Social history

One page. Roughly 13 inches by 8 inches. In good condition, although slightly discoloured, creased from folding and with one very small closed tear. Reports the resolution of a meeting held at the Town Hall in Leek on 30 December 1901, that beginning on 1 January 1902 'the operatives shall give up the five minutes grace now allowed on entering Mills at 6.30 and after dinner'. Also states the working hours for week-days and Saturdays.

Easily one of the most significant pieces of legislation in the whole history of Parliament. After the Lords rejected Lloyd George's budget in 1909, the Liberal Government, re-elected in 1910, laid resolutions in the House of Commons on the restriction of the powers of the Lords which later became this bill. 3 pages, 4to. Three leaves on light blue paper. A little grubby and with a few minor stains and some slight fraying, but in good condition overall. Recto of first leaf headed 'Parliament Bill. | ARRANGEMENT OF CLAUSES.' Bill itself paginated 1-3.

Wilshere (1804-67) was M.P. for Great Yarmouth William, MP for Great Yarmouth between 1837 and 1846). The notice: 2 pages, 4to. In very good condition despite minor spotting and two closed tears caused by folding. The letter: 1 page, 8vo. In very good condition. The envelope (addressed to 'W. Wilshere Esqr. M. P. | 12 Stratton Street | Piccadilly | London') in very good condition with red wax lion seal and postmarks. Postage stamps removed. The letter urges Wilshere to 'support the view of the Case of of [sic] the Silk trade taken by the writer Mr Ambrose Moore'.

Merchant and banker (1773-1848). 2 pages, 8vo. Creased, grubby and discoloured. 'The proclamation has been made this morning and the Poll [presumably a parliamentary election, as Baring sat in the Commons from 1806] will open on Thursday next. I request therefore that our counsel may be here at latest Wednesday evening. The officers appear very & have sent for an decidedly in the interest of Mr Seymour. We may expect therefore a hard struggle & every of attempt against us.' In a postscript he asks his correspondent to 'fix the fee'.

M.P. for Thirsk, d. 1831. Document A, two page, 4to, chipped, one hole, with marginal textual loss, headed "York Courant / Tuesday Aug. 23d 1785 / City of York", measures taken against "Highwaymen, Housebreakers, Pickpockets, Horse--stealers, Common Thieve, Cheats, Sharpers, and other offenders with their confederates, resort topublic places & Fairs to meet their accomplices, & perpetrate their villainies . . ." described (presumably in the newspaper in the heading) by "Geo. Townend / Common Clerk".

English ecclesiastic (1729-77; DNB). 2 pages, 8vo. On paper stained and discoloured, with several small closed tears. Amusingly bad-tempered missive.

English cleric (1803-84). 1 page, 16mo. In good condition. Formal letter written in the third person. Reads 'Chester, October 28, 1875. | The Bishop of Chester presents his Compliments to the Editor of Debrett's Peerage, &c, and has the satisfaction of stating that he has found no occasion to offer any remark on the inclosed Paper.'

Quaker confectioner, social reformer and philanthropist (1839-1922). 1 page, 8vo. A little grubby and creased but in good condition overall, with the blank reverse attached to remains of another piece of paper. He thanks his correspondent for his letter and states that 'The Friends' Meeting House at Stirchley has been used for very many years by the Friendly Societies instead of the liquor shop. I believe that one society of 700 members [manuscript addition: 'the largest branch in the Midlands'] and another of 400 members have payments made in one of the rooms connected with it.

Marie Carmichael Stopes (1880-1958), British paleobotanist and eugenicist, influential advocate of birth control. Clean neat inscription on recto of front free endpaper reads 'Marie C. Stopes | Norbury Park | 1935'. The volume is in good condition, in a grubby dustwrapper worn at the head and tail of the spine. Pages 324-5 and 339 have been marked up in soft pencil.

See DNB for Bernard's activites on behalf of the Poor. Half-title, blank, titlepage, imprint, pp. [1]-62, 8vo. Disbound, poor condition, frayed, soiled, worm-holed in parts, some pages detached or semi-detached, but text clear and complete. INSCRIBED "Geo. Vansittart Esq. from the author" i.e. Bernard. Note: see DNB for George Vansittart, nephew of theSecretary to the Treasury to whom Bernard addressed "Letter to the Right Hon. N. Vansittart on Repeal of the Salt Duties". A scarce pamphlet.

In 3 columns on a sheet of thin unwatermarked wove paper, 10 inches by 7. Creased and grubby, but in good condition overall. Lightly attached at head to a sheet of paper. Satirical report of examination of a Beadle, Bob Orange Peel [Sir Robert Peel], Old Nosey [Wellington?], Cumberland Griffin from Kew [?], Jack Cobley [?], Winchester Rat (a mayor) [?], Sailor Bill [William IV], and Madame Addle-head [?].

A newspaper cutting attached to the white paper folder in which these items are placed carries a short obituary of Newton, who died 30 April [1854]. The first letter is 1 page, 4to, addressed on reverse, and the second 1 page, 12mo, with address on reverse of second leaf of bifolium. Both grubby but in good condition. Letter 1: 'I am sorry the very stormy morning will not allow me to join my Brother Magistrates in answering the enclosed Queries.

Presenter of 1930's show on BBC radio, 'The Zoo Man'. 1 page, 12mo. Folded twice. In good condition. 'All you can do for your parrot is to paint the jaws with iodine, but I am afraid the trouble may be with the kidneys & in that case you cannot do much. | Give quite simple food, nothing fattening | Yours truly, | D. Seth-Smith "The Zoo Man". Seth-Smith's book 'The Zoo Man Speaking' was published by Thomas Nelson in 1937. In grubby stamped envelope addressed in autograph to Freakes.

