’ [Mrs Evelyn J[Sir William Davidson Niven, mathematician, Director of Studies at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich.] Autograph Letter Signed to his old acquaintance ‘Mrs Allan’, discussing her family and agreeing to cast a vote for her ‘candidate’.

In addition to acting as editor of the works of his colleague James Clerk Maxwell, Niven was the teacher of one of the greatest mathematicians and philosophers of the twentieth century, Alfred North Whitehead. The item is from the papers of the presumed recipient, Mrs Evelyn Julia Allan of the Chelsea Red Cross. 2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Signed ‘W. D. Niven’ and addressed to ‘Dear Mrs Allen’. He was pleased to receive her letter, ‘reminding me of old times’, but he had not forgotten her, as he has ‘sometimes heard Dr. J. M Bruce speak about you & your family’. He has ‘of course’ often heard about her brother, and is ‘glad to know that his children are such fine little fellows’. He is sorry that he can only give one vote to her candidate. ‘The other - I have only two - I must give to Mrs Fuller’s’. If she ever finds her way to Greenwich he hopes she will go and see him.