ESTATE

The two volumes in matching green cloth quarter-bindings, with marbled covers (one set green and the other brown). Both affected by damp at the head, and in worn bindings, but in acceptable overall condition, with text entirely legible. Two interesting and informative documents of local and social history. ONE (Almshouses Charity): 64pp., tall 8vo. In manuscript on cover: 'ALMSHOUSES CHARITY ACCOUNTS'. Among the signatories are two Rectors of Baldock, W. J. Skilton and John D. Nairne, and T. Rigby Kewley, Thomas G. Simpson and Frederick Archdale.

Both items in good condition, lightly aged, and both laid out in the customary fashion, with tax stamps and embossments. ONE: On three vellum skins. Endorsed, with signatures of various Company officials, on reverse of third skin: 'The Artizans Labourers and General Dwellings Company Limited to The Mutual Life Assurance Society | Mortgage for securing £35000 and Interest'. Large coloured map of the estate (Brassey Square, Latchmere Road, Tyneham Road, Eversleigh Road, Sabine Road, Kingsley Street Morrison Street, Ashbury Road, Holden Street, Grayshott Road) on reverse of third skin.

The Countess of Clarendon had inherited the Mesopotamia Estate from her previous husband John Foster Barham (1799-1838), who had died a certified lunatic year before her marriage to the Earl. The Estate had been in the hands of the Barham family for more than a century. The four items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. All four with notes by the recipients. ONE: Letter signed by George J. Nicholson of the London soliticitors Vizard & Leman, in secretarial hand, to Messrs Thomson Hankey & Co. Lincolns Inn Fields; 7 July 1845 ('Mesopotamia Estate'). 1p., 4to.

The two items are in very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Accompanying the two items is the envelope in which they were contained, docketted: 'Letters. | Duckinfield [sic] Hall Estate | { | Meylersfield Estate & Friendship Estate Trust'. Both items are signed 'Cyril Gurney | H. A. Trotter | L. M. Harvey'. ONE (Duckenfield Hall Estate letter): 1p., 4to.

The three items form a letter of 4pp., foolscap 8vo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed on reverse of second leaf: 'Bill loading | Messrs. Hankeys Plummer & Wilson | Mincing Lane | London | Lady Kathe Barham'. Docketed '97 Robert Locke | 10 | 28 July 1837 | Received 20 September [1837]'. The bill of loading covers the whole of the first page, with two columns of closely written items, ranging from '2300 yds Osnabury 8lbs do thread' to quinine, opium and '1 Box Hydrometer proof Bubbles from 15 to 30'.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed, with two postmarks (one of Savannah la Mar, Jamaica) on reverse of second leaf to 'Thomson Hankey & Co: | Merchants | Mincing Lane | London | p packet', and docketted '84 | Geo R Gow | 29 Augt 1840 | rec 26 Oct [1840] | ans 31 [Oct] [1840]'. The letter is 38 lines long, and written in a difficult hand.

14pp., small 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper, in ruled notebook, in worn black morocco binding, with marbled endpapers, and the following stamped in gilt on the front cover: 'The Right Honble John Manners | Earl of Hardwicke deceased | Inventory of Heirlooms'.

1p., 4to. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with vertical closed tear at head neatly repaired with archival tape. Ornate letterhead, including an engraving of a sportsman looking through a telescope, while standing beside a dead stag, with a gamekeeper beside him, both men in kilts. The letter is signed 'Robert Hall & Co.', with the rest of the text in another hand.

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged and creased paper. The document reads as follows, with the autograph additions by Harrison in square brackets: 'WHITECHAPEL ESTATE, | THE PROPERTY OF | WILLIAM HEATHER MEDOWS, ESQ. | SIR, | I beg to acquaint you that I shall attend at the "Magpie," 12, New Street, Bishopsgate Street, to receive Rents on [Thursday] next, the [8th.] Instant, from Ten till One o'clock, when I have to request you will pay the Rent due by you at [Christmas] last amounting to £ [-. s17./7] | I am, SIR | Your obedient Servant, [G. C. Harrison] | Receiver.

2pp., 12mo; with the reverse folding out to make 1p., landscape 8vo, with the words 'CORONATION, 1911.' printed in red. The text begins on the first page beneath the firms letterhead: 'HOUSES LET OR SOLD. | RENTS COLLECTED IN ANY DISTRICT. | WEEKLY PROPERTIES MANAGED. | REPAIRS ECONOMICALLY EXECUTED. | DISTRAINTS LEVIED. | [...]'. The text of the announcement is headed, in red: 'SEATS TO VIEW . . . | THE CORONATION PROCESSION.' The first page reads: 'We have pleasure in submitting prices of Seats which we have To Let at | 41, KING WILLIAM STREET, E.C., | to view the Procession on June 23rd.

