Details
LAWRENCE EDWARD GRACE OATES (1880-1912)
A group of autograph letters signed to Oates's mother Caroline, from fellow officers William H. King (three autograph letter signed, n.d., addressed to 'My dear old friend') and Geoffrey Herringham (9 December 1913), and two nurses, C.G. Harvey and J.N. Dixon, who attended Oates during his convalescence in South Africa; and letters to Oates's sister Violet from Frank Debenham (autograph letter signed ('Deb'), 14 June 1963), Oates's former groom E.G. Murdoch (1 February 1946), and Oates's future biographer Susan Limb (10 June 1963); altogether 9 letters, 33 pages, various sizes.
Reminiscences of Captain Oates. William King, one of Oates's closest friends, thanks his correspondent for a photograph of Oates -- 'his dear old face looks so friendly and kind', 'you know at times he had a peculiar look in one of his eyes as if he were sizing you up' -- and referring to the published account of Scott's Last Expedition: I am so very sorry that Scott should have said anything about dear old Titus but you need have no fears as to their relative merits ... It is quite evident that Scott never understood him' -- as well as energetic comments on the Irish question. Herringham remembers his last meeting with Oates, who showed him round Terra Nova in East India Docks; 'Afterwards he stood me breakfast at Lockharts ... and I shall never forget sitting opposite Titus at a bare deal table munching huge slices of bread and jam and drinking coffeee out of half inch thick mugs, with all the people round us staring at us, and wondering who in the world we were'. Nurse Harvey remembers attending Oates in South Africa: 'I fancy I can hear him saying "That's ripping" when I took things in for them'. Frank Debenham writes on the choice of Susan Limb as Oates's biographer, and on the atmosphere in the hut at Cape Evans. (9)
A group of autograph letters signed to Oates's mother Caroline, from fellow officers William H. King (three autograph letter signed, n.d., addressed to 'My dear old friend') and Geoffrey Herringham (9 December 1913), and two nurses, C.G. Harvey and J.N. Dixon, who attended Oates during his convalescence in South Africa; and letters to Oates's sister Violet from Frank Debenham (autograph letter signed ('Deb'), 14 June 1963), Oates's former groom E.G. Murdoch (1 February 1946), and Oates's future biographer Susan Limb (10 June 1963); altogether 9 letters, 33 pages, various sizes.
Reminiscences of Captain Oates. William King, one of Oates's closest friends, thanks his correspondent for a photograph of Oates -- 'his dear old face looks so friendly and kind', 'you know at times he had a peculiar look in one of his eyes as if he were sizing you up' -- and referring to the published account of Scott's Last Expedition: I am so very sorry that Scott should have said anything about dear old Titus but you need have no fears as to their relative merits ... It is quite evident that Scott never understood him' -- as well as energetic comments on the Irish question. Herringham remembers his last meeting with Oates, who showed him round Terra Nova in East India Docks; 'Afterwards he stood me breakfast at Lockharts ... and I shall never forget sitting opposite Titus at a bare deal table munching huge slices of bread and jam and drinking coffeee out of half inch thick mugs, with all the people round us staring at us, and wondering who in the world we were'. Nurse Harvey remembers attending Oates in South Africa: 'I fancy I can hear him saying "That's ripping" when I took things in for them'. Frank Debenham writes on the choice of Susan Limb as Oates's biographer, and on the atmosphere in the hut at Cape Evans. (9)
Special notice
VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium