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Papers of Samuel Wilderspin, 1823-[1980], chiefly comprising letters received by Wilderspin, although there are a few in series 6 (Manuscripts) written by him. The rest of the collection comprises material collected by Wilderspin, including notices of his lectures, a few sample lessons and promotional literature on literary, scientific and educational societies, and Wilderspin's and Thomas Young's printed works laying out their theories of education. There are also two theses on Wilderspin. Series 7 (Local Infant Schools), is material collected by Wilderspin's biographers Dr Francis A. Young and Dr Phillip McCann, about schools founded by Wilderspin, in the course of writing their book on him.

Particular points of arrangement:

1. Although the material is arranged in classes there are many items that appear to be in the wrong class or which could belong to more than one. Cross-references, especially for the Gaskell letters and material relating to lectures, have been made but it would be advisable to read all the class descriptions when looking for items. References to individuals other than the Gaskells have not been cross-referenced as the class and list descriptions are a guide only to the nature of the papers.
   2. Generally the collection within classes is arranged chronologically. Where material in a class was packaged in date sequences which overlapped it was resorted chronologically on arrival at the archive. The exception is 6/Manuscripts which contains three sets of material each with different provenance.
   3. Endorsements - Many pieces are endorsed. Some are by Wilderspin, in ink. He tended to write the sender's name on the back of the letter. Others are in pencil and are by Dr. Francis Young who added possible dates, explanations and possible readings of illegible words. He also wrote some explanations in biro on separate sheets of paper. These have been left with the originals and are numbered in the same sequence.
   4. Some letters refer to "enclosed" items. The whereabouts of these are no longer known.
   5. For counting purposes note that the previous counting of pieces and items has been confused. The number of items quoted in the class descriptions and recorded on the envelopes containing the papers may not therefore reflect the exact size of the class. For a definition of items and pieces see Cook, M The Manual of Archival Description 2nd edition (1989).
   6. For some years there is copious material while for others there is very little.
   7. Where possible the main subjects in a class, in terms of quantity, have been identified in the class description. Some classes, however, were too diverse to do this.
   8. Many of the dates have been added to the documents in pencil by Dr. Francis Young, brother to John Young, who deposited the papers.

(1) Letter from Randall Carline Swingler of the Left Review, 2 Parton Street, London to Thomas Sturge Moore, c1938. Asking him to contribute an article to the Left Review. Sturge Moore's draft reply appears on the reverse.

(2) Letter from Randall CarlineSwingler of the Left Review to Thomas Sturge Moore, c1938. Enclosing the final proof [missing] of Sturge Moore's article Fashions in art and literature.The article appeared in the April 1938 issue.

(3)Letter from John Edgell Rickword of the Communist Party of Great Britain, Hampstead Branch, 47 South Hill Park to Thomas Sturge Moore, 15 Feb 1938. Asking him to chair a lecture.

Letter from John Ruskin of Denmark Hill to an unnamed correspondent, 29 Mar [1864]. Recalling the gracious reception he had once been accorded at Bradford [Mar 1859], thanking him for his compliments and for an invitation to lecture there again [Apr 1864]: 'I can't say pretty things any more...If you will let me say a few simple things in a quiet way I'll come, if my health permits me ...' Autograph, with signature. Written on black-edged paper [Ruskin's father died on 3 Mar 1864].

Letter from Henry Roberts of 31 Prince's Square, Kensington Gardens, London to C C Nelson, 16 Mar 1861. 'The lecture which you attended some months since at the So[uth] Kensington Museum [now the Victoria and Albert Museum] has just been published by the Ladies' Sanitary Association [under the title Healthy Dwellings]'.

Autograph, with signature.

3 letters addressed to Lady Charlotte [full name unidentified], 1844-1869. (1) From Henry Pelham, Earl of Chichester, 23 Mar 1867. Relating to lectures on prophecy and the apocalypse. (2) From George Villiers, Earl of Clarendon, 25 Jan 1869. Relating to consular posts in China. (3) From Queen Adelaide (widow of William IV), [1844]. Congratulating Lady Charlotte on her daughter's wedding to a Mr Turner.

Both letters are autograph, with signatures.

Final leaf only of a letter from Silas Kitto Hocking to Mr Kernshaw, [1880-1935]. Expressing the hope of seeing him at the Whitefriars Club to make arrangements for them to travel together to a lecture to be given by Hocking in the following week.

Autograph, with signature.

3 letters and a postcard from Guy Hamilton of The Athenaeum, London to Major [Harry George Julius] Heydeman MC, 1954-1955. Arranging to borrow illustrative material from Heydeman's collection for Hamilton's lectures on local history.

All items are autograph, with signatures.