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The archive consists of:

• papers relating to Helena Normanton's career and legal work

• papers relating to matrimonial law reform

• publications and articles by Helena Normanton

• correspondence with editors of publications

• papers relating to Helena Normanton's other interests in history and to other organisations that she was involved with eg Union of Women Voters

• photographs

• press cuttings (eg Helena Normanton's career, articles and reviews, matrimonial law reform)

• Barristers robe, barristers bands, badges

There are no personal papers.

The archive consists of Priscilla Norman's personal collection of pamphlets, publications and propaganda material relating to the suffrage campaigns. There was a strong tradition of Liberal support in Lady Norman's family, and some of the material is concerned with their activities. The archive includes circular letters and memoranda from the Workers' Suffrage Federation, the National League for Opposing Woman Suffrage and the Men's Liberal Suffrage Union. Also included are pamphlets dating from the late 1870s, a series of annual reports of the Edinburgh National Society for Women's Suffrage (1875-1883), and some anti-suffrage material sent to Sir Henry Norman as a Member of Parliament.

This collection consists of items relating to Civil Partnership ceremonies in 2006: photographs, invitations, audio-visual recordings, celebration menus, registration forms, council registrar booklets. It also includes the participants' answers to a questionnaire about their civil partnership. The documented ceremonies and celebrations include those held in Kent (on International Women's Day, 2006); at Bromley Town Hall in Bow; in Hertfordshire and at the Liberal Jewish Synagogue, London. It also includes one folder of Civil Partnership ephemera.

As at 2008 the collection contains records donated by:

• Sarah Ingle and Carol Goulden

• Jan Pimblett and Meg Davis

• Bridget Leach and Susan Flanagan

• Susan Crane and Karen Newman.

The archive consists of reading copies of tapes, summaries and transcriptions of fourteen individual interviews. The National Life Stories (formerly National Life Story Collection (NLSC)) was established at the British Library in 1987 to 'record first-hand experiences of as wide a cross-section of present-day society as possible'. This small collection focuses on the lives of pioneering career women, each of whom made their mark in traditionally male-dominated areas such as politics, the law and medicine. The project was supported by the Women's Library and the Friends of The Women's Library (formerly known as the Fawcett Society Library).

Letter from Richard Doddridge Blackmore to B C Pugh, Esq, 11 Jan 1892. 'I cannot pretend to say what will be the effect of the new Copyright Act and I have thought very little about it'. Autograph with signature.

Letter from Richard Cobden to R C Chawner, Esq of Wall, near Lichfield, [Staffordshire], 9 Apr [1844]. Asking him to give a 'free trade address from the boards of Covent Garden.'

Autograph, with signature. With the original envelope, bearing the seal of the National Anti-Corn Law League.

Letter from P K Seaman of HMS Wolverine, docked at St Helena, to his father, 1 Jun 1851. '... I have already told you that we have caught 3 slavers ...'.

Autograph, with signature. 4 sketches of vessels captured by the Wolverine are pasted to the second leaf of the letter.

(1) Letter from William Manning of 14 New Street, Spring Gardens, [Westminster] to Thomas Tyrell, Esq, 29 Nov 1800. Concerning proposals for the regulation of a new coal market. Asking whether Tyrell sees any difficulty in it being managed by the Lord Mayor of London and whether the Corporation interferes with any market in the City. The building in Mark Lane is open to all on market days, but the Coal Exchange is open to subscribers only; the first buyers do not exceed about one hundred.

(2) Letter from William Manning of Totteridge, Hertfordshire to Thomas Tyrell, Esq, 4 Apr 1801. Discussing the fees to be incurred in passing the Coal Bill through the two Houses of Parliament [ordered Mar 1801; order for second reading discharged 12 May 1801], and the means of paying them. Asks Tyrell to show the letter to Mr Stracey, 19 Fludyer Street, and to confer with him about it.

Both letters are autograph, with signatures, and headed 'private'.

