LANCASHIRE

4pp., folio. Bifolium. Complete, on aged and worn paper.

Two documents, with covering leaf (1p., 8vo) carrying the following note by the recipient: 'Advice from John Blackburne of Orford - to his grandson J B of Hale & Orford 1770'. The first document is 2pp., 8vo.; the second 5pp., 8vo. In fair condition, on aged paper, with wear and chipping to extremities. Both documents in the elder Blackburne's remarkably neat and close hand, with occasional emendations. Both document with 'By my Grandfather' by the recipient at the end.

Blackburne's note is 1p., landscape 12mo. The leaf on which it is written has a central vertical fold, with the reverse carrying the itemised account to the left, and the anonymous note to Blackburne to the right. On aged and damp-stained paper. Blackburne's note is blunt and to the point: 'Orford May 28. 1746 | John Percival | I expect that you pay me in a weeks time ye Money you collected from my tenants in Risley on acct. of the Militia or I shall order Mr Lancaster to sue you for it, without further notice | from | Your friend | J: Blackburne'.

A supporter of William Pitt, and later of the Liverpool ministry, Blackburne was regarded as an assiduous - if lacklustre and increasingly eccentric - country member. The present collection provides a valuable insight into the network of mercantile figures (e.g. cotton magnate Henry Sudell) and members of the local gentry (Sir Nicholas Ashton, Sir Henry Philip Hoghton) required to return Blackburn to parliament at a particularly difficult election, with reports and advice coming from various quarters.

The poster, in the mixture of typeface and font size characteristic of the period, is 31 x 25 cm, and headed: 'TO THE | Gentlemen, | CLERGY, | AND | FREEHOLDERS | OF THE | County Palatine of Lancaster.' Signed and dated in type at foot: 'JOHN BLACKBURNE. | HALE, | November 12th, 1829. Printed on one side of a piece of wove paper, and with one central horizontal fold.

15pp., 12mo, with six plates on art paper. In grey printed wraps with title on front cover. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. The plates include engravings by H. C. Pigeon of illustrations by S. Holden and a plan by T. B. Ryder.

ONE: The copy writ is 2pp., 8vo. On a leaf of laid paper with crown watermark. Aged and worn, and separated into two halves along central vertical crease line. Headed 'George R', the document begins: 'Whereas the Land Owners and Inhabitants within ye: Counties of Cheshire & Lancashire have most hbly represented unto us That Cross ye: River Mercy wch runs between those Counties had been built three Stone Bridges vizt. Warrington Bridge Stockport Bridge and Crossford Bridge and a Wooden Bridge called Carington Bridge'.

1p., 4to. In very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Engraved illustration of the Old House at the head (signed 'S. Holden'), with an engraving of the Plague-Stone beneath it, followed by the text: 'The Relic represented above formed the corner coping-stone of a garden wall, immediately above the spot indicated in the drawing by the letter A. It is traditional in the neighbourhood that about the middle of the 17th century, (probably in the year 1665,) several cases of The Plague occurred in this house.

2pp., 4to. In good condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. He writes that he is sorry that he could not sing the song 'Nancy's Hair' at Preston. He had not brought it: '(I only got your letter on arrival at the concert hall.) Funnily enough I picked it up before leaving home to put in my case as a possible encore & then put it back.' He is 'delighted to know that your mother liked my singing of it, I most certainly enjoy singing it & I hope to be able to help it along'.

43pp., 4to, all but one on the recto of a leaf. In very good condition, in lightly-worn red morocco binding, gilt, with dentelles, and the words 'MAYOR'S PARLOUR | VISITOR'S BOOK' and crest on front board, and marbled endpapers. The Deputy Mayor of the City of Salford, Peter Ashcroft, JP, signs on the very first page, and on several other occasions in the volume, and a large number of Salford residents also sign.

3pp., 12mo. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. In original envelope, with stamp and postmark, addressed by Bennett to 'John T Baron Esq. | 48 Griffin Street | Blackburn | [signed] W C Bennett'. He begins by informing Baron that four numbers of 'The Lark' have already been published.

