FLEET

All three items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. All signed 'Ralph Straus'. ONE: TLS. 6 January 1939. 1p., 8vo. After expressing his willingness to have 'the programme of Wat Tyler and the Bil of Madame Sala for 1827', he expresses his desire to acquire playbills 'of Sala's grandfather, in a King's Theatre ballet 1776 onwards - particularly if it gives his Christian name of Claudio. I know of one in Jan. 1788.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed to 'E. Draper Esq'. He asks him to send 'the page of Freeman's [altered from 'Freemason's'] Journal mentioned in your Note to the Editor', and undertakes to return it safely, 'after inspection of the contents'.

1p., landscape 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and lightly-worn paper. Strachey has written 'Mrs. Shorter' in the bottom left-hand corner, but the note is addressed to 'Dear Sir', and corrected by him to 'Madam'. It reads: 'I enclose with many thanks cheque [sic] for your contributions during the past month'.

1p., 4to. On creased and lightly-aged paper, with wear and chipping to edges. She thanks him for his letter 'and for your offer of original potrait drawings by yourself', in which she was 'greatly interested'. She explains that there is a limitation of space, 'and as a general rule we are exhibiting portraits only when we can associate with them some other relic or possession of the writer concerned'. In response to 'our appeal' she has received 'souvenirs of past writers, and I am concentrating on these. This being so, I feel I must very reluctantly decline your interesting offer'.

Letter: 1p., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He begins by suggesting that Baron write to 'Mr Payn' (the novelist and editor James Payn) via the Reform Club, Pall Mall. (Baron's method involved asking one celebrity how to contact another.) He next discusses two of his works: '"The Memorial Windows" appeared in the Gentleman's & was published in Pippins & Cheese (Bradbury & Evans) - "The Valley" you will see in enclosed list'. He concludes by thanking Baron for his 'complimentary note'. With envelope addressed to 'J. T.

1p., 8vo, on the verso of the second leaf of a bifolium, with the Autograph Note by Bentley on the recto of the first leaf. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Smith's letter headed by him 'Private'.

8pp., 12mo. Stapled. Printed in blue on shiny art paper, in cream card wraps, also printed in blue, and tied with blue and white ribbon. On aged and worn paper. With illustrations in text, including a half-page image of the 'Pip, Squeak & Wilfred Jig-Saw Puzzle'. The first page carries a message to 'My Dear Boys and Girls' from 'Uncle Bill', including: 'To-day's Gugnunc Party - our third - is particularly interesting as it is also a birthday party.

2pp., 4to. In fair condition, on aged and lightly-worn paper. An attractive production, printed on a leaf of parchment paper, with illuminations and decorative designs in red, blue, green and gold, in the Gothic style of the period. At the end of the second page, above the printer's slug, and illuminated: 'Auction Rooms 22 Fleet Street London | Established 1823'.

Written over 13 lines on both sides of the 9 x 11 cm card. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. 'Dear John, | I do feel ashamed of having been so rude to my fellow guest yesterday - It was a dreadful thing to do! The fact is I am, I suppose, very touchy about Time & Tide - ridiculously so really - I don't think he had read it - but after all why should he, poor man - I really wasn't very fair - | Please forgive me - except for feeling that I had behaved abominab[ly], just at the end, I thoroughly enjoyed my most excellent luncheon'.

In very good condition, on aged paper, in a brown card folder. The material in this collection relates to a book that was never published, and included here are copies of two typed letters from WMP to HS, casting light on the nature of this doomed collaborative project. In WMP's first letter, dated 26 July 1955, he writes to 'Dear Swaff' to 'finalise the manner in which your book is to be written'. Presaging future problems he urges him: 'I do entreat you to remember the fact that a book is different to a series of paragraphs. It must have cohesion.

Letter: 1p., 12mo. In fair condition, foxed at head. He informs them that the article was on Dr Johnson's house, and will be published in the magazine's 'Autumn Number', writing: 'If I send you the proofs would one of you care to write a few appreciative words on Lord H? I shall add a short biography culled from The Times'. In an autograph postscript he requests 'an old wood-block or a stone-litho which I could reproduce in O. L. of Johnson's House'. Magazine: 46 + [2]pp., 12mo, in printed wraps. With foxing and pinholes to cover. Includes articles by W.

