IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0096 AL327
Held at: Senate House Library, University of London
Title: Cross, J: letter (1794)
Date(s): 1794
Level of description: Collection
Extent: 2 leaves (1 blank)
Name of creator(s): Cross | J | fl 1794 | acquaintance of the 1st Marquess of Lansdowne
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
No information was available at the time of compilation.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Letter from J Cross of London to [Mr Oriel], 14 Apr 1794. 'I laid your proposal respecting the mill at Quemerford [near Calne, Wiltshire] before my Lord Lansdown [i.e. the Marquess of Lansdowne], in answer to which he had directed me to give you, in his own words, his opinion of the use of machinery in the cloathing manufacture - vizt "Nothing can be more mistaken than the prejudice conceived against machinery, nor could be more unfortunate for the country if suffer'd to prevail - for the consequence must be, the transfer of the manufacture either to the North of England, where the prejudice has been got the better of, and where they experience the advantage, or else to foreign countrys - or part to one and part to the other. Calne is calculated to be the seat of it, much better than either Chippenham or Devizes, or any town which I can immediately recollect, and independent of the great increase of trade, it would create a number of mechanists, and promote in consequence every sort of ingenuity, which would make up abundantly the loss sustain'd by the spinners; besides the navigations which are proposed [i.e. the Wilts and Berks Canal] will furnish a great deal of work; but rather than attempt any thing so arbitrary & absurd as to stop the progress of the machinery, I am very clear it would be better to come to a general rise of wage, especially if every person was compell'd at the same time to belong to some amicable society ...".' Autograph, with signature.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
See hard copy catalogue.
Conditions governing access:
Access to this collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the supervised environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Please contact the University Archivist for details. 24 hours notice is required for research visits.
Conditions governing reproduction:
Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.
Physical characteristics:
Finding aids:
Typescript catalogue available in the Library's Palaeography Room.
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:
Accruals:
Archival history:
See archivist
Immediate source of acquisition:
Purchased from R C Hatchwell, 1963.
ALLIED MATERIALS
Existence and location of originals:
Existence and location of copies:
Presumably, Miss Treadwell retained the original letters after relinquishing these copies; the current whereabouts of the original letters is unknown.
Related material:
Publication note:
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Note:
Archivist's note: Compiled by Anya Turner.
Date(s) of descriptions: July 2008