FLEET

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and worn. Folded twice. Only the conclusion of the letter is in Holyoake's hand. It carries an unusually large and bold signature. In reply to a letter of Watson's he states that he was not aware of the 'paper in the Westminster Gazette [...] until four days after its appearance'. He asks him to send 'the Leader referring to its appearance which you mention', and commends Watson's son for bringing it to his notice. Holyoake does not know if the matter has 'been mentioned elsewhere in Newcastle'.

1p, 8vo. On aged and worn paper. Attractive letterhead of the hotel and its surroundings. Addressed to 'My dear Willis'. Written in a shaky hand. Clearly writing in reference to his 1899 autobiography 'A Sailor's Life under Four Sovereigns', he states that he is glad that Willis is 'pleased with the book', and explains that he was 'suddenly driven' to Cannes 'by neuralgic pains'. He concludes: 'If I live to get back I should like to insert the Authors name in your Copy! Your sincere old friend | Harry Keppel'.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. Fifty-one lines of text in a close neat hand, the last page written lengthwise. In good condition, lightly aged, with traces of white paper mount adhering to blank reverse of second leaf. Folded once. The letter is signed 'Barry Pain'. The recipient is not named, but is James Payn, editor of the Cornhill Magazine, who had just published the story that made Pain's name, 'The Hundred Gates'.

1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. Referring to her son Francis Romano ('Cecco') Oliphant (1859-1894), she writes: 'Dear Mr. Payn | I send you with this in a registered packet by book post a story written by my youngest son, called "The Grateful Ghosts" which he wishes me to submit to you.' Her opinion is that the story 'would bear compression but that is usual to youthful productions'. She will be 'much gratified' if Payn likes it 'and can use it', and feels sure he will give it his consideration.

1p, 4to. On leaf of aged, worn and creased cartridge paper. Addressed to 'A. T. Q. C., | Care of The Editor of | The Speaker, 115, Fleet Street, E.C., London.' An interesting letter, touching on English and American journalistic practice, 'sensational' copy, plagiarism and fin-de-siècle Paris. The context is not entirely clear: one reading is that the recipient reported on or reproduced in the Fleet Street newspaper the Speaker one of Heilig's 'sensational letters to the American Sunday papers', only to have it 'cribbed' by Pearson's Weekly.

Laid down on 138pp of a quarto volume. The contents are in good overall condition, lightly aged and worn, but the binding of the volume is in poor condition, heavily worn, with the leather spine split and damaged and the front board becoming detached. Meticulously arranged, with autograph thumb-index and list of AFOs at front, and autograph emendations in red ink to various orders, many of which are marked 'Cancelled'. Ownership signature and title on flyleaf: 'E. J. Littledale. | A. F. Os etc dealing with Ophthalmic Department'.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with a few light stains from mount. Folded once. Having seen the Times announcement of the birth of Cecil's son the previous Saturday, Jellicoe sends his 'Most hearty congratulations' on the birth of Cecil's son, and is 'so delighted that all is going so satisfactorily & that you can come to see us on the 14th.

Three items, including two substantial albums containing in excess of 500 newspaper cuttings. The first album was commenced in 1906 by Pepys scholar Walter Henry Whitear, and completed by Chappell after Whitear's death in 1932, the last cuttings in it dating from the following year.

4pp, 12mo. On four loose leaves. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with minor traces of grey paper mount along edges on blank reverses. The poem is titled 'The Dream of Fine Editors | (after the dinner to J. N. Dunn. April 23rd. 1897)'. (At the time of the dinner the Scottish journalist James Nicol Dunn (1856-1919) was on the verge of being appointed editor of the Morning Post, a position he would hold from May 1897 to January 1905.) There is no record of the poem having been published, and it is likely to have been written for after-dinner recitation only.

An interesting and unusual survival, casting light on funerary practice in Georgian London. In black ink on 37 x 15 cm piece of watermarked laid paper, clearly cut from the working ledger of the signwriter responsible for the display at Gambier's funeral. Two excellent drawings, marked up with notes for colours, as a guide for the painting process.

1p, 12mo. Aged and worn. Reads: 'I should very much like to use your article, but we are so crowded with matter that I am afraid there is little chance of finding space for a considerable time and I therefore return the MS with much regret.'

On 10 x 6 cm slip of laid paper cut from an album, with partial ruled border in pink and blue. In good condition, lightly aged. A good firm signature, reading 'Randolph S. Churchill.' No other writing on the same side; with signature of 'Geoffrey H. Crump' on the reverse.

2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, on aged paper with central spike hole. Folded twice. Begins: 'My dear Mr. Tinsley, | I see that you are not going to use my article “We Women,” & I want it so much, to form the basis of a set of articles! - & I have no copy.' She notes that it is 'generally the case with regular workers, that the Editors return the rejected MS' and explains that she has 'destroyed the first rough draft', exclaiming: 'I do hope it is not lost!' She asks him to either tell her if it is lost, so that she may 'know the worst', or if it is not lost, '& is not to be used'.

Secret duplicated Home Office document, no other copy of which has been discovered (none on OCLC WorldCat, for example) and no reference to the meeting found.

A highly interesting letter from a leading Victorian dramatic critic (Thomas describes himself in the letter as 'For five & twenty years [...] theatrical critic of the Daily news & the Graphic', who has 'served under at least thirteen editors') to a leading actor-manager (Hare was knighted in 1907), on the subject of alleged editorial pressure on Fleet Street's theatre critics. 4pp, 8vo. On four leaves. Aged and worn, but with text complete and clear.

See Knox's obituary, Times, 4 May 1977 (which refers to 'some passages at arms' he had at the BBC with Sir John Reith). 3pp., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged, with minor staining from paperclip. An interesting glimpse into the world of Fleet Street 'big salaries' during the war period. He begins: 'My dear Collin Brooks, | A letter such as yours, from a man such as yourself for whom I have so strong a personal, and professional, regard comes as a gleam of blue in a darkish sky.' He proceeds to bemoan his sacking by the Daily Mail: 'Yes, it is a bad business.

ONE: ALS from Dark to Brooks. The handwriting is quite atrocious, and the present transcription is at points tentative. Dark begins by recalling that at 'the delightful & very alcoholic Savage lunch' (i.e. lunch at the Savage Club), Brooks 'suggested that I should write an article for Truth. Perhaps because of the super-abundant alcoholic I have clean forgotten what the article was to he about. If you haven't & still want it, I might be able to write it.' The penultimate sentence is, to this cataloguer at least, indecipherable, apart from the words 'of course in a public sense'.

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Brooks may make whatever use he wishes of Templewood's speech. He agrees generally with 'Selby as to F[oreign]. O[ffice]. reorganisation', but is at present 'conentrating my attention to the points I raised in my speech. Whether we like it or not, we must now assume that public opinion will control our foreign policy. This being so, public opinion must be better instructed than it is at present.'

1p., 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with small pin hole to corner. The letter relates to celebrations of the anniversary of the Glorious First of June at Portsmouth (involving HMS Victory). He begins by expressing the hope that Wyllie has 'asked Lord Howe for the Function on June 1st? […] If not I have asked the Com[mande]r. in Chief to peform the Function, which he is agreeable to do.' It is 'desirable to know', as 'time is short', and 'The C in C wishes to ask him to lunch.

An attractive Chiswick Press item (on the firm's own paper), possibly printed for Beatty himself. No other copy traced, either on OCLC WorldCat or on COPAC. 3pp., 12mo. Printer's slug at foot of otherwise-blank reverse of second leaf. On laid paper with 'Chiswick Press' watermark. Aged and worn, with pin-hole through top inner corner of both leaves, and light staining at foot of first page. Reprinting a speech thanking the US Atlantic Fleet 'again, again, and again for the great part the Sixth Battle Squadron has played in bringing about the greatest naval victory in history'.

1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged, with punch holes at margin. MacEntee begins his letter to Hickey: 'In the tribute which “The Statist” pays to the late Hilaire Belloc a reference is made to his essay on usury. I read this some time ago but cannot recall the title of the volume in which it appeared. I should be grateful, indeed, if you would be kind enough to make good the lacuna by supplying the missing title.' He congratulates Hickey 'on the article itself'.