Letter from Mordaunt Martin of 'Burnham' to Dr [John Coakley] Lettsom, Sambrook House, London, 8 Mar 1801. Stating that he has despatched to Lettsom a parcel of mangelwurzel seeds. Explaining that he was prevented from answering Lettsom's letter of 3 Jan by an attack of gallstones, since relieved by pills of soap and rhubarb. Discussing the 'Brown Bread Act' [probably 41 Geo.3.c.16] to which, he says, Lettsom was in some degree accessory; quoting Lettsom and Horne Tooke on the Act; Martin prefers brown bread for his breakfast, using his own wheat 'sifted in the coarsest hair sieve', but deprecates the 'indiscriminate use of it'. Attacking at length the Potato Premium Bill, which had just been rejected, according to 'the paper of this night'; claiming that such a bill would force by premiums an unnatural produce on land which the occupiers could use for more profitable crops. Adding that his and Lettsom's 'hearts will beat in unison' on reading pages 109-110 of the 2nd edition of [Robert] Fellowes's Christian Philosophy [1799].

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from Henry Blain to Joseph T Pooley of 5 Church Court, [c1842]. Discussing the corn laws (with reference to Blain's pamphlet on the subject) and proposed duties [taxes]. Autograph, with signature ('H.B.'). Dated 'Sunday night'.

Letter from Richard Griffiths Welford of 6 Chancery Lane, [London] to [William Pleydell-Bouverie,] Earl of Radnor, 20 Mar 1843. Explaining that he has 'ventured to direct' his publisher to forward a copy of his 'tract upon the agricultural view of the corn law question' to Lord Radnor; giving his reasons for doing so.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from George Leib Harrison of Claridges Hotel, London to Bonamy Price, 15 Aug 1881. Concerning a report on the effects of the Education Act of 1870 and its amendments, and 'Industrial education'.

Letter from Thomas Joplin of Gravesend, [Kent] to Sir Edward Knatchbull, Baronet and MP, 14 Feb 1844. 'It is these distresses that give life and power to the Anti-Corn Law League, although the Corn Laws have nothing to do with them.

Autograph, with signature.

Records, 1992-2007, of the University of Westminster, comprising Court of Governors minutes, 1992-2001; Finance and General Property Committee minutes, 1992-2001; Audit Committee minutes, 1992-2001; Ethics Committee minutes, 1993-2005; Research Committee papers, 1992-2004; Resource Consultative Committee papers, 1993-1996; Memorandum and Articles of Association, 1994; Financial Statements, 2001-2006; Estate Strategy, 1992-2006; QAA Audit Reports, 1994, 2000, 2005 and 2006; Development Reviews, 1993-1998;

Various Short Course Unit leaflets and brochures for courses and conferences, 1992-1997; Prospectuses, 1992-2007; Presentation Ceremony Programmes, 1992-2007; Handbook of Academic Regulations, 2002, 2005 and 2006; Education Initiative Centre publications, 1995-2005;

Promotional and marketing publications, 1992-1998; staff newsletter Clarion, 1992-2008; typescript Institute of the Polytechnic Sports and Social Clubs newsletter, 1992-2003; The Smoke, magazine/newsletter of the University of Westminster Students' Union, 1993/4-2007/8; Student Yearbooks, 2006-2007;

Memorabilia of special events, including Inauguration, 1992; the opening of Harrow Campus by HM The Queen, 1995; and the Lumière Festival to celebrate 100 years of cinema, 1996.

Photographs of University buildings, including Cavendish campus, Harrow campus, Marylebone campus, Regent campus and the sports ground at Chiswick.

The archive consists of letters to Elsie Cannon concerning placement of items which belonged to her aunt, Helena Normanton.

Papers and publications relating to the Women's Press Club of London 1945-1988 were removed and can be consulted at 5WPC.

16 letters with envelopes plus contract letters from Iris Murdoch to the publisher Rolando Pieracinni, regarding his publication of the book 'Something Special' featuring Murdoch's poems.

Letter from James Yates of Lauderdale House, Highgate, London to Samuel [A Thompson Yates], [1861-1871]. Mentioning 5s 6d paid to Mr Sackett for 'the engraving of Baskerville ... A person named Matthews in Birmingham has published a new edition of the view of the houses at Birmingham, which were destroyed at the Riots [of 1791 against Joseph Priestley and other non-conformists]. One of these is a view of Baskerville House. It [the house] was purchased and enlarged by Mr John Ryland, and in that state was destroyed by the mob ...'

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from Thomas Clarkson of Woodbridge, [Suffolk] to Peter Clare of Manchester, 21 Apr 1826. Thanking him for details of a successful petition: 'Yours indeed is a great triumph, when you consider the opposition, if I may so call it, of the Boroughreeve ... It was much the case at Glasgow, where the hireling [James] Macqueen, the Editor of a Glasgow paper [?Glasgow Herald], and pensioned by two of the West Indian legislatures, and a host of W. India planters owners of West Indiamen and coopers, mechanics working for that employ resided ... There is ... something so good in our cause [the abolition of slavery], that it must always make its way among a moral people.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from Sir Samuel Romilly of Gray's Inn, London to John Baynes (also of Gray's Inn), Embsay Kirk, near Skipton, Yorkshire, 2 Sep 1785. Regrets but excuses Baynes's silence: '... if [the lakes in Cumberland] are half as beautiful as they are described to be I dont wonder yt you cannot turn yr attention to anything yt is enveloped in y smoke of London... I have heard a gr[ea]t deal since you have been gone abt our friend y Count [i.e. Riqueti, Comte de Mirabeau] tho not from himself or his belle amie [Henriette-Amélie Van Haren, Madame de Nehra]. That great deal, however is only a great many books wch he had written ...'. Mentioning a work of Mirabeau's that had been banned in France. 'Have you seen [John] Adams, the American ambassador [later US President]? I dined y o[the]r day in compy with him and his wife and w[ha]t is much better his dau[ghte]r who is so pretty ... As for y Fa[the]r he is quite M. l'Ambassadeur and seems afraid to say any thing without mystery lest one sho[ul]d find out yt he is not of a higher order of beings that oneself'. Discussing the state of patent law in respect of new inventions and examines way of making it more beneficial to patentees. Concludes with remembrances 'to our good friend Dome'.

Autograph, with signature. Endorsed with the name: Thomas G Whytehead.

Letter from Richard Cobden of Manchester to Mr [?George] Moffatt, 23 Dec 1845. 'Not a word passed between [Earl] Grey and me upon any other subject than corn - I called on him solely for the purpose of urging the Whigs to stick to our principle, and to explain that the League could not swerve a hairs breadth from its path of Total and Immediate to suit any party. This is all that passed - [Viscount] Palmerstons name was of course never mentioned or referred to ... The Whigs are lower than ever by this exhibition of impracticableness at a moment when every other question ought to have been suspended at least till they had dealt some-how or other with that food crisis which alone called them into place and alone warranted them in assuming a power which otherwise they did not possess. At such a time to squabble over seats at the Council board! If I had been Lord John [Russell], history should have rather said of me that I had sent into the parish vestryroom for a dozen select men of the parish to form my cabinet, until I could in my place in Parlt. birng on the total repeal of the corn law, than that I had allowed any two or even twelve men to stop me in my course when once pledged to such an undertaking'.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from W G Burns of Derby to Colonel [Thomas Perronet] Thompson, 23 Feb 1846. 'As I think it [a] pity you should be ignorant [of] the nature of the arguments [u]rged against free trade principles I send you a specimen of [w]hat a clerical opponent can [d]o ...'

Autograph, with signature. Written on the dorse of the title page and the end fly leaf of a pamphlet [by Henry Robert Crewe] The repeal of the Corn Laws (1846).

Letter from George Rose of Old Palace Green to John Baker Holroyd, 1st Earl of Sheffield, 11 May 1814. Covering letter accompanying a printed copy of a speech delivered by Rose in the House of Commons on 5 May 1814, in favour of the status quo with respect to Corn Laws. He states: 'I am for a full and fair protecting price to the grower'.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from H Jones of 54 Dorset Street, Fleet Street, London to Colonel [Charles Richard] Fox, 24 Jun 1841. Covering letter (written on behalf of the Property Tax Association) to a printed copy of Joshua Scholefield's speech, (made in the House of Commons on 23 Mar 1841) proposing that a property tax be substituted for the existing customs and excise taxes. Jones forecasts that the proposed property tax 'is likely to become a populat topic at the [forthcoming] elections' and expresses the hope that Fox would be elected MP for Tower Hamlets.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from Richard Cobden of Manchester to F Buloz, Esq, Paris, 19 Dec 1845. Answering Buloz's request for a collection of the National Anti-Corn Law League's publications for an article in the Revue des Deux Mondes. Cobden explains that 'no complete collection of [tracts, articles, pamphlets and advertisements] has been preserved - Nor has there been any history of the League written in England.' He promises to give full information and 'copies of all our publications which are preserved' to a visitor 'if recommended by you'. He recommends Bastiat's Cobden et la Ligue [printed by Senlis, Paris, 1845]. 'I may also add the Monsr Fonteyrand ... paid us a visit here a few weeks ago to whom I explained the machinery of our organisation ... I am not sure that he would feel at liberty to assist in furnishing an article for your publication - But he is more competent than any other person in France to do it correctly - At all events, I wish you would see him ... and say that I shall be obliged if he will allow you to have access to the publications which I gave him and afford you all facilities in his power for preparing a description of the League ...'.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from Sir Michael Edward Hicks Beach of 11 Downing Street, Whitehall, London to Dr Swayne [?Walter Carless Swayne], 18 Mar 1898. 'I cannot say that I have any special knowledge of the matters that are proposed to be dealt with by the London University Bill. But the Bill has been introduced by the Duke of Devonshire, as the head of the Department which is concerned with it, on behalf of the Government I cannot do anything in opposition to my colleague. I will, however, take steps to bring your views under his consideration ...'. Autograph, with signature.

(1) Letter from William Ross of Charing Cross, [London] to David Thomson, Esq, of Edinburgh, 28 Apr 1840. (2) Letter from William Ross of Dibden, [Hampshire] to David Thomson, Esq, of Edinburgh, 27 May 1840.Both letters concern the claim of a brother and sister, Mr and Miss Wilkinshaw, to an estate occupied by a Mr Dow, whose own claim on the estate had not been satisfied. Autograph, with signature.

Letter from William Henry Grenfell of 30 Bruton Street, London [the printed letter-head 'Carlton Club' has been struck through] to [Edward] Marston, 26 Jun 1912. Relating to Marston's query about the origin of the Port of London Authority regulations for fishing.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from Henry Warburton to Francis Place, 27 Apr 1821. Discussing the bill on usury laws and asks Place to find 'small tradesmen' who support the bill to give evidence before the House of Lords Committee which the government has undertaken to consider their reform.

Letter from Samuel Heathcote to an unknown recipeint, 19 Oct 1697. 'Sr I have considered those objections you thought would be made against Establishing by Act of Parliamt. Such Companys of Merchants as I propos'd And have set them Downe here below in their full strength as neare as I could remember, with my Answeres to each'. Heathcote refers to a long previous letter giving his proposals in full.

Autograph, with signature.

3 letters from Thomas Joplin of Levant House, St Helens Place, [London] to Joseph Hume, Esq, MP, Apr 1832.

(i) Presenting him with a copy of Analysis and History of the Currency Question, 6 Apr 1832.

(ii) Asking for an appointment to discuss certain propositions he intends to make to the 'committee which will be chosen on Bank affairs', Apr 1832.

(iii) Enclosing a copy of Joplin's petition, Apr 1832.

Autographs, with signatures.

Records of the Royal Polytechnic Institution (RPI), 1837-1881 and undated, comprising:

Leases of premises, 1838-1876, including no 5 Cavendish Square; prospectus, 1837; correspondence and papers concerning the foundation of the Institution, its provisional committee, shares, status and affairs, 1837-1839 and undated, including its charter, 1839, and papers on arbitration on a dispute between W M Nurse and the Institution; correspondence and papers relating to activities and affairs of the Institution, 1838-1842 and undated, including documents on the alleged infringement by the Institution of a patent for a diving dress, 1838, and an agreement with W H F Talbot permitting the use of his patented photographic process, 1841; photocopy of a letter from Robert Longbottom, RPI Secretary, to Samuel Morse, 1846; copy of charter, 1852; letter concerning a school visit to the RPI, 1858;

Catalogues of the Polytechnic Institution (copies), 1838-1840, and Royal Polytechnic Institution, 1844-1845; programmes for 1861, 1876, 1878 and 1881; bound volumes of RPI programmes, 1873-1878; reports, 1879-1880; particulars and conditions of sale of the RPI premises, 1881;

Books by authors associated with the RPI, including various publications by John Henry Pepper: The Boy's Playbook of Science, 2nd edition, 1860.; Popular Lectures for Young People and Half Hours with the Alchemists, 1st edition, 1855; The Playbook of Metals, 1st edition, 1869 and Cyclopaedic Science Simplified, 1st edition, 1869; The Book of The Lantern by T C Hepworth, 2nd edition, 1889; Memory by William Stokes, 2nd edition, 1888 and Rapid Writing by William Stokes, 4th edition, 1873; issues of various contemporary journals containing information on or advertisements for the Institution [1839]-1845, some with illustrations, among them scientific equipment, including four parts of the London Polytechnic Magazine, 1844, six parts of its continuation, The Polytechnic Review and Magazine, 1844, and five parts, 1845; advertising poster, 1840;

Book of press cuttings relating to the Institution from 1842, many lacking details of their source; five tokens bearing the name of the Institution, 1840; photogenic transfer made at the Institution, 1840; a ceramic plate fired at the RPI, 1866;

Illustrations and photographs of illustrations from 1840, some undated, including the great hall and other shots of the interior and exterior, 1843, and demonstrations, including the diving bell.

Scrapbook of press cuttings related to the Women's Suffrage Bill, 1897.

These scrapbooks consist of press cuttings and ephemera.

One volume relates to Maud Crofts' education and legal career, including press cuttings and ephemera.

The other volume of press cuttings relates to reviews of Women under English Law by Maud I. Crofts published by the National Council of Women of Great Britain in 1925; and a few articles about the general position of women under the law.

The archive consists of Minutes of the Executive Committee (1952-1959, 1969) and Annual General Meeting (1957-1964, 1967), Chairperson's reports (1953, 1956-9), papers related to the formation of the Council of Married Women, correspondence files including papers and press cuttings (1944-1970), Bills, Acts and Parliamentary file (1956-1971) and file of evidence to the Royal Commission on Marriage and Divorce (1952-1956), financial papers (1961-1969) and publications including the Bulletin.

The archive consists of a small notebook containing manuscript notes from books and lectures on subjects including women's suffrage, employment and legislation. The volume includes notes under the following headings:

'Women's Suffrage Debate 28 Feb 1908'; 'United Kingdom Hospitals - Conference University College London Apr 1908'; organisation of a Votes for Women event; 'Mrs Wolstenholme Elmy on Married Women's Property Act 1882'; 'Meetings at Queen's Hall, Ladbroke Hall'; 'Self Denial Week'; 'Miss M Brockenbury - The Educated Woman and the Vote' [report of speech]; 'Mrs Brownlow's Pamphlet - Women and Factory Legislation'; Australia: Minimum Wage, Victor Clark Labour Movement; America - Licensing systems, Machinery, Factory, Jewish Competition, women voters in Colorado, New Zealand, Wyoming; 'Housing Bill 1908'; speech by John Burns; 'Pauperism 1st quarter 1908' [statistics]; dates of legislation affecting women 1844-1897; Reform Bill; women's work - florists, acrobats, pattern makers, married women in factories, cotton trade, carding hooks and eyes, cigar trade; posts closed to women - Law, medicine, church, politics; women in Inspectorate - prisons, factory , schools; women's wages; 'Government as Employers'; sweated labour; Anti-sweating Demonstration Queen's Hall Jan 28 1908; women prisoners; employment of children; Married women's savings; women married to aliens; Married Women's Property Act 1882; Guardianship of children.

The volume also included the following loose inserts which have been removed and are held within the folder:

Press cuttings:

'Unemployment - Salford and the scheme for women', Manchester Guardian, 22 Jan 1909

'Child labour in Egypt', Manchester Guardian,15 Jul 1908

'Australia and women's suffrage', Manchester Guardian, 1 Feb 1910

'Women as Councillors - the narrow range of choice', Manchester Guardian, 22 Jan 1909

'Votes for Women - women voters', Manchester Guardian, 19 Jun c. 1910

'University Women Teachers - the vote a necessary leverage in their work' Manchester Guardian, c. 1910

'London's unknown Museums - special LCC survey', The Times, 11 Mar 1936

'The Sacredness of motherhood', Common Cause, 24 Mar 1910

'Infant mortality and working mothers', Common Cause, c. 1910

'Why women need the vote', Common Cause, 21 Mar 1910

'The equal standard', Common Cause, c. 1910

Loose page from a leaflet on equal pay in Australia.

Manuscript notes on working women

Manuscript notes on The Present Conciliation Bill

Manuscript notes on women prisoners and comparisons with conditions abroad

Manuscript notes on women as a moral force

Manuscript notes on two speakers: Miss Phillips and Miss Fothergill

Manuscript notes on the function of the state and women's work

Manuscript notes on infant deaths

Howell ephemera collection, 1835-1945, containing handbills, prospectuses, circulars, advertisements, texts of addresses, annual reports, printed letters, certificates, membership cards, leaflets and other ephemera collected by George Howell for his own research and to document the late Victorian period covering various topics and organisations, including: advertising; America; Associations (including the Decimal Association, Working Men's Club and Institute Union, National Sunday League and the Sunday Society); banks, insurance, housing (including Post Office Savings Banks, Housing Associations, Dwelling Committee, insurance companies, building societies and pensions); bills, acts (including temperance and licensing bills, the Mutiny Act, employer's liability, the Compensation for Injuries Bill, the Criminal Law Amendment Act, the Contagious Diseases Act, the Arbitration Act, 1872, and the Master and Servants Act, 1867); church, religion (including trade unions and the church, and St Mary, Newington); Chartism; community welfare (including children's welfare); education (including the National Industrial Education League, the London School Board Policy Defence Committee and the National Association for the Promotion of Technical Education); demonstrations (including the Great Reform Demonstration, 1884); elections; financial reform (including the Bimetallic League and bimetallism); international affairs (including the International Arbitration and Peace Society, the Eastern Question Association and the National Conference on the Eastern Question); the International Working Men's Association; Ireland; land, property (including the Land Tenure Reform Association); parliamentary reform (including the National Reform Association, the National Reform Union, the National Reform League, the National Democratic League, the Representative Reform Association, the Labour Representation Committee and the Labour Representation League); newspapers, journals; miscellaneous subjects (including the Channel Tunnel and railways); poems, songs; political parties (including Libreral clubs and associations); trade unions (including tailors, miners, agricultural labourers, book binders and vellum binders); trade councils; women (including women's suffrage, the Married Women's Property Act, marriage with a deceased wife's sister, the Marriage Law Amendment Bill and the Marriage Law Defence Union) (1835-1945).

Contains the following legal items: ff 1-14. 'Ordinances made by the Lord Chancellor for the better and moore reguler administratyon of iustice in the Chancery to bee duly observed saving the prerogatives to the Court. Tempore Bacon cancellarii', 1619; ff 14b-16: 'Addiconall Rules for the better governinge of the Court of Chancery and the Greate Seale published in open Court 31 October', 1620; f 33: An ordinance of 26 June 18 James I [1620], concerning the incompetence of certain Commissioners; ff 34-38: William [Dr John Williams, Bishop of Lincoln] Lord Keeper's speech in Chancery the 1st daie of Michaelmas terme [6 Oct] 1621; ff 39-47: 'Ordinances made by the Right Honourable Thomas Lord Coventry lord keeper of the greate seale of England with the advice and assistance of the Right Honourable Sir Julius Ceser knight Master of the Rolls in the terme of St. Michaell ' ... in the xith yeare of the Raigne of ... kinge Charles [1635] for the Redresse of sundry Errors defaults and abuses in the high Court of Chancery'; ff 57-60: Baron Bromley his Charge att Wenlocke 9 September 1615.

Letter from Sir Philip Magnus of Tangley Hill, Chilworth, Surrey to Sir William [Job] Collins, 22 Jun 1926. Expressing his opinion that the Bill for the reform of the Senate of London University should be dealyed, and that a depuation on the matter should be received by the government.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from John Chapman of 1 Albion Street, Hyde Park, [London] to George Grote, 17 Nov 1858. Regarding the copyright of the Westminster Review.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from Sarah Smith of 17 The Grove, Clapham Common to Mr Pattison, 16 Apr [1886]. Thanking him for his offer of help. 'We like our new house very much, especially the quiet of its surroundings, as we have gardens and fields before us, and the Common within three minutes' walk ... These are very stirring times. I cannot see how Home Rule can be refused to Ireland by any real Liberal; the people have spoken so plainly. I never was a Gladstonite, but you know I am thoroughly a Radical, even a Republican; and I am often sorry that Cromwell's scheme of United States of Europe had not been founded by him ... We have drafted a bill for the Protection of Children ... The last time I was at the Shelter we had ten children in it ... I have no doubt the Society [for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children] is doing good; and I hope it will do more. We now have a night officer, who patrols the streets; but what is one man in London!'

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from Sir James Robert George Graham of Grosvenor Place, [London] to an unidentified recipient, 18 Mar 1839. 'The [Morning] Chronicle now reports much better than the other morning papers; but none of them are able to report, as you can. I am greatly obliged by your anxiety to give a good report of my speech on the Corn Laws [delivered in the House of Commons, 14 Mar 1839] ... Not one word was committed to paper beforehand, except the concluding passage which I send in confidence for your use, begging you will destroy it when you have used it ...'.

Autograph, with signature. Marked: 'Private'.

Letter from John Lee of the Traffic Manager's Office, Leeds and Liverpool Canal Company, Old Hall Street, Liverpool to E Hailstone of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Office, Leeds, 17 Jan 1877. Thanking him for the loan of the Bridgewater Canal Acts 'which I have perused in conjunction with our Leigh Branch Act'. Discusses the matter of tolls leviable by the Bridgewater Canal Company: 'In the case of one of our boats they have charge a much higher rate of toll than I feel disposed to pay, and before settling with them I am desirous to know what their powers really are'.

Written in another hand and signed by Lee.

Letter from William Cobbett of Botley, Hampshire to Mr Akerman of 183 Fleet Street, London, 15 Mar 1830. 'I beg you to pay particular attention to every part of this letter. It is a matter of the greatest importance.' Detailed instructions follow for the preparation of the petition against [Sir Robert] Wilmot-Horton's Emigration project, which appeared in the Register on Saturday 20 Mar 1830.

Autograph, with signature.

Facsimile of a letter from George Gordon Noel Byron of Venice to M [Giovanni Antonio] Galignani, editor of Galignani's Messenger, 18 rue Vivienne, Paris, 27 Apr 1819. Disclaims the authorship of The Vampire, which had been attributed to him in Galigniani's Messenger '... I desire the responsibility of nobody's dullness but my own ...'.

