Cole Percy Frederick (1 results)

The original typescript of Cole's memoir, hand-corrected for publication but, despite reports to the contrary, never actually published. Percy Frederick Cole (1882-1968), following a lengthy career as a journalist in the Parliamentary Press Gallery, was chairman of the gallery from 1944 to 1945 and editor of Hansard from 1944 to his retirement in 1947. The "notice for book jacket", which opens the typescript, summarizes the book: "In this memoir a former Editor of the Official Report of the Debates in the House of Commons gives an unofficial report of what he saw and heard in the Press Gallery from 1907 to 1947. Here are word-portraits of the great actors on the stage at Westminster for forty years. Permeating the book is the author's warm admiration for Sir Winston Churchill, with whom he was privileged to have a number of personal contacts and of whom he tells some highly interesting stories". Cole has corrected the manuscript throughout and signed it on the dedication page. Lord Boothby provides the introduction. Cole includes "an unpublished Churchill speech", delivered at a gallery luncheon, where Cole hosted Churchill, on 23 April 1945. Who's Who and Cole's Times obituary (27 August 1968) reported that Four Decades in the Press Gallery was published in 1966. We could find no evidence of publication in library listings or newspaper reports, under that title or any other. Also included is a small archive of material retained by Cole and his wife - his annotated typescript of the speech he delivered at the luncheon (18 pages on House of Commons blind-stamped letterhead, string-tied); a copy of Churchill's following speech; newspaper reports on the event; a few letters from Churchill's secretaries allowing Cole to reproduce Churchill's speech and thanking him for his sympathy (early 1960s), three telegrams from Churchill thanking Cole for his birthday wishes, and a few other letters relating to Cole's work in parliament. Provenance: the collection of Steve Forbes, chairman of Forbes Magazine and presidential candidate in the 1996 and 2000 US elections. Quarto (248 x 201 mm), 185 leaves of typescript typed one side only. Blue cloth with spine lettered in gilt. Some sunning to binding. In excellent condition.…