Terms and note: 3pp., foolscap 8vo. Bifolium. Docketted by Wiseman on reverse of second leaf 'Cath Standard', with 'Bagshawe Correspondence 1837-64' in another hand. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper. The thirteen terms are headed: 'Mr Richardson on behalf of his firm of Richardson & Sons proposes as follows'. The first two terms read: '(1.) Mr. Richardson To supply (including what he has already paid) £1000. as part of the capital for carrying on the Catholic Standard Newspaper. | (2) £2000. Capital to be supplied in addition to his £1000.

1p., 12mo. On aged and marked paper. Addressed to Ababrelton at 1 Northumberlandn Avenue. He thanks him for the letter and its enclosure. 'We have received copies of the latter by the dozen and we shall probably be dealing with the matter either in this or next week's issue of "Truth."'

The six illustrations and seven pages of text totalling 13pp., 4to (22.5 x 18cm), on seven leaves of laid paper removed from an album. On aged brittle paper, with chipping and slight loss to the edges. The illustrations are simple sketches, indicating the layout of the page, with titles and occasional words of text by Sullivan. Five of the six designs are for the Pall Mall Budget: 'The Thumbmark by H. G. Wells' (28 June 1894), thumbmarks around title and a newspaper seller with headline reading 'Anarchist Outrage'; 'The Stolen Bacillus by H. G.

4pp., 4to. Bifolium on wove paper. Good, on lightly aged and worn paper. 114 newspapers are listed, each with the 'Day Published', from 'Ayrshire Express | Saturday' to 'Yarmouth Independent | Saturday.' One title is added in manuscript, at the foot of the first page: 'Nottingham & Midland Counties Daily Express.' At the foot of the last page: 'Intimations of Alterations and Additions will from time to time be given. | 5.69.' Scarce: no copies on COPAC or OCLC WorldCat.

16pp., folio. In fair condition, on aged and worn newsprint with short closed tear at spine. Spoof articles ('The Secrecy of the Ballot', 'What the Villagers might make of the Parish Councils. By A Villager', 'What the Bishops tried to make of the Parish Councils', 'The Great Liberal Budget and the Wail of the Landlords', and others), with caricatures by Gould featuring Rosebery, Gladstone, Salisbury, the Archbishop of Canterbury and others. Also two full-page cartoons by Gould, titled 'The Tory Village.

1p., 4to (22.5 x 18cm). On laid paper. In fair condition, aged and with slight chipping. The sketches are crude but attractive, headed with a line of three girls in black stockings and petticoats shaking a leg, with the phrase 'The poppy' in the top left-hand corner, and a line of girls at the foot, with an oriental male figure with cane in the background, captioned 'Mamma's Alabama Coon'. Two sketches of the 'Shepherdess' at bottom right, with usual broad-brimmed hat and crook. Hattie Starr's 'Little Alabama Coon' took London by storm in 1894.

1p., 4to. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with strip from mount adhering at head of blank reverse. He thanks Sawyer for his letter: 'I am obliged to you for sending me the front page of the United States Tariff Act'. 'The Americans are out for their own prosperity all the time. I only wish our own Government would show the same propensity.' He addresses the letter to 'Chas. J. Sawyer, Esq., 12 & 13, Grafton Street, New Bond Street, W.1.

On 28 February 1885 The Times announced the death of Eber, 'for many years our valued correspondent at Vienna'; and a hundred years later (24 September 1985) the same paper described Eber as 'the condottiere-journalist, General Ferdinand Eber, whose habit of engaging in wars as well as reporting them earned him the displeasure of his masters in Printing House Square'. Both items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with slight damage from previous mounting. Both addressed to 'My dear Wreford', and both written in a difficult hand. Letter One: 3pp., 12mo.

2pp., 16mo. 22 lines of text, closely and neatly written. In fair condition, on aged paper, with small pinholes and a spot of glued paper from previous mounting. The letter begins: 'My dear Draper, | I sail early tomorrow morning. | Enclosed is a ten pound note, and the summons referred to. - I cannot help thinking that a compromise might be effected it it were shown to the summoner by a "lawyer" that I have left England, have no house or furniture of my own, and that the most valuable of my books are gone with me. You will deeply oblige me if you will see whether this can be done'.

