VICTORIAN

[ Victorian poem describing the public execution of a woman. ] Autograph poem by Sir Richard Harington, titled 'The Judicial Murder - A Fragment', a fictional account of a woman's execution, with drawings by the author.

Author: 
Sir Richard Harington (1861-1931), 12th Baronet, of Ridlington [ Eton College; hanging; public execution in Victorian England ]
Publication details: 
[ Eton? 1870s? or Oxford? 1880s? ]
£220.00

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. On paper watermarked 'J GREEN & SON'. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with slight loss at the spine.From the Harington family papers, the author's identity being established from other items. Clearly a youthful production, and either written during Harington's time at Eton in the 1870s, or Christ Church, Oxford, in the 1880s. Written employing the long s. The 140 lines of verse are numerated by the author, and a catch-word at the end suggests that more followed or the poet's invention failed him.

[ Sir George King, Superintendent of the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('G King'), regarding 'Mrs Parker's death'.

Author: 
Sir George King (1840-1909), botanist, Superintendent of the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta, and first Director of the Botanical Survey of India
Publication details: 
13 Kew Gardens Road [ London ]. 'Sunday' [ no date ].
£35.00

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged. Written in a hurried, difficult hand. The recipient's name is indecipherable. King is returning a letter from the recipient's son, and is sorry to hear of 'Mrs Parker's death': 'It is very sad indeed as she was hoping to come to England after a very long absence'.

[ Samuel Tymms, antiquary. ] Autograph Letter Signed regarding a gift of 'tracts' to the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology & Natural History, accompanying a printed notice regarding the Institute.

Author: 
Samuel Tymms (1808-1871), antiquary [ Suffolk Institute of Archaeology & Natural History ]
Publication details: 
Bury St. Edmunds. 10 June 1853.
£35.00

Both items on a 12mo bifolium, with the two-page ALS on the first leaf, and the printed notice on the recto of the second. In good condition, lightly aged. The letter begins: 'The tracts you kindly design to present to our Institute may be sent to Messrs. Nichols & Son, Parliament Street, to the inclosed in my monthly parcel.' He considers Bury an 'out of the way place', where 'every scrap relating to Archaelology will be very acceptable; and we shall be additionally thankful for whatever proceeds from your pen.' The printed notice is signed in type 'Samuel Tymms, Hon. Sec.

[ Sir Charles Wentworth Dilke, 2nd Baronet. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Charles W. Dilke') to A. E. Skeen

Author: 
Sir Charles Wentworth Dilke, 2nd Baronet (1843-1911), Radical and Liberal politician, whose career ended in disgrace
Publication details: 
On letterhead of Pyrford, by Maybury, near Woking. 4 December 1894.
£45.00

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, wiht crease along one edge. The letter concerns international affairs. Regarding the United Kingdom Dilke writes: 'I think it would be quite proper for us to attempt to effect a reconciliation at any moment when it seems possible that we could be of use, and I fancy that we have made some such offer more than once, possibly along with Russia.' As it happens 'the belligerents have preferred, - which was not unnatural under the circumstances, - to avail themselves of the good offices of the United States'.

[ Maria M. Grant, novelist and proprietor of the magazine 'Piccadilly'. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Maria M Grant') to Planche.

Author: 
Maria M. Grant, Victorian novelist and proprietor of the magazine 'Piccadilly', edited by Theodore Watts Dunton [ James Robinson Planché (1796-1880), dramatist, antiquary and herald ]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of 9 Wilton Place, S.W. [ London ] 'Friday' [ no date ].
£50.00

Grant published six novels between 1870 and 1882, four of them published by Chapman & Hall, and two by Bentley. 1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. She is enclosing (not present) 'Piccadilly's cheque for "Hilda"' The poem he has submitted 'is really too deep and sad for my frivolous paper - in which we want something to brighten us up'. She hopes that when he feels better he will 'do some little thing in this line - Something Short [last word underlined] & humorous'.

[ John Wesley Etheridge, Semitic scholar. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('J. W. Etheridge'), regarding the identity of a correspondent of Dr Adam Clarke.

