DURHAM

[Stephen Kemble [George Stephen Kemble], Shakespearian actor-manager, uncle of Fanny Kemble.] Informative Autograph Letter Signed to solicitors ‘Messrs. Dowson, Capron and Rowley’, regarding whereabouts of actor William Shakespear Kendrick of Whitby.

Author: 
Stephen Kemble [George Stephen Kemble] (1758-1822), celebrated Shakespearian actor-manager noted for his Falstaff, husband of Elizabeth Satchell and uncle of Fanny Kemble [William Shakespear Kendrick]
Publication details: 
‘Grove. Durham / August the 11th. / 1821.’
£95.00

An interesting letter, providing a mass of interesting incormation relating to the stage in Georgian England, while responding to a request from London solicitors for information about the whereabouts of a provincial actor. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 3pp, 4to. Forty lines of text, on bifolium addressed on reverse of second leaf ‘For / Messrs. Dowson, Capron and Rowley / Savile Place / near / Burlington Street / London’, and signed ‘S. Kemble.’ In fair condition, on discoloured and worn paper with minor damage at head, but text clear and entire.

[Countess of Elgin and Kincardine [Mary Louisa Bruce, née Lambton], Vicereine of India.] Autograph Letter in the third person to Sir Cuthbert Sharp, as Lady Mary Lambton, hailing him as a friend of her deceased father.

Author: 
Countess of Elgin and Kincardine [Mary Louisa Bruce, née Lambton] (1819-1898), Vicereine of India, 1862-1863, daughter of the Earl of Durham [Sir Cuthbert Sharp (1781-1849), historian]
Publication details: 
22 October 1844; Lambton Castle [County Durham].
£56.00

See her husband’s entry, and those of her father the Earl of Durham, and Sir Cuthbert Sharp, in the Oxford DNB. 3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with small closed tear to blank area at foot of second leaf. Folded for postage. Laid down on leaf removed from album. Begins: ‘Lady Mary Lambton presents her Compliments to Sir Cuthbert Sharp, and begs to express her grateful sense of the kind message, conveyed to her through Mrs. Brodie, concerning Sir C. Sharps small pamphlet -’.

[Sir George Elliot, Conservative MP and industrialist.] Autograph Letter Signed to an unnamed lady, describing his desire for rest, his duties, his Welsh constituents at Newport.

Author: 
Sir George Elliot (1814-1893), in youth called 'Bonnie Geordie', Conservative MP, industrialist and mining engineer whose company manufactured the wire rope of the first transatlantic telegraph cable
Publication details: 
26 November 1888; on House of Commons letterhead.
£80.00

Hailing from Gateshead, County Durham, Elliot was a self-made man: he began life as a colliery labourer and ended it as one of the richest men in England, his wealth at death being given as £575,000. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. His residence in Whitby containing an Egyptian mummy was visited by Bram Stoker and appears to have inspired his 'Tale of the Seven Stars' (1903). 3pp, two of them 12mo and one 8vo. Bifolium, with one page of text written across the central opening at right angles. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with a little glue from mount along outer gutter.

[Robert Ord, lawyer and politician.] Autograph Legal Opinion Signed ('Robt. Ord'), headed 'Case on Mr. Chrisr. Blacketts Will & Mr. Ords Opinion'.

Author: 
Robert Ord (1700–1778), English lawyer and politician, Chief Baron of the Scottish Exchequer [Christopher Blackett; Elizabeth Smart; Martha Maria Bellassyse; Durham; Northumberland]
Publication details: 
13 June 1750.
£90.00

1p, 8vo. Aged and worn, with closed tears, chipping and creasing. Several folds. The full heading reads: 'Case on Mr. Chrisr. Blacketts Will & Mr. Ords Opinion | See Copy of Will'. Endorsed on reverse: '1750 June 13th - | Copy | Mr. Ords Opinion on Mr. Blacketts Will'. Twenty-eight lines of neatly-written text, arranged as two queries, each with its answer. Contains a couple of corrections by Ord. The case concerns the various claims on a freehold of 'Mrs. Eliz: Smart and Mrs. Martha Maria Bellassyse' and 'Mrs. Blackett'. The various families in the case hailed from the north-east of England.

