History

British soldier and courtier (1888-1969), Equerry and Groom of the Robes to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II. Both letters written in capacity as Private Secretary to the Duke of York. Both very good, though grubby, docketed and bearing the Society's stamp. LETTER ONE (one page, 12mo): 'Further to your letter of September 20th., which the Duke of York has had under his consideration, His Royal Highness desires me to tell you that he will be very pelased to be present at the Meeting at which Mr. Robert Hyde will read a paper, on February 7th. 1934.

English politician and colonial administrator (1854-1925), made a viscount for his services during the Boer War, and Secretary of War in Lloyd George's World War I coalition government. One page, 12mo. Folded twice. Very good. Presumably written on Milner's appointment as Chairman of the Inland Revenue. Reads 'My dear Watkins | I am just off. Many thanks for you kind leter. Among the many letters of congratulation & good wishes, wh. have come to me, none are more welcome than those of old College friends.' Signed 'A. Milner'.

Genealogist (1827-1902) and Maltravers Herald Extraordinary. Three pages, 12mo. Good, but with some glue stains at head of verso of first leaf and recto of second leaf of bifoliate. Bottom corner of second leaf cut away (not affecting text). He is grateful for the 'account of Chipchase' and is sending 'this months part of the Miscellanea Genealogica' 'per Book post'. Asks for 'notes from Registers, or monumental inscriptions &c.' as contributions. Signed 'J. J. Howard'. Postscript reads 'Are you interested in armorial Bookplates.

English naval historian (1856-1905). One page, 12mo. Poor: grubby and stained and with a small hole (not affecting text). Written in failing health the year before his death. Reads 'Dear Nice; | I answered this at the time of its reception. | Perhaps you may see your way to adopting the suggestion, which has my very cordial support. | I am a poor worm, almost unable to work, but hoping to benefit from warmer weather when it comes. | Yrs sincerely | Wm Laird Clowes'.

British sailor (1876-1939), hydrographer of the Royal Navy (1924-32), inventor of the Douglas Protractor and the Douglas-Appleyard Arcless Sextant. Various formats from 12mo to octavo. Very good, some docketed and/or bearing the Society's stamp. Relating to the business of the Society, and in particular to a lecture by Douglas involving film of the Manchester Ship Canal.

Octavo. 16 pages. Disbound pamphlet from the Churchill Babington collection, and with his ownership inscription (slightly cropped at head) dated June 1849. Very good on slightly discoloured paper, and with first and last pages somewhat grubby. Babington and Macaulay were related.

326pp., 8vo, half lea. worn and bumped, marbled boards, some damage to spine, contents mainly good but some foxing.

Mrs Gibson, whose husband was Vice-Chairman of the League, died in 1966. Her letter (one page, quarto, very good apart from rust stain from paperclip) explains that the League is 'at present in temporary premises' and 'without accommodation for its Annual General Meeting' in November ('Her Grace the Duchess of Beaufort is to preside.'), and asks if 'your Society of its kindness, could find it possible to lend a room for the Meeting'. Points out that 'this organisation is over 40 years old', and asks for details of hiring fee. Signed 'Myra Gibson'.

Scottish 'Chaplain-General of the Forces' (1796-1888) and military historian. On piece of paper roughly 4 1/4 by 4 inches. Folded once. Very good. Reads 'Sincerely yours - | G. R. Gleig. | Lt Colonel Buchanan - | 9th Regiment' and on reverse '<...> the music of the Te Deum with which I was so greatly pleased, when I heard it sung by your Choir - You have got together an admirable body <...>'.

Twenty-two leaves, stitched (last leaf loose), in original marbled wraps. 12mo (roughly ten centimeters by fifteen centimetres). Written in a small, neat hand, over columns ruled in red. In good condition although worn and dogeared, except for the loose leaf which is discoloured, frayed and worn, and rear wrap (which carries accounts on its interior), which has loss to the foot. Text entirely legible.