[ii] + 21pp., 4to. With a further eight pages of plates on shiny art paper. Internally in fair condition on aged pages, in discoloured and damaged wraps. With a few light pencil notes. Stitched with thick red thread into binding designed to look like a large envelope, complete with flap with fake red seal. A luxurious production, with fine photographic views of the building, which still stands, and is counted one of the finest in Wales.

Brochure: 4pp., 4to. Bifolium, printed in green and brown on yellow paper. With four photographs of children. Fair, on lightly-worn paper, with vertical crease to second leaf. Requesting help for 'Houses Workshops Farms': 'Are they not human beings like us? | Do they not all have similar rights? | Do they not deserve to live a life filled with work, duty and pleasure?' Mimeographed typed appeal: 3pp., 4to. On two leaves of paper stapled together by a corner. Headed 'The Botton Hall Estate, Danby, Whitby, North East Yorkshire'.

236 pp, 8vo. In sturdily-bound landscape account book by Drake, Driver & Leaver of London, with black leather half-binding, green cloth boards, and marbled endpapers. Stamped in gilt on front board: 'INVENTORY. | G. KNIGHT & SON. | AUCTIONEER & VALUERS | HOUSE & ESTATE AGENTS | MIDHURST.' Good, on aged paper, in lightly-worn binding. Lined lengthwise across each two pages (like an oversized reporter's or policeman's notebook), each opening carrying a stamped number, and with the text on openings 1 to 119 of the 251 in the account book.

4to, 3 pp. In a bifolium. 52 lines of neatly-written text. Clear and complete. Very good on lightly-aged and creased paper. Part of the second leaf has been cut away on the breaking open of the letter, and is now under the seal, with no loss of text. The seal is cracked, with a light imprint of Boucher's monogram beneath a jester's head. The letter concerns the enclosure of the Langtoft Estate and 'Mr. Bankes', who 'never had any Legal Right to interfere in the Business'.

4to, 3 pp. Bifolium. Sixty-one lines of text. Clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged and worn paper. Docketed 'William Burrit [sic] & Hawes | Charles Palmer | Mar 15 & May 52 Recd'. Reminding Barret (or Burrit) of a letter written by Palmer from America two or three years previously, which he answered on behalf of the Heir at Law Society.

8vo: 6 pp. Stapled pamphlet. Text clear and complete. On aged and creased paper. For Wilson 'the most important aspect of the question' is 'the conversion of unsound country to sound country [...] It is a recent discovery, and, while ten or fifteen years ago one would have wiped the proposal before the House right off the slate, on the ground that the land is unsuitable for closer settlement, one to-day welcomes it.' Red-ink 1 cm accession stamp of the Webster Collection on reverse of blank final leaf, numbered 4188. No copy in the British Library, on COPAC, or on WorldCat.

8vo: 12 pp. Very good, in original blue cloth account book of twelve leaves, with title on label on front board. Label of Waterlow & Sons inside front cover. The entries spread across six sets of two facing pages, all ruled with red printed lines and in boxes and with the following seven categories printed at the head: 'No. on Plan'; 'DESCRIPTION.'; 'State of Cul[ivatio]n.'; 'Value per Acre'; 'Statute | A. R. P. [i.e. acreage]'; 'Value. | £ s.

Two unbound bifoliums stapled together. Eight pages, on four leaves each roughly seventeen inches by eleven wide. A corrected proof, stamped at head of first page 'PROOF NO.' A frail survival of a significant document in London topographical history. Aged and worn, with several closed tears. A few manuscript emendations, notes and additions in different hands. For example, concerning a right of way, 'Messrs. Debenham can ascertain this from Mr. Pinder Simpson 20 Old Burlington St. W. the Collector'.

One page. Roughly nine inches by four. Aged and creased, with one small closed tear and one spike hole (neither affecting text, which is clear and complete). An attractive document, embossed with a government one shilling stamp, and bearing the Westminster coat of arms, supported by two dogs, engraved by Warrington, 27 Strand, in top left-hand corner. Reads (MS additions in square brackets): '[Imp: Hopkinson] | Grosvenor Estate Office, | 9, Davies Street, Grosvenor Square | Received the [March 30th] 184[9] of [Richard Jones Esqr.

Two pages, 4to, stained and damaged with minor loss of text, fold marks, terms as follows: wages 25 gns, not to rent land or take any other employment but Lord Stamfords, "To be allowed to keep two horses in the Stable Lawn for carrying out venison, "To have the Lodge [House] . . . , To have the cuttings . . . To be allowed a Fee . . . for every Load of Fern taken out of the Park . . . To take proper care of all Horses & Cattle,etc". Agreement signed by "Henry Adams". A calculation at the end suggests he held the job for 25 years. Another on the conjoint blank suggets 31 years.