John Richard Stubbs goes to Middlesbrough, February 1861

John Stubbs' Manifold Letter Writer contains the carbons of letters written between 1860 and 1871.  

He began in mid-August 1860 by looking for a post, writing in reply to various advertisements and placing an advertisement himself in the Law Times:

A Gentleman recently admitted wishes to pass a year or two in an office of Good General Practice either in Town or Country.  Improvement being more an object than remuneration. 

Address  J.R.S care of Messrs Waterlow & Sons Law Stationers 24 & 25 Birchin Lane London

No satisfactory job offers were forthcoming, and by early 1861 he had taken a bold decision.  He wrote on 14 February to a friend in London:

Boroughbridge
14 Feby 1861

My dear Sharpe
    I have been so strongly recommended to try Middlesbro’ that I have taken an Office there & am going next week.  I can only leave it if I find anything better turns up.  I have got an introduction to Mr Crosby the County Court Registrar at Stockton & to Mr Brewster the principal Solicitor in Middlesbro who received me in a very friendly way & I hope to get a few more introductions to some of the leading people in the neighbourhood.  If you can do me any good I shall feel greatly obliged & now I am going to give you a great deal of trouble but if you will undertake for me you will save me a journey to Town & that is to select a library for me  I enclose a List of Books which I shall want & if you can improve upon it please do so & I need not say let me have the latest editions.  Butterworths sent me a Circular in which they say they send books Carriage free & allow 10 per lb but I fancy it ought to be 20 pr lb discount.  If you will ascertain the cost of the books I will send you the Cash & I should not like the parcel to be sent off until next Wednesday or Thursday when it can be addressed to me at Middlesbro' as I hope to be there next Thursday.  Should you ever come my way I shall be exceedingly glad to see you.  I shall only be 6 miles from the Watering Place Redcar -
I am My dear Sharpe
Yours very truly
J R Stubbs

J A Sharpe Esqre

Luckily, the carbon for this letter is quite dark - some are very hard to read.  He attached a List of Books:

Some work on preparing Abstracts
Archbolds Landlord & Tenant
Chitty on Contracts
Brooms County Court Practise
Okes Magisterial Synopsis
Sugdens Vendors & Purchasers
Stephens Lush’s Common Law Practise
Stephens Com. Law Procedure Act 23 & 24 Vic c 126
Allnutts Wills
Hughes’ Conveyancing
Rouses Practical Man
Lawyers Companion for 1861 edited by H. Moore Esqre
Jarmans Precedents for Wills
Roscoes Nisi Prius
Addison on Torts
A Work on Solrs General Costs
Kains Cash Journal        Kains Ledger Journal  ruled for carrying out Kains System    
Law Journal Reports for 1860 unbound if you can get them as I have 5 yrs previously to 1860 unbound

Unfortunately, his diary for 1861 has not survived.  So disappointing for Middlