MINISTRY

Copy of typed notes by the British jurist and Labour politician Lord Chorley [Robert Samuel Theodore Chorley, 1st Baron Chorley] for a talk by him as part of a discussion on the role of the British civil service.

Author: 
Robert Samuel Theodore Chorley (1895-1978), 1st Baron Chorley QC, British jurist and Labour politician [National Service; the civil servant]
Publication details: 
[1952.]
£80.00

11pp., 4to. In fair condition, on aged paper, with a couple of manuscript emendations. Without title, date or author's name. Can be dated to 1952 from comment on p.9: 'Power of Service enormously greater in 1952 than in 1852 - both individually and collectively.' Chorley's authorship is clear from the context: on the second page he recalls that he was 'a temporary Civil Servant in the first world war', and the document concludes: 'Suspect chosen because identified with Chorley Report - no responsibility beyond that of other members of the Committee.

Typed Letter Signed ('Woolton') from Lord Woolton [Frederick James Marquis, 1st Earl of Woolton] to fellow Labour politician Lord Chorley [Robert Samuel Theodore Chorley], contesting figures given by him in a House of Lords speech on education.

Author: 
Frederick James Marquis (1883-1964), 1st Earl of Woolton [Lord Woolton], businessman and Labour politician [Robert Samuel Theodore Chorley (1895-1978), 1st Baron Chorley; Ministry of Education]
Publication details: 
On his letterhead as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Treasury Chambers, Great George Street, SW1. 21 February 1955.
£56.00

2pp., 4to. 46 lines. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. He begins: 'Since you spoke in the Education Debate in the House of Lords on the 9th February I have been meaning to take up with you a controversial point to which I did not refer in reply since you were not in the House.' He quotes a passage in which Chorley 'dealt with University students', giving detailed reasons for contesting his 'figures about awards'.

Autograph Letter Signed ('W B Sprague') from the American Congregational clergyman and author Rev. Dr W. B. Sprague [William Buell Sprague], in part a letter of introduction for Solomon Stoddard of Northampton, Massachusetts

Author: 
Rev. Dr W. B. Sprague [William Buell Sprague] (1795-1876) of Albany, New York, Yale-educated American Congregational and Presbyterian clergyman and compiler of Annals of the American Pulpit
Publication details: 
Albany [New York]. 13 April 1832.
£120.00

1p., 4to. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, laid down on the remains of a leaf of grey paper from an album. Sprague has only just received his recipient's letter, 'with its invaluable accompaniment', presuming that it was detained at New York for more than two months. He will send a proper letter in a fortnight; in the meantime he writes 'to introduce to you my worthy and much respected friend Mr Solomon Stoddard of Northampton, a direct descendant of the venerable divine whose name he bears [i.e.

Typed Letter Signed from J. B. Priestley to E. M. Forster, accusing him of being 'in the wrong' regarding a Society of Authors questionnaire on National Service. With Autograph Copy and Typed Copy by Forster of letters by him to the Society.

Author: 
J. B. Priestley [E. M. Forster; Denys Kilham Roberts (1903-1976), of the Society of Authors]
Publication details: 
Priestley's letter to Forster: 3 The Grove, Highgate Village, London; 25 May 1939.
£220.00

Forster's main objection is that the National Service questionnaire, sent out by the Society of Authors 'at the suggestion of the Ministry of Labour', asks members to 'give general particulars of their political opinions' (see Hansard, 25 May 1939). Four items. ONE. Priestley's letter, addressed to 'My dear Forster' by 'J. B. Priestley'. 1 p, 4to. Twenty lines. Fair, on aged paper.

Reports and Translations No. 234. The Hydrodynamical Fundamentals of Heat Transfer.

Author: 
Alexis von Baranoff [Ministry of Supply (Air), Völkenrode]
Publication details: 
M.O.S.(A) [Ministry of Supply (Air)], Völkenrode: June 1946.
£150.00

Not published. Cyclostyled on the rectos only. 8vo: 165 pp followed by 28 pages of 'figures'. Contained in a buff 'Apex Vertical Filing Folder'. Very good, on aged paper. Complete and clear. Stamped 'UNCLASSIFIED' on front cover, with manuscript reference 'GVC/54T'. Preface reads 'The present work is the English rendering of a partly revised German manuscript which the Author prepared for the Leipzig publishers Bibliographisches Institut to be published as volume 49 of their series Meyers kleine Handbücher.