Hobhouse (1776-1854) was a Privy Councillor in 1828, and Keeper of the State Papers, 1826-54. Quarto. One page. Very good, on first leaf of bifoliate. Folded twice. On watermarked Whatman paper of 1827. Facsimile signature 'H. Hobhouse'. Begins 'The King having been pleased to comply with the prayer of an humble Address presented to His Majesty in pursuance of a Resolution of the House of Commons [...] for a Return of all Towns Cities Places of Jurisdiction within England & Wales' and ending 'I am directed by Mr.

Scottish nobleman (1726-1803). Ross (1742-1827; DNB), with Dundas, negotiated the surrender of Yorktown on Cornwallis's behalf. Two pages, quarto. Text entirely legible, but in poor condition, on stained, discoloured paper frayed at edges. Competently repaired with archival tape. Some loss to second leaf of bifoliate caused by breaking of seal. Unusually entertaining request in favour of his nephew, Lieut McCulloch of Bengal.

Small octavo. Ten leaves. Pages: [2] + 14 + 3 (last three pages being publishers' advertisements). Disbound and in poor condition: grubby, foxed and creased, with some staining to first and last leaves. Stab holes from original issue. An account of Grenville's Ministry of All the Talents, in imitation of an article with the same title written by Edmund Burke in 1766, attributed to Horner.

English ecclesiastic (1678-1761) and controversialist, who left his library to Cambridge University. LETTER: one page, octavo, discoloured and creased, and with neatly-repaired loss of strip approximately four inches by one and a half to top right-hand corner, causing some loss to text. Reads 'My Lords. | The Reverend Thomas Bradbury C Master of Arts being Licenced to perform th Office in New Jersey in his Majestys Plant America and on his departure thither I request that your Lordships will be pleased to his Majesty's Bounty of Twenty pounds to defray of his passage to that Province'.

Antiquary (DNB). Piece of paper, c. 4 x 4", discoloured byt text clear, bottom edge rough from tearing. Text: See another song by this author in Johnson's 'Scots Musical Museum'. If 'The Rock and the wee pickle tour' were written before the publication of Ramsay's 'Tea-table miscellany' (1724), there being a song to the tune in that book, the author must have been a great age in 1768. / Those poems are in the broad Buchan dialect." This is followed by the note "The above is in the hand-writing of Joseph Ritson.", an attribution confirmed by comparison with known examples in the BL.

Naval Captain. Receipt for wages headed "USS Queen of France / To William Cooke. With list of payments with dates and details. " 7 Jan [1789] wages . . .@ 18 dollars p. mo[nth] 30.9.7" [other sums also on 7 Jan. and 12 April]. Receipt concludes "Recd Wilmington 12th April 1789 from Francis Peyrinnant [?] the above [?] in full. [Signed] Wm Cooke." The year of this transaction was also the year of the French Revolution.

Printed for private circulation by Thomas Danks, 9 Crane Court, Fleet Street, London, 1871. Ex lib, I counted eight stamps of the Brentford Free Library throughout, an accession no. written on contents page, tastefully rebound in new half leather, marble boards. INSCRIBED by the AUTHOR: "To the Brentford Free Library with the author's best wishes for its success. 1894". Verse based on a visit to the USA , including the western states. Not found in US library catalogues.

Queen of Hungary and Empress of Germany. In German. One page, circa 2.5 x 2 feet, vellum, folded, attractive, red mark where seal is missing, some fading but signature clear Item bought in The Czech Republic (Bohemia).. Scan provided on request.

British school inspector (1856-1936) and member of bodies dealing with child welfare and the after-care of children. Both one page, octavo, and both folded twice. LETTER ONE: creased and discoloured, with closed tear along one fold (not affecting text). He has 'carefully read with much interest' Jacobs' 'World peace and armaments', '& I congratulate your [sic] heartily upon the presentation of your views. | Before attempting to further your case, I should like to have a talk with you.' Suggests meeting at the Constitutional Club.

British politician (1847-1923), member of House of Commons (1886-1892; 1893-1900), member of House of Lords after becoming Lord Weardale in 1905; president of two Interparliamentary Conferences (1890; 1906). These two items constitute a long and extremely interesting critique of Jacobs' 'Neutrality versus justice: an essay on international relations' (1917). LETTER ONE: nine pages, 12mo. Very good, on three bifoliate letterheads.

