ASQUITH

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The document is possibly a draft, as it contains a couple of emendations. Describing himself as 'an old Lord Rector of 20 years' standing' (he held the post from 1905 to 1908), he praises the University's 'great traditions, which have been maintained & enriched by many generations of their predecessors'. He urges them to 'carry on the torch which has been handed down to them, and to keep their famous University in its place in the forefront of the vangard of the <?> of Culture & Science, to which Scotland & the Empire owe so much'.

Sheena Lilian Grant Tennant (hereafter ST) came from a privileged Scottish family, being the youngest of the six children (five daughters and a son) of wealthy industrialist James Tennant of Fairlieburne, Fairlie, Argyllshire, a nephew of Sir Charles Tennant of the Glen (father of Margot Asquith, wife of British Prime Minister H. H. Asquith, who was hence James Tennant's cousin). Beginning as a partner in the Glasgow chemical manufacturers Charles Tennant & Co., James Tennant became director of companies including United Alkali Co, North Eastern Electric Supply Co, and Eastern Paper Mills Co.

An interesting piece of First World War London social history107pp., 12mo. In good condition, on aged paper, in aged and worn black cloth notebook. On first page: ''Sheena Tennant | 49 Wimpole Street | W. | Concerts, Theatres etc | 1916'. Carefully and neatly compiled, with the date, theatre, production, and often the cast and the names of those she went with.

Collection of six items of printed sheet music of piano pieces. In good overall condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. All published by The Frederick Harris Company, London (Item One at 89 Newman Street, Oxford Street; Items Two to Four at 89 Newman Street; and Items Five and Six at 40 Berners Street). All items excessively scarce, with COPAC only recording one copy (at the British Library) of Items One, Two, Three and Five; two copies (British Library and Trinity College Dublin) of Item Four; and no copies of Item Six. ONE: 'Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal. Song .

Both items in good condition, lightly aged and worn. Excessively scarce, with COPAC only listing one copy (at the British Library) of both items. ONE: 'An Irish Cradle Song. Words by W. B. Yeats. From Poems by W. B. Yeats, published by T. Fisher Unwin'. [1914.] 5 + [1]pp., folio. Title page carries the gaelic motto: 'Goth yani me von gilli beg," | "'N heur ve thu more a creena"'. TWO: 'The Lake Isle of Innisfree. Words by W. B. Yeats'. [1917.] 5 + [1]pp., folio. Illustration of tree on bank of lake on front cover.

The collection comprises a large collection of autograph sheet music, together with copies of nine published piano pieces. Accompanying the collection is an autograph note by Sheena Tennant's son Hugh Kendall: 'These books, with accompanying score sheets, represent something rather unusual - the compositional examples of my mother, aspiring as she did to be what she saw herself as - one of the first women composers.

6pp. by Boulanger, out of 46pp. in a landscape 14.5 x 23 cm notebook of printed staves, stitched within plain white covers. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with five leaves loose and a sixth leaf with loss to one corner. Eleven pages in ink (all by Tennant), the other 35pp. in pencil. In pencil at head of front cover: 'Lundi 4 h.' The initial three leaves (the third of them loose) carry the six pages of musical composition and text by Boulanger; the rest of the volume (40pp.) comprises musical composition by Tennant.

10 x 13 cm envelope. In fair condition, aged and worn, with damage and loss to back flap.. Asquith has written out the address as follows: 'Quintin Hogg Esq | 5 Cavendish Square | W'. The last two lines have been crossed out, and the address amended in another hand to '56 Westbourne St | West Brighton'. The front of the envelope has a square London postmark in black ink, and circular frank in red; the rear has two more postmarks (one London and the other Brighton. The flap has 'Home Office | Whitehall' printed on it.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with closed tears at head and foot of gutter. Reads: 'Dear Sir, I much regret that the pressure of my other engagements makes it impossible for me to comply with the kind request of the Committee of your Society that I should become President during the next session.'

Text of all three items clear and complete. All three on lightly aged paper, creased and with some wear to extremities. Letter One (8vo, 1 p; 20 lines of text): She thanks Bonham Carter for her 'kind and appreciative letter' and 'will see that through the English Embassy' she receives 'a copy of my short story: "I due prigionieri", of which your son is the protagonist'. (An officer in the Grenadier Guards, during the war Mark Bonham Carter had escaped from a prison camp in northern Italy.) Describes material she is sending relating to her 'literary career'.

Both items written in pencil and good, on lightly aged paper, with their stamped and postmarked envelopes addressed by Asquith. Both envelopes with traces of brown paper mount adhering to reverse, and both docketed by the Graphic's editor 'To me Harold Lawton'. Letter One (12mo, 4 pp, headed 'Private'): Amusingly outraged letter regarding a visit by 'two gentlemen' of whom Asquith 'had no sort of knowledge'. Graphic journalists, they assured Asquith 'that nothing wd. be written about me without my seeing it first [last five words underlined in red]'.

Dimensions of card roughly 8 x 12 cm. Very good though lightly aged. Asking her correspondent to dinner in the following week. Note, addressed to 'Cher tres Cher Coq', on one side of 8vo grey paper. Very good, though lightly creased. She will be 'enchante de vous voir chez moi' on Wednesday [6 July] at 1 o'clock. Both items written before the Asquiths 1919 move from Cavendish Square to 44 Bedford Square. Two items,

British Liberal politician (1879-1924), Secretary of State for India, 1917-22. Jewish opponent of the Balfour Declaration. Untidy collection, discoloured with age and crudely mounted on leaves taken from autograph album, with cuttings pasted over parts of letters, etc. All three of Montagu's letters signed 'Ed S Montagu'. LETTER ONE (9 February 1915, 24 Queen Anne's Gate, S.W., one page, octavo): Is grateful for a letter and cutting.