Placed within a 35 x 45.5 cm frame, with 25 x 35.5 cm window. In good condition, with unobtrusive 2.5cm closed tear at head. Dimensions of image 34 x 22 cm, with engraved caption beneath: 'A PARLIAMENTARY EXAMINATION TOUCHING CERTAIN CURIOSITIES IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM', and 'MC.LEANS MONTHLY SHEET OF CARICATURES NO. 41' running up the left-hand side of the border.

The present item is a puzzle. Farington joined the Incorporated Society of Artists at the age of twenty-one, and played an active part in its affairs until his resignation in 1773.

A notable man by any measure, Walters is a puzzling omission from the Oxford DNB. For many years a central figure in the literary life of the north-west of England, he was an authority on Shakespeare (his extensive papers on whom are now in the Folger), Tennyson and Dickens. Walters was the author of 'about 20 books and [...] 250 lectures', and an 'actual or corresponding member of close upon fifty' literary societies, in addition to his professional work as editor of the Manchester City News (for twenty-five years), and the Manchester Evening Chronicle.

8pp., 12mo. Stapled. In brown printed wraps. On brittle, high-acidity paper, with staining from staples, in stained and worn wraps. After some 'Introductory Remarks' he discusses 'Light Materials in New Work', 'Position of Cold-Water Cistern', 'Position', 'The Runs of Pipes', 'The W.-C.', 'The W.-C. Supply' ('two gallons of water is not sufficient to wash away the soil into the main drain.

These items not only constitute survivals from one of the leading Lancashire textile manufacturers, in an era when the industry in that area was world-renowned, but also of what was considered to be one of the very best of the north of England's celebrated working men's colleges. A total of 507pp., 4to., in four folders. In addition to Frank Mallalieu's meticulous course notes, diagrams and calculations (with occasional tutors' markings), the contents include 99pp. of mimeographed course notes and 47 swatches of material.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. In original stamped and postmarked envelope, addressed by Smiles. The 'last photographic likeness' of Smiles 'was taken by Mr S. A. Walker, 230 Regent Street W'. Smiles has 'no doubt' that Walker will let Bacon 'have a copy' (i.e. Bacon will not be getting a free copy from Smiles). Smiles's book 'Physical Education' was 'published by me no less than 44 years ago. It had a small sale, and is now quite out of print. Though pretty good at the time, there are now far better works on the subject.'

1p., 12mo. On bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. In original stamped and postmarked envelope, initialed by Hardwick. In the letter Hardwick informs Baron that his 'History' (published in 1851) is out of print: 'The few remainders were sold about four years ago.' He recently saw a copy 'in one of hte Manchester second hand booksellers' catalogues on sale for 17/6'. He gives the names of two booksellers to approach ('Gray, 25, Cathedral Yard, or Sutton, Portland-st. Oxford st.') and is forwarding 'a circular respecting my forthcoming work' (not present).

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. Good, on lightly aged paper. The red wax seal has been cut away from the second leaf, with no loss to text. Addressed, on the reverse of the second leaf, to 'Miss Howard | Mr Jackson's | The Pike | Bolton | Favored by Mr. Harrison'. An affectionate letter from father to daughter. He begins by describing the pleasure he has had in reading her letter to her brother, 'and the more when I understood that you had not only written it, but composed it'. He feels she will 'profit every Day by the kind and good Instructions of your Cousin and Tutoress'.

4pp., 4to. On two loose leaves of Whatman paper, each watermarked 1827. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. The document begins with the following note, dated and signed by Roby: 'The following ballad from my forthcoming "Traditions of Lancashire," though not of much value in itself, may yet acquire some, from its connexion with, and introduction into Mrs. Thelwall's elegant volume of Scraps.' (The implication that the two leaves have been removed from Mrs Thelwall's album is supported by pagination from 12 to 15.) Sixty-four lines, divided into sixteen four-line stanzas.

2 pp, 4to. Forty lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of mount adhering to blank areas of the reverse of the leaf. A playful, jaunty letter containing valuable personal and family information. He was pleased to learn from 'Mr Shaw of Lees (who desires his complimts)' that the recipient is 'not only in the land of the living, but in the business of the Excise, and still raps at the ends of Barrels, and takes dimensions of bungs & diameters as usual'. Asks after his wife, and 'how long you had been a Cheshire man'.