Author: 
J. W. Etheridge [ John Wesley Etheridge ] (1804-1866), Wesleyan Methodist minister and Semitic scholar [ Adam Clarke (1762-1832), Wesleyan Methodist minister and scholar ]
Publication details: 
St Austell. 30 October 1863.
£65.00

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. 23 lines of text in a neat and distinctive hand. The male recipient is not identified. Had Etheridge not been 'much from home on one journey after another', he would have written before. 'I have been referring to my papers, but find nothing that will give you any certain information about the lady to whom Dr Clarke's letter is addressed, except that her husband was connected with the civil service in India, though about even that I am not absolutely sure.' He was given 'some particulars relative to Mrs Tompkin's family' by the 'late Mrs.

[ Henry Montagu Butler, Headmast of Harrow School and Master of Trinity College, Cambridge. ] Two Autograph Letters Signed (both 'H Montagu Butler'), regarding the presentation to 'our best Greek Scholar' of 'two beautiful volumes'.

Author: 
H. Montagu Butler [ Henry Montagu Butler ] (1833-1918), Headmaster of Harrow School, Master of Trinity College, Cambridge
Publication details: 
Both from Harrow. 2 and 16 June 1870.
£50.00

The two items are addressed to the same individual, who is not named. Both in good condition, lightly aged, with minor traces of mount at head of second leaf. ONE: 2 June 1870. 3pp., 12mo. He begins by apologising for the tardy reply which has caused the recipient to write again, saying that he has 'scarcely been able to command a leisure moment'. He hopes that Harrow will be 'more fortunate than last year in securing your presence at our Speeches.

[ Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon, Conservative politician. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Carnarvon') to 'Mr. Cubitt', regarding his 'list' and 'young Mr. Edmonds'

Author: 
Henry Howard Molyneux Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon (1831-1890), Conservative politician, twice Secretary of State for the Colonies
Publication details: 
On his monogrammed letterhead. From the Colonial Office [ Whitehall ], 10 June 1875.
£30.00

1p., 12mo. On grey paper with black border. In fair condition, aged, and laid down on paper with watered silk backing (the endpaper of an album?). In reply to Cubitt's letter he writes that his 'list is extremely full but that I have sent for young Mr. Edmonds on the chance that I shall be able to make room for him.' Edmonds has 'not yet come or answered the summons'.

[ Charles John Vaughan, Headmaster of Harrow School. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('C J Vaughan') to Lady Russell, explaining that his 'Presentation to Christ's Hospital' has been given away.

Author: 
Charles John Vaughan (1816-1897), Headmaster of Harrow School, Master of the Temple, and Dean of Llandaff [ Frances Russell, Countess Russell [ Lady Russell ] (1815-1898) ]
Publication details: 
On embossed letterhead of the Athenaeum Club, Pall Mall [ London ], but with 'Address | Llandaff' written by Vaughan. 23 October 1882.
£50.00

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with traces of glue from mount at head of first page. He is sorry to say 'that my Presentation to Christ's Hospital has long been given away to the Orphan son of an old Harrow Pupil who died early & left his family ill provided for'. He ends by describing his family's whereabouts.

[ Charles Leeson Prince, astronomer, writing from the Observatory, Crowborough, Sussex. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('C. L. Prince') to Alexander Ramsay, regarding his paper on the 'Climate of Uckfield'

Author: 
C. L. Prince [ Charles Leeson Prince ] (1821-1899), astronomer, antiquarian, meteorologist, physician [ The Observatory, Crowshurst, Sussex; Alexander Ramsay, editor of the 'Scientific Roll' ]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of The Observatory, Crowborough, Sussex. 6 February 1885.
£50.00

2pp., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Begins: 'On looking through your "Bibliography to Climate" I find that you are not acquainted with my work on the Climate of Uckfield, pubd in 1871 - which comprises 28 years uninterrupted obs[ervation]s there'. He refers him to the library of the Royal Meteorological Society in George Street for a copy. He is about to publish 'eleven years observations at my present Observatory'

[ Sir Travers Twiss, jurist. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Travers Twiss') to C. S. A. Abbott [ the future Lord Tenterden ] regarding 'the United States Courts having limited the criminal consequences of violating neutrality to the Cruise'.