The letterhead features an image of an hornet seated at a writing table. Letter One: 1p., 12mo. Bifolium. Fair, on aged paper. The letter reads: 'Friday | Dear Draper | Have you made up your mind to let me have a conceit or two for Ye Hornet. I can only offer 5/- a column but then Column is but a very brief affair. | Yours always | [signature in the form of a drawing of a hornet]'. Letter Two: 2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with slight traces of previous mount on reverse of second leaf. Addressed to 'My dear Draper'.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged paper with wear to corners. The context of the letter is apparent from the following advertisement in The Times, 29 June 1846: 'On the 30th of June, will be published, in 8vo., price 2s. 6d., the first number of | THE MONTHLY PRIZE ESSAYS. Each number will contain six Essays in Prose and six in Verse. The first prize for prose will be £20; the second, £15; the third, £10; and the other three, £5 each. There will be but three prizes for poetry - £5, £3, and £2. The Essays must be delivered by the 30th of the previous month.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. He begins: 'The above is my permanent address now, this house being given my by the office to live in'. He continues by discussing his forthcoming marriage (according to Who's Who, Capper's wife was 'Emily Sophia, widow of his cousin, Harold Henbest Capper, and 4th d of late Henry Benjamin Spalding'). The marriage is to take place on 26 September, 'at Tighnabruaich on the Isles of Bute', and this 'negatives your kind proposal to be present'. Capper's 'future Wife & my Father & Mother & family' are all there at present.

Both items signed 'Arthur Mee'. Typed Letter Signed: 5 August 1924. 1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. It would be a 'great pleasure' to him to be able to make use of the article she has sent him, 'but my papers are almost entirely in the hands of a staff of regular contributors', and he has 'very little opportunity of using outside contributions'. In a postscript he expresses pleasure at the fact that his 'papers come your way', and sends his regards to 'Patricia and David'. Manuscript Letter: 11 August 1924. Written by a secretary and signed by Mee. 1p., 12mo.

4pp., 12mo, printed in blue and gold on card bifolium. Aged and with central horizontal fold, with glue from previous mount adhering to reverse of second leaf. Jellicoe's signature, in pencil at the head of the first page, reads 'Jellicoe | AF'. The menu is made out in manuscript to 'Mr John Morland'. Nine champagnes are listed, with their vintages, with eleven suitably-grand courses. 'Cigarettes Ed. Laurens | Les spécialités sont expliquées par le Docteur de Pomiane.

On 8 x 20.5 cm. rectangle, cut from the base of a 4to leaf. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, laid down on piece of cream card. Reads: 'With all Good Wishes, | Yours sincerely, | [signed] Teignmouth Shore | W. Teignmouth Shore Esq.'

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium.Good, on lightly-aged paper. In stamped envelope, with London and Blackburn postmarks, addressed by Smith to 'J. T. Baron, Esq. / 18, Griffin Street, / Witton, / Blackburn.' He is only able to reply to Baron's not now, having been 'ill & confined to bed'. He thanks him 'for the kind expressions you use respecting my Life of Gladstone, which I am glad you like so much. I suppose you are aware that I have recently published (through Messrs. Hodder & Stoughton) a companion work, the Life of Mr.

1p., 4to. The beginning of the article only: 21 lines of text, ending abruptly. Torn from notebook. Very good, on aged paper. A corrected draft, with the deleted original title reading 'Work & Wage in Downing St'. An interesting item, casting light on the working practices of a pioneer of parliamentary journalism. Begins: 'The keeness of competition for ministl office in Great Britain is certainly not inspired by sordid motive.'

12mo, 4 pp. 61 lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. An impressive letter applying for work. He does not expect Massingham (addressed as 'W. H. Massingham') to remember their meeting 'in the Lobby' when he was 'chief reporter on The Sun', while at the same time holding 'a Parliamentary engagement on the staff of the C. N.' Gives details of his subsequent employment, including joining the editorial staff of the 'Manchester Guardian' ('principally to look after their weekly paper which was in a sad way.

Both items in fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of mount on reverses. Letter One: 4to, 1 p. He is away from the office and out of town, and has asked 'P. O'Donoghue, who deals with publications for the News Chronicle', to get in touch with him: 'I know you will find his counsel very sound'. Letter Two: Thanking him for his endorsement of his book. 'There is nothing that could possibly give an author greater encouragement than to receive such informed and stimulating words from someone such as yourself.'