual red frank postmark: ‘FREE / 29JA29 / 1831’. Reads: ‘London January twenty nine 1831 / Willm. Smith Esqr. / at Smith Wright’s Esqr / Kempston / Loughboro Notts / per / R Bernal’. See Image. On reverse, in contemporary hand: ‘R. Bernal. MP for Rochester / Chairman of the Committee / of the House of Commons / on the Reform Bill.’

[William Manning, Governor of the Bank of England, West Indian merchant, slaveowner.] Autograph Letter Signed to Francis Freeling of the Post Office, regarding a 'communication' indicating 'the delusion which prevails in the public mind' on a subject

Author: 
William Manning (1763-1835), Governor of the Bank of England, West Indian merchant, slaveowner, Tory MP, father of Cardinal Manning [Francis Freeling (1764-1836), Secretary of the General Post Office]
Publication details: 
‘Bank of England, / April 28th. 1818.’ London.
£50.00

See his entry, and Freeling’s, in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 4to. Aged and worn, with nicks and closed tears around the edges, but not near the valediction ‘Yours very faithfully / W: Manning.’ Addressed to ‘Francis Freeling, Esqr.’ Begins: ‘My dear Sir, / Your Letter of yesterday I have just received & am exceedingly obliged to you for the communication it contains - it is quite distressing to see the delusion which prevails in the public mind on this subject -’. He is ‘submitting the Extract of the Norwich paper sent by Mr.

[Tsar Nicholas I (visit to England)][Undeciphered signature] Autograph Letter Signed (name not deciphered - see Image] to unknown barge owner, about Grand Duke Nicholas's (later Tsar Nicholas) wish to see The Docks (West India Docks etc.)

Author: 
[Tsar Nicholas I (visit to England)][Undeciphered signature]
Publication details: 
Stratford Place, 6 July [1816?]. See Image.
£320.00

Three pages,12mo, bifolium, corner marked, mainly good condition. Text: The Grand Duke is desirous to see the Docks [underlined] on Wednesday, & we thought the best way of peforming it would be in going there by water. | Could we therefore have your Barge on that day - when [underlined] should we embark & at what o'clock [phrase underlined] - for the tide.

[John Wood, distinguished English actor, associated with Tom Stoppard.] His copy of the script of ?The Fantasticks / A Parable about Love / Words by Tom Jones / Music by Harvey L. Schmidt?, with autograph note by him and stage plans.

Author: 
John Wood (1930-2011), English actor associated with Tom Stoppard [?The Fantasticks?, musical by Tom Jones and Harvey L. Schmidt]
Publication details: 
Title page: ?Copyright 1959 by Tom Jones and Harvey L. Schmidt / Property of: Music Theatre Inc. / 119 West 57th Street/ New York 19, New York?. By ?the studio duplicating service / 434 west 43rd street, n.y.c. / LO 3-1225? [New York City, USA.]
£400.00

See Michael Coveney?s obituary in the Guardian, 10 August 2011, which states that Wood was ?one of the greatest stage actors of the past century?, and that he ?returned to the West End in 1961 as Henry Albertson in the whimsical off-Broadway musical The Fantasticks, at the Apollo?. 86pp, 4to. Each act separately paginated. Duplicated and bound with metal studs into black waxed-card wraps, with each page on the recto of a separate leaf. Title ?THE FANTASTICKS? printed on front cover, with details of the Studio Duplicating Service. In good condition, lightly aged, in lightly creased wraps.

[Major John Lodington, Royal Marine, future Naval Officer at Dominica.] Two Autograph Letters Signed by him, and one by his wife, to Messrs Cox & Son, Royal Marine Agency Office, regarding a creditor's 'unpleasant letter', 'Monte Video Prize Money'.

