THEATRES

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.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with slight loss at the head of the second leaf affecting a couple of words of text. The letter begins: My dear Sir, | I have on different occasions interfered to prevent gross abuses at the Theatre to which you call my attention, and have I believe to a certain degree procured their correction. But thhere is great reason to fear that by attempting too much more may be lost than gained.

The Campaign of Actors for Sunday Theatres appears to have been active from January 1943 until at least 1944, with the actor Alec Clunes as Honorary Treasurer. The fourteen items in this collection are in good condition, on aged paper, in a beige card folder carrying the title 'LIST OF 213 CELEBRITIES'. [NB. While the first item described below is likely to be, as its title states, the work of Noel Coward, one other item at least in this collection (present in two versions as nos.

The three items are stapled to one another, in good condition on lightly-aged paper. The first item is the typescript, which is 1p., 4to. It is addressed to 'Dear Brother Artist,' and begins: 'You will possibly be rather surprised to receive a letter from me, but after having spent most of my life in the Provinces, I now find myself landed in London. I am surprised at the amount of discussion and activity that takes place here regarding the "politics" of the theatre - and realise how you in the Provinces are apt to get left out.

The production to which the first item relates was Toole's last before being forced by gout to retire from the London stage. Both items in fair condition, on lightly-aged paper; the first with short closed tear at head. Both printed on one side only. Item One: 33 x 21 cm. Headed 'Mr. J. L. Toole's Company. | THOROUGH-BRED. | PROPERTY PLOT.' Listing, under 'Stage' and 'Hand', all the props needed for the three acts, the last (and shortest) entry reading '[ACT III.] HAND. | Field glasses, cases. Race cards for all. Letter (WILHELMINA). Set of bones (TOSH). Coins (all). 2 tambourines.

1p., folio. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with slight staining to blank reverse. Fairly written out on a piece of Britannia laid paper. 'Lord Chamberlain's Office | 10th. November 1849. | The Lord Chamberlain thinks it right to draw the attention of the Manager of the Theatre Royal Covent Garden to The Queen's Proclamation of the 6th. Instant, in which Her Majesty, for the Reasons therein stated, earnestly exhorts that the Public Day of Thanksgiving, the 15th. Instant be reverently and devoutly observed'.

4to, 3 pp. Bifolium. Fifty lines of text. Clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged and worn paper. He is willing 'to become a Patronizer' of the 'Society', and gives directions regarding shares. Suggests that 'the Committee should be a little more dovetailed with men of Rank & M.P.s as People always look at the Names in a Committee [...] I trust the Theatre will be West of Regent Street if Possible or of the Pantheon, & that the Committee Room may likewise be in the West'.

Quarto: 140 pages. 62 plates. Somewhat grubby and with a few nicks and dogears, but good overall, on browning high-acidity paper. In original red printed cloth, stained and with cover becoming detached. Accession number in red in top-right hand corner of title-page.

12mo bifolium: 3 pp. Good on slightly grubby paper. He wishes to be informed 'which branch of the family the enclosed represent'. 'They are part of a large collection of persons connected with the Stock Exchange & mercantile world. The collection - some hundreds - was saved from the wreck of the "Oneida" in 1850', and is the work of August Edouard, 'who served under the first Napoleon'. He has 'the history of them, and a very interesting one it is'.

Theatrical manager (1796?-1860) and poet, manager of Drury Lane and Covent Garden theatres, 1833-48. One page, quarto. Good, but somewhat grubby on lightly-creased, discoloured paper. Reads 'My dear Sir | I do not remember at this moment any point, beyond those we discussed yesterday, that requires adjustment, except the return of £63-4-8 overpaid on the rent account up to July 5th. and the four weeks salaries to your watchmen & firemen from that day up to last Saturday, amounting to £27 - | The balance of the "Warwick Box" is still unpaid.' Signed 'A Bunn'.