Antiquarian Auctions

Auction #114 begins on 11 Apr 2024

Pickering, Lt A McC R

Diary. Book 1. 14 December 1917 to 29 March 1918

Published: Unpublished manuscript, (Wareham, Dorset), 1918

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We've not been about to find anything about Lieutenant Pickering apart from what appears in the diary. He was in the Surrey Yeomanry, also known as Queen Mary's restaurant. His brother, a fellow officer, died in combat and a copy of the 3-pp letter from his (Lt-Col) commanding officer to his wife is bound into the diary: "I had selected him and his section for special work, in what I knew was a dangerous position, because I had such great confidence in his pluck and ability."

The diary starts with a very long foreword, started on 14 December 1917 and occupying perhaps two-fifths of the unpaginated but appoximately 240 pp thread-sewn exercise book. This foreword discusses famous diaries and explains that the writer wanted to do a good job with his own diary, which then runs from 1 January to 29 March 1918. A superficial examination indicates that for the whole of this period the writer is in invalid barracks in England though trying to get reposted to the front.

The unlabelled dark-blue paper boards are rubbed and there is a small material loss at the spine ends. The contents have stood up well and Pickering's writing on ruled pages (21 lines to the page) remains clear. There is no discolouration.

The diary might attract another Pickering or a collector interested in the Surrey Yeomanry or Queen Mary's Regiment. But we have selected the lowest reserve as we cannot accurately value the item ourselves.

  • Binding Condition: Fair
  • Overall Condition: Good
  • Size: 200 x 160
  • Sold By: Fontein Books
  • Contact Person: Richard Proctor-Sims
  • Country: South Africa
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Telephone: 051 773 0050/048 079 546 4032
  • Preferred Payment Methods: Eft (South Africa), SWIFT (rest of world), or $ checks for US or Australian buyers
  • Trade Associations: AA Approved


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