The subscription Liverpool Library within the Lyceum, founded in 1757, is believed to have been the first circulating or lending library in Europe, and the first two of these items provide a valuable insight into its status at the time when the advent of the public library system was undermining its position.

The Liverpool Apothecaries Company was founded in 1836 with a capital of £100,000, its premises comprising a warehouse, chemical and pharmaceutical laboratories, and a retail shop in Seel Street. John Abraham ran the dispensing department from 1838 until his resignation in 1843, going on in 1845 to found, as junior partner, the pharmaceutical chemists Clay & Abraham.

Folio, 1 p. Dimensions 21 x 33 cm. 51 lines of text, in a variety of types and point sizes, both single and double column. Text clear and complete. On lightly-aged and creased paper, with one short marginal closed tear. The 'Programme for the Evening', including 'Photographs of Saturn, the Moon, and the Crater of Copernicus', copied by 'Mr.

8vo, 40 pp. Five plates (numbered I to V and with p.40 numbered VI) and thirty illustrations in text. In original brown cloth wraps, with cover bearing white paper label printed in red and black reading 'HUME | METAL ON LEATHER. | 1863.' Tight, on aged paper, in rebacked wraps. Inscribed on front free endpaper 'To W. W. F. Hume Esquire from his the writer 3rd March 1863. Title-page also in red and black. Note on reverse of title: 'This Paper is printed in the Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, Vol. XIV, for Session 1861-62.

8vo, 11 + [i] pp. Disbound. Good, on lightly-aged and worn paper. Signed in type at end (p.11) 'WOODVILLE WOODMAN. | Stoneclough, near Manchester, | March 5th, 1861.' The final page is headed 'PUBLIC NOTICE.', and advertises services and a 'Reading & Tract Society' at Northampton New Church, Corn Exchange Buildings, ending 'The Library comprises the works of Swedenborg, and general New Church Literature. A passionate retort, in defence of Swedenborgianism, to the Brindley's Methodist interpretation of 'Swedenborg's doctrine of marriage', as set out in a lecture. 'The insinuation of Dr.

12mo, 4 pp. Disbound bifolium. Text clear and complete. On aged and foxed paper, with some wear and chipping. 'The distillers, merchants, and dealers; the landlords, the brewers, and the owners of licensed houses - not to say the government itself - actuated by interested motives, have all done honour at the shrine of Bacchus; and when it is understood that about a million of persons are enriched or supported by this nefarious traffic, no wonder that the happy soil of England should be deluged with this liquid fire.' Following slug: '(1s. 4d.

Single column (23 x 6 cm) on one side of piece of paper 34 x 21.5 cm. 72 lines of text. Clear and complete. Fair, on lightly-aged, creased paper. Small closed tear to central horizontal fold. Lists the infectious diseases of which notification is required ('Small Pox, Cholera, Diptheria, Membranous Croup, Erysipelas, Scarlatina, or ScarletFever, and also Typhus, Typhoid, Enteric, Relapsing, Continued, or Puerperal Fever'), and gives the duties of medical practitioners and the penalties for failing to comply.

H. W. Seton-Karr's signature on a piece of card, roughly 9 x 11 cm, neatly cut with rounded edges. Reads 'Heywood Walter | Seton-Karr | June 2nd. 1927'. Neatly laid down beneath this is a thin printed strip reading 'Capt. H. W. SETON-KARR, F.R.G.S. (Explorer and Big Game Hunter), on "Investigations."' Sir Henry Seton-Karr's signature ('H. Seton-Karr.') on slip of paper, roughly 2 x 9.5 cm, laid down at head of card, on which is written, above H. W. Seton-Karr's signature, '(Sir Henry Seton-Karr MP)'. In good condition, on lightly aged paper.

12mo, 1 p. Ten lines of text. Fair, on aged and lightly-creased paper. She received the cheque the previous night, and is sending 'a prospectus [not present] of the Home to which the Patient was removed'. She thanks her for her 'prompt kindness'. At the time of writing (six years before her marriage to the French lawyer Louis Belloc) Bessie Parkes was co-editor of the 'English Woman's Journal'. Lady Janet Kay-Shuttleworth (née Janet Shuttleworth) was the wife of Dr James Kay-Shuttleworth (1804-1877), one of the leaders of the Liberal Party in Lancashire.