TALBOT

The present volume provides a fascinating sidelight into the operations of an archetypal Working Men's Club (Labour leader Ed Milliband was recently described as being 'more at home in Primrose Hill than Kenfig Hill') at what was perhaps the high point of such an institution, covering the period from just before the Great War to the end of the Depression of the 1930s. The accounts relate to two locations: the Cefn Institute and the Talbot Miners' Welfare Institute. The latter was founded in 1911 after a gift from the Talbot family, and closed in 1959.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. Docketted 'Answered same date G H'. The letter begins: 'As the time is approaching when another instrument will be due to <?>, I should be much obliged to you if you could send me the amount of the balance due to you at the time the arrangement was made, & the different payments that have been made since'. The letter continues on the same subject. The postscript reads: 'Please mention what are the profits of the price of W. India produce'. From the Hankey & Co. banking archive.

49 photographic prints, laid down on 48pp. of a small (16.5 x 13 cm) contemporary 4to album, quarter-bound with brown leather spine and brown cloth boards, with yellow endpapers. No captions: the only manuscript in the volume being the ownership inscription of 'Sybil M. Hubert | 1883' on the front free endpaper. A fragile survival: aged and discoloured, with occasional staining from damp, which also caused some of the photographs to stick to one another, with slight damage occurring on their being detached; binding also in poor condition, with boards detached and leaves loose.

There is an obituary of Moorsom (who was not, as sometimes stated, an admiral) in The 'Moorsom System' of calculating tonnage became law in 1854, and remained in effect until 1982. Transactions of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, Volume 8 (1867). Letter: 4pp., 12mo. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. He explains that he has been 'a member of, as well as Secretary to the late Tonnage Commission', and that he is 'aware, from your correspondence with Mr.

1p., 12mo. An autograph note, apparently written at the head of the detached fly-leaf of a book. Fair, on aged paper, laid down on a torn page from an autograph album. Reads: 'This is a Curious & very Scarce Book. - | Madrid 1st. July 1777. | [signed] John Talbot Dillon | Knt. & Baron of the S. R. Empire.' The abbreviation stands for 'Sacred Roman Empire'.

Eight tall and thin 8vo diaries of unusual shape: the first six 34.5 x 13.5 cm, the last two slightly smaller. The first diary has 120pp., the others of similar length. With between two and four daily entries to a page, depending on the volume. The diaries are elegantly printed by a number of different Paris publishers (Dechamp; Pirmet; 'E. J.'; 'M. et H.'; 'F. G.'; 'B. L.'). Five are bound in light-brown cloth, with coloured paper labels stamped in gilt; the other three have printed paper boards.

12mo, 4 pp. Forty lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, and with line of glue from previous mount. Following the 'Court Martial of Admiral Fairfax', where 'two out of 3 KCBs' wore 'Epaulettes on a Frock Coat' with 'the Collar or Badge of K.C.B.', all three parties considering themselves to be right, Kerr wishes the matter 'cleared up', Sir Algernon Heneage having officially asked for information.

INDENTURE OF 1672: 'ex[ecute]d. by Rich: Lighfoot Clerk to ye Trustees', on one side each of two large vellum skins. Wear at folds, affecting the occasional word or phrase. Docketed on grubby reverse of first skin. Borders in red, and with attractive hand-drawn Royal Crest within large initial at head. 'Betwene the right honourable ffrancis Lord Hawley Sr. Charles Harbord Knight his majesties Surveyor generall Sr. William Howard of Tandridge in the County of Surrey Knight Sr.

12mo, 2 pp, 20 lines. Bifolium with mourning border. Text clear and entire, on lightly aged paper with a few stains. He is enclosing 'Mr. Gladstone's answer on the subject of the inscriptions [not present]' which he asks to be returned to him. 'I had no opportunity of submitting it to him till Sunday last, and as you see I lose no time in passing on his answer to you [...] I drew his attention specially to the question of the two languages as you desired me to do'. Asks to be remembered to 'Miss Hawtrey'.

12mo: 1 p. Good. Purple receipt stamp in top left-hand corner. 'Lord Salisbury requests Messrs. Williams & Norgate to send him Harnack's "Die Chronologie der Altchristlichen Literatur bis Eusebius". Also another volume he published 3 or 4 years ago on the same subject - the "Geschichte".' One presumes that the present British Prime Minister is equally cultured.

One page, octavo. Good, on aged paper with slight fraying and a few small closed tears at extremities. 'Received by me [Adelaide Dutchess Dowager of Shrewsbury Ass[ign]ee of Wm. Harvey] of the Honourable George Parker Esq; One of the Four Tellers of His Majesty's Receipt of Exchequer, the Sum of [Twenty five pounds] [...]'. Signed 'Adelaide Shrewsbury' and witnessed by 'Hen: Gardie'. Adelaide was (according to the eleventh edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica) married to Charles Talbot, 1st Duke of Shrewsbury (1660-1718) in 1705.