Author: 
Major John Lodington, Royal Marines, Aide-de-Camp to the Governor of Dominica, the Earl of Huntingdon [HMS Ardent; Messrs Cox & Son, Royal Marine Agency Office, London]
Publication details: 
Lodington’s two letters: first, 25 May 1808, Royal Marine Barracks; second, 8 June 1808, ‘H.M.S. Ardent, Sheerness’. Mrs Lodington’s letter, 29 May 1808; Norwich.
£100.00

Lodington would be ‘appointed naval officer at Dominica’ in 1814, and the last heard of him is in a letter of 1824 from the same place (offered separately), where ‘Lieut. Col. Lodington’ is awaiting trial, having been abandoned by the Governor, the Earl of Huntingdon. The three items are in good condition, lightly aged, and each is docketed on the reverse, with the usual folds for postage. ONE: Lodington to ‘Charles E. Cox Esqr | For Cox & Son’, 25 May 1808, ‘Royal Marine Barracks’. 1p, 4to. Signed ‘John Lodington / Major Royal Mars’.

[St Thomas Lunatic Asylum near Exeter, founded in 1795.] Printed bill, filled out in manuscript, for sum due by ‘Mr. Penny’ for ‘Board and Maintenance’, with Signed Autograph Note of receipt by treasurer John Mackintosh, and note on annual accounts.

Author: 
St Thomas Lunatic Asylum, near Exeter, founded in 1795 [John Mackintosh, Treasurer; James Penny, Exeter bookseller; William Seacombe]
Asylum
Publication details: 
‘Lunatic Asylum, near Exeter.’ Made out for the period between 6 May and 1 July 1811. Slug: ‘Trewmans, Printers, Exeter.’
£80.00
Asylum

An interesting piece of Exeter ephemera. See ‘Besley’s Exeter Directory for 1835’: ‘LUNATIC ASYLUM, St. Thomas. Founded in 1795. The expenses are defrayed by the board of patients whose friends can afford to pay for their maintenance, and by benefactions, legacies, &c.’ (In the entry ‘John Mackintosh’ is still listed as treasurer.) 1p, landscape 12mo. Addressed by Mackintosh on reverse to ‘Mr. James Penny / Bookseller / Fore St. / Exeter’. In fair condition, on aged and lightly-creased paper, with slight staining and damage from breaking open wafer.

[Commodore George Johnstone, first Governor of West Florida.] Two Manuscript Letters to him from his bank Sir Robert Herries & Co., the first providing an 'account current' and the second reporting the delivery of a 'Chest of plate' to 'Mr. Maxwell'.

Author: 
Sir Robert Herries (c.1731-1815), Scottish merchant and founder of a London banking house [Commodore George Johnstone (1730-1787), Royal Navy officer and first Governor of West Florida. 1763-67]
Publication details: 
ONE: 19 February 1781. TWO: 1 October 1782. Both from St James’s Street, London.
£250.00

Two Manuscript Letters from the London banking house Robert Herries & Co. to the former Governor of West Florida George Johnstone, the first ‘with Account Current’ and the second regarding delivery of ‘the plate to Mr Maxwell. Both items in good condition, lightly aged and worn. ONE: 2pp, 8vo. On the inner sides of a bifolium, with the reverse of the second leaf bearing the address (with postmark) ‘Commodore Johnstone / M. P. / Portsmouth’, and endorsement ‘Sir Robert Harries [sic] & Co. / 19th Feby. 1781. / with Account Current. / Balance due the Governor / £697 .. 18/3’.

[Geraldine McEwan, distinguished English actress on stage, screen and television.] Autograph Inscription Signed to menu for Gallery First Nighters? Club luncheon in honour of Prunella Scales and Timothy West.

Author: 
Geraldine McEwan [born Geraldine McKeown] (1932-2015), distinguished English actress on stage screen and television [Timothy West and Prunella Scales; The Gallery First Nighters? Club]
McEwan
Publication details: 
Luncheon by the Gallery First Nighters? Club on 24 April 1994, at the London Marriott Hotel.
£120.00
McEwan

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. A nice item, printed on shiny card. Bifolium folding to 21 x 14.5 cm. In good condition, lightly aged. On the front is a photograph of Scales and West by Jane Bohn. On reverse of first leaf is the menu, on recto of second the ?Toast List?, and the verso of the second a list of officers. McEwan?s inscription, in a good firm hand is at top left of the menu. It reads: ?With Best Wishes / Geraldine / McEwan?. From the papers of Kenneth Sephton. See Image.

