PALEY

The subject of the present letter, Thomas Paley, was certainly related to William Paley, but they were not brothers, as Paley had none. The reason for the lack of information about Thomas Paley is his disgrace. In 1806, five years after the present letter was written, Thomas Paley, a senior fellow and tutor at Magdalene, was forbidden to reside at the college (while still retaining his stipend), being guilty of 'highly offensive and injurious conduct providing a dangerous example to juniors' in ways 'which from delicacy cannot be specified' (see Cunich, 'History of Magdalene College').

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. He very much regrets that his 'occupation and residence for 1/3rd of the year in the S[outh]. of France render it almost impossible for me to be of use in the way you propose to the L[iver]pool. Arch[itectura]l. Society: for your Session commencing just at the time, when I ought to set out for the Continent.' He will do his best to delay his departure for that year, 'so as to enable me to comply with your request, if you can manage to give me the first week in October'.

2pp., 4to. On watermarked laid paper. In good condition, with light signs of age and wear. Twenty-nine lines of text. Law was appointed prebendary of Carlisle in 1773 and archdeacon four years later. In 1782 he left for Ireland. According to his entry in the Oxford DNB, Paley, 'his friend and successor in the archdeaconry, accompanied him to Ireland and preached his consecration sermon'.

According to Karl Dallas (Morning Star, 16 November 2007) it was he who 'first mooted the idea' of an anti-Vietnam War 'campaign in the folk scene', with the 'singers' group' being formed by Dallas in conjunction with Ewan MacColl and Gordon McCulloch. The four items are excessively scarce survivals, with no copies of any of them appearing on COPAC. All are printed on one side of a leaf roughly 25 x 20 cm. Each leaf is differently coloured. The items are in fair condition, dogeared and with light creasing and chipping to extremities.

12mo bifolium: 2 pp. Text clear and complete. On aged, spotted and lightly-creased paper. Relates to the Lancaster landmark the Storey Institute, designed by Paley and his partner Hubert James Austin (1841-1915) for Sir Thomas Storey, built on the site of the old Mechanics' Institute, and opened in 1891. It now houses the Storey Art Gallery. Paley states that his firm 'will put the work in hand for the completion of niche of the Storey Institute & when this is finished in, say, a month we shall be glad to have the marble group down'.