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"Copy" on 1838 letter

Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 6:00 pm
by earsathome
Image

Hi All,
We have a letter dated 3rd December 1838 addressed to Queen Square in London.
and a scan of the second page is attached.
It is headed 'Stanley Copy A/C' and we are curious about the lines drawn down the
whole page.
The text seems to be some sort of memorandum to himself.
Would the lines be used because it is a copy and he does not want it to be used by
anyone else?
We have hundreds of old letters but have not come across this before.
It could be of course that he was a bit of a tight wad and used paper that had
already been defaced
Has anyone seen anything like this or have any ideas?
As a matter of interest, the paper also has a watermark we have not come across
before
'John Dinwidney'
Regards to all
Eunice and Ron

Transfer from previous board: original post 30793

Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 7:00 pm
by mozzerb
Apologies to Dave ("Seahorse") -- in deleting the duplicate posts I inadvertently deleted the original as well. Text follows:

"Some sort of memorandum to himself"

I think you have it there. The explanation is maybe the simple one that once he had taken action on something, he crossed it through.

Four separate such crossings through.

What does seem odd is that it was then sent to someone else, unless he used the other side of his memorandum for part of his letter - as you say, maybe a tightwad.

Does the "memorandum" seem to have any connection with the rest of the letter ?

Regards, Dave.

Transfer from previous board: original post 30794

Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 7:05 pm
by mozzerb
Just an addendum: I believe it was quite a common practice to draft the reply to a letter on its blank space, so that you had a copy of the reply on the same sheet when you filed the letter away. Could this be what was happening here?

Transfer from previous board: original post 30795

Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 7:10 pm
by Seahorse
No apologies needed mozzerb
I was busy deleting the duplicates myself, probably at the same time as you!

I must learn to be more patient after pressing the "add message" button !

Transfer from previous board: original post 30796

Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 7:00 pm
by earsathome
Gents,
Thanks for those suggestions and it sounds very likely that he was writing notes to himself.
It could have been linked to the letter :-

It was written by a solicitor from Lincolns Inn and this is a transcription.
Quote.

Dear Sir,
I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 30th ult. It will afford me much pleasure to make the inquiries you ask which I hope I shall be able to do in the course of a few days - You may rest assured I will not delay it a single moment longer than I can help.
I remain Dear Sir,
Yr faithfull servt
Thos Dear
Unquote.

One of the notes is quite interesting.
Quote
No pig - half a side not too large, must be bought Mr S will advance if needful - fires - for kneecaps and comfortable shirt.
Unqote.

Thanks again for the help
Ron and Eunice.

Transfer from previous board: original post 30797

Posted: Sat May 04, 2013 7:00 pm
by earsathome
Thanks to all for your help and for anyone interested the transcription and scans of the letter are now on our website and this particular letter is at

http://www.earsathome.com/letters/Victorian/fox.html

About 150 other old letters and plenty of philatelic content on the site (non commercial) at

http://www.earsathome.com/

Regards.
Ron.