MANUSCRIPT

The collection, deriving from the Ewart family papers, is in good condition, on aged paper, with fraying to the extremities of the report. Sir John Spencer Ewart, son of General Sir John Alexander Ewart, Colonel of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, entered Sandhurst in 1880, and left the following year, with the sword of honour, to join the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. (For more information about Ewart and his father, who also obtained 'special distinction' at Sandhurst, see their entries in the Oxford DNB.) ONE. Manuscript 'Report'.

1p., 4to. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. Granville explains that 'Edmonds' (the economist Thomas Rowe Edmonds (1803-1889)?) asked him before the House of Commons Committee about giving Ricardo 'the evidence - the Committee saw it was quite irregular', but if Ricardo 'can manage to call on me at the Bd. of Trade tomorrow (Saturday) at about 12 o clock, I will show you what you want'. Postscript reads: 'Pray come at all events on Monday at one to the Committee'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Of great interest, as giving the informal position of the British Home Secretary on what was at the time the most important problem facing him. Granville would only last as Foreign Secretary for a week after writing this letter, as Russell's Liberal Government would fall on 27 February. Ironically, his elevation to the post of Foreign Secretary the previous Boxing Day had been due to Russell forcing Palmerston's resignation over his unauthorized recognition of Louis Napoléon's coup d'état. The letter is addressed to 'My dear Baron'.

On a piece of thick paper, 36.5 x 38 cm. In fair condition, on aged and spotted and dusty paper, flattened out after being tightly furled, with one short closed tear in margin repaired with archival tape. The field plan is delicately drawn in ink to a 'Scale of four inches to one mile', and coloured in green, blue, grey and red.

Both Sylvester's letter and the copy of the letter by Starmer to which it is replying are in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, each with punch holes to one margin. Starmer, who at the time of writiing was proprietor of a large group of newspapers, had begun his career on the 'Northern Echo'; he had for many years been a Liberal member of parliament, standing down in 1931 due to ill health. Cober Hill Guest House was at that time an early experiment in what would become the children's home or retreat. For clarity's sake this description begins with the copy of Starmer's letter: 1p., 4to.

In 1826 Lieut-Col. Alexander Mackenzie, eldest son of Colonel Robert Mackenzie of Milnmount, assumed the dormant baronetcies of Tarbat and Royston [ALEXANDERMACKENZIE OF ROYSTON CROMARTY TARBET GRANDVILLE.], despite their having been forfeited under attainder in 1763. On his death without issue in 1841 his only brother Sir James Sutherland Mackenzie also assumed the titles. He died unmarried and insane on the 24 November 1858. The claim to which the present documents relate does not appear to have been pursued, and the baronetcies have remained dormant.

1p., 4to. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, laid down on the remains of a leaf of grey paper from an album. Sprague has only just received his recipient's letter, 'with its invaluable accompaniment', presuming that it was detained at New York for more than two months. He will send a proper letter in a fortnight; in the meantime he writes 'to introduce to you my worthy and much respected friend Mr Solomon Stoddard of Northampton, a direct descendant of the venerable divine whose name he bears [i.e.

3pp., foolscap 8vo. 60 lines. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Bifolium. Addressed, with broken red wax seal, to 'C. J. Auret Esqe. | Secretary | Board of Public Roads | Cape Division | Cape Town'. Napier understands that no tender has been received 'for putting in repair the Cross Road leading from Mr. place, to Mr. Henry Dreyer's Bridge on the Constantia Road & from the Bridge to the foot of the Hill leading to Wynberg'. It is 'very evident' to Napier 'that if some means are not immediately taken, that the heavy rains we may expect this winter will render the same totally impassable'.'s?>

A notable man by any measure, Walters is a puzzling omission from the Oxford DNB. For many years a central figure in the literary life of the north-west of England, he was an authority on Shakespeare (his extensive papers on whom are now in the Folger), Tennyson and Dickens. Walters was the author of 'about 20 books and [...] 250 lectures', and an 'actual or corresponding member of close upon fifty' literary societies, in addition to his professional work as editor of the Manchester City News (for twenty-five years), and the Manchester Evening Chronicle.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. On wove paper watermarked 'R TASSELL | 1831'. 56 lines, arranged in seven eight-line stanzas. Presentable, despite wear and age, closed tears along crease lines, and traces of yellow-paper mount on blank reverse of second leaf. There is no sign that this item was ever published, which is surprising, as it is a superior effort, written with some conviction, the subject being one on which Hollings was regarded as an authority.

A significant item, written, as his biographer Roy Abrahams explains, by a man who was 'almost single-handedly responsible for keeping academic social anthropology, and one might add the place of African research within it, alive in the small Archaeology and Anthropology Department in Cambridge in those otherwise rather barren days of the 1930s'. 45pp., 12mo. In a ruled, stitched notebook without cover. Written in pencil on stained and aged paper. Some of the text is faded.

2pp., 16mo. On first leaf of bifolium of watermarked laid de la Rue paper. In good condition, on aged and lightly-creased paper. A fair copy, neatly written out in a delicate hand. The poem is 28 lines long, arranged in four 7-line stanzas. Short and effective, with no hint of Christian piety to lighten the unremitting gloom.

602 pages, folio, preceded by a thumb-index, comprising 301 numbered double-page openings. A sturdy and substantial volume, half-bound in brown calf with 'LEDGER' in gilt on red label on spine. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper in worn binding.

Engrossed on both sides of a long strip of vellum, 18.5 x 76 cm. Written in a neat clerk's hand. The vellum is worn, with slight damage at the head, and some passages, particularly at the start, are illegible. The heading appears to be 'Court Leet Charge', and the sub-heading 'Charge in the Court Baron' appears twice. The text is strongly reminiscent to the relevant sections in Giles Jacob's 'Complete Court-Keeper, or, Land-Steward's Assistant'.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Worn and with a couple of pinholes. His correspondent's previous letter included a statement which Headlam would like verified: 'I dont think the ordinary customer is quite such a fool as that statement implies'.

All three are air mail letter cards. Each with 'Field Post Office' postmark and censor's stamp. The three in fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Letter One: To his father, 17 March [1944]. Addressed to 'My dear Father', with the envelope addressed to 'Sir E. de la Rue Bart. | The Sol | Cookham | Berkshire | England.' 1p, 4to, and 1p., 12mo. A light-hearted letter, in which he jokes about his father's inability to read the word 'Aviv' ('I suppose a series of "i"s and "v"s is rather difficult even if printed') and find the place on the map ('it is much larger than Bournemouth').

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. On aged and lightly-creased paper, with one stain in margin. This offprint is scarce: the only copies on COPAC at the National Library of Scotland and St Andrews.

2pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Bellows is not named, being addressed as 'My dear Friend', but the letter is from his papers. Müller writes that he feels 'every word' Bellows has to say about his mother: 'all we can say is that it was meant to be so'. He has been 'reading the Life of Patteson, the Bishop of Melanesia - an old friend of mine, and I suppose the best man I ever knew.' He laments that the book is 'very long, and will not be read by many people - but those who read it will value it for life'.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. With mourning border. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. At the time of writing the biography of the Liberal politician Hugh Culling Eardley Childers (1827-1896) by his son Col. Edmund Spencer Eardley Childers (1854-1919) had just been published, and Welby begins by thanking the Colonel for the gift of the book.

The signature, cut from a letter is on a strip of paper roughly 1.5 x 10 cm, laid down on a piece of paper, 7 x 11.5 cm. Lindpaintner's signature ('Js. Lindpaintner') is bold and florid; a small part at the head has been trimmed away in cutting the strip. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with one pinhole at head of mount, and traces of grey paper on reverse. The mount is neatly captioned 'Autograph of Lindpaintner, composer of "The Standard Bearer" | &c. &c. &c. | Recd. from Wessel & Co - 1859'.

3pp., folio, on three leaves stapled together. Fair, on aged paper. All in all a curiously positive account, with the possible explanation that Mrs Robinson's two informants chose to hide the worst from her. It is also pointed out at the foot of the first page that 'owing to the size of the Camp and the way it was divided up, it is not easy for the escaped men to give details of all the members of the Camp.

