NIGGER

Onyeama was the second black boy to go to Eton, and the first to complete his education there. See his obituary in the Guardian, 11 February 2022. His hugely-controversial 1972 book ?Nigger at Eton?, which resulted in him being banned from the school, was reprinted by Penguin Books in 2020 under the title ?Black Boy at Eton?. Philip Dosse, the recipient of the first two letters, was proprietor of Hansom Books, publisher of a stable of seven arts magazines including Books and Bookmen and Plays and Players.

5pp., 4to. In good condition, on five sheets of aged and lightly-stained paper. Written in a difficult crabbed hand. Porter begins the letter by explaining that he is writing at night during steady rain, and that the previous day he rode in from his camp 'to "come in from the wet" and have been weather-bound here ever since'.

12mo, 2pp. On bifolium. Aged and grubby. Testimony to the popularity of the black and white minstrel genre, at an early date. The drawing, beside the letterhead, is approximately 3.5 x 5 cm, in black and red. On the soles of the banjo-player's shoes is 'S M | 1908', and beneath it the caption 'Lessons'. Gives dates and times of lessons to 'Rackham', 'Miss Tipper', 'Matthias', 'Clayson', 'Mauchel' and others.

One page, 12mo. Good on piece of lightly-creased and aged paper, neatly mounted on slightly-larger piece of paper. Enclosing funds 'for the Use of St Andrews Hall April 2nd. 3rd. & 4th./66 for Christys Minstrels Concerts'. Postscript requests that receipt be sent to Reading in Berkshire: 'Shall be there on Thursday next'. A significant document. 1866 marked the introduction of the minstrel show into England by Christy's Minstrels, and the first of several extremely successful tours by the company.