Offprint titled 'Air Ministry. Meteorological Office. Professional Notes. Vol. 3. No. 39. The Upper Air Circulation of the Atlantic Ocean. Published by the Authority of the Meteorological Committee.'

Author: 
E. W. Barlow [Edward William Barlow (b.1886)] [Air Ministry, Meteorological Office.]
Publication details: 
1925. London: Published by His Majesty's Stationery Office.
£28.00

8vo: 18 pp, paginated 200-217. Grubby and lightly-aged and creased, with rusty staples. Title-page headed 'For Official Use. M.O. 245s.' Scarce. No copy at the British Library, and the only copy on COPAC at Nottingham.

Autograph Signature ('Arlington') on fragment of document.

Author: 
Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington (bap. 1618; d.1685), English politician and member of the celebrated 'Cabal' ministry
Publication details: 
Without date or place.
£28.00

On a piece of paper roughly 4 x 7 cm. Very good, on slightly discoloured paper. Reads '<...> 34 years of His Maies <...> | [signed] Arlington'. The second of the two versions of Arlington's signature reproduced by Rawlins ('Five Hundred Years of British Autographs', p.63, no.8). Arlington was the first 'A' in the CABAL ministry, the name made up of the initials of the five privy councillors who conducted Charles II's government after the fall of Clarendon in 1667: Clifford, Arlington, Buckingham, Ashley and Lauderdale.

Autograph Letter Signed to Sir H[enry]. T[rueman]. Wood, Secretary, Royal Society of Arts.

Author: 
John Allen Harker
Publication details: 
9 February 1916; The National Physical Laboratory, Teddington (on deleted letterhead of the National Liberal Club).
£28.00

Inventor and engineer (1870-1923), whose papers are held by the Royal Society. During the war Harker was in the Inventions Department of the Ministry of Munitions. One page, 12mo. Good, if slightly grubby. Docketed in pencil and bearing the Society's stamp. Reads 'I send herewith a short contribution to the discussion of Dr Flemings paper at which I was present but in which on account of lack of time I did not feel it desirable to take part verbally.' Signed 'J. A. Harker'.

Typed Letter Signed to Sir Hilary Blood of the Royal Society of Arts.

Author: 
Edward Arthur Alexander Shackleton, Baron Shackleton
Publication details: 
31 December 1964; on his letterhead as 'MINISTER OF DEFENCE FOR THE ROYAL AIR FORCE'.
£36.00

British geographer and Labour politician (1911-94), son of the antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. One page, quarto. Very good. Folded three times. Docketed in red ink. He must decline the invitation to become a Fellow of the Society. 'It is certainly an honour and I would have liked to accept this invitation, but I have lately had to cut down on the membership of various societies since, as you can imagine, the subscriptions do mount up. This is frankly the reason, for I have become very well aware of the importance of the work of the Royal Society of Arts.'

1 Typed Letter Signed and 3 Autograph Notes Signed to journalist and author [Myer Jack] Landa.

Author: 
Isaac Leslie Hore-Belisha, Baron Hore-Belisha
Publication details: 
Letter, 1 May 1939, on Secretary of State for War letterhead; note 1 undated [docketed 'Nov 1931?'], on blind-stamped Commons letterhead; note 2, 4 June 1935; note 3, 6 November 1936; notes 2 and 3 on blindstamped Ministry of Transport letterheads.
£80.00

British politician (1893-1957), who gave his name to the 'Belisha Beacon'. All four items signed 'Leslie Hore-Belisha'. In the letter (1 page, 4to, in good condition) he thanks Landa for his note and says he 'should be most happy to do anything I could for you in the matter of the Tribunals. These, however, will come under the Ministry of Labour and not under the War Office. I think, therefore, it would be well if you get into touch with Ernest Brown.' All three notes 1 page, 16mo, and all three in good condition.

Autograph Letter Signed to A. E. Lidgett.

Author: 
Harry {Henry] Snell, Baron Snell
Publication details: 
9 September 1942; on letterhead of the Athenaeum, Pall Mall, S.W.1.
£30.00

British Labour politician (1865-1944), leader of the Labour Party in the House of Lords, 1935-40. 1 page, 16mo. In good condition, although creased and a little worn at head. 'I am sorry that you found it difficult to reach me. I leave here fairly early on the days that the House is in session & I must be there practically all the time.

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