While only a rough pencil sketch, the drawing is an attractive one, landscape on a piece of wove paper, 20 x 25 cm, with 'JESSUPS' watermark. In good condition, on lightly-aged and creased paper, folded into a packet for postage, with remains of red wafer. Beneath the drawing, in ink in a shaky contemporary hand: 'Lawn view from the backs of Mount Vernon | This is from the Orange Tree planted by himself.' The reverse carries the following note: 'I made the enclosed rough sketch of Mount Vernon the residence of Genl.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. 28 lines of text. In fair condition: aged and a little ruckled. Docketed 'The Woodcutters' (a theme around which Linnell produced several paintings). Linnell writes that he has just received Lawrie's 'half note for £5 - and will not fail to attend to your wishes about The Verification'. He explains that he usually requires, in addition to the fee, 'an assurance that I shall not be called upon personally to give evidence respecting the work said to be mine.

1p., 4to. In poor condition, on aged, stained paper, with wear and loss to corners. Boldly signed 'James Bennett'. According to his entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Bennett lived in Rotherham, 'where he was tutor in the college and pastor of the church at Masborough', between 1813 and 1828. He is delighted that the recipient is 'devising means for the revival of religion' in his town: 'It is, however, not in my power to be with you.' Nevertheless he hopes he will 'persevere & obtain effectual help'.

W1, Some Customs and Institutions of the Inhabitants of Mayfair:An unpublished 1930s parody of an anthropological study, with satirical force, of London's wealthiest district, by J. H. Driberg, Lecturer in Anthropology at Cambridge University.Unpublished manuscript parody by Jack Herbert Driberg (1888-1946), Lecturer in Anthropology, Cambridge University, 1934-42, author of several mainly anthropological works; and brother of the Labour MP and gossip columnist 'William Hickey' Tom Driberg (1905-1976), written under the pseudonym of Ludwig H.

Both items good, on lightly-aged paper, with slight rust staining from paperclip. Typed Letter Signed ('Herbert Morrison') from Morrision to Driberg: 1p., 12mo. 17 lines of text. Concerning 'the difficulties which Private Donaldson says he is experiencing about his discharge from the Army because his certificate of naturalisation has gone astray', the Home Office 'asked the War Office to take every practicable step to recover the lost certificate', and they have written again to the War Office, 'to give them the information about the naturalisation of Private Donaldson'.

2pp., landscape 12mo. Addressed to 'Dear Furniss'. He is glad to hear of Furniss's success: 'Your tour ends after the last dinner but one of the year. No dinner Xmas week! awful that isn't it? When all are feasting no dinner for the Punch boys!!' He hopes Furniss will be 'here with us'. Had Furniss been 'on the spot' Burnand would have got him 'to substitute something for your John Bull picture in almanack which no one (I do not speak of "The Table" but of our best friends outside) comprehends.

2pp., folio. In fair condition, on aged and lightly creased and chipped paper. The whole of the first page is filled in the same hand in two columns, with the first column beginning '4 Cops, 1 Peck, or "Sleek"; i.e. a sleekit peck - not a heaped one, as with potatoes or apples. | 4 pecks make 3 Imperial or Winchester bushels. | 1 Carlisle Bushel is 4. pks. 1 or 3 imp. Bushels.' The right-hand column begins: '1. Imp. Bush. of Barley weighs 56 lbs. The common sized cart will hold 24 pks. (or sleeks): or 18 Imp.

2pp., landscape 12mo. On aged and dusty paper. This item is a jocular response to a letter by Furniss, printed in The Times of 21 July 1892 under the heading 'A Parliamentary Prophecy'. Both the Times letter and the present item are published in Furniss's 'Confessions of a Caricaturist' (1901), with other matter and the context explained. In this item Burnand teases Furniss about a misprint ('Is that setter-up-of-type still alive?

This collection provides an evocative and unusual snapshot of First World War social history, comprising eighteen items relating to British Army concert party performances in Salonica towards the end of the First World War, including three scarce programmes (only one copy of Item 13 below on COPAC, and Items 1 and 14 unknown), ten photographs of members of the concert party in character (several in drag), and four letters from Captain Butt (Items 15 to 18), three of them containing well-written, appreciative and informative comments on productions.