[?Bazaar of Nations?, Ealing Town Hall, London, 1920.] Printed ?Book of the Bazaar?, ?Complete Guide to Bazaar, containing a Detailed Account of the Stalls, Entertainments, Side Shows, also Names of Stall Holders, Helpers, &c.?

Author: 
?Bazaar of Nations?, Ealing Town Hall, London, 1920
Ealing
Publication details: 
Town Hall Ealing, 8, 9 and 10 June 1920. Francis A. Percy, Printer, West Ealing.
£90.00
Ealing

A nice piece of Ealing ephemera, and scarce: no other copy traced, either on WorldCat or JISC. 48pp, 12mo. Stapled into grey wraps, with heavily-inked cover illustration by Joan Murrell, depicting six figures from various nations (Japanese geisha in the middle), beneath bunting of five flags with Union Flag in centre, and with 'BAZAAR OF NATIONS' at head. Title page reads: ?Book of the Bazaar / held at the / Ealing Town Hall, / Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, / June 8th, 9th, 10th / 1920.

[Christ’s Hospital, London public school.] Six forms and circulars relating to the application for admission of Stanley Thomas Cross (later of the League of Nations); two letters from Cross to his mother about going up to Pembroke College, Oxford.

Author: 
Christ’s Hospital (The Blue-coat School), charitable public school founded by Henry VIII [Stanley Thomas Cross (1884-1950) of the League of Nations; City of London; Pembroke College, Oxford]
Publication details: 
Eight items from Christ's Hospital, London and West Horsham. The first six from 1894 and 1895, the last two from around 1903.
£280.00

Eight items from the papers of Stanley Thomas Cross, including six evocative pieces of Christ’s Hospital ephemera. Four of the items have some singing to extremities (in a couple of cases affecting a few words of text), otherwise the material is in fair condition. The material ranges in dimension from foolscap 8vo to 12mo. Items One to Five are printed circulars (each with the school crest) relating to the Christ’s Hospital admissions process, dating from 1894 and 1895, all from ‘R. L. Franks, Clerk’. ONE: 17 October 1894.

[West Indian Slave Trade; rum; sugar.] Eighteen manuscript documents (most from Lewis Simond & Co, New York Merchants) regarding slave trader and Jamaican plantation owner William Atherton and his Green Park Estate in Trelawny Parish.

Author: 
West Indian Slave Trade: William Atherton (Wikipedia) (1742-1803), slave trader & owner of Jamaican sugar plantations, including the Green Park Estate in Trelawny Parish [Lewis Simond, NY merchants]
Publication details: 
One item from 1777, from Bounty Hall Estate, Jamaica; three items from London, 1800 and 1801; fourteen items from New York [Lewis Simond & Co.], 1803 and 1804.
£1,500.00

All 18 items are in very good condition, with slight signs of age and wear. Items One and Eighteen are letters (Eighteen being a ‘triplicate’), the other sixteen items are accounts, with items Five to Eighteen relating to the firm of the New York merchant Lewis Simond. Items Seven, Nine and Twelve are copies (i.e. written out afresh but containing the same text) of Items Six, Eight and Eleven. ONE: Henry Hough (overseer of the Bounty Hall estate, Jamaica) to ‘William Fairclough / Green Park’: Autograph Letter Signed.

[A Lancashire slaver and his coach.] Two itemised manuscript receipts for work on a coach from the London coachmaker Thomas Thorpe to the Lancashire slave trader William Atherton of Prescot Hall, one signed by Thorpe.

Author: 
Thomas Thorpe, London coachmaker [William Atherton (1742-1803) of Prescot Hall, St Helens, Lancashire, slave trader and owner of plantations in Jamaica]
Publication details: 
1799 and 1801. [Thorpe & Co., Coachmakers, 210 Holborn, London.]
£280.00

An indication of how slavers spent the fruits of their slaves’ labours. With the advent of slavery studies William Atherton has been the subject of a deal of interest, reflected on his Wikipedia page. Thorpe and Lee are listed as coachmakers at 210 Holborn in 1791; in 1803 the firm is named as Thorpe and Co at the same address. The two items are written out in a secretarial hand, each on a long strip made by cutting a folio leaf in half vertically. Both in fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Each with slight damage from the breaking open of the wafer.