[Willie Smith, World Billiards Champion, 'the greatest all-round billiards player who ever lived'.] Autograph Signature ('Willie Smith') in response for autograph.

Author: 
Willie Smith (1886-1982), World Billiards Champion in 1920 and 1923, said to be 'the greatest all-round billiards player who ever lived', also snooker player who lost World Championship final in 1933
Publication details: 
1 February 1924. No place.
£25.00

On 8 x 11 cm piece of card. In fair condition, lightly aged, with traces of glue from mount on reverse. A good bold signature, clearly in response to a request for an autograph. Reads: 'Yours Truly | Willie Smith | 1 – 2 – 24'. Smith has made a short line under the date, but the signature is not underlined.

[ Admiral Sir Philip Charles Durham, British naval hero. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('P. C. Durham') to a Sea Lord, complaining of his treatment following the capture of Guadeloupe, and seeking preferment for his nephew.

Author: 
Admiral Sir Philip Charles Durham [ Admiral Sir Philip Charles Calderwood Henderson Durham ] (1763-1845), Royal Navy officer in the American War of Independence and Napoleonic Wars
Publication details: 
[ From Guadeloupe ('this Country') .] 15 August [ 1815 ]. No place.
£650.00

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. Docketed on reverse of second leaf: '15 Augt. 1815. | Sir P. C. Durham'. According to the DNB, Durham, having 'cleared the West Indies of American cruisers', 'in June and August 1815 co-operated in the reduction of Martinique and Guadeloupe, at which place the last French flag was struck to Durham, as the first had been'.

[ Thomas Gisborne, abolitionist and member of the Clapham Sect. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('T: Gisborne') offering the unnamed recipient his 'trifling interest' in 'the Staffordshire election'.

Author: 
Thomas Gisborne (1758-1846) of Yoxall Lodge, abolitionist, member of the Clapham Sect, Prebendary of Durham Cathedral [ the slave trade ]
Publication details: 
Yoxall Lodge [ ]. 12 July 1823.
£120.00

2pp., 12mo. With mourning border. In fair condition, but with thin strip lacking along one edge, resulting in slight loss of text. A stylish letter. He finds it 'almost ludicrous' that 'a person whose property, such as it is, lies chiefly in another County' should have anything to say 'about the Staffordshire election', but he 'had wished' that the recipient of the letter 'might fill the present vacancy when I had not ever seen your name connected with it'. He would be pleased to be given 'an opportunity of offering' him his 'vote & the singularly trifling interest'.

Offprint: 'Bishop Lightfoot and the Early Roman See.'

Author: 
Dom Cuthbert Butler, O.S.B. [ Joseph Barber Lightfoot, Bishop of Durham ]
Publication details: 
'Reprinted from The Dublin Review, July and October 1893.' [ Ballantyne Press: London and Edinburgh' ]
£60.00

42pp., 8vo. Paginated 1-42. Disbound. In fair condition, lightly aged. Scarce: no copy on COPAC.

[ Joseph Barber Lightfoot, Bishop of Durham. ] Autograph Signature ('J B Lightfoot') on part of letter.

Author: 
J. B. Lightfoot [ Joseph Barber Lightfoot ] (1828-1889), Bishop of Durham and Professor of Divinity at Cambridge
Publication details: 
'Trin: Coll. | Nov. 18th'. [ Cambridge, year not stated. ]
£35.00

On 11 cm square piece of light-blue paper cut from the end of a letter. Good firm signature, preceded by five lines of text in a difficult hand, appearing to read: '

to every one but the Academic Deanery should have failed to a man of Academic & literary distinction | I am, dear Dr.

, | Very truly yrs | J B Lightfoot | Trin; Coll. | Nov. 18th'.

[ Helene Winzberger-Ford, Austrian artist. ] Long Autograph Letter Signed ('Helene') to Welsh artist Nerys Johnson, on bacck of poster for a joint exhibition.

