SOPHIA

[Princess Sophia of Gloucester, niece of King George III.] Autograph Letter Signed (‘Sophia Matilda’) [to Sir Herbert Taylor, Private Secretary to George IV], regarding ‘the kind Legacy from the late Queen at Wirtemberg’.

Author: 
Princess Sophia of Gloucester [Sophia Matilda] (1773-1844), daughter of the Duke of Gloucester, niece of King George III [Lieut-Gen. Sir Herbert Taylor (1775-1839), Private Secretary to the Sovereign]
Publication details: 
‘Bagshot Park / Septr. 16th. [1829]’.
£90.00

See Taylor’s entry, and that of Princess Sophia’s brother William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh (1776-1834), in the Oxford DNB. Bagshot Park was the residence of her brother the duke (Silly Billy’), to whom she was very much attached. The siblings were not entirely accepted by the Royal Family due to the unequal nature of their parents’ marriage. 3pp, 12mo. On bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded for postage. Taylor, who is not named but is clearly the recipient, has marked the letter as ‘Private’. Good firm signature ‘Sophia Matilda’.

[Harold Wilson, Labour prime minister.] Christmas card, signed by Wilson, his wife Mary and son Giles, together with his foreign secretary George Brown and his wife Sophie, who writes a message in German.

Author: 
Harold Wilson (1916-1995), Labour prime minister; his wife Mary Wilson (1916-2018); his son Giles Wilson; George Brown (1914-1985), Labour politician; his wife Sophie Brown [Sophia Levene] (1911-1990)
Publication details: 
1966. Christmas card by Lum & Feher Press, Honolulu.
£100.00

In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Christmas card with unusual image of the three wise men (in Roman helmets) seen from behind, following the guiding star as it leads them across a Hawaian beach to the hut in which the birth of the messiah is occurring. Printed message in card in Hawaian and English. The reverse of the second leaf has nothing printed on it other than the publisher's slug, and at the head the prime minister has written 'Happy Christmas'. Beneath this, one above the other, are the five signatures: 'Harold Wilson | Mary Wilson. | Giles Wilson.

[Princess Victoria of Schleswig Holstein, granddaughter of Queen Victoria.] Autograph Signature ('Victoria of Schleswig Holstein').

Author: 
Victoria of Schleswig Holstein [Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein; Victoria Louise Sophia Augusta Amelia Helena] (1870-1948), granddaughter of Queen Victoria
Publication details: 
Dated by her to 2 August 1902.
£25.00

Written within one of three red rectangular squares on a page on one side of a leaf detached from 'The Meredith Birthday Book'. In good condition, lightly aged. The Princess's inscription reads 'Victoria of Schleswig Holstein Aug. 2. 1902', and the rest of the page is blank. The word 'Victoria' is underlined, and the upper part of the flourish to the 'V' extends over the top of the rectangle, and the date projects into the margin. On the reverse to the leaf are printed quotations from Meredith for the days 4 to 6 May.

[Thomas Garth, Equerry to George III, and alleged lover of the King's daughter Princess Sophia.] Autograph Letter in the third person to 'Mr Ford', discussing the king's forthcoming movements.

Author: 
Thomas Garth (1744-1829), British Army officer, chief Equerry to George III and alleged lover of his daughter Princess Sophia, by whom he is said to have fathered a son [Richard Ford (1758-1806)]
Publication details: 
'The Kings Mews Tuesday August 13th, 1799'.
£280.00

1p, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Reads 'Major General Garth presents his Compliments to Mr Ford and informs Him that Their Majesties and Princesses stop to breakfast at Hartford Bridge – and once afterwards for five Minutes at Stoney Cross – The Compton Arms – between Rumsey & Kingwood.' Postscript: 'The Majr Genl: supposes Mr Ford is acquainted that The King leaves Windsor 17th next.' Ford – the son of Queen Charlotte's physician, James Ford – was clearly enquiring with regard to the king's itinerary for security purposes.

[ Sophie of Württemberg, Queen of the Netherlands; Tsar's daughter ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Sophia') to 'Lord Stratford', expressing deep grief and regret on the occasion of the Battle of Inkerman in the Crimean War.

Author: 
Sophie of Württemberg [ Sophia Frederika Mathilde ] (1818-1877), Queen of the Netherlands as the first wife of King William III [ Stratford Canning, 1st Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe (1786-1880) ]
Publication details: 
'Hague [ Netherlands ] Dec. 2d' [ 1854 ].
£180.00

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. The letter begins: 'My dear Lord Stratford | The 5th November, the day of Inckerman, [sic] is passed – I had not the courage to write. There was such a weight of grief in my heart, it was very difficult to give any utterance to it. Yet I will not let this disastrous year come to its close, without sending you a few words of remembrance, of sincere friendship. Since I left you in London, how many are gone!

[ Sophia Neate. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Sophia Neate') [ to the actor Charles Charrington ], regarding a lecture in Woking on 'A People's Theatre'.

Author: 
Sophia Neate (1832-1908) of Heatherside, Woking [ Charles Charrington (1854-1924), actor-manager, and his wife the actress Jane Achurch (1863-1916); Charles Lutwidge Dodgson ('Lewis Carroll') ]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of Heatherside, Woking. 12 June 1897.
£45.00

Sophia Neate took on the care of Sally Sinclair and her siblings – 'child-friends' of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson – when their parents died. Neate received financial support from Dodgson and the actor Lionel Brough. On first meeting Mrs. Neate (26 June 1879) Dodgson wrote in his diary that he ‘found her so interesting that I stayed 4 hours!' He occasionally visited her and noted the progress of the Sinclair children as they grew. 3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Aged and worn, with light staining at foot of gutter.

[ Lilias Ashworth Hallett, suffragette. ] Conclusion of a letter [ to Mr Hunt ], signed 'Lilias S Ashworth'

Author: 
Lilias Ashworth Hallett [ born Lilias Sophia Ashworth; Lilias S. Ashworth ] (1844-1922), prominent member of the suffragette organisation the Women's Social and Political Union, niece of John Bright
Publication details: 
Lacking details of place or date, but written (from Bath?) before her marriage in 1877.
£45.00

2pp., 16mo. The last leaf of a letter. In fair condition, lightly aged. Begins with reference to the payment of a subscription to 'the Society'. Continues: 'You must indeed have enjoyed your tour in the Black Forest. We are hoping to go to the South of France next month for a few weeks as we have not ben a journey all this year. I hope you and Mrs. Hunt will give us the pleasure of seeing you here if ever you come to Bath. My sister joins me in kindest regards'.

[Princess Sophia Matilda Hanover of the United Kingdom.] Autograph Note in the third person from 'Princess Sophie' to a tradesman

Author: 
Princess Sophie [Princess Sophia Matilda Hanover] (1777-1848) of the United Kingdom, daughter of King George III [Sophie Friederike Dorothee Wilhelmine] (1805-1872)
Publication details: 
Place not stated. 3 February 1824.
£90.00

On a piece of 12 x 19cm paper. Discoloured and chipped, and laid down on an 8vo leaf removed from an album, with cut-out printed family crest letterheads in various colours on reverse. At head of page, in another contemporary hand: 'H. R. H. Princess Sophie's handwriting'. The letter is written in a difficult hand, and begins: 'The Princess Sophie returns Mr Clarke the enclosed Letter, & she also sends the sum of £1 .. 8 .. 9 for the 4 yds & 1/2 of <?> <?> he was so obliging as to purchase for her.' The letter continues with a request, ending '[...] this is much the fashion'.

[Sophia Johnstone, Marchioness of Annandale.] Autograph Signature ('S Annandale') to 'Tack [i.e. contract] betwixt The Marchioness of Annandale And Peter Grahame'. Also signed by Grahame and two witnesses.

Author: 
Sophia Johnstone [née Fairholm] (1668-1716), Marchioness of Annandale (buried in Westminster Abbey), wife of William Johnstone (1664-1721), 1st Marquess of Annandale
Publication details: 
'Att Moffat the Nyntenth day of May one thousand seven hundred and sixten years'.
£80.00

1p., foolscap 8vo. On bifolium of watermarked paper. In fair condition, on aged paper, with slight wear to foredges. Two small stamps (one 'Tenn Pence Quire') and official blind stamp. 48 lines of closely-written text, in a chancery hand. Regarding a lease for an uncertain location. Signed by 'S Annandale', 'Petter [sic] Grahame', and witnessed by 'Ja: Moir' and 'John Grahame'. Docketted on reverse of second leaf 'Tack betwixt | The Marchioness of Annandale | And | Peter Graham | 1716'.

Engraved circular letter and 'Balance Sheets for 1858 and 1859' of the Playground and General Recreation Society (including reference to a speech by Charles Dickens), forwarded by secretary Edward West to committee-member Sophia Elizabeth De Morgan.

Author: 
Edward West, Secretary, The Playground and General Recreation Society, London [Sophia Elizabeth De Morgan [née Frend] (1809-92), wife of mathematician Augustus De Morgan (1806-71); Charles Dickens]
Publication details: 
West's engraved letter: 97 Newgate Street, London; 31 January 1860. The balance sheets dated to end of the years 1858 and 1859.
£95.00

3pp., 4to. In bifolium. Good, on aged and lightly-creased paper. 'Mrs. de Morgan' in manuscript at the foot of the first page, and 'No 5' at the head. The first page carries the circular letter from 'Edwd. West, Secy.', engraved in copperplate. In sending the balance sheets he notes that 'the income is scarcely equal to the expenditure which is necessary for obtaining for the Society public support'.

Autograph Letter Signed ('J. S. H. Pardoe') from the novelist Julia Pardoe to 'Mrs. Cooper', describing a 'severe accident' met with by her parents.

Author: 
Julia Pardoe [J. S. H. Pardoe; Julia Sophia Pardoe] (1804-1862), English novelist and poet, best-known for her accounts of her travels in the Ottoman Empire
Publication details: 
13 Upper Eaton Street, London; 'Wednesday' [no date, but before 1849].
£90.00

3pp., 16mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. She begins: 'I am sure you wil grieve to hear that my dear Parents have met with a severe accident, altho', thank God! we have every cause to hope that there wil be no latent results. They were knocked down by a horse, in attempting to avoid an Omnibus: both are cut on the head, & Mama is much bruised in several places.' 'Quiet and care' will restore them, she trusts. Her mother has asked her to write, as it will be impossible for her parents to keep the dinner engagement with Mrs Cooper.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Wm: Melmoth') to 'my very dear Sophia [Walters]', exhibiting a warmth unusual in one writing 'at the advanced Age of eighty five'.

Author: 
William Melmoth the Younger (c.1710-1799), translator of Pliny and Cicero, and author of 'Fitzosborne's Letters' (1748, 1749) [Sophia Walters]
Publication details: 
Date and place not stated. Docketed in a contemporary hand: '1798 Written at the advanced Age of eighty five [sic, for 88]'.
£180.00

1 p, landscape 12mo (18.5 x 11.5 cm). Eleven long lines in a small neat hand. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. Tipped in onto a piece of paper, 21 x 13 cm. The reference to Melmoth's 'advanced Age' is at the foot of the page. Docketed on reverse in a contemporary hand: 'From Mr. Melmoth to Mrs. Walters'. Begins: 'Believe me, my very dear Sophia, I am so truely [sic] your obedient servant in every affectionate & friendly sense of those terms, that there is no office in which you can employ me I shd.

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