[Simond and Hankey, London bankers involved in the West Indian sugar and slave trade.] Two manuscript bills in French, ‘A Messieurs Messrs. Ante. & Dan. Bierens a Amsterdam’, each signed by ‘Pre: Simond’ and endorsed by ‘Jean Hankey’.

Author: 
Simond and Hankey, London bankers deeply involved in the West Indian sugar and slave trade; Peter Simond (1691-1785); John Hankey (1741-1792)
Publication details: 
Both dated from ‘Londres ce 15e. Decembre 1758’ [London].
£100.00

With the surge of interest in the slave trade attention has lately been directed at Simond and Hankey, a ‘past constituent’ of the NatWest Bank. These two items are nice artefacts of the firm. Both are in good condition, lightly aged, and laid out in the same way, with the bill written out on one side of a 22.5 x 9 cm slip of laid paper. One is for ‘Deux Cent Livres Sterling a trente quatre Sols neuf deniers de gros’ and the other for ‘Cent Soixante Sterling a Trente quatre Sols dix deniers de gros’. Both drawn on ‘Messrs. Vernede & Co’.

[Sir Frank Stockdale: agriculture in Britain's African colonies, 1929-37.] Four official Autograph Journals by Colonial Office Agricultural Advisor Sir Frank Stockdale, describing in detail tours in Crown Colonies in East and West Africa and Cyprus.

Author: 
Sir Frank Stockdale [Sir Frank Arthur Stockdale] (1883-1949), distinguished agronomist and mycologist, Colonial Office Agricultural Advisor
Publication details: 
Written between 1929 and 1937. Entries relating to England, East and West Africa, Cyprus, Sudan and Egypt. [Uganda, Kenya, Tanganyika, Zanzibar, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Gold Coast, Ghana, Gambia.]
£1,000.00

Stockdale’s entry in the Oxford DNB provides an excellent commentary on the present four items: ‘An assumption that colonial economies should continue to be dominated by the export of cash crops, and a faith in Western scientific agriculture led in 1929 to the establishment of the colonial agricultural service with a colonial advisory council of agriculture and animal health, and a full-time agricultural adviser, a position to which Stockdale was appointed.

[Society for Irish Church Missions to the Roman Catholics.] Printed promotional pamphlet, including ‘The West Galway Church Building Fund / Appeal from the Bishop of Tuam.’ [i.e. Thomas Span Plunket]

Author: 
Society for Irish Church Missions to the Roman Catholics, Anglican missionary society, founded 1849 [The West Galway Church Building Fund; Thomas Span Plunket, Bishop of Tuam; Rev. Alexander Dallas]
Publication details: 
[November, 1850.] For the Society for Irish Church Missions to the Roman Catholics [The West Galway Church Building Fund].
£320.00

A scarce item: the only copy on COPAC at Trinity College Dublin. (WorldCat records a German library holding). See the entry on the Society’s founder, Rev. Alexander Dallas, in the Oxford DNB. The organisation, which still operates, is a controversial one. It was founded to convert Irish Roman Catholics to Protestantism, and the attitude of those involved can be gauged by the fact that its members considered the Potato Famine a judgement on the Catholics and made relief conditional on conversion, and that the Bishop of Tuam evicted tenants for not sending their children to Protestant schools.

[Charles Richard Weld, author.] Printed notice of the election of ‘the Council and Officers of the Royal Society’ and ensuing dinner, signed by Weld, and addressed by him to W. Vaughan. With the Society’s seal in red wax.

Author: 
Charles Richard Weld (1813-1869), historian of the Royal Society, London [William Vaughan (1752-1850), West Indian slave owner and co-founder of West India Dock, London]
Publication details: 
‘From the Apartments of the Royal Society [in Somerset Place, Strand], November 21st. 1844’.
£90.00

Weld and Vaughan both have entries in the Oxford DNB. The notice is printed in copperplate on the recto of the first leaf of a 4to bifolium. In fair condition, aged and lightly worn, with short closed tear to one edge, and slight damage to the second leaf from the cutting of the seal, which is present on the verso, with a good impression, in red wax, together with two postmarks and the address, in Weld’s hand, to ‘W. Vaughan Esq - [F.R.S.] / 70 Fenchurch Street / [Royal Society.]’ The notice, signed ‘C. R.

