HARDIE (J. Keir, 1856-1915, Scottish Politician, Founder of the Labour Party)

Long clerk writtne Letter Signed with autograph salutation "Saluti, Karl mio! also Peccavi" apologising to a young protegee for losing his letter " When the Labour Representation Conference was meeting at Liverpool I received a lengthy communication from you. Desiring to enjoy it in peace & quiet where I could absorb its spirit and re-create the days which its receipt recalled I put it carefully away without reading it and have never since been able to set eyes upon it. I can safely say that scarcely a day has passed since then in which at one period or another I have not had you in mind & my conscience has upbraided me often for my seeming neglect and ingratitude but I know you will forgive ... Of late I have been comparing every day spent here with the corresponding day twelve months ago and when the skies are grey & the winds chill I live again in spirit the life we lived in those days and wonder whether you still worship daily at the shrine of Nephine beside the cave of St Ampeglio? Your battle of flowers will be over and your May Day and now St Ampeglio's day will be approaching. Give my regards to Mr Barry & your young colleague in the bank. Make a special visit to Antonetti & give her my regards and when you see Margaretta tell here I have not forgotten here and ask for Marie. I hope her shadow does not grow less. And now my friend my heart thrilled with you in the great happiness which came into your life when you married. If only yourself and your life's companion have as much happiness as your merits entitle you to, then life for you both will be one long radiant dream ... You will, I know, be glad to learn that I am in excellent condition and still working on the old lines. The movement is doing splendid but I need not dwell upon that as you will glean all the information concerning if your require from the Leader. And here let me congratulate you on the very marked improvement in your manner & style of writing. There is a conciseness and a grip in your letters which was not quite so conspicuous in the the essay which you remember showing me ...", he ends by asking if he is coming to England and promising to spend time with him if he does with autograph subscription "your in the good cause, J. Keir Hardie", 5 sides 8vo., House of Commons headed paper, 3rd May

Personal letters from Keir Hardie are uncommon.
In 1900, Hardie organised a meeting of various trade unions and socialist groups and they agreed to form a Labour Representation Committee and so the Labour Party was born. Later that same year Hardie, representing Labour, was elected as the junior MP for the dual-member constituency of Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare in the South Wales Valleys, which he would represent for the remainder of his life. Only one other Labour MP was elected that year, but from these small beginnings the party continued to grow, forming the first-ever Labour government in 1924.

Item Date:  1905

Stock No:  39425