Sir Frederick Ouseley – Autograph Letter Signed (ALS) to Canon Musgrave, Tenbury Wells – St Michael’s College Letterhead – Agricultural Benevolent Institution (R.A.B.I.) – 22 November 1878
DESCRIPTION
A fine and historically significant autograph letter signed by Sir Frederick Arthur Gore Ouseley (1825–1889), eminent composer, organist, Oxford Professor of Music, Precentor and Canon Residentiary of Hereford Cathedral, and founder of St Michael’s College, Tenbury.
Written on St Michael’s College letterhead, bearing the Latin crest “Collegium Sancti Michaelis”, and addressed to Canon William Ponsonby Musgrave (1810–1881), Canon Residentiary of Hereford Cathedral and one of Ouseley’s closest ecclesiastical colleagues.
The letter concerns Ouseley’s voting rights in the Agricultural Benevolent Institution (later the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution – R.A.B.I.), a major Victorian charity providing pensions and relief grants to impoverished agricultural labourers. Senior clergy such as Ouseley and Musgrave held voting interests to determine which candidates received support.
TRANSCRIPTION
Tenbury Novr 22nd 1878
My dear Musgrave I am sorry to say my vote & interest in the Agricl Benet Instn are already engaged on behalf of another Candidate, & I therefore cannot help yours. Yours very sincerely Frederick Ouseley
RECIPIENT: CANON WILLIAM PONSONBY MUSGRAVE (1810–1881)
Musgrave was a senior Hereford Cathedral cleric and a close associate of Ouseley. He:
Preached Ouseley’s memorial sermon at Hereford Cathedral.
Praised Ouseley’s musical authority, devotion to the Church, and personal character.
Was present at Ouseley’s funeral.
Appears in the subscriber list to Memorials of Frederick Arthur Gore Ouseley.
Held voting rights in the Agricultural Benevolent Institution, matching the content of this letter exactly.
This places the correspondence firmly within the Hereford–Tenbury ecclesiastical and musical network of the late 19th century.
CONTEXT
This letter is a rare surviving example of Victorian clerical charity administration. The Agricultural Benevolent Institution operated through a formal voting system: clergy, landowners, and subscribers cast votes to determine which aged or infirm agricultural labourers received pensions. Ouseley’s polite refusal reflects the scarcity of votes and the diplomatic exchanges typical of the period.
The combination of:
St Michael’s College crest
Ouseley’s signature
Canon Musgrave as recipient
R.A.B.I. voting content
makes this an unusually rich and well‑documented piece of ecclesiastical and musical history.
Condition as photos. Guaranteed Original. All items can be returned for a full refund if found to be not as described.
Sir Frederick Arthur Gore Ouseley, 2nd Baronet (Aug 1825 – Apr 1889), was an English composer, organist, musicologist and priest.
PROVENANCE:
One of c.2,500+ items once from the collection or dealer stock of Winifred A Myers (Autographs) Ltd, St Martins Lane, London, evidenced by the quantity of Myers pre-printed envelopes and paper folders and the general ‘presentation’ of the items, many having Myers identification notes in pencil.
Winifred Alice Myers (1909 - 1985) served as ABA (Antiquarian Booksellers Assoc) president, 1950-1952. See the ABA website for an extended article on Myers. Myers left her business, in 1985, to Ruth Shepherd, who traded from home until 2004.
Complete with digital .jpg CoA - as photo - for you to print if needed
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