[Ralph Reader, Broadway and West End theatrical impressario.] Typed Letter Signed to theatre historian W. J. Macqueen-Pope, thanking him for writing about ‘the new Award’ [perhaps the Novello?] and giving his news.

Author: 
Ralph Reader (1903-1982), Broadway and West End theatrical impressario associated with Scouting movement Gang Show and FA Cup Final community singing [Walter James Macqueen-Pope (1888-1960)]
Publication details: 
26 June 1957; on his letterhead, 14b Fitzjohn’s Avenue, NW3 [London].
£42.00

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition. Signed ‘Ralph’ and addressed to ‘Dear Popie’. It was ‘extremely good’, ‘and typical too’, of MP to write to him ‘about the new Award’. He is ‘at Newcastle now with the Val Parnell Summer Show and we ring up on Monday’. MP will know ‘what we shall be going through at the moment!’ He ends by thanking him ‘VERY [sic] much for writing’.

[Lord John Russell on the General Assembly of the Leeward Islands, 1840, 1841.] Two printed Colonial Office documents: copy of letter to him by J. Campbell and T. Wilde, ‘Her Majesty’s Attorney and Solicitor General’, and covering circular dispatch.

Author: 
Lord John Russell as Secretary of State for the Colonies, 1841 [General Assembly of the Leeward Islands; John Campbell (Lord Campbell), Attorney General; Thomas Wilde (Lord Truro), Solicitor General]
Publication details: 
ONE: Letter of Campbell and Wilde from Temple [London], 9 December 1840. TWO: Campbell’s covering dispatch from Downing Street [London], 15 April 1841.
£120.00

Both items scarce: no other copy of either traced. Disbound from a volume and paginated in manuscript. In good condition, lightly aged. ONE: ‘Copy’ of letter to ‘The Right Honorable Lord John Russell’, signed in type ‘J. CAMPBELL, / T. WILDE.’ 2pp, 8vo. Paginated in manuscript 27-28. Printed in copperplate font. Begins: ‘My Lord, / We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Vernon Smith’s letter of the 3d inst.

[Lord Grey and ‘unsteady habits’ of immigrants to Mauritius (and West Indies), 1846.] Three printed items: Colonial Office circular dispatch; copy of dispatch to Governor of Mauritius; ‘Heads of an Ordinance for Promoting Immigration’ to Mauritius.

Author: 
Lord Grey [Henry George Grey, 3rd Earl Grey] as Secretary of State for the Colonies, 1846 [Colonial Office, Whitehall; Sir W. M. Gomm, Governor of Mauritius; West Indies]
Publication details: 
ONE: Printed circular dispatch, Downing Street, 23 October 1846. TWO: Grey’s Dispatch No. 38, Downing Street, 29 September 1846. THREE: ‘Heads of an Ordinance’ [London, 1846].
£120.00

All three items are scarce, with no copies on OCLC WorldCat or COPAC. Both in good condition, lightly aged. Disbound from a volume and paginated in manuscript. ONE: Printed ‘Circular’, headed in manuscript ‘Immiration / W. Indies & Mauritius’, and dated from Downing Street, 23 October 1846. Paginated in manuscript 93. At foot of page (not in Grey’s hand): ‘/sd/ Grey’.

[Lord Grey and immigration to British West India Colonies, 1850.] Two printed Colonial Office circular dispatches: on ‘Coloured Emigrants from United States’, and ‘Immigration’ of ‘Coolies’, ‘Kroomen’ and Africans taken from captured Slavers’.

