Guernsey

[British coastal defence in the Napoleonic Wars.] Manuscript document giving itemised daily and yearly expenditure at twelve coastal military establishments (forts and castles).

Author: 
[British coastal defence in the Napoleonic Wars] Landguard Fort; St. Maws; Pendennis Castle; Plymouth and St Nicholas Island; Portland Castle; Hull and the Blockhouse; Hurst Castle; Holy Island
British coastal defence
Publication details: 
Undated. Annotated in another hand ‘Winchelsea / 1805’.
£320.00
British coastal defence

An interesting document, neatly laid out in black with red underlining on both sides of 29 x 42 cm leaf. Painted in black lengthwise near one edge is ‘Winchelsea / 1805’, and 1805 would be a good year for the document’s composition, with Britain fighting the Napoleonic Wars and in the midst of invasion fears around the time of the Battle of Trafalgar. 2pp, large folio. On thick laid paper watermarked either ‘VI’ or ‘IV’ (depending on which side you look from). In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with closed tears and one nick (not affecting text) along central horizontal fold.

[Sir Edgar MacCulloch, Bailiff of Guernsey, folklorist.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Edgar MacCulloch') to 'Chepmell' [society homeopathist Edward Charles Chepmell], discussing the arrangements for his forthcoming adoubement.

Author: 
Sir Edgar MacCulloch (1808-1896), Bailiff of Guernsey, expert in Guernsey Folklore, and founding member of La Société Guernesiaise [Edward Charles Chepmell (1820-1885), society homeopathist]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of the Tavistock Hotel, London. 30 April 1886.
£90.00

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged. He begins by thanking him for his 'kind note and ticket for the Private View at the Academy'. He explains that he 'must pay a visit to the Home Office at noon to report myself', and from there he will find his way to Burlington House. He hopes 'to learn from Mr Childers or one of the Under-secretaries when there is a likelihood of a day being fixed by the Queen for dubbing knights, and am in hopes that it may not be far distant, as I don't wish to be kept here for any lengthened time.' He explains that he came up to London 'on Genl.

[Thomas Guille,co-founder of the Guille-Allès Library, Guernsey.] Two Autograph Letters Signed to a 'Doctor [Chepmell]' and "Doctor Chepmell", homoeopathist, thanking him for donations of books & 'two interesting historical documents' to the library.

Author: 
Thomas Guille (1817-1896), founder with Frederick Mansell Allès, of the Guille-Allès Library, Guernsey, Channel Islands
Publication details: 
Guille-Allès Library [Guernsey, Channel Islands]. 23 April 1890 and 15 July 1890
£150.00

In 1882 Guille and Allès, childhood friends who had worked in New York as carpenters, bought the Assembly Rooms in Market Street, opening the building in 1888 as an extensive subscription library, with reading and meeting rooms. The library is still in operation, and is a much-loved local institution. The present items dates from two years later, both 1p., 16mo. On bifolium. In good condition, with remains of stub adhering to one edge. Written in a small, neat and dainty hand, the first letter reads: 'Guille-Allès Library, | April 23, 1890.

[ 'The Higher Butterfatters' League'; MS. ] Anonymous humorous manuscript poem titled 'Nanette', with illustrations, in praise of the Guernsey cow.

Author: 
[ The Guernsey Gazette; The Higher Butterfatters' League; dairy farming in the United Kingdom ]
Publication details: 
In manuscript, but laid out as a printed book ('A "Guernsey's Own" Publication') said to be 'Specially printed by the "Guernsey Gazette"' and sponsored by the non-existant 'Higher Butterfatters' League'. Undated [ 1950s? ].
£80.00

28pp., 4to. Sewn into a booklet, and bound in cream boards, with 'A "Guernsey's Own" Publication' on the front cover, and 'Sponsored by the Higher Butterfatters' League' on the back. There is no indication that the manuscript has been published. It is laid out as a printed book, with title-page (with charming illustration of the smiling cow) and dedication page reading: 'To V, M., the Honorable Patroness of the foster Mothers' Welfare Group, This book is respectfully dedicated.' The poem consists of 36 four-line stanzas, with fifteen charming vignettes.

[Two printed pamphlets from the States of Guernsey Education Council, with emendations.] In French: 'Loi sur l'Instruction Publique Primaire. Ordre en Conseil (Enregistre le 7 Mars 1903.). English translation: 'Law on Public Primary Education [...]'.

Author: 
[Guernsey Education Law, 1903; The States of Guernsey Education Council]
Publication details: 
French version: Guernesey: Compagnie d'Imprimerie de Bichard, Limitee, Rue du Bordage. 1903. English translation: Guernsey: Bichard's Printing and Publishing Co., Ltd., Bordage Street. 1903.
£100.00

ONE: French version. 19pp., 12mo. Stitched. In light-blue printed wraps. In fair condition, aged and worn in like raps. Stamp, shelfmarks and label of the Board of Education Reference Library, London. With manuscript emendations in red ink, including the deletion of one paragraph with the note 'Repealed by O[rder]. in C[ouncil]. 21/4/04. Ref 2nd May '04'. Another similar marginal note reads: 'O. in C. 10/8/03 Ref: 29/8/03.' TWO: English translation. Full title: 'Law on Public Primary Education, as sanctioned by Order in Council registered the 7th March, 1903. [Translation.]' 28pp., 12mo.

Autograph Letter Signed (by which of the above is unknown) to [Tom Driberg, at that time a Beaverbrook hack], about the denial of paper to the Channel Islands Review.

Author: 
P. Gray and F. Lewis, Guernsey C.I. and Jersey C.I. respectively
Publication details: 
'Riemore', Yewstock Crescent West, Chippenham, Wilts., 11 May 1942.
£65.00

Two pages, grubby but text clear and complete, with obscure stamp (information about acknowledgment?). The order from the Paper Control forbidding the publication of the Channel Islands Review is a real hardship to Refugee Islanders also to some of the 9,000 serving soldiers and seamen many of whom have wives, children and relatives in the occupied islands. | As the Review was only supplied on order and copies were passed on to friends the quantity of paper used must have been very small.

Fairburn's Genuine Edition of the Death-Bed Confessions of the late Countess of Guernsey, to Lady Anne H*******; developing a series of mysterious Transactions connected with the most illustrious Personages in the Kingdom: to which are added, [...].

Author: 
Francis Villiers, Countess of Jersey [spurious, attributed to] [Queen Caroline; King George IV; Lady Anne Hamilton]
Publication details: 
London: Printed and Published by John Fairburn, Broadway, Ludgate-hill.
£45.00

8vo: iv + 48 + [ii] pp. Last leaf carries advertisements for works by Fairburn. In marbled wraps. Text clear and entire. On aged paper with slight wear and fraying, small holes and light stains to first four leaves. Title continues '[...] to which are added, The Q-'s last letter to the K-, Written a few Days before Her M-'s Death, and other Authentic Documents, never before published. | [quotation] I am the Viper that has been secretly wounding you both.

Autograph Letter Signed "[Seigneur?] Laffitte" to M. de Rayneval, Directeur du Chancelleries[?] aux affaires Etrangeres a Paris.

Author: 
Jacques Laffitte
Publication details: 
Paris 16 Dec. 1815.
£100.00

Banker and Politician. In French. One page, 4to, good condition. If a consul to Guernsey has not yet been appointed, he recommends David Macculloch who has a good reputation and has commercial knowledge. He would be helpful to French ships there and his nomination would suit the Governor, Sir John Doyle, who had long since requested it of their Ambassador in London. {de Reyneval prob. the diplomat in Biog. Univ.]

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