8vo. 95 pages. In poor condition: high-acidity paper browning and fraying at extremities (but with no loss to text), staples rusting, signatures separating, original printed grey wraps laid down onto nonce card dustwrapper. A reprint of the only issue of a journal that was suppressed by government censorship on its appearance in April 1915. No copy of this issue in the British Library.

British colonial administrator (1845-1922), Lieutenant-Governor of Burma, 1897-1903. One page, octavo. Very good. Bearing R.S.A. stamp. He cannot attend the R.S.A. meeting the following Tuesday as he will be out of town on that date. Signed 'F W R Fryer'.

Parliamentary legislative draftsman (1841-1924), Benjamin Jowett's literary executor. Three pages, 12mo. Very good, with traces of glue to blank verso of second leaf of bifoliate. Docketed in pencil. 'Miss Flora Shaw has asked me whether I could send you an early copy of the paper which I am to read at the Imperial Institute to-morrow afternoon. | The paper has not been printed, & the only spare copy which I have is the rouggh copy from which I had another typed for my own use. | I fear that this is very illegible.

Politician and children's writer (1829-1893). Paper dimensions roughly four and a half inches by two and a half. Very good. From autograph album. Mounted on larger piece of blue paper. Reads '[...] himself, & the flatterers to whose advice he has listened rather than to those who have not feared to tell him the truth - | Vy truly | Brabourne'. Docketed in pencil.

British colonial administrator and politician (1849-1940). Dimensions of card four and a half inches by three and a half inches. Bearing postmark and stamp. Docketed and bearing the Society's stamp. Good, but with creasing and closed tears along foot of card, affecting signature. Reads 'May I ask you kindly to send me a spare copy of the Journal for September. 21st. 1917 no. 3383 - giving the concluding portion of Professor lecture on Architecture - also the next number if not concluded in that.' Signed 'Chas. E. Yate'.

33 pages, 8vo. In original printed wraps, with cartoon of Khrushchev on front wrap. In good condition, with slight spotting and staining to front wrap. Rust stains from staples and from paperclip at heads of front wrap and first leaf. Offsetting to inside of front wrap from newspaper cutting of article by Walter Lippman, 'WHAT KHRUSHCHEV DID NOT SAY ABOUT THE TERROR | Stalin Insufficient as Scapegoat'. Introduction by 'A STUDENT OF SOVIET AFFAIRS'. Internally subtitled 'The unmasking of Stalin'.

In printed wraps, vi + 99 pages. With ownership inscription of 'Sir E. Beckett' on front wrap. Wraps are worn and creased, with some loss not affecting text. Staple-bound with minor rust to staples. Text in good condition.

1st edition, 1886. 8vo. Pages: xxxv + 92. Original cloth blind stamped on front board. Paper browing with age, some fraying at head of spine and title leaf loosening; otherwise good copy. Variant spellings of some of the names in the list have been added in ink in a neat small contemporary hand.

Victorian writer and social reformer (DNB), famous for his book 'Self-Help (1859)'. Inscribed by Smiles on the half-title 'To Dear Georgie | from the Author | S Smiles. | Christmas 1886'. Later ownership inscription on front free endpaper. 8vo, xii + 388 pages, followed by sixteen-page catalogue of publisher's advertisements. Original maroon cloth, with blindstamped bevelled boards. Not in the best of condition: cloth worn, stained and rubbed; spine frayed and faded with long tear along hinge; binding loose; paper somewhat discoloured with some foxing.

Dilke, the 2nd Baronet (1843-1911), was a disgraced politician and author. All items 12mo and very good. All three docketed, bearing the Society's stamp, and signed 'C. Wentworth Dilke'. The first item is addressed to Menzies personally and the other two to 'The Secty.' ITEM ONE: one page. He has received the letter of 9 February and is 'pleased to send you a subscription though not much in town'. ITEM TWO: two pages. Would like to know 'whether ladies are admitted as guests and how often'.