Author: 
Lord Grey [Henry George Grey, 3rd Earl Grey] as Secretary of State for the Colonies, 1850 [Colonial Office; slavery; the United States]
Publication details: 
ONE: ‘Coloured Emigrants from United States’, Downing Street, 16 October 1850. TWO: ‘Immigration’, Downing Street, 30 October 1850.
£150.00

Two interesting items from the period leading up to the American Civil War. Both items are scarce: no other copy of either traced. In good condition, lightly aged. Disbound from a volume and paginated in manuscript.Both printed in copperplate font. ONE: Printed ‘Circular’ dated from Downing Street, 16 October 1850. Headed in manuscript ‘Colonial Emigrants from United States’. In manuscript at end (not in Grey’s hand) ‘/sd/ Grey’. 2pp, 8vo. Paginated in manuscript 239-240.

[Lord Derby [as Lord Stanley] and emigration from West Africa to West Indies, 1843.] Two printed Colonial Office items: Circular dispatch on ‘Emigration from the W. Coast of Africa’ and ‘A circular to all the West India Colonies’ on ‘Emigration’.

Author: 
Lord Derby [Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby] as Secretary of State for the Colonies, 1843 [Colonial Office; immigration to West Indies; West Africa; African emigration]
Publication details: 
ONE: ‘Emigration from the W. Coast of Africa.’ Downing Street, 25 February 1843. TWO: ‘A circular to all the West India Colonies.’ Downing Street, 25 February 1843. Printed by W. Clowes and Sons, Stamford Street, for Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.
£120.00

Important items, reflecting the state of affairs regarding movement of West Africans to the British West India colonies in the period immediately following the abolition of slavery. Both items excessively scarce: no copies traced on either OCLC WorldCat or COPAC. In good condition, lightly aged. The two items disbound from a volume and paginated in manuscript. ONE: Printed ‘Circular’ dated ‘Downing Street, / 25th. February 1843.’ Lithographic reproduction of manuscript text, headed in real manuscript ‘Emigration from the W. Coast of Africa’.

[W. H. K. Wright: Victorian armorial bookplates.] Two Original Illustrations of Designs for Armorial Bookplates, one ‘Presented to Mr Edward Morrall Quay House Bridgenorth’.

Author: 
W. H. K. Wright [William Henry Kearley Wright], (1844-1915), poet, editor of the Western Antiquary [Victorian armorial bookplates; Edward Morrall of Quay House, Bridgnorth; M. J. Morrall]
Wright
Publication details: 
Without date or place, but late Victorian.
£120.00
Wright

Each of the two items attributed to Wright in pencil note on reverse. Both in good condition, lightly aged. ONE: On 11 x 17.5 cm piece of paper. At head: ‘Book Plate of Morrall A[?] vox stellarum vox Dei’. At foot: ‘M. J. Morrall’. (Unlikely to be the Brooklyn architect of this name active at this time.) Up left-hand margin: ‘Mr. Edward Morrall / Mayor 1885-6’. Down right-hand margin: ‘Presented to Mr Edward Morrall Quay House Bridgnorth’. Full achievement, from crest to motto, with colours indicated. TWO: On back of 9 x 11 cm printed ‘at Home’ card.

[Ruby Miller, actress.] Three Autograph Letters Signed (all ?Ruby?) to W. J. Macqueen-Pope (?Popie?), expressing great grief at the death of Ivor Novello, whose spirit form she describes seeing at his memorial performance at Drury Lane.

Author: 
Ruby Miller [Ruby Laura Rose Miller] (1889-1976), English actress, one of the ?Gaiety Girls? [W. J. Macqueen-Pope (1888-1960), theatre historian; Ivor Novello, actor, composer and matin?e idol]
Publication details: 
14 March, 6 April and 8 October 1951; all three from 57B York Street, Baker Street, W1 [London].
£120.00

See the entries for writer and recipient in the Oxford DNB. The three items in good condition, lightly aged, with the last carrying minor rusting from paperclip. ONE: 3pp, 8vo. She got his office number from ?Mrs. Popie?, ?but the line has been busy all the time?. She asks for ?a pass for darling Ivor?s [i.e. Ivor Novello?s] memorial service?. The previous week she was ?playing at the Regent Theatre, Hayes, & on the Monday night I was weighed down by a dreadful foreboding of disaster?.

