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Lot 63
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Massive Disraeli Archive of Nearly 160 ALSs, the Entire Archive is Extensive with 775+ pp!
Massive Disraeli Archive of Nearly 160 ALSs, the Entire Archive is Extensive with 775+ pp!
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Description:

Disraeli Benjamin

Massive Disraeli Archive of Nearly 160 ALSs, the Entire Archive is Extensive with 775+ pages! - An Intimate View of British Prime Minister Disraeli from One of His Secretaries

 

“I send you a mass of rubbish, but wh: must be looked over.”

 

This very revealing archive by one of Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli’s trusted secretaries contains much about the man who led Great Britain from 1874 to 1880 and his administration. Disraeli’s wry sense of humor shines through in these casual notes to his private secretary about a wide range of issues, personalities, and events.

 

Archive of Algernon Turnor, 2nd Secretary to Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli from 1874 to 1880, including (1) Leather Album, 6.5" x 10" x 4" titled “Letters & Mss. of The Rt Hon. B. Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield. 1874 to 1880,” containing 137 documents, 340 pp., all but a few in Disraeli’s hand; (2) 64 individual notes, letters, and envelopes, including three printed speeches by Disraeli, three photographs of Turnor (1878), and Turnor’s commission signed by Queen Victoria (June 3, 1878), total of 225 pp., many in Disraeli’s hand; (3) Notebook of “Lord Beaconfield’s Entertainment of His Party during his Second Government, 1874-1880,” 52 pp., with newspaper reports and menus pasted in and notes on who declined and the success of the event; (4) “Some incidents of Official Life during the years 1867 to 1895,” a manuscript reminiscence by Algernon Turnor, 29 pp.; (5) a scrapbook of clippings, notes, and drawings regarding horses and horse racing, cricket, and fox hunting, 95 pp.; (6) a scrapbook of newspaper clippings regarding relations with France and other subjects at the end of the eighteenth and beginning of the nineteenth century, 33 pp.; (7) a privately printed book entitled Dr. Trevor: A Phenomenon (1913) about the life of barrister Henry Edward Trevor (1740-1794), 61 pp., with handwritten marginalia and 25 pages of handwritten additions on loose paper; and (8) five oversized genealogical charts, ranging in size up to 30" x 40.5".

 

Excerpts

Much of the correspondence is from Disraeli to Turnor, often from Disraeli at Hughenden Manor to Turnor at 10 Downing Street. Many of the letters and notes are on stationery from “10 Downing Street,” “Hughenden Manor,” or “2 Whitehall Gardens,” most signed “Beaconsfield” or “B” after 1876, when Queen Victoria appointed Disraeli as Earl of Beaconsfield.

 

·         Speech of the Right Hon. B. Disraeli, M.P., at the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, April 3, 1872: “Since the settlement of [the Constitution, now nearly two centuries ago, England has never experienced a revolution, though there is no country in which there has been so continuous and such considerable change. How is this? Because the wisdom of your forefathers placed the prize of supreme power without the sphere of human passions. Whatever the struggle of parties, whatever the strife of factions, whatever the excitement and exaltation of the public mind, there has always been something in this country round which all classes and parties could rally, representing the majesty of the law, the administration of justice, and being at the same time, the security for every man's rights and the fountain of honour.... And you owe all these, gentlemen, to the Throne.” (p4)

“Increased means and increased leisure are the two civilizers of man.”

“Gentlemen, I am a party man. I believe that, without party, Parliamentary Government is impossible. I look upon Parliamentary Government as the noblest Government in the world, and certainly the one most suited to England.” (p5)

·         Address of the Rt. Hon. B Disraeli, M.P., as Lord Rector of the University of Glasgow, November 19, 1873: “I think the author who speaks about his own books is almost as bad as a mother who talks about her own children.”

·         Benjamin Disraeli to Algernon Turnor, March 11, 1874, 2 Whitehall Gardens: “This MS. of the Queen’s speech must be taken by you to Mr Harrison as soon as possible. It ought to have been with him an hour ago. But before you send it, you must copy from the MS. of Lord Cairns, the p. marked 3. I have inclosed a sheet of paper similar to the rest. Pray use promptitude & energy in this business, as I wish the proof to be in the hands of ye Cabt as soon as possible.”

·         Benjamin Disraeli to Algernon Turnor, November 7, 1874, 2 Whitehall Gardens: “Summon the Cabinet for Tuesday next, at three o’ck.”

·         Benjamin Disraeli to Algernon Turnor, December 6, 1874, Bournemouth: “The Queen’s boxes, when there are no MS. remarks upon the labels, may be always opened, as, in general, they would only contain approvals of submissions, & time is thus gained in the transaction of business.”

·         Benjamin Disraeli to Algernon Turnor, January 14, 1875: “The paragraph in the newspapers was quite unauthorized, & from the misconceptions it has occasioned, forces me to town. I wish to know who inserted it.

·         Algernon Turnor, Remarks on Dinner, February 4, 1875: “This dinner was not a success, the food was indifferent, wine bad, & coffee cold.”

·         Lord Beaconsfield to Algernon Turnor, [ca. February 1875, 2 Whitehall Gardens: “Has the Cabinet been called for Wednesday at 3 o’ck  If not, do so. I want the notes for the Tenancies Bill.”

·         Algernon Turnor, Remarks on Dinner, February 24, 1875: “It is to be noted that the Marquess of Bute found himself compelled, owing to forms of his Church during Lent, to regale himself entirely on successive helps of salmon & whitebait.”

