Simon John Allsebrook, Signed (6 results)

Paper. Condition: Very Good. First Edition. Signed Card by John Allsebrook Simon, 1st Viscount Simon, GCSI, GCVO, OBE, PC 1873 - 1954, was a British politician who held senior Cabinet posts from the beginning of the First World War to the end of the Second World War. He is one of only three people to have served as Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer, the others being Rab Butler and James Callaghan. He also served as Lord Chancellor, the most senior position in the British legal system. Size 90x60mm Condition is very good. More images can be taken upon request. Ref 16120. Signed by Author(s).

Liberal politician (1873-1954). Both letters written while the Right Hon. Sir John Simon. Both letters dusty but in good condition. Letter to Hobman, 1 page, 4to. Thanks him 'for commissioning Mr Landa to come round with me on my Western Tour. He was a most excellent companion and we both enjoyed it. Since then I have been to Manchester and Colne Valley and Holderness, [& Bradford,] and everywhere I find Liberals in high [^ Spirits,] and thirsting for the fight.' Letter to Landa, 1 page, 16mo. He is writing for Lady Simon. 'She wishes she could manage Central Leeds for you but you must please excuse her, for she has such a full list that she could not add to it.' Both signed 'John Simon'. Myer Jack Landa was the author of a number of books, including 'Palestine as it is' (1932).

A tenuous Titanic item: at the time of writing Simon, as solicitor-general, was representing the Board of Trade at the British enquiry into the sinking, at the address on the letterhead. See his entry and Ilbert's in the Oxford DNB. Joyce Violet Ilbert (1890-1957) was the youngest of Sir Courtenay's five daughters. 3pp, 12mo. On bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Folded twice. Written in pencil. Signed 'John Ilbert'. Begins: 'My dear Joyce, / (For the last time - you will be "Miss Ilbert" at 2.35 p.m) - the Rolls Royce with 2 men will be outside your door at ten minutes to two. Smith is the driver: Bonner is the second man. They will proudly wear any white favour. The car will remain at your service.' She is to inform Bonner whether the car is to 'bring the bride & bridegroom back to Speaker's Court & tell him also whether the car is wanted to take the couple to the station'. He concludes: 'I hope [underlined] to turn up'.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient, the educationist Thomas Lloyd Humberstone (1876-1957), was a prominent member of the Convocation of the University of London. Both items in fair condition, on lightly aged paper, the second with slight loss along one edge due to removal from mount. Both signed 'Simon'. ONE: 17 January 1948. 1p, 12mo. Folded once. 'I do not for a moment believe that the adverse vote carried at a depleted meeting of the General Committee represents the broad view of the Club [clearly the National Liberal Club] as a whole, but I have to take things as I find them. So, unless the Club, as a whole, cancels the verdict, I have no desire to be a marked man in that company. I am urging all other Liberal-Nationals (who have not been selected for attack) to remain.' TWO: 8 November 1948. 1p, 4to. Folded twice. He is sorry that Humberstone is 'laid up' and will read his 'brochure' with interest. He does not consider that there is 'anything of a legal or constitutional force' (with the words 'of' to 'force' in autograph) in Humberstone's point 'that the old Universities at one time were granted Parliamentary representation by prerogative action'. He discusses the present operation of the prerogative, with reference to 'my argument in Attorney-General v. De Keyser Hotel, where we proved that the Crown could not exercise its power to requisition land, even for war purposes, without paying for it as statute law provides'. He concludes the paragraph: 'Whether right or wrong, the question now turns solely on what the Statute Book contains.'.

See the entries on Simon and Ross in the Oxford DNB. At the time of writing Ross was a Fellow of Oriel College. Barnett House in Oxford was established in 1914 as a result of an appeal to academic and political figures, mainly through the actions of another Oriel fellow, Sidney Ball (1857-1918). It was named after Canon Barnett, founder of the university settlement Toynbee Hall. Barnett House was intended as a 'citizens' house' - a centre for economic and social enquiry, and between 1957 and 2004, as a department of the university, was a centre for the training of social workers. See G. Smith, E. Peretz and T. Smith, 'Social enquiry, social reform and social action' (OUP, 1914). Each of the two items is 1p, 4to. Both in good condition, lightly aged (the first more than the second) and worn. Both folded once. Both are addressed to 'W. D. Ross, Esq. / Oriel College. / Oxford.' Each signed 'John Simon'. ONE (2 May 1911): He cannot make 'an absolutely binding engnagement' for a date as far ahead as 27 October, but is 'putting the suggested engagement down in my diary and if nothing intervenes which makes it impossible', will be glad 'to come to speak with Lord Selborne on behalf of University Settlements on that evening'. TWO (14 November 1914): Signed 'Yrs trly / John Simon' and with 'Enclosure' written by him at top left (no enclosure present). He is sorry for not responding to Simon's letter of 3 October more promptly. 'I enclose my cheque for £50, being the donation (not a periodical subscription) which I promised to the fund being raised to start Barnett House. I hope you will get what you need.'.

Signed album page, 4,5 x 4 inch (affixed on cardboard), signed in dark ink "John Simon", attractively mounted (removable) for fine display with a photograph, shows John Allsebrook Simon in an office (altogether 8,25 x 11,75 inch), with foxing and trimmed edges - in nearly fine condition.