Facsimile copy of an autograph letter, with signature.

Letter from James Stephen, Master in Chancery's Office, London to James Cropper Esq of Liverpool, 7 Nov 1825. 'I have just recd. a letter from our friend [?Zachary] Macaulay informing me of an intended publication of the Liverpool anti-slavery society of which he supposes a copy has been also sent to me. I have not received it, but from what he says of its contents, am afraid of losing a post in saying to you that I earnestly request its publication may be at least suspended, till we can submit to the consideration of your Society the remarks we have to make on it ...' [no such tract was published by the Liverpool Society of the Abolition of Slavery around this time, perhaps due to Stephen's letter]. Discussing current aspects of the problem of emancipation and concludes that direct legislation by parliament is 'the only means by which anything good for the slaves can or will ever be effected. My hopes I lament to say of any early adoption of such means are very faint indeed, but it is nevertheless our duty to call for them ...'.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from John Burn of Orton, [Westmorland] to Thomas Cadell [the elder] Esq, 'bookseller, Strand, London', 26 Mar 1792. 'I have by the coach this day sent you Barry's Justice [i.e. E Barry Present practice of a justice of the peace (1790)] & in the margin have marked the vs & pages in our Justice [i.e. R Burn The justice of the peace and parish officer (1755 and many susbequent editions)] from which he has copied. I may safely say there is not one hundred pages, put the whole together of his 4 volumes, which is not copied from my father...'.

Autograph, with signature. Franked: 'Appleby'[-in-Westmorland].

Letter from James Robertshaw of Colne, [Lancashire] to George Chapman, engineer of Whitby, [North Riding] Yorkshire, 29 Jan 1846. Reply on behalf of Mr Thornber of Vivary Bridge, [Colne], to a letter of 27 Jan 1846; referring Chapman to his letter of 8 Jan (copied on the third page of this letter) in reply to Chapman's of 5 Jan. Chapman had asked for £20 for use of 'the patent expansion gear', but Thornber had stopped using it, had given Chapman notice of doing so, and was prepared to appear to any process Chapman proposed to issue against him.

Autograph, with signature.

Letter from George Balfour of the House of Commons (embossed heading) to C G Williams, Leigh House, Lower Heath, Hampstead, London, 16 Nov 1934. Replying to a query about Public Acts [of Parliament] passed since the National Government came in [in 1931]: 'There are some 170 Acts ... But in over fifty Acts where some distinct question of political principle enters I can find some half-dozen Conservative Acts, three times as many Socialist Acts, while the remainder are a mixture of the two with Socialism predominant ... As I have frequently said ... it is time for Conservatives to consider in what direction we are going.'

Signed by Balfour. Marked: 'Personal and Confidential' in MS.

(1) Letter from Sir James Robert George Graham of the Admiralty to John Spottiswood, 14 May 1834. Concerning the postpoining of the second reading of the Leith Harbour Bill in the House of Commons.

(2) Letter from Sir James Robert George Graham of Whitehall to James Loch, 30 Nov 1842. Urging him to serve on the Poor Law Commission for Scotland.

(3) Letter from Sir James Robert George Graham of the Admiralty to James Loch, 19 Jun 1853. Discussing works on harbours in Alderney, Guernsey, Dover and Portland, and the training of pilots for the Channel Islands.

Letter from Thomas Clarkson of Playford Hall [near Ipswich, Suffolk] to Henry Hope, 'at the Bank', Wells, Somerset, 9 Jan 1826. Printed circular letter, asking for support for the petition to Parliament to urge them to carry out a plan for the improvement of the condition of the slave population. An addition in MS asks Hope to promote petitions in Wells, Shepton Mallet, Bruton and neighbouring towns. A note in another hand has been added to the dorse of the second leaf. A newspaper cutting Extracts from the new Jamaica Slave Code accompanies the letter.