Jerrold/Smith autograph collection

The material in this collection appears to have been assembled principally for its autograph value. It was removed from an album shortly after its acquisition by the library; the original order of the material is not known. The collection includes letters and other items representing a wide range of prominent figures in nineteenth century British literature, theater, and art, as well as nineteenth and early twentieth century socialism and reform politics. About two thirds of the correspondence was received by Blanchard Jerrold and by Adolphe Smith and his wife Alice Smith; letters to other recipients include several to Mrs. and Miss de Fonblanque. In most cases there is only one letter or note from each correspondent.

The collection is organized into three series: Blanchard Jerrold Papers, Adolphe and Alice Smith Papers, and Third Party Letters and Other Manuscripts. All three are housed in one box.

Series I, Blanchard Jerrold Papers , is organized into two subseries: Letters to Blanchard Jerrold and Other Papers. The correspondence to Blanchard Jerrold is addressed both to him personally and to the Editor of Lloyd's Weekly. It includes letters from many of the leading figures in Victorian literary, artistic and theatrical circles. Letters from Clarkson Stanfield, Anthony Trollope, and John Forster concern a collection taken up by Jerrold for the actor Kenny Meadows in 1861. Several of the letters are addressed to Jerrold at the Reform Club, including one from William Gladstone. Also present are a letter to Douglas Jerrold and an autograph manuscript fragment of Blanchard Jerrold's The Life of Napoleon III.

Series II, Adolphe and Alice Smith Papers , is organized into three subseries: Letters to Adolphe Smith, Letters to Alice Smith, and Other Papers. The letters to Adolphe Smith document his involvement in the British and international socialist, communist, and trade unionist movements. His correspondents include prominent figures in the British labor movement, writers and activists in radical politics, Members of Parliament, and prominent international socialists and communists, as well as actors, artists, and physiologists. Letters to Alice Smith document her work as a literary critic for the Liverpool Courier. Most of her correspondents write to thank her for favorable reviews in that publication. Also present is the title page and flyleaf of an album (possibly the album from which the collection was removed), inscribed "Alice Adolphe Smith."

Series III, Third Party Letters and Other Manuscripts , consists chiefly of correspondence to various recipients from actors, writers, nobility, and others, but it also includes a small sketch of Thackeray, a manuscript poem fragment by Holloway, a manuscript titled "Extracts from Dr. Moore's Travels Thro Italy," and a list of names which may at one time have been represented in the autograph collection. A number of the letters are addressed to a Mrs and Miss de Fonblanque. A few of the letters were likely written to Jerrold or to Adolphe or Alice Smith, but have been included in this series rather than with their correspondence because the recipients cannot be conclusively identified.