Small archive of 22 Typed Letters Signed ('Frank Baines') and one Autograph Letter Signed, to G. K. Menzies, Secretary, Royal Society of Arts, with documents including a draft speech by Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, with Baldwin's emendations.

The collection is in very good condition, on slightly aged and dusty paper. Several items bear the Society's stamp. An interesting and significant correspondence. The letters, in a variety of formats from 12mo to foolscap, are often long, and are written in an informal tone. Indicating Baines's deep involvement in the Society's affairs, they most significantly concern an appeal, organised by Baines on behalf of the Society, 'for the preservation of the cottage architecture of Great Britain', with the backing and involvement of Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin. On 4 December 1926 (headed 'PERSONAL & CONFIDENTIAL') Baines begins: 'For your private ear I should tell you that the letter from the Royal Society of Arts inviting the Prime Minister to act as Chairman of the proposed meeting in the early future in connection with the Preservation of Cottages was referred to our Minister for his advice and remarks. [...]'. This is accompanied by ten typed foolscap pages, headed in Baines's hand, 'Notes for P.M.' This is in fact the draft of a speech written by Baines for the Prime Minister, and given to the Society in January 1927. It begins 'I have been asked to preside at this meeting, the object of which is to give the necessary impetus to the movement initiated by the Royal Society of Arts for the preservation of the cottage architecture of Great Britain.' In the manuscript letter (10 January 1927, 4to, 2 pp) Baines writes 'I took this away to read [...] but my influenza intervened again & I did nothing'. The manuscript letter is accompanied by the typescript of an early draft of the Prime Minister's speech, on three foolscap pages and with several manuscript emendations in Baldwin's hand. On 3 February 1927 Baines informs Menzies that he can 'confirm what I told Mr. Perry this morning over the telephone; that I am informed that the Prime Minister wishes me to be told that he will be very pleased to sign the Appeal which the Royal Society of Arts intend to issue in connection with the Scheme for Preservation of Cottages [...] the Prime Minister will not have the time to draft the Appeal himself'. A letter of 28 January 1927 is accompanied by a 'strictly confidential' list, 'obtained from the Whip's Office in the House of Commons'. Probably intended to provide the names of individuals to be invited to the meeting with the Prime Minister, it gives the names of Members of Parliament, in double column on two foolscap pages, under the heading 'AGRICULTURE'. Regarding notes sent by Menzies, Baines writes, 19 January 1927: 'I gather [...] from the Prime Minister's Secretary that he wanted rather general and sociological matter bearing upon the problem, and I, therefore, have spurred my stale and tired brain on the subject once more [...] I have also asked the Prime Minister's Secretary as to whether he would sign the Appeal'. On 25 January 1927 (marked 'STRICTLY PERSONAL'): 'I doubt whether my voice will have recovered by to-morrow, but I will croak as best I may; even a frog can serve in a good cause. | I had an amusing message to-day from Conway Davies, who asked me - (1) whether I would give some notes for Sir Alfred's speech to-morrow, and (2) whether I would give him some idea as to what sort of subscription was expected from Sir Alfred Mond. Immediately my thoughts flew to millions [...]'. There are several suggestions of possible talks by different individuals. For example, in a letter of 2 February 1926, Baines comments on Professor C. A. Briggs: 'I am afraid I misled you in this matter [...] Professor Briggs [...] was then in charge of the work at the Bureau of Standards, Washington, known as Industrial Research, and the work covered by his section included tests of all new types of fire extincteurs, lift gates and enclosures, acoustic research and mechanical tests on materials. The size of the Department is immense, as the main Industrial Research building has a floor area of sixteen acres [...]'. This is accompanied by a letter (2 November 1925, on United States Department of Agriculture Packers and Dockyards Administration letterhead, 4to, 4pp) in which Briggs ('Livestock Weight Supervisor') describes his 'responsibilities': 'the weighing of about a billion and a half (British designation, thousand five hundred million) dollars worth of livestock which is bought and sold on "hoof weights", obtained at some 70 odd stockyards throughout the United States'. Briggs discusses at length the suitability of his employment for a lecture to the Society. Also included are 'Notes on Results of Competition of Industrial Designs Exhibition', on four foolscap pages, initialed by Baines and dated by him 6 August 1927. Also a letter from L. B. Asher of the National Federation of Women's Institutes, and one from Prescott Row of the Homeland Association Limited.