[Prince Littler, extensive theatre propietor.] Four Typed Letters Signed and one Typed Note Signed to theatre historian W. J. Macqueen-Pope, on topics including productions of ?Oaklahoma?, ?The King and I? and ?Plain and Fancy?.

Author: 
Prince Littler [born Jules Richeux] (1901-1973), extensive theatre proprietor, Managing Director of the Stoll, Associated and Moss Theatre groups [W. J. Macqueen-Pope (1888-1960), theatre historian]
Publication details: 
The five items between 1950 and 1956. On letterheads of Stoll Theatres Corporation Limited, Stoll Offices, London Coliseum, WC2, and Cranbourn Mansions, Cranbourn Street, London WC2.
£180.00

For more information on writer (one of West End theatre?s ?most dominant and successful landlords?) and recipient (the foremost British theatre historian of the twentieth century), see their entries in the Oxford DNB. The five items (the TNS is Item Three, the others are ALsS) are in good condition, lightly aged; Item Five with slight paperclip damage to a margin. Each folded once. All five signed ?Prince Littler? and addressed to ?Popie?, two at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, one at 9 Oakdale, London N14, and one at Coventry House, Coventry St, W1.

[Henry Betty, actor.] Autograph Letter Signed [to Madame Celeste, lessee of the Royal Lyceum Theatre, London], announcing his father's recovery from illness, and requesting 'the favour of an Order' [to a performance of 'A Tale of Two Cities'].

Author: 
Henry Betty [Henry Thomas Betty] (1819-1897), actor and founder of Betty's Fund for Poor Actors and Actresses, son of actor William Betty (1791-1874) [Madame Celeste, lessee, Royal Lyceum Theatre]
Publication details: 
'Thursday Morning. | Feb 16/60. [16 February 1860] | 37. Ampthill Square. | Hampstead Road. | Regents Park.' [London]
£90.00

The Times, 16 February 1860, announces 'the new drama, called A TALE OF TWO CITIES', at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, 'Sole Lessee and Directress, Madame Celeste'. ('Madame Céleste' [Céline Céleste-Elliott] (c.1815-1882) was a French dancer and actress.) 3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded three times. The recipient is not named. The letter has a large signature ('Henry Betty.') with florid underlining.

[William Bullock, Secretary of the Island of Jamaica, Public Messenger, Island Storekeeper and notary public.] Manuscript Document Signed ('W Bullock | Not Pub'), in secretarial hand, regarding plan for 'conveying' a stream of water into Kingston.

Author: 
William Bullock of St Catherine, Jamaica, Island Storekeeper, Public Messenger, Secretary of the Island and Notary Public
Publication details: 
'Done and performed in my Office of Secretary of the said Island [of Jamaica] At Saint Jago de la Vega this 31 day of May annoque domini One thousand Eight hundred and nineteen [1819]'.
£120.00

In 1824 Bullock held the public offices of Island Storekeeper and Public Messenger. He was also Secretary of the Island and Notary Public. On one side of a 32 x 20 cm piece of laid paper, with Whatman watermark dated 1817. In good condition, lightly aged, with parts of the edges cut down. Seal under paper at bottom left. In a secretarial hand, with Bullock only supplying the date and his signature 'W Bullock | Not Pub'.

[George Combe, Scottish phrenologist and lawyer.] Autograph Document describing 'The Police Establishment of Edinburgh', including information on the 'Watching', 'cleaning' and 'Lighting' departments, written out by him for Arthur West of Bath.

Author: 
George Combe (1788-1858), Scottish phrenologist and lawyer, founder of the Edinburgh Phrenological Society [Alfred West of Beechen Cliff, Bath; policing in Scotland]
Publication details: 
Bath. 11 April 1835.
£650.00

1p, 4to. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with minor traces of glue from mount at head of reverse of second leaf, which is addressed, with broken seal in red wax, to 'Arthur West Esq | Beeching [i.e. modern-day 'Beechen'] Cliff | Bath.' The page is headed: 'The Police Establishment of Edinburgh consists of,' and the text is neatly written out in two columns. The first is headed 'In the Watching department', and contains twelve entries from '1 Superintendent' to '2 Female [Turnkeys]', including '30 Night Patrole men' and '166 night watchmen'.

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