The four letters are in good condition, lightly aged and worn. Each 1p., 12mo. The first three letters are written to Brooks, as editor of 'Truth'; the fourth is a letter of condolence to Brooks's wife. In the first letter (14 April 1945) he apologises for the delay in sending in a review: 'I have been two months out of the country and nothing could be forwarded.' He adds: 'I wish I saw more of Charles Webster.

Both 1p., 8vo. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with paperclip stain to first letter. Unusual signature, in block capitals. Both addressed to Brooks at the Savage Club, with both salutations to 'Collin'. ONE: 18 April 1947. Begins: 'My dear Collin, | I consulted my firend in the Process Department here and he said that a half-tone block would not be very successful, as there is a dash of colour in the picture and the half-tone would not bring it out very well. He thought that a photograph on a piece of Matt bromide paper would look much better and not spoil the detail of the drawing.

Five documents. The two telegrams are in fair condition, lightly aged and worn; the other items are in good condition. A photocopy of a typed page from Brooks's diary explains the context in entertaining fashion: '”Staggerer number one,” whispered Dick Swiveller over my shoulder this morning when on my office desk I found a letter from Ronald Staples giving me a twelve month's statutory notice of dismissal from the editorship of Truth.' He explains that the magazine is losing money, and criticises Staples's plans. 'However – here's a how-de-do!

The three items are in good condition, lightly aged. ONE: TLS, 15 March 1907. 4pp., 4to. He is sending a copy (i.e. Item Three below) of 'a complete statement of what has taken place up to date. In fact it is the actual statement I placed before my Solicitor this afternoon […] Of course this is what we might have expected from these people, and it does not come as a very great surprise. | It is a direct attempt to get out of their obligations, as they have done before, as they can get this new man, and have got him – at something like £500 a year without an interest'.

1p., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. Signed 'Cyril Joad'. Written in the same month as Britain and France had declared war, the letter begins: 'I don't know whether you are still running the Sunday Dispatch, but if you are, how about an article on the philosophy which underlies the Nazi rule in Germany?

1p., 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged, with two punch-holes in margin. He has been reading Brooks's book ('Devil's Decade: Portraits of the Nineteen-Thirties') 'during a few days' holiday in Norfolk', and finds it 'excellent': Brooks has 'drawn a very accurate picture of Rothermere'. He proposes a time for them to 'meet again and have lunch'. He wonders whether Brooks 'ever came across that photograph of Northcliffe with Cecil Rhodes which I remember you mentioned you thought you had somewhere or other', asks for a sight of it.

In good condition, lightly aged. Written with purple ink. Addressed to 'J. W. Arrowsmith Esq | Publisher | Bristol.' The message begins, without salutation: 'Booking Office blocked with Copy. But I have had the "Modder River" taken out of turn. You will find a notice in tomorrow's "Punch"'. He announces that on the fifteenth of the following month he is 'to be a guest of the New Vagabond Club', and notes that Arrowsmith is a member, adding 'we may possibly meet'.

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Addressed to 'My dear Richard'. In the first paragraph he explains that he will not be able to accept his inviation as he is 'obliged to go into the country'. In the second he writes: 'Arthur Locker will succeed me here after the first of May; and he will attend at the office, with me, for about a week before his engagement begins. If you don't know him and if you will look in I will introduce you.' The Graphic was first published on 4 December 1869 by William Luson Thomas's company Illustrated Newspapers Limited.

1p., 12mo. On grey paper. Aged and with light discoloration and chipping along one edge. A somewhat barbed missive, reading: 'Sir, | I thank you for your offer, but I have so many subjects on hand just now that I fear I could not find room for your article even if I approved of it.' The Graphic was first published on 4 December 1869 by William Luson Thomas's company Illustrated Newspapers Limited, with Henry Sutherland Edwards (1828-1906) as editor. Locker had taken over the editorship only a few days before the writing of this note, on 1 May 1870.