BIB_ID
421496
Accession number
MA 1352.629
Creator
Ball, Charles, 1790-1866.
Display Date
London, England, 1855 February 27.
Credit line
Purchased with the assistance of the Fellows, 1951.
Description
1 item (3 pages) ; 22.7 x 18.8 cm
Notes
Written from "61 Charlwood Street, West / Pimlico."
The letter is part of a collection, MA 1352, which consists of letters from Charles Dickens to the Baroness, to her companion Hannah (Meredith) Brown, or the latter's husband, William Brown; with 70 letters written by others to Miss Coutts or to Dickens in his capacity as her unofficial almoner; and a few others. See the collection-level record for more information.
The letter is part of a collection, MA 1352, which consists of letters from Charles Dickens to the Baroness, to her companion Hannah (Meredith) Brown, or the latter's husband, William Brown; with 70 letters written by others to Miss Coutts or to Dickens in his capacity as her unofficial almoner; and a few others. See the collection-level record for more information.
Provenance
The letters formed part of the Burdett-Coutts sale (Sotheby, 17 May 1922); they were purchased for Oliver W. Barrett in whose collection they remained until it was sold by his son (Parke-Bernet, 31 October 1951).
Summary
Asking him to pass along the following statement to Angela Burdett-Coutts; describing himself as having been "for nearly 20 years connected with the Press of the Metropolis as Correspondent, and Editor;" saying that he has, in that time, done as much "by my exertions to improve the condition and elevate the character of the poor as any man in the three Kingdoms;" describing his journalistic career in detail; saying that he has found himself in serious financial difficulties and, if he is not able to raise £60 before the coming Saturday, he and his family will be expelled from their home and their property will be in the hands of the brokers; explaining how he has come to be in this position and how he has tried to get out of it; offering to send testimonials for himself and his family; asking for Miss Coutts's assistance.
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