Author: 
Helene Winzberger-Ford, Austrian artist [ Nerys Johnson (1942-2001), Welsh artist and museum curator ]
Publication details: 
Poster for show at Galerie, Austria. Letter (presumably from same place) 21, 25 and 26 July 1977.
£56.00

The poster is printed in black on one side of a 59.5 x 42.5 cm piece of glossy art paper. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, folded four times. It is for a joint show with Livia Szadai at the Galerie Hildebrand, Klagenfurt. There is a photograph of her work (Wollbilder oder Umh

[ John Stuart, 1st Marquess of Bute. ] Manuscript indenture, signed by 'Cardiff' (with his seal), Dutens and Jacmar: 'Escoffment of a Cottage at Collierly in the County of Durham | The Right Honourable John Lord Cardiff to Mr. John Smith.'

Author: 
John Stuart (1744-1814), 1st Marquess of Bute (as John, Lord Cardiff) [ Louis Dutens (1730-1812), French author; David George Jacmar (d.1896) of the Auditor's Office; Thomas Shafto of Witton Gilbert ]
Publication details: 
[ Regarding Collierley, County Durham. ] 1 July 1780.
£80.00

3pp., folio. Bifolium. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Laid out in the customary fashion, with two tax stamps, one embossed and the other in black ink. Signed 'Cardiff' beside a good impression of his seal in red wax. Witnessed by 'L. Dutens' and 'D G Jacmar'. The indenture is 'Between The Right Honourable John Lord Cardiff of Cardiff Castle in the County of Glamorgan of the first Part John Smith of Wilton Gilbert in the County of Durham Gentleman of the second Part and Thomas Shafto of Dunston in the said County of Durham Esquire off the third Part'.

[Sir James Caird and George Ridley, MPs.] Indenture on vellum ('A Memorial [...] of An Absolute Order' re land in Durham owned by John Bowes), Signed by Caird and Ridley, with the seal in red wax of the Enclosure Commissioners for England and Wales.

Author: 
Sir James Caird (1816-1892), MP, Dartmouth and Stirling Burghs; George Ridley (1818-1887), MP, Newcastle-upon-Tyne [John Bowes (1811-1885), of Streatland Castle, Darlington, County Durham]
Publication details: 
Ashurst Morris & Co, 6 Old Jewry [London], [for The Enclosure Commission for England and Wales, Whitehall, London.] 23 May 1872.
£135.00

On one vellum skin. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Docketed 'No. 1 | Order left 22 May 1872. | Meml. regd. 23d. May 1872. | Order reld. 27th. May 1872' and 'Ashurst Morris & Co | 6 Old Jewry | E.C.' Arranged in the customary fashion, with tax stamps, and the signatures ('G: Ridley' and 'James Caird') on either side of the seal, on folded up strip at foot. The seal, in red wax on a green ribbon is 4.5 cm in diameter and in fair condition, with a few small fragments chipped away.

[Pattison family of farmers in the Bishop Auckland area of County Durham.] Manuscript diary and accounts, in 'The Newcastle Memorandum-book Or, a Methodical Pocket-journal.'

Author: 
[Pattison family of farmers in the Bishop Auckland area of County Durham] [Farming in Georgian England]
Publication details: 
Newcastle: Printed by and for S. Hodgson. 'For the Year M.XCCCI [1801]. The Forty-seventh edition.'
£560.00

The manuscript material is on 109pp. of the 12mo printed diary. On aged paper, with manuscript entirely legible, but some staining to printed matter, in original worn calf binding. The manuscript paints a vivid picture of the life of a prosperous Georgian agriculturalist in all its aspects, from itemised financial accounts to country pastimes and the weather. It is presumably in the hand of George Pattison, whose name is given prominence among those of other members of the Pattison family written out over two pages at the rear of the volume.

[Nathaniel Tate, one of the overseers of the Parish of Alnwick, Northumberland.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Nath. Tate one of the Overseers') to the overseers of the Parish of Darlington, regarding payment to 'Ann Allison, belonging to this Parish'.