·         Benjamin Disraeli to Algernon Turnor, March 8, 1875: “I thought you managed your dinner very well on Saturday: you even gave them good wine.”

·         Algernon Turnor to Benjamin Disraeli, March 11, 1875, 10 Downing Street: “I send an almanac for 1875 to enable you to fix a day for the prorogation of Parliament. Can you give me any clue by which to identify the Rev. William Jackson. There are so many of that name.”

·         Benjamin Disraeli to Algernon Turnor, March 30, 1875, Hughenden Manor: “We must, of course, have a dinner on the Birth-Day. Perhaps all Peers. This might conclude our season.”

Queen Victoria’s birthday was May 24.

·         Benjamin Disraeli to Algernon Turnor, April 12, 1875, 2 Whitehall Gardens: “Were your wines the same on Saturday? As I don’t taste them, I must look to you for this. I thought the dinner not as good: the clear turtle was muddy, & I saw no turtle in the liquid. The mutton was whiter than veal. A little criticism does good. You must keep Gunter up to ye mark.”

·         Benjamin Disraeli to Algernon Turnor, May 10, 1875, 2 Whitehall Gardens: “Will you have the goodness to give me a note for Hary Chaplin’s Horse-Motion for Tuesday? You are, I believe, master of the subject. I am sorry to give you so short a notice, but I was in hopes, that somebody else was looking after the matter for me.”

Henry Chaplin, 1st Viscount Chaplin (1840-1923) was a British landowner and racehorse owner who served as a Conservative Party member of the House of Commons from 1868 to 1916, when he was raised to the peerage. His 1875 motion hoped to stem the export of all the best stud horses and brood mares from the United Kingdom.

·         Algernon Turnor, Remarks on Dinner, May 29, 1875: “The dinner on this occasion was excellent & generally approved. The cotelettes d’Agneau a la Muscovite (cold) were very good. Wine also good.”

·         Algernon Turnor, Remarks on Dinner, June 2, 1875: “On this occasion the Printer forgot the menus which did not arrive till the middle of dinner.... The Hon. R. Baillie Hamilton M.P. for Berwick accepted Mr Disraeli’s invitation and then failed to put in an appearance. Up to 1 o’clock on the following day no explanation was vouchsafed.”

Robert Baillie-Hamilton (1828-1891) represented Berwickshire in Parliament from 1874 to 1880.

·         Benjamin Disraeli to Algernon Turnor, October 26, 1875, Hughenden Manor: “Confidential / A great personage wants the enclosed inserted in the newspapers. I don’t wish it to come ostensibly from me. I suppose you can manage it.... If you can get the parg: in tonight, i.e. for tomorrow mornings Times &c, it wd be better.”

[Enclosure: “We understand, that Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to consent to Her Royal Hss, the Princess of Wales, & the Royal Children, passing their Xmas, & New Year, at Copenhagen. The absence of Her Royal Highness will not, however, exceed five, or, at the utmost, six weeks.”

Alexandra of Denmark, the Princess of Wales (1844-1925) had married Prince Albert Edward (1841-1910) in March 1863, and they had six children between 1864 and 1871. When Queen Victoria died in 1901, Prince Albert Edward became King and Emperor Edward VII, and Alexandra became Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Empress of India.

·         Benjamin Disraeli to Algernon Turnor, October 28, 1875, Hughenden Manor: “Put in the Queen’s Box a copy of the papers on Admiralty Instructions re Slavery.”

·         Benjamin Disraeli to Algernon Turnor, November 30, 1875, Windsor Castle: “Send to the Papers that I have left Windsor Castle for Longleat, on a visit to the Marquess of Bath. I hope everything is going on well about Mr Cave’s mission. H. M. approves it & thinks the sooner he goes, the better.”

John Alexander Thynne, 4th Marquess of Bath (1831-1896) became the marquess at age six and was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford. He was a devout Anglo-Catholic, and his younger brother was Lord Henry Thynne, who served as Treasurer of the Household from 1875 to 1880 under Disraeli.

In December 1875, the British government sent Paymaster-General Stephen Cave (1820-1880) to inquire into the finances of Egypt. His April 1876 report detailed waste and extravagance and advised foreign powers to interfere to restore Egypt’s credit.

·         Benjamin Disraeli to Algernon Turnor, n.d.: “I send you a mass of rubbish, but wh: must be looked over.”

·         Benjamin Disraeli to Algernon Turnor, n.d., Castle Bromwich, Birmingham: “I have come here without my seal. Will you, therefore, impress, & forward, the enclosed.”

·         Benjamin Disraeli to Algernon Turnor, April 13, 1876, Hughenden Manor: “I wish you wd send me the Lord Chancellor’s speech on introducing ‘Judicature’ bill, if you can find it in a No of Hansard.”

“In Saturday’s papers let it be said that I have left Hughenden for Cum. Lodge on a visit to their R. H. the Prince & Princess Xtian.”

Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein (1831-1917) married Princess Helena (1846-1923), the third daughter and fifth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

·         Matthew Burn to Benjamin Disraeli, August 12, 1876, Tilsonburg, Ontario, Canada: “I take the liberty of writing to ask you as a great favor if you will send me a Photograph of yourself, which I may be able to retain and hand to my only Son should he be spared to come to mans estate. I have always been a most ardent admirer of your political career as well as of your private character, and when it became in my power to shew the admiration which I had for your name I had my only Son at his christening called ‘Benjamin Disraeli’; and I am sure, should you honor me by sending a likeness of yourself, my son will prize it.... he completed his fifth year on the date of this note ... for full description contact University Archives

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