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Manuscripts, Diaries, Journals &c |
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www.kenspelman.com |
70 Micklegate, York, YO1 6LF UK tel: 01904 624414 |
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View our last Catalogue of Manuscripts
HOLY ISLAND. A 17th century original document headed: "Articles between Sir Thomas Haggerston of Haggerston, and John Bowdon of Holy Island", detailing the sale of land & property on Holy Island, with fine wax seal and signature of John Bowden at bottom. The document continues over to a second page, and is signed again, witnessed by Daniell Selby & John Beaty. In good condition with slight tears to several folds without loss, and the outer docket title panel rather dusty.
20th May 1671. £160.00 + VAT
Sir Thomas Haggerston was descended from the de Hagardestons, believed to have been part of the invading force of William the Conqueror, who invaded as far north as Berwick-upon-Tweed. They married into many wealthy families acquiring substantial lands, and in 1642 Thomas was created 1st Baronet of Haggerston. Haggerston Castle is supposedly according to local legend subject to a witches curse, which has resulted in the castle being damaged by fire on three occasions; and only the tower now remains. John Bowdon, a master mariner, is recorded as acquiring land, "a burgage in Crossgate" on Holy Island in 1658, which he now sells on to Haggerston in 1671. (Ref: National Archives). The family already owned land on the island, and are recorded purchasing a farm in 1568. Their lands were sequestered in 1645, Thomas, the Lieutentant-Governor at Berwick, now being ‘a prisoner to the Parliament.' There is also a Haggerston Aisle in Holy Island Church, where a number of family members are buried.
MARRIAGE AGREEMENT. A detailed 17th century marriage agreement between John Davyson of Blackston in the County of Durham, and Mary Musgrave, only daughter of Sir Richard Musgrave of Edenhall, Cumberland. 8th May 1682. Three pages, noting a dowry of two thousand pounds, various gifts of land (Blaikesson, Thorpe Thewles and others). It is initialed at the end by Sir Richard Musgrave and John Davyson. Old fold marks, one with slight wear not affecting the writing. Docket title on the reverse.
300mm x 190mm. 1682. £120.00 + VAT
Mary was born in 1661, and died 1728; her husband predeceased her in 1690.
SURGEON. An early 18th century testimonial for the surgeon William Payn. " I being satisfied with ye severall opprations in Chirurgery performed by the bearer William Payn think he is fully qualified to be admitted to take Licence as witness my hand - Jn. Underwood, Sen. October ye 5, 1724." The document is witnessed by John Miflin, and signed on the reverse Joh. Husbund, Sur, dated 26 October 1724.
135mm x 120mm. 1724. £80.00 + VAT
SHOEMAKER. Three early 18th century accounts from W. Barton, for shoes made and mended for Sir Christopher Musgrave and members of his family. Morocco leather shoes for Miss Bab; boots soled for the postilian; pair for Miss Charlotte. Folded and in very good clean condition.
Various sizes, largest 290mm x 155mm. December 1726. £60.00 + VAT
Christopher Musgrave, 5th Baronet of Edenhall, Cumbria, (1688-1736).
STAGE WAGGONS. Newmarket, Mildenhall & Swaffham Stage Waggons, by Thomas Archer. An 18th century handbill with details of the service, and a hand-written receipt dated 1796 on the reverse, made out to a E. Millingsby, Esq, for £2-4-0 for a ‘coach to London'. Some feint fold-lines, minor corner crease, and some show-through of the writing on the reverse, but in good, clean original condition.
100mm x 170mm. c1796. £95.00
ESTC N40671 records a single copy (National Archives) receipted 1798.
SLINGSBY, Thomas. A contemporary copy of a court summons to Sir Thomas Slingsby, Baronet Charles Cartman & Peter Earnshaw to appear before the Sheriff of York at the Castle of York in respect of a charge of trespass against Richard Clark, signed Law & Markham.
320mm x 200mm. 7th July 1813. £12.00 + VAT
An important manifesto of European popular romanticism.
PELLICO, Silvio. My Imprisonment or Memoirs of & by Silvio Pellico of Saluzzo. Published at Paris, 1833. (Together with...) A Treatise on the Duty of Man, 1834. A very early English manuscript translation of these two works, which were first published in Italian in 1832, and 1834. 406 numbered pages with preliminary manuscript title and half-title, a mounted portrait of Pellico, and a small topographical engraving of the prison at Spielberg. Bound in full contemporary dark plum straight grain morocco, with blind stamped and gilt ruled borders, and similarly decorated spine, black gilt label, all-edges-gilt.
4to. 1833-1834. £950.00
Silvio Pellico (1789-1854), Italian dramatic poet, and member of the Milan circle of Romantic writers. He was one of Byron's first acquaintances in Italy, an important influence, and his prison writings formed an important manifesto of European popular romanticism.
In 1822, he was imprisoned by the Austrians as a Carbonarist, and one of the leaders of the new Romantic movement fighting for Italian nationalism. The original sentence of death pronounced on him was finally commuted to fifteen years, and in the following April he was placed in the notorious Spielberg prison, at Brünn (today's Brno). After his release in 1830 he commenced the publication of his prison compositions, and in 1832 published the work which gave him his European fame, Le Mie Prigioni, an account of his sufferings in prison, which created widespread sympathy for the Risorgimento movement. It "is regarded as his masterpiece... he relates in simple and unaffected prose, his experiences and emotions during his imprisonment. He relates in great detail, often in a rueful tone, about his everyday experiences in prison. His short story on the spider which he trained to eat from his hand is one of the best known passages of modern Italian prose. It has also been said that the book did more harm to Austria than any defeat on the battlefield." Murray, C.J. Encyclopaedia of the Romantic Period, 2004.
The English translator is Charles Pridden, who presents the volume to his esteemed friend Joanna Margaret Simpson 25th March 1834, and afterwards on 24th April 1853 to his beloved daughter Elizabeth Ward Pridden. The translation is an original taken directly from the French edition, and on comparison very different to Thomas Roscoe's published English edition entitled My Prisons (1833), or his 1834 translation of the "Treatise on the Duty of Man."
He was possibly a relation of the bookseller and publisher John Pridden? Joanna Margaret Simpson (1800-c1849) is recorded as living in Stepney in London, and was the daughter of Elizabeth Ward of Hackney.
PARIS 1835. A commonplace book kept initially by an English visitor to Paris, with 140 pages of hand-written English entries in a clear hand, with some additional entries in French, and other material loosely inserted. Contemporary limp dark red morocco with simple gilt ruled border, and gilt banded spine.
4to. Paris & also Melton, England. 1835-1837. £140.00
Many of the verses are original compositions, and have corrections - a love poem, "To Therese, 1835, August 2nd." - a long poem addressed to Charles ,"To C.M.S, Esq. Paris 1835." - "To Mary, Melton." - "To Mrs M, a sentimental lady, who asked me to write her some sentimental verses." - "To Fredrica." -- a long series of cantos entitled "The Corsair and the Nun.", addressed to Lord Rokeby. The author may be the ‘C.N.' from whom one poem is addressed. There are also other poetical extracts (Shelley, Byron &c), philosophical & historical observations.
VALENTINE. A fine early 19th century hand coloured lithographic valentine depicting a suitor and his beloved in a cloud of smoke above a flaming altar surrounded by cupids, garlands, bows and arrows. "By those orbs that shine above thee, Gentle maid I swear I love thee, Let me ne'er of falsehood doubt thee, Life would want a charm without thee. Long in secret for you I've sigh'd, To possess thee for my bride, Pardon this my first transgression And accept this sincere confession". A folded sheet, the other sections blank, and in very good condition.
230mm x 180mm. c1840. £60.00 + VAT
ROSE WITHOUT A THORN. A mid 19th century watercolour drawing of a rose of Sharon, the thornless rose, initialled M.D. and set within an embossed floral border, with four lines of verse at the foot of the page. The sharon rose often occurs in Victorian albums, as it is a symbolic representation of Christ which comes from a description in the Song of Solomon.
285mm x 220mm. c1840. £30.00 + VAT
THE MUSICAL PUZZLE. A mid 19th century pen and ink motto entitled ‘The Musical Puzzle. May the - of your life run - to - and always - .' The gaps being supplied by letters drawn on musical staves for the reader to puzzle. Set within a fine embossed border, and in very good condition.
245mm x 180mm. c1850. £20.00
EUROPEAN TRAVELS. The account of a series of 19th century annual walking and sightseeing holidays by an English traveller from Datchet in Berkshire, mainly to Switzerland and the Engadin Valley, and also extending into Italy, in 1879-1888. There are accounts of churches, galleries, works of art, and museums, as well as rural and mountain scenery.
1879. Pontresina - Bergen, at the foot of the Albula Pass - Zurich - Lucerne - journeying on the Mt. Rigi train.
1880. Paris - Chaumont - Pontresina - Laudeck - Innsbruck - the Pinakotheck Museum.
1881. Pontresina - with Miss Daniels - across lake Como to Cadenabbia in Lombardy.
1882. Bale - Lake Maggiore - Lucio - Florence - the Uffizi.
1883. Paris - Turin - Bellagio - Maggiore - Como - Milan - Verona - Venice.
From this point on the handwriting changes, and either the writer suffered an illness which affected his hand, or he dictated his accounts. The journal continues with annual trips, and in 1887 the hand again changes, and is more reminiscent of the earlier writing. All 180 pages of the journal, a decorative cloth Tagebuch, have been completed. The covers are rather rubbed but sound, although a few pages are loose.
4to. 1879-1888. £120.00
DRAUGHTS. The Travellers Set of Ivory Draughts. A 19th century portable set, designed for use on journeys, the engraved label depicting a young couple playing a game in a railway carriage. The board is held in place within a sliding tray by a series of metal pegs, and similar pegs locate each of the pieces. All 24 of the red and white ivory ‘men' are present. The sliding cover of the box has some wear to the edges and is a little dusty.
137mm x 137mm (board size). c1880. £125.00 + VAT
ISLE OF WIGHT. The manuscript ledger detailing the property, income, expenditure, stocks and shares belonging to Lady Roza Luiza Grey, of The Bays, Swanmore, Isle of Wight. It covers the last two years of her life, 1883-1885, and continues to detail management of her estate until 1917. 87 pages, neatly written. Original vellum rather discoloured and dusty and with old repair to the head of the spine.
folio. 1883-1917. £95.00
Roza Luiza Sturt may have been the sister of the famous explorer of Australia Captain Napier G. Sturt (1795-1869), and she married Sir John Grey in 1830. The accounts include regular payments to "Capt Napier G. Sturt's cash account".
BEER & WINE. An early 19th century manuscript recipe book. 20 leaves, with additional earlier manuscript material loosely inserted. It has been written in two sections, back to back, in a contemporary marbled paper small quarto notebook. The front section includes recipes for animal cures and prescriptions for human ailments; the back section is devoted to brewing and wine making. The spine has been repaired, and some slight creasing and marginal browning, but in good condition. Hand lettered "Receipt Book" on the upper cover.
200mm x 165mm. 1817-c1835. £120.00
The compiler appears to live in Suffolk, as there are references to the Suffolk Chronicle, and also "Mr Willitts of Ipswich method of using Isinglass to refine beer as Matthew May his Clerk informed me."
BROUGHTON ESTATE IMPROVEMENT. A record of 19th century improvements carried out on the Broughton Estate, County of Wigton, Scotland. 22 folded double page manuscript accounts, with records of the work carried out, prices &c., dated between 1845 and 1874.
190mm x 80mm (each document folded). 1845-1874. £60.00
The estate was inherited by Horatio Granville Murray Stewart (1834-1904). The family also owned extensive property in Ireland, in Killybegs, Kilcar, Killaghatee, and other areas of South Donegal [ref: Donegal County Archives].
CHARITY FOR THE BLIND. A charming pen & ink sketch on the reverse of a visiting card, depicting a man describing the beauties of a sunset to a blind child. The card is engraved with the name of Miss Cumming, 10 Guildford Street, and also has written "Thos. Wilby, Clerk to the Charity to the Blind, Wm. Hetherington, Sir Cuthbert Heron, South Shields, Durham.
55mm x 82mm. c1820. £95.00
In 1818 No.10 Guildford Street (London) was occupied by James Cumming, probably the India Office official of that name who retired in 1823. In respect of his services his sister Miss Cumming was granted a state pension of £200.
"TO A RUSH LIGHT". A most attractive mid 19th century finely illustrated manuscript poem - "Done by a poor pilgrim, 1857.", possibly Austin Dobson. Title and 7ff., the coloured calligraphic text set within elaborate watercolour and pn and ink pictorial borders. Original wavy grain green cloth, with gilt floral borders, and gilt titled on the upper cover. The contents are clean and fresh. Lacks the front-end-paper.
4to. 1857. £350.00
A fine example of private 19th century illustration, by an anonymous author, the attribution is found within one of the drawings, at the base of a Celtic cross set in a romantic landscape. There is no other indication of authorship, although a pencil note suggests that the manuscript came from the library of Christopher Dobson, son of Austin Dobson (1840-1921), the Victorian author and illustrator. The work is elaborate with a blue and green title leaf, and the calligraphic text either surrounded by highly skilled floral frames, or set in a panel above watercolour drawings of flowers, with a lower panel containing a pen and ink pastoral view. A rushlight is a type of candle formed using the dried pith of the rush plant as its wick.
PUBLIC LIBRARIES of England and Wales. A magnificently presented concept that never got off the ground, as the most handsome gilt morocco binding contains only six large mounted photographs; the remaining 44 pages remain blank.
large oblong 4to. c1935.
