AUTOGRAPH LETTERS OF PRIVATE GEORGE LIPSHAM

Bound volume containing 30 autograph letters by Private George Lipsham, Victoria & St. George’s Rifles, C,I,V., addressed to his mother in Sydenham, covering his entire service in South Africa from his departure from Southampton in January 1900 to his return to England the following October. Bound in sequence with 14 original stamped and postmarked envelopes, and much related ephemera, a letter from Lipsham's colleague in civil employment in Conduit Street, and a campaign letter from a cousin in South Africa (November 1901).

Approximately 150 pages, the letters and ephemera are neatly mounted on hinges and attractively bound by Wood of London in full crimson morocco, inner gilt dentelles and marbled endpapers. The upper covers bears the coat of arms of the C.I.V.in gilt with white inlay. Titled gilt on the spine 'Letters from South Africa 1900. Contained in a red cloth slip case.'

A complete series of Private Lipshams letters covering the advance of the C.I.V. to Bloemfontein and onward to Johannesburg and Pretoria. From Kroonstad, 14th May 1900 he writes, '...at daybreak the fire began, the Boers had the exact range and we should have been smasked if we had had to cross in the fire....shells were bursting 20 yards from us & whizzing by our heads in two and threes. It is funny how one has the feeling of wanting to duck. The nearest touch I had was a piece of shell whizzed by me & struck the man next to me on the shoulder gouging a piece out of his straps & nearly breaking his collar bone. Quite near enough for me.' In June 1900 he speculates that he would be coming home soon but as the war continued his company was posted to Heilbron and Frederickstad where they took part in actions in pursuit of De Wet.

The added ephemera include: two ticket for the departure service at St. Pauls Cathedral, eve of departure supper menu at Inner Temple Hall (12th January 1900). "Aurania" troop transport menu (15 October 1900), a dried snake skin, Raphael Tuck C.I.V. postcard and 'Welcome Home Menu (Holborn Restaurant, 10 November 1900).