Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1971 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
4 items, paper
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Name of creator
Biographical history
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
One letter from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart and three letters from Ian Stewart to Christopher Blunt:
(a) letter from Ian Stewart to Christopher Blunt, manuscript, one folio (recto & verso), dated from St George's Road, London SE1, on 10 January 1971, thanking CEB for his invitation and asking about arrangements. He looks forward to discussing the editorship and agrees that John Brand would make a good [BNS] officer.
(b) letter from Ian Stewart to Christopher Blunt, manuscript, one folio (recto & verso), dated from St George's Road, London SE1, on 31 January 1971, referring to a coin that he describes as interesting because it is overstruck, has unusual typology and has an inscription ending in a form of ND that he wasn't able to find anywhere. He offers the coin to CEB since he is more likely to identify it and thanks him for the enjoyable weekend. In a postscript, he says that it is a third of a penny that he acquired from Seaby in 1955 but has no pedigree.
(c) letter from Christopher Blunt to Ian Stewart, manuscript, single page, dated 14 March 1971, saying that he will soon need to tell his co-editors of the BNJ about his intention to step down from the editorship as soon as the volume now in press is done. He says that he will be happy to help his successor but is not prepared to act as a buffer between the new editor and [Michael] Dolley, stressing that his main reasons for stepping down are that he has been editing the BNJ for too long and that he finds dealing with Dolley increasingly difficult and unpleasant and wishes to rid himself of that unpleasantness. He writes to IS rather than Stuart Rigold because already knows the background; he welcomes him to show the letter to Rigold but otherwise asks that he treat it the matter in confidence.
(d) letter from Ian Stewart to Christopher Blunt, manuscript, one folio (recto & verso), dated from St George's Road, London SE1, on 18 March 1971, acknowledging that it would right for CEB to advise his co-editors in haste since some "fairly prompt moves" will be necessary to ensure the smooth operation of the BNJ. He also says that CEB is "right about not being a buffer" and sympathises with him that [Michael] "Dolley's behaviour has been such an unnecessary burden. He hope that leaving the editorship will give CEB more time to pursue his own work.