Author: 
Nathaniel Tate, one of the overseers of the Parish of Alnwick, Northumberland [Ann Allison; Darlington Workhouse, County Durham]
Publication details: 
Alnwick. 10 December 1810.
£56.00

1p., 8vo. On a bifolium. Addressed, with postmark, on the reverse of the second leaf: 'To the Overseers of the Parish of Darlington - | Durham'. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper, with two spike holes. The document reads: 'Gentn. | A Single Woman of the Name of Ann Allison, belonging to this Parish is gone to inhabit in your Parish - you will therefore have the goodness to pay her 2/6 pr. Week - from the 28th. Inst.

[John Brough Taylor, antiquary and editor.] Autograph Letter Signed (John Taylor Jr') to the Durham antiquary Robert Surtees

Author: 
John Taylor [John Brough Taylor] (d.1824), antiquary and editor [Robert Surtees (1779-1834), antiquary and historian of his native Durham]
Publication details: 
10 Birchin Lane, London; 21 January 1822.
£120.00

4pp., 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged and lightly-creased paper. Addressed, with postmarks and red wax seal, on reverse of first leaf 'To | Rob. Surtees, Esq | Mainsforth | Rushyford | Durham.' A long letter, closely and neatly written, and filled with genealogical information.

Three items of printed ephemera relating to the Roman Catholic seminary St. Cuthbert's College, Ushaw, Durham: 'List of the Names and Numbers of the Professors and Students' and two concert programmes.

Author: 
[St. Cuthbert's College, Ushaw, Durham, Roman Catholic seminary; J. Hughes Holloway, College Prof. of Music]
Publication details: 
St. Cuthbert's College, Ushaw, Durham. List dated 1918-19, and printed at Shibden Industrial School, Halifax.
£180.00

The three items in good condition, lightly-aged. Item One: 'St. Cuthbert's College. Ushaw. List of the Names and Numbers of the Professors and Students. 1918-19.' Shibden Industrial School, Halifax. 10.5 x 6 cm stapled booklet, in red wraps with title on front and printer's slug at foot. Headed 'A.M.D.G.' and ending 'L.D.S.', the list runs from number 1 (blank) to '337 John Corboy'. Item Two: Printed programme for 'The Tailor Prince and the Jester, An Operetta', 'Composed by Mr. J. Hughes Holloway, (College Prof. of Music.)' 'Junior House - Shrovetide, 1918'. 4pp., foolscap 8vo. Bifolium.

Typed Letter Signed ('Handley Dunelm') from Handley Carr Glyn Moule, Bishop of Durham, to Sir Michael Sadler, Vice-Chancellor, University of Leeds, regarding the use of his name by the disreputable publicist Sydney Walton, for his 'Bible Crusade'.

Author: 
Handley Carr Glyn Moule (1841-1920), Anglican Bishop of Durham from 1901 to 1920 [Sir Michael Ernest Sadler (1861-1943), Vice-Chancellor, University of Leeds; Sydney Walton (1882-1964), publicist]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 10 November 1915.
£30.00

1p., 4to. With mourning border. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper with minor wear at the beginning of one crease. Moule writes that he is 'quite prepared to receive and of course to attend to any communication from Mr. Sydney Walton', but that he must 'distinctly decline responsibility in detail [last three words underlined] for the work of the Bible Crusade'. He 'willingly expressed' his 'cordial personal sympathy with its aims when its founder [i.e.

[First World War printed Balkans concert party programme.] Lieut-Colonel P. W. Williams-Till and the Officers of the Durham Light Infantry Present their Christmas Pantomime Aladdin. ['Cast of incompetent comics, perpetrators of the frightfulness.']

Author: 
Lieut.-Col. P. W. Williams-Till and the Officers of the Durham Light Infantry
Publication details: 
'Proprietors The Dud Empires Ltd.' [Salonika and the Balkans, c.1916.]
£120.00

Printed on both sides of a piece of paper, roughly 25.5 x 37.5 cm, folded three times to make a packet of 6pp., 25.5 x 12.5 cm. The title advertises 'All the old favourites, and new book by Pte. E. G. S. Staples. New Lyrics and parodies by 2 Lt. C. M. Hale. Additional music by Pte G. M. Rutt. Produced by Pte E. G. S. Staples.' Also 'Full Beauty Chorus of Macedonian Houris from the EASTERN THEATRE (of War) by kind permission of the Balkan News.' Other spoof advertisements include: 'Soap! Soap! Soap!

Part of letter ('Ju: Milbank') from Lord Byron's mother-in-law the Hon. Lady Judith Milbanke, requesting the recipient's support for her husband in 'the approaching Election for the County of Durham'.

Publication details: 
Seaham. 27 October 1806.
£120.00

Lower part of letter with ruled border, laid down on part of leaf from autograph album. Dimensions: 7.5 x 18.5 cm. Lightly aged and ruckled. Reads: '<...> your support at the approaching Election for the County of Durham - having for so long possessed the confidence of this County, it is his utmost ambition to have it continued and should he be honoured with yours, it will be considered the highest obligation | I am Sir | Your faithful Servant | [signed] Ju: Milbank | Seaham | Octr: 27. 1806.' Contemporary ink note reads: '[Lady Milbanke afterwards Lady Noel Milbanke, mother of Lady Byron.]'

Autograph Letter Signed ('W H D Longstaffe') from the Darlington historian and numismatist William Hylton Dyer Longstaffe to 'Dear Appleton' [the New England numismatist William Sumner Appleton], concerning Walter Hilton's 'Scale of Perfection'.

Author: 
William Hylton Dyer Longstaffe (1826-98), FSA, Darlington historian and numismatist [William Sumner Appleton (1840-1903), New England numismatist] [Walter Hilton; Scale of Perfection; Wynkyn de Worde]
Publication details: 
'Gd. 21 June 1875'.
£120.00

1p., 8vo. 23 lines. On discoloured aged paper. He thanks him for 'Cleveland': 'a decided improvement on the Tweddell press, as it sometimes has been'. He would not 'give any extravagant price' for the 'dull performance' of Walter Hilton [one of Wynkyn de Worde's editions of Hilton's 'Scale of Perfection'], 'but he is interesting, as I believe him to have been a Northern man. Walter de Helton was concerned in Appleby lands in 36 Edw. III. and Walter de Hilton was Rector of Moreby in 1369, and had a brother Wm.

Autograph Letter Signed ('John Horseman') from Rev. John Horseman, Rector of Heydon, Essex, university friend of Southey, to Rev. J. Brewster

Author: 
Rev. John Horseman (1775-1844), Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, and Rector of Heydon, Essex [Rev. John Brewster, Rector of Egglescliffe, County Durham]
Publication details: 
Heydon [Essex]. 16 December 1813.
£70.00

1p., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Fifteen lines of closely and neatly written text, with a slip of paper carrying an unsigned six-line note by Horseman neatly laid down at the foot of the text. The letter deals with personal matters, acknowledging the receipt of £23 13s 6d, thanking Brewster for his 'kind attentions', asking him to send whatever he may receive for 'the few old books, which you sent to Stockton's', to Mary Dixon, enquiring after family news, giving his own ('I enjoy the best possible health. My brother was here, lately; & as hearty as ever.').

[Pamphlets; part issues] The Bards and Authors of Cleveland and South Durham, pt I & II (of 12)

Author: 
George Markham Tweddell, author of Shakspear: His Times and Contemporaries
The Bards and Authors of Cleveland and South Durham
Publication details: 
Stokesley: Published by the Author, 1864 (later published by John Russell Smith)..
£56.00
The Bards and Authors of Cleveland and South Durham

Parts I & II (of 12 = Series 1), pp.40[6 advts]; 76[6 advts], original blue wraps, frayed and spotted, one wrap dulled, one corner of pages turned, pencil annotation on front covers (inc. library no.), library stamps (withdrawn from Newcastle University Library),

Autograph Signature ('Edward Bradley') on portion of letter to Lady Huntly.

