Every day Sophie Dupre presents two items from her large stock of signed photographs, autograph letters, autographs for sale, royal memoralbilia and antiquarian manuscripts.
The photographs are presented with the catalogue descriptions.
On this day... see what happened on your special day
May 11
ON THIS DAY
On this day in 1812 Spencer Perceval, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom was assassinated by John Bellingham, a merchant who believed he had been unjustly imprisoned in Russia and was entitled to compensation from the government. Perceval is the only British prime minister to have been assassinated. He left a widow and 12 children under 20.
In 1892 Dame Margaret Rutherford, the character actress was born. She first came to prominence following World War II in the film adaptations of Noël Coward's Blithe Spirit, and Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest.
PERCEVAL (Jane, widow of Spencer Perceval, 1762-1812, from 1809 Prime Minister)
Touching Autograph Letter Signed to ‘Sir’, saying that “Lord Arden shewed me yesterday Evening a letter that he had received ... on the subject of a small loan (as you are pleased to consider it) that you received from Mr. Perceval in the year 1804 ... & ill should I repay that sacred trust which has so awfully devolved upon me if I did not make it a point of duty as it is of consolation to fulfill the spirit of all his wishes ... I am very certain that he never intended that you should repay him one shilling of it - he called it a loan to make it more acceptable to your feelings & much as I respect the high sense of honor that has led you ... I can safely assure you that the liberality of Parliament & the kindness of my own family ... render it impossible that such a trifle should ever be missed by me or my Children - and deprives this act of respect to the memory of my beloved Husband of all the merit of self denial”, 4 sides 4to black-edged, Downing Street, 2nd June 1812
51182
RUTHERFORD (Dame Margaret, 1892-1972, Character Actor)
Fine vintage postcard photo by Vivienne signed and inscribed, “Good wishes”, showing her head and shoulders, with her hands clasped over the back of her chair, 5½” x 3½”, no place, no date
38059
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