(no subject)

[in_stead]

(I am in the archives with collection 1/folio 1 of STEAD'S PAPERS in front of me. There are 61 volumes in 9 boxes.)

(OH. EM. EFF. GEE.)

(*very tiny flail so as not to upset the papers or otherwise call attention to myself so that the archive people realise what they have done in letting me in and come to their senses and kick me out*)

(ps: they have wireless here.)

Comments

[mcee.livejournal.com]

i just drooled a little.

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MEEEE.

[in-stead.livejournal.com]

Corrupted you irreversibly, I can only hope.

Here, from the archives -- a letterhead of some amusement:

Marriage Law Reform Association
Instituted 15th January 1851
For the exclusive object of promoting an alteration and amendment of the law as to marriage with a deceased wife's sister.

President -- The Earl of Dunraven, K.P.
Vice-Presidents -- The Duke of Sutherland, the Earl of Crewe, the Earl of Fortesque, the Marquess of Waterford, the Earl of Wharcliff
Chairman of the Committee -- Sir W.J.R. Cotton
Treasurer -- Charles R. Haig, Esq.
Secretary -- T. Paynter Allen

The letter carries on to have nothing at all to do with marriage, marriage law, or the marrying of one's dead wife's sister.

[mcee.livejournal.com]

i'm almost... disappointed. what can be more interesting that debating the ethics of shtupping your sister in law!

[in-stead.livejournal.com]

ALSO -- I like being right. From the introduction of the index to the collection:

The papers of William Thomas Stead were given to the Churchill Archives Centre by his grandson, Mr. W K Stead in December 1986. They had been passed on t him by Stead's daughter, Estelle. The papers arrived in good order, having been previously sorted by Dr J O Baylon when he started his biography of Stead.

Translation: He sat on them. Despite their being donated for public use. He planted his wrinkly old man butt down on them and horded organised them before handing them over for public use as the younger Mr. Stead had originally intended them to be.

[mcee.livejournal.com]

YOU LOST ME AT "WRINKLY OLD MAN BUTT".