Author: 
Edward Bradley [pseudonym 'Cuthbert Bede' ('Cuthbert M. Bede, B.A.')] (1827-1889), English novelist
Publication details: 
Without date or place.
£28.00

Text on both sides of a piece of paper 6 x 11 cm. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with a couple of glue marks from previous mounting on reverse. The bottom part of the letter, cut away for the signature. Side with signature reads '<...> yet heard from the Bp. of Petebro on that point. I have to write hastily for our 3.45 post. | Believe me dear Lady Huntly yours very sincerely obliged | [signed] Edward Bradley'. Reverse reads '<...> of the Dining room and Study - & some of the bedrooms - and also paint the whole of the outside of the house.

Colour booklet of 'Labels. Their Origin and Present Day Uses. With the Compliments of W. J. Cummins, Colour Printer, Bishop Auckland, Co. Durham. Representatives in - London, Lancashire, Midlands, and North East. India, British West Indies.'

Author: 
lW. J. Cummins, Colour Printer, Bishop Auckland, Co. Durham [printing ephemera]
Publication details: 
No date [1920s?]. Bishop Auckland, Co. Durham: W. J. Cummins, Colour Printer.
£225.00

4to: 22 pp. Leaf dimensions roughly 280 x 210 mm. Ring binder in original card wraps printed in red. Very good in lightly-spotted wraps. Ring binding slightly rusted. Features ten pages of bright, striking and attractive label designs. The first page shows four 'Colours of Design Separated' for 'William's Extra Stout'. The second page shows, in four diagrams, how 'The colours are printed one after the other' on a label for American Cream Soda. Another page shows the design for 'Smith & Jones Ltd Nut Brown Ale in three colour combinations. Other products include S.

Verses on the Monumental Effigy of Alice-Evelyn, The Infant-Daughter of Martin Farquhar Tupper, Esq. Sculptured as a Sleeping Child, by J. Durham, Esq. Written by R. T. for W. H. [...]'.

Author: 
R. T. [Martin Farquhar Tupper (1810-1889); Joseph Durham (1814-1877); Thomas De La Rue & Co.]
Publication details: 
London: Imprinted by Thomas De La Rue & Co. Dwelling in Bunhill Row. For Presentation to Private Friends. 1854. Not Published.'
£100.00

Printed on all four pages of a bifolium, with each leaf roughly 17.5 x 13.5 cm. Lightly creased, and with the outer pages a little grubby, but good overall. A self-consciously well-printed production, with each page encased in a black ruled border, and with an engraving of the sculpture on the front page, beneath which, 'A. C. CHISHOLM. DEL. J. DURHAM. NV.' Possibly complete in itself, but in view of the elaborate title probably a taster for a volume which, considering the fact that there is no record of this item on COPAC, was probably never printed.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Tho. Roffen.') to Thomas Adams of Alnwick, Northumberland; with the Bishop of Rochester's episcopal seal, in red wax.

Author: 
Thomas Dampier (c.1749-1812), Bishop of Ely and book collector [Bishop of Rochester from 1802 to 1808]
Publication details: 
Harley Street, Septr. 14. 1802.'
£80.00

4to: 1 p. Very good on the first leaf of a bifolium. A third quarto leaf carries the address, in Dampier's hand, with his franking signature 'free | T. Rochester.' Also the oval seal, c.3 cm high, a clear impression in red wax. 24 lines of text. Interesting letter. Dampier begins by thanking Adams for 'your Congratulations to me on my Promotion to the See of Rochester.

Anno Vicesimo Octavo Georgii III. Regis. CAP. LXIII. An Act for charging several Estates in the Counties of Northumberland, Cumberland, and Durham, settled upon the late Charles Radcliffe deceased, for Life, with Remainder to his First and other Sons

Author: 
[Act of Parliament; Charles Radcliffe; Anthony James, Earl of Newburgh; Northumberland; Cumberland; Durham]
Publication details: 
London: Printed by Charles Eyre and Andrew Strahan, Printers to the King's most Excellent Majesty. 1788.
£56.00

Folio: sixteen leaves on laid paper. Unbound and stabbed, with two staples (now rusted) added subsequently. Good, with first leaf lightly discoloured. Title-leaf, and text on next fifteen paginated 1131-1159.

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