GAMBIER

[Rt Hon. Robert Gambier Middleton, Scottish Royal Navy officer who served under Nelson as Captain of HMS Flora.] Three Letters Signed, giving instructions to his midshipman on the Flora John Hawkins, one from Gibraltar.

Author: 
Rt Hon. Robert Gambier Middleton (1774-1837), Scottish Royal Navy officer who served under Nelson as Captain of HMS Flora, nephew of Admiral Lord Barham
Publication details: 
All three written from HMS Flora. ONE: ‘at Sea the 26 of June 1798’. TWO: ‘in Gibraltar Bay the 18th. July 1798’. THREE: ‘as Sea, the 28th. March 1800’.
£320.00

Providing a good view of the day-to-day practicalities of Nelson's navy. Middleton was the nephew of Admiral Lord Barham. In 1795 he removed from the Lowestoffe to the Flora, serving under the Nelson off Genoa in support of the Austrian Army, and during July 1796 at the occupation of Porto Ferrajo. All three 1p, foolscap, and somewhat discoloured and worn, the first and last with chipping at head, but all with text entire.

[Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, 1796.] Appointment of John McKenzie ‘to Command His Majesty’s Gun Boat the Morwelham’, signed by Sir Philip Stephens, James Gambier, Sir William Young, and Secretary to the Board Evan Nepean.

Author: 
Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, 1796 [signed by Sir Philip Stephens, James Gambier, Sir William Young, and by Evan Nepean, Secretary to the Board of Admiralty; John McKenzie of the Morwelham]
Publication details: 
16 September 1796. [The Admiralty, Whitehall, London.]
£280.00

1p, foolscap 8vo. On piece of wove paper with Britannia watermark. Lightly aged and in fair condition, but with some creasing and nicking at the head. Folded three times into a packet. A printed document, completed in manuscript.

[Admiral of the Fleet James Gambier, distinguished Royal Navy officer.] Navy Office document, signed by Gambier, John Henslow and Charles Hope, querying an account submitted by ‘Captain Stanhope / late of L’Achille’.

Author: 
James Gambier [Lord Gambier] (1756-1833), Royal Navy Admiral of the Fleet, Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty and First Naval Lord; John Henslow (1730-1815); Captain Charles Hope
Publication details: 
'Navy Office 20th March 1799.'
£220.00

See Gambier’s entry in the Oxford DNB. He served during capture of Charleston during American Revolutionary War, at the Glorious First of June, and commanded at Battle of Copenhagen and Battle of the Basque Roads. He was First Naval Lord, three times: 1795-1801, 1804-6 and 1807-8. Henslow was Surveyor to the Navy, 1784-1806, and Hope was Deputy Comptroller of the Navy, 1795-1801.

[James Gambier; William Young and another, Admirals] Printed Document Signed by three Commissioners, one signature undeciphered (see image), other signatures of J Gambier and W Young, Commissioners, about marking barrels of gunpowder.

Author: 
[James Gambier, Admiral; William Young, Admiral; signature of third unidentified but all Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of Great-Britain and Ireland]
Publication details: 
Date added in manuscript, 31 January 1799 (Watermark 'GR 1794').
£320.00

One page, folio, good condition. In the form of an instruction/letter addressed to The respective Captains, Commanders, and Commanding Officers of His Majesty's Ships and Vessels and Concludes By the Command of their Lordships [Autograph] W Marsden. Marsden (Wikipedia): William Marsden FRS FSA (16 November 1754 – 6 October 1836) was an Irish orientalist, numismatist, and linguist who served as Second, then First Secretary to the Admiralty during years of conflict with France. James, Lord Gambier and Sir William Young, both Admirals, also feature strongly in Wikipedia.

[Lord Gambier, Admiral of the Fleet.] Manuscript designs of heraldic achievements (coats of arms), made by a signwriter for display at his funeral.

Author: 
[Admiral Lord Gambier [James Gambier, 1st Baron Gambier (1756-1833), Admiral of the Fleet, Royal Navy officer in American Revolutionary War and French Revolutionary Wars and Glorious First of June]
Publication details: 
'April 22nd.' [1832].
£400.00

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.

[ Admiral of the Fleet James Gambier, 1st Baron Gambier. ] Autograph Signature ('Gambier'), given immediately after the Battle of Basque Roads.

Author: 
Admiral of the Fleet James Gambier (1756-1833), 1st Baron Gambier, Lord Commander of the Admiralty and Governor of Newfoundland
Publication details: 
'Given on board the Caledonia in Basque Roads 17 April 1809.'
£30.00

On piece of 6 x 12 cm laid and watermarked paper, cut from an order. In fair condition, aged and worn. Above the good firm signature, in another hand, is: 'Given onboard [sic] the Caledonia in Basque Roads 17 April 1809'. At foot, in a nineteenth-century hand: 'Gambier's autograph'. Gambier's actions during the battle, the victory in which was credited to him rather than Lord Cochrane, led to a Court Martial. Gambier was exonerated, and Cochrane's naval career ended.

Two Autograph Letters Signed (both 'T Gambier Parry') from Thomas Gambier Parry, to 'Mr. Moore' [B. T. Moore], regarding repairs to Tewkesbury Abbey, both lamenting that the paint he chose for the roof has turned to the colour of 'disgraceful mud'.

Author: 
Thomas Gambier Parry (1816-1888), benefactor and art collector [Benjamin Thomas Moore (d.1896), for 38 years churchwarden of Tewkesbury Abbey; Ven. Hemming Robeson]
Publication details: 
ONE: on letterhead of the United University Club, Pall Mall East, S.W. [London]. 8 February 1885. TWO: on letterhead of Highnam Court, Gloucester. 16 October [1885?].
£120.00

ONE: 3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of glue from mount adhering to blank reverse of second leaf. Parry begins by exclaiming: 'What a grand example your activity at Tewkesbury is!' Whatever Moore means by 'the Construction of the Cloister walk - and other important business', Parry regrets that his 'obligations in London' will not allow him to join the Abbey Committee. He continues: 'I wish "bad times" did not put another thing out of my Power w[hic]h.

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