CANTERBURY (Charles Manners-Sutton, 1780-1845, Speaker, 1st Viscount)

Autograph Letter Signed to Charles Watkin Williams Wynn, M.P., 1775-1850, saying he finds it impossible "to have a Board" (of the Record Commission) "to meet your convenience as to your stay in London", the Archbishop and Sir James Mackintosh are "out of Town", on Saturday he has "Sir John Nicholl at Eleven - a Quarterly Board of the Charity Commission at Twelve - and the British Museum (Art Board) at One", according to "Mr Caley ... we shall be in good time for the Press if we have a Board in November", the main item being about reserving "the large Paper copies (if any) ... for ... the Crown", 3 sides 8vo., Palace Yard, 9th July short tears mended with old transparent paper without loss

The Record Commission was set up in 1800 and making slow progress. The Report of 1836 makes painful reading, regarding the management of the records - John Caley (see DNB), keeper at Westminster Chapter House, and Secretary of the Commission, and the other keepers charged exorbitant fees for retrieving documents needed in law suits, and made indexes which they kept as their private property, to be bargained for after their death. However, the first volume of the fine series of State Papers was soon to appear.
Manners-Sutton was Speaker in seven successive governments, 1817-1835.

Item Date:  1829

Stock No:  50548      £35

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