Suffragette. "Yours affectionately, [typed] Emmeline Pethick Lawrence [autograph], c.4 x 1".Year added in another hand.

Charity administrator (1864-1938). Two pages, 16mo, on letterhead of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. 'This is the latest Chart published. It came out this month. We do not issue a larger copy or I would send it to you.'

Auctioneer's Record of "Mrs Headon's Sale / December 11th 1801". 15pp., 8vo, in primitive wraps (sewn) created from a sheet of paper on which survives a proof (apparently) of a decorative advertisement (the size of a business card) for "James Graves / Tea Dealer & Grocer, / Putney / Surry / NB Dealer in British Wines". This proof straddles the spine and shows signs of wear and tear (e.g. fading), and the covers are slightly soiled.

Long and unusually entertaining account 'Re Varnish', addressed to an American correspondent. A fascinating insight into the nature of Victorian entrepreneurship. 'It has long been an idea of mine that of all the Trades the most profitable one is Varnish [...] the Germans, clever as they are, can't make Varnish at all [...] nor for that matter can the Americans'.

In the first letter Eccles thanks Mackenzie for his congratulations on Eccles' 'scheme for forming a national collection of works of art'. Any help the EAC can give will be welcome, 'as the need for pictures and works of art for Government buildings, both at home and overseas, is really great'. In the second letter he thanks him for his telegram of congratulations 'on the Coronation decorations. Everyone in the Ministry of Works has tried hard to produce something worthy of the Queen and of our contemporary art'. Two items,

Edith Evans (1888-1976), distinguished English actress, created Dame of the British Empire in 1946; Claude Rains (1889-1967), English-born film actor, best known for his part in "Casablanca"; C. Aubrey Smith (1863-1948), England cricketer and actor, Hollywood's idea of the quintessential Englishman. Their signatures on a piece of paper, 7 by 4½ inches, mounted on a piece of pink card, along with those of six other members of the cast of the play "Daniel", performed at the St James's Theatre in London in 1921.

author. He has received royalties on account of his book "Wards of the State: an unofficial view of prisons and the prisoner" (1913). Two items,

Grubby and stained envelope addressed to Williams with "With a bag." in top left-hand corner. "The proof of your remembrance of your kind promise to me reached me just as I was leaving London, for a few days in this region. | I place your volumes on the shelves of my humble library with real satisfaction: for I am very pleased to have such a Token of your approval of my enterprize, and of your willingness to cooperate in making it a success. I hope to open - without any "ceremony" - possibly even in this month". Before they begin work he will ask him to visit Rowton House again.

"Will you be so kind as to send me to this place, a dozen of the finest Champagne in the urse of the Morning? If you have any still Champagne I should prefer it provided it is of the best quality; but this, I fear is out of the question. Send the Bill with the Wine."

Says that Chequers has been "thoroughly photographed twice since our alterations" (1910 and 1917), but that she would be glad to allow Shorter to have other photographs taken. Country Life does not give the Lees copies of these photographs, but does sometimes allow other newspapers to reproduce them. "I remember very well the luncheon at Lord Curzon's about a year ago - Would you care to come to see Chequers before we leave?" The Lees acquired Chequers in 1909, the Chequers Estate Act was passed in 1917 and the couple left in 1921.

Typescript, 12pp., 4to, cover/title spotted, contents good.

Read before the Statistical Section of the British Association at Southampton, 15 Sept. 1846. Pp.1-54, 8vo, disbound, some pages loose, some soiling particularly last page. INSCRIBED by the author: "To Alexander Robertson Esq / With [Mr?] Neison's Compts."

Glass manufacturer (1814-1854). 2pp., 8vo, good, admitting that he isinvolved with the Crystal Palace Company, but is not the secretary. He says that he has the interests of “Mr Woodfall” [the printer?] at heart, and his family is well. Phillips became literary diretor of the Crystal Palace Co. in 1853. He wrote Guide to the Crystal Palace and Park (1854).

Founder of Toynbee Hall (1844-1913). 4 ALSs, 2pp. ea., 8vo,good, three to C.H. Grinling, socialist, , the fourth to “Trevelyan”. He describes a model of a curate, invites Grinling to a retreat of sorts,discusses a conversation he had had with Ramsay Macdonald on booksand workmen and how Macdonald wants to discuss the matter withothers.

(Peace Society (1893)). 2pp., 8vo, H.(?) Evans Darby to the Chevalier Dr Karl de Scherzer, He informs his correspondent that the last “universal Peace Congress” in Chicago decided to invite eminent jurists “to form a Committee for thepurpose of considering the question of an International Court of Arbitration”. As a member of the provisional committee, he has beenasked to prepare a list for this committee for Europe. He invites hiscorrespondent to join it (“I should not think that it would involve muchlabour or responsibility”).

Semitic scholar (1829-1873). 2pp., 13 x 19” and 13 x 10”, vell., folded. Deutsch leaves all his books, papers and manuscripts to Lady Strangford (DNB) who is to handle the distribution of the rest of his property. The Registrar signs the Probate which is a simple statement copies from his will.

Social reformer, founder of Hampstead Garden Suburb (1851-1936)(DNB).ANS, on a scrap of packing paper, saying “Given to Ernest Aves[?] inever grateful memory of all he did to and for me. June 17th-21st 1913.Henrietta Barnet”. Her husband, Samuel A. Barnet, has signed another part.