MINERS STRIKE. A spirited pen and ink drawing entitled ‘The Wail of the Workless', by J.H. Lunn, 197 High Street, Hampton Hill, possibly for publication in a newspaper during the period of the General Strike in 1926. Some slight marking to the margins outside of the image, and corners bumped.
268mm x 375mm. c1926. £60.00 + VAT.
CALLIGRAPHY. Specimens of Writing by Charles Norman, Christmas 1832. Calligraphic title-page, 4 pages of writing, and with a variant title dated 1833 loosely inserted. Original marbled wrappers, spine worn.
folio. 1832-1833. £120.00
HOUSE SALE - 1608. Original manuscript indenture for the sale of a house in Upwell, Norfolk (between Downham and Wisbech). Sold in 1608 by Thomas Browne to Robert Ashton. In excellent condition, clearly legible and with the original seal.
Norfolk. 1608. £75.00+ VAT
POOR LAW 1688 - North Devon. A manuscript warrant to present poor law children to the Justices for Apprenticing and also unemployed "young single persons". Addressed by Robert Bulled, "To the Constable of Rose Ash haste for His Majesty's Service", instructing him to present "all such poor children as are fit to be bound out apprentices... and also ... all young and single persons living out of service having no visible means save their Labour to live by".... "at the Falcon in South Moulton on Wednesday the 20th day of this instant June by Ten of the Clock in the forenoon." Written in a legible hand on one side of a folio sheet, folded for sending and with the name on the verso. Full typed transcript.
Devon. 1688. £180.00 + VAT
BARBER'S RECEIPTS. A mid 19th century manuscript collection of receipts possibly kept by the owner of a barber's shop. Written on 11 pages, with a final page left blank, on blue tinted paper, simply side stitched. The receipts are for ‘the Parisian Shaving Cream', ‘Eau-de- Portugal', ‘the Grecian Bouquet', ‘Eau-de Cologne'. There are also a number of other, unrelated receipts.
small 8vo. c1860. £50.00
Eau-de-Portugal is a hair tonic, still used today to invigorate the scalp.
THE FUTURE GOVERNOR OF JAMAICA WRITES HOME, 1875. Edward Rushworth was appointed Governor of Jamaica in March 1877, and these four letters, comprising approximately 7,000 words, date just prior to his appointment, when he was the island's Financial Secretary. They are personal, written to his wife and provide detailed and lengthy observations on his life in Jamaica, the preparations for her joining him, the acquisition, repair and fitting out of a house ‘Shortwood', colonial civil service gossip, and the quirks of life in the colony. There is also mention of the disaster of the loss of the ship "Shannon"on a voyage between Colon and Jamaica.
Shortly after his appointment, on 29th July 1877 his stepson, aged 21, on holiday from England, died at the house, followed the next day by his daughter (age 19) by his previous marriage, and ten days later by Rushworth himself. All three tragic deaths were attributed to a collapsed drain, and foul air poisoning the house. Included with the letters is an issue of the Colonial Standard and Jamaica Despatch for August 13, 1877, in which there is a very long account of his death and funeral. It describes Rushworth as "a young man in the hey-day of existence, the purple dreams of youth's glowing east not yet clouded or disturbed by the storms and struggles of life's lengthening day..." A full typed transcript of the letters is included, together with a very detailed contemporary 8 page listing of the sale of their effects in Jamaica in 1877. A most interesting first hand 'private' account of life in Jamaica, as seen through thr privileged eyes of the future governor.
£480.00 + VAT
YORK. Common and Meadow. An Ecological Survey of Common and Meadow Land: Middlethorpe and Fulford, York. R.A. Newton. A well presented and highly detailed study, covering over 100 typescript pages, with photographs, charts, and even 16 samples of seeds. In his preface the author acknowledges the assistance given to him "from retired farm squires, and anglers, to greenkeepers and gipsies.... their talk has ranged over a wide field, yielding much ecological data for the text, for a field is indeed fallow where one can find nothing. Perhaps it is both fitting, and characteristic of their unassuming nature, that I do not know their names." Gilt lettered album.
4to. 285mm x 230mm. York. 1957. £120.00
YORKSHIRE. A charming album of 126 photographs on 20 leaves mostly of outings and picnics in Yorkshire, Lancashire and the Lake District. The keen but anonymous photographer pictures cycle and motorcycle groups as well as more formal landscape views. It evokes a post war Britain just beginning to enjoy itself and again looking forward to a better future. In a contemporary brown pebble cloth album, the photographs corner mounted, many with pencil annotations beneath.
oblong 4to. 215mm x 290mm. 1946-1960. £60.00