Sir James Whitehead 1p Autograph Letter ALS 1890 Orphan Working School 2 Votes For Sale

SIR JAMES WHITEHEAD, 1st BARONET – AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED (ALS) Highfield House, Catford Bridge, Kent – 26 June 1890 Support for candidate J. A. Lewis – Orphan Working School – “2 Votes”

A crisp and characteristic Victorian charitable endorsement note from Sir James Whitehead (1822–1893), prominent Liberal politician, Lord Mayor of London (1888–89), and long‑serving governor and patron of multiple London benevolent institutions.

Written from his private residence, Highfield House, Catford Bridge, Kent, the letter asks that “the Master” support the case of J. A. Lewis for admission to the Orphan Working School (later the Royal Alexandra School). Whitehead notes that he has “2 Votes” to allocate — a direct reference to the school’s long‑standing election system, in which patrons cast votes for candidates seeking entry.

This is a classic example of Victorian philanthropic bureaucracy: short, formal, and entirely functional, yet revealing the networks of civic patronage that underpinned London’s charitable institutions. Whitehead’s involvement with the Orphan Working School is well documented, and letters of this type are typical of his post‑mayoral charitable activity.

A desirable piece of London charitable history, combining a named civic figure, a dated endorsement, and a direct reference to the school’s election process.

Condition as photos. All items can be returned for a full refund if found to be not as described.

Sir James Whitehead, 1st Baronet DL (Mar 1834 – Oct 1917) was a British merchant and Liberal Party class="MsoNormal">From a single owner collection of 3,000+ items. A chaotic uncatalogued miscellany of items from 17th to 20th Century.

Containing, amongst many other things: ALSs (Autograph Letters Signed); Signed Photos, Posters, Ephemera, Album pages; Clipped Signatures; Signed Free Fronts; Misc Manuscript Items; etc, etc.

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