Author: 
Sir Travers Twiss (1809-1897), jurist who drew up the constitution of the Congo Free State [ Charles Stuart Aubrey Abbott, 3rd Baron Tenterden (1834-1882), diplomat ]
Publication details: 
Temple [ London ]. 21 May 1867.
£120.00

2pp., 12mo. With mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged. When Twiss 'suggested the circumstance', Sir R. Palmer 'had some doubts about the United States Courts having limited the criminal consequences of violating neutrality to the cruise [last word underlined]'. There was also 'some doubt about the effect of a sale by a <?> of a Prize Court to a third party. Twiss thinks 'it might be desirable to print & circulate the enclosed observations bearing upon those two points'.

[ Thomas Roscoe, author and translator. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('T. Roscoe') to a son of Frederic Shoberl, editor of Ackermann's 'Forget-Me-Not', regarding possible contributions by his daughter.

Author: 
Thomas Roscoe (1791-1871), author and translator, son of the abolitionist and MP for Liverpool William Roscoe (1753-1831) [ Frederic Shoberl (1775-1853), editor of Ackermann's 'Forget-Me-Not' ]
Publication details: 
128 Camden Road Villas [ London ]. 3 April 1847.
£85.00

3pp., 16mo. Bifolium. On aged and foxed paper. He wishes to be informed 'whether the Forget Me Not" so long and ably edited by your Father will be published for the ensuing year - i.e. for 1848'. One of his daughters has 'written down Stories one or two of which have already appeared, and she would be very happy to avail herself of an opportunity of writing something' for the annual, so he asks him to 'ascertain whether your Father would like to insert a short Nouvellette [sic] to the extent of 4 to 5 pages'.

[ Sir James Prior, biographer of Burke and Goldsmith. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Jas: Prior')

Author: 
Sir James Prior (c.1790-1869), Irish surgeon and biographer of Burke and Goldsmith
Publication details: 
22 Great Charlotte Street, Blackfriars [ London ]'. 16 January 1829.
£90.00

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, laid down on part of brown paper leaf from album. Annotated at head in a contemporary hand: 'Author of the life of Burke'. Reads: 'I shall feel obliged if you can forward the accompanying letter to its destination under a cover. It contains an inclosure which I do not like to entrust to the common channel, but with the cover I shall deem it safe.' In a postscript he reports that he is returning to Margate the following day, 'to scribble'.

[ Octavian Blewitt, Secretary, Royal Literary Fund. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Octavian Blewitt') to 'Mr. Croker', regarding Brockedon's collection.

Author: 
Octavian Blewitt [ John Octavian Blewitt ], author and Secretary of the Royal Literary Fund [ John Wilson Croker (1780-1857); William Brockedon (1787-1854), painter, writer and inventor ]
Publication details: 
Place not stated . 'Saturday Morning.' [ No date. ]
£56.00

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, tipped-in onto a piece of paper cut from an album. Reads: 'My dear Mr Croker, | Here is Brockedon's answer - I am sorry that he cannot meet your wishes - but you will see he has never exhibited the Collection even at the Graphic which he originated.' The Graphic was a club founded by Brockedon in 1833.

[ Robert Hebert Quick, educationalist. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('R H Quick') to his publishers Messrs W. S. Sonnenschein & Co., regarding their publication of Alice M. Christie's translation of a book by 'Frau Bülow'

Author: 
R. H. Quick [ Robert Hebert Quick ] (1831-1891), English educationalist [ Messrs W. Swan Sonnenschein & Co., London publishers; Alice M. Christie;; Quick Memorial Library, University of London ]
Publication details: 
Hill House, Guildford. 3 September 1882.
£65.00

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. He begins by thanking them for sending 'a Copy of Hand work & Head work' by Baroness Martha Von Marenholtz Bülow (1810-1893), 'a book on a subject which I trust will soon attract general attention'. In his judgment 'Frau Bu¨low is […] very fortunate in getting so skilful a writer as Miss Christie [Alice M. Christie] to interpret her in England'. He is however 'sorry the circumstances so frankly explained in the translator's preface have not had more influence on the title page.

[ Field Marshall Henry Hardinge, 1st Viscount Hardinge, army officer and politician. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Hardinge') congratulating 'Colonel Abbott' [ Sir Frederick Abbott ] on his knighthood.

Author: 
Henry Hardinge, 1st Viscount Hardinge [ Lord Hardinge ] (1785-1856), Field Marshall in the British Army and Conservative politician [ Major General Sir Frederick Abbott (1805-1892) ]
Publication details: 
Great Stanhope Street [ London ]. 6 June 1854.
£50.00

2pp., 12mo. With postmarked frank (again signed 'Hardinge') addressed to 'Colonel Abbott C. B. | Addiscombe'. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. He is pleased that Abbott is 'to receive a mark of distinction from the Queen, which combines the satisfaction which your Services have given at Addiscombe [Abbott had become lieutenant-governor of Addiscombe Seminary in 1851] with those which you so efficiently & ably performed in the field in India'. He hopes to shake him at the hand 'at the Levée'.

[ Anthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury, Liberal politician and social reformer. ] Autograph Letter in the third person, as 'Lord Ashley', thanking the editor of The Globe [ John Wilson ] for his support [ to the Mines Act ].

Author: 
Anthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury [ Lord Ashley, 1811-1861 ] (1801-1885), Liberal politician and social reformer [ John Wilson, editor of the Globe newspaper, London, and Benthamite ]
Publication details: 
Place not stated. 9 June 1842.
£120.00

2pp., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. The subject of the letter is the Mines Act, passed 10 August 1842, which barred women and girls and boys under ten from working down the mines. The letter, which is headed 'private & confidential', reads: 'Lord Ashley cannot refrain from thanking the Editor of the Globe for the friendly & able support to the measure now before Parliament, which he gave in his Paper of last Evening.

[ Arthur Joseph Munby, diarist and poet. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('A. J. Munby') to the bookseller Bertram Dobell, regarding two lost postal orders.

Author: 
A. J. Munby [ Arthur Joseph Munby ] (1828-1910), diarist, poet and barrister obsessed with women in service [ Bertram Dobell (1842-1914), bookseller and literary scholar ]
Publication details: 
Ripley, Sussex. 23 September 1894.
£65.00

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. The letter concerns two missing postal orders, regarding which Munby reports that he has made enquiries with 'the Ripley postmaster'. He discusses the question, giving the numbers of the postal orders, and writes: 'The postmaster tells me that, as the Orders were crossed, the G. P. O. will (unless by any chance the Orders have been cashed) repay the £1. 4.

[ St. George Jackson Mivart, eventually anti-Darwinian biologist. ] Autograph Note Signed about a ticket.

Author: 
St. George Jackson Mivart (1827-1900), biologist who promoted Darwin's theories, then repudiated them
Publication details: 
No place. 29 June [ no year ].
£250.00

1p., 12mo. On aged and norn paper. Written in a difficult hand. Appears to read: 'Dear Mr Woodrow | I send you the enclosed (my ticket) till the end of July. Please let me <?> it at 71 Seymour St on the evening of July 31st.' A Catholic convert, Mivart was increasingly disenchanted with his friend Thomas Henry Huxley's anti-papist stance, and repudiated his initial support for the theory of evolution. This did not, however, endear him the the Roman Catholic authorities.

[ Sir Francis Seymour Haden, surgeon and etcher. ] Autograph Letter Signed to 'Mons <Jules Saignait?>, sending payment from the South Kensington Museum, through 'Mr. Chapman', for 'two splendid etchings (the large groups of flowers').

Author: 
Seymour Haden [ Sir Francis Seymour Haden ] (1818-1910), surgeon and etcher
Publication details: 
On letterhead of 62 Sloane Streety, S.W. [ London ] 10 April 1863..
£120.00

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged.. Addressed at start to 'Cher Monsieur', with indistinct name of recipient following Haden's signature. He is sending him, 'by the hands of Mr. Chapman the sum of 50 francs wh. I have received on yr. behalf from the authorities of South Kensington Museum – and have obtained the promise of this office that yr. Two splendid etchings (the large group of flowers) that he suspended among the Chefs D'Oeuvres of the Establishment.' He concludes: 'Mr. Chapman will explain the hurry in wh. I write'.

[ Shelford Bidwell, physicist and inventor whose 'telephotography' was a precursor to the modern fax. ] Autograph Letter Signed to 'Mr. Henslow', requesting a 'distant room' for a demonstration of 'an experimental telephone'.

Author: 
Shelford Bidwell (1848-1909, English physicist and inventor whose 'telephotography' was a precursor to the modern fax
Publication details: 
On letterhead of Riverside Lodge, Wandsworth. 27 November 1883.
£220.00

2pp., 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged. He thanks him for his note, adding: 'I think perhaps it will be better to clear the platform as the apparatus will then be more easily seen. I should be glad if possible to have the use of a distant room in the building to which I could run an experimental telephone wire. The room may of course be a very small one.'

[ Joseph Ady, fraudster. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('J. Ady') to 'Mrs Jackson', giving details of funds he claims are due to her, and attacking Sir Peter Laurie for 'Malice'; on reverse of one of his lithographed fradulent circulars.

Author: 
Joseph Ady (1775-1852), Quaker fraudster [ Sir Peter Laurie (1778-1861), Lord Mayor of London ]
Publication details: 
Without date or place [ 1846 or later ].
£220.00

For details of Ady and his methods, see his entry in the Oxford DNB. The present item is on one side of a 9.5 x 22 cm piece of paper.

[ John Camden Hotten, London bookseller. ] Signed Autograph inscription ('Jno Camden Hotten') to Charles Welford., on hf title of his 'Literary Copyright'.

Author: 
John Camden Hotten (1832-1873), London bookseller [ Charles Welford ]
Hotten
Publication details: 
No place. 24 October 1871.
£65.00
Hotten

On the half-title of his self-published anonymous 'Literary copyright: seven Letters addressed by Permission to the Right Hon. the Earl Stanhope' (1871), now a loose leaf in 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Printed in the centre of the page are the words 'Literary Copyright.' Above this Hotten has written, in his stylised hand: 'To Charles Welford | with the respects of | Jno Camden Hotten | 24 Oct. 1871.'

[ Stephen Heller [ Heller István ], Hungarian pianist. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Stephen Heller') in French, to an unnamed lady, seeking to rearrange the date of the lesson of 'Mlle. Shillito'

Author: 
Stephen Heller [ Heller István ] (1813-1888), Hungarian pianist, teacher and composer
Publication details: 
No place. Date illegible.
£120.00

2pp., 16mo. Bifolium. In good condition. On his monogram letterhead. He states that he is still too ill to teach an arranged lesson to 'Mlle Shillito', and seeks to rearrange the date.

[ Thomas Henry Burke, Irish civil servant killed in the Phoenix Park Murders. ] Autograph Signature ('T H Burke') on part of an 'Authority to discharge'.

Author: 
Thomas Henry Burke (1829-1882), Permanent Under Secretary at the Irish Office, killed in the Phoenix Park Murders
Publication details: 
[ Dublin. ] Chief Secretary Office D.C. 'Discharged 20 March | 1875'.
£150.00

Piece of paper, approximately 15 x 21 cm, torn from the second and concluding leaf of a bifolium. Aged and worn, with repair to a closed tear. Burke's signature is at the foot, preceded by writing in another hand, thus: 'Hugh Mc. Mahon respectively. | I am, | Sir, | Your Obedient Servant, | J H Burke'. On the reverse, in ink: 'Chief Secretary Office D.C | Authority to discharge John & Hugh McMahon | also | Edward, Patrick & Bernard Mc.Swine | on entering into Bail self £2. with two Sureties £5 each.' Beneath this, at foot: 'Recd. & Ansd. | Discharged'.

[ Sir Walter Gilbey, wine-merchant and philanthropist. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Walter Gilbey') to 'Mr Howard', regarding the 'serious state and suffering' of Howard's grandfather.

Author: 
Sir Walter Gilbey, 1st Baronet (1831-1914), English wine-merchant and philanthropist
Publication details: 
On letterhead of Elsenham Hall, Essex. 11 August 1895.
£56.00

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. He is 'deeply grieved' at the news of Howard's grandfather: 'I could wish, as you all do, his life spared a few years longer but when you tell me of his serious state and suffering, I feel we must be prepared for the worst and not desire a lingering death.' He asks for his 'sympathy and regret' to be conveyed to the whole family.

[ Archibald Geikie, Scottish geologist. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('Arch Geikie') to a female student of geology, correcting the misidentification of two specimens.

Author: 
Sir Archibald Geikie (1835-1924), Scottish geologist and author
Publication details: 
On letterhead of Shepherd's Down, Haslemere, Surrey. 24 October 1907.
£56.00

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition. The recipient is not identified. The letter begins: 'Dear Madam | It always gives me pleasure when I can in any way assist a student of Geology, and the pleasure is not lessened when the student is a young lady.' He proceeds to explain how the two specimens about which she has written to him ('Frigonia incurva' and 'Pleuromya Voltzi') have been wrongly identified, concluding: 'Your specimens appear from your drawings to be only casts and may therefore be difficult to determine satisfactorily.'

[ Professor Robert Bellamy Clifton, designer of the Clarendon Laboratory in Oxford. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('R B Clifton') to 'Wells' [ Joseph Wells ], regarding 'the tickets for the Wadham party'.

Author: 
Robert Bellamy Clifton (1836-1921), Professor of Experimental Natural Philosophy at Oxford University, designer of the Clarendon Laboratory [ Joseph Wells (1855-1929) of Wadham College, Oxford ]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of Portland Lodge, Park Town, Oxford. 18 June 1884.
£80.00

2pp., 12mo. In good condition. Good firm signature, beneath which, in a contemporary hand: 'Professor of Experimental Philosophy | F.R.S: F.R.A.S.' He has been prevented from thanking Wells for 'the tickets for the Wadham party',having been engaged in 'a series of oscillations between London & Oxford', and his expressions of gratitude 'must now be combined with apologies for my delay in giving utterance to them'. Neither he nor his wife will be able to attend 'the festivity', but he has 'ventured to send the tickets to Mrs. G. R. Scott'.

[ Laura Henderson, founder of the Windmill Theatre. ] Autograph Letter Signed to an actress [ Janet Achurch ], praising her performance in 'A Doll's House'

Author: 
Laura Henderson [ born Laura Forster ] (1863-1944), founder of the Windmill Theatre, London [ Janet Achurch, stage name of Janet Sharp (1863-1916), actress ]
Publication details: 
14 Hill Street, Berkeley Square [ London ]. 'Sunday' [ 1889 ].
£320.00

4pp., 16mo. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Achurch's entry in the Oxford DNB explains the context: 'In 1889, when she was still only twenty-three, she undertook the management of the Novelty Theatre, London, where on 7 June she appeared as Nora in the first English production of Ibsen's A Doll's House.

[ Nathan Rothschild, 1st Baron Rothschild. ] Autograph Note Signed ('R.') to 'Mr May', i.e. Frank May, Chief Cashier of the Bank of England.

Author: 
Nathan Rothschild, 1st Baron Rothschild [ Nathan[iel?] Mayer Rothschild, Lord Rothschild ] (1840-1915) [ Frank May (1832-1897), disgraced Chief Cashier of the Bank of England, 1873-1893 [
Publication details: 
Mentmore; 25 August 1887.
£80.00

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'My dear Mr May - | I am delighted you can come on Saturday. Please let me know the train you come by. Our station is Cheddington. | Yrs sincerely | R.' On May's death the New York Times reported (10 February 1897) that in 1893 he 'suddenly resigned after a mysterious meeting of the Board of Directors, and for several days exciting rumours circulated in London that something was wrong with the finances.

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