Manuscript material

A large 30" x 50" manuscript broadside, possibly originating in a school in the immediate years after Nelson's death. Linen backed the ms has pen and ink plans of the Battle of the Nile and Copenhagen, showing the ships in line. Engraved medallion portrait of Nelson laid on. Watercolour of a tree with a lion and anchor. The tree with small details of Nelson and his admirals. The remainder of the manuscript being in a copper plate hand, copies of letters, lists, etc all relating to Admiral Nelson. Extracts from the Hereford Journal suggest a possible geographical provenance? Nelson visited the city in 1802, and a monument was erected there in 1809 so perhaps the manuscript is related to the latter?
The manuscript is dusty and parts of the paper have flaked. It is in need of cleaning and proper conservation, but remains a unique item of Nelson memorabilia.

Around 130 page WW1 diary of a soldier in the 25th Garrison Battalion Middlesex Regiment. The diary follows his joining up in Ashford through his training and subsequent deployment on the Tyndareus ship for Hong Kong. The Tyndareus was nearly sunk by a mine off the coast of South Africa - fortunately without loss of life - and the diarist gives an eye witness account. After a period in South Africa the regiment re-embark for Hong Kong, where the writer also witnesses the terrible fire at the Happy Valley racecourse in 1918. A lively account of Hong Hong during the first war. Includes a postcard of members of the regiment throwing their solar topees in the air after the OC had delivered an address from the King congratulating them on their conduct during the evacuation of the Tyndareus. An interesting diary of a theatre of the first war little covered. Written in a legible hand.

Inventory of household furniture, brewing utensils, casks etc of Mrs Rebecca Asheton of Pope's (farm) Essendon in Hertfordshire..taken on the 17th & 18th days of July 1789. A fine and rare example of a household inventory (including a brewhouse) in a legible hand notable for being a detailed list of the possessions belonging to a woman. On her death the farm passed to her son who sold the farm to the Marquess of Salisbury thus becoming part of the estate of Hatfield. The inventory shows that this was a fairly prosperous house and brewing business. Such detailed insights into the lives of the 'middling folk' in the eighteenth century are exceptionally rare. 8pp in original marbled wrappers. Folio.

A marvelous diary kept by a private soldier in the 13th London Regiment (The Kensingtons) between August 1914 and March 1915 detailing his joining up, training, despatch to France and the first few months in the trenches. A real view from 'Tommy Atkins' of life in the trenches. The soldier, a B. Howard writes well in a very legible hand. Wryly amused, he has a good eye for telling detail. The diary ends when he is invalided back to England with a bronchial problem. Some photos, newspaper clippings pasted in along with other pieces of ephemera. Howard has also made several drawings of trenches and small maps. A marvelous evocation of what it was like to be an ordinary soldier before the terrible war of attrition really began. For more information see my blog.

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A unique series of documents from 1752 detailing the treatment (sadly unsuccessful) of a domestic servant, Michel Surlavie of the Marquiese de Barbancon's household. A number of bills detail the extensive course and cost of the treatment including the final burial. Interesting, perhaps that a domestic servant should be treated by such a famous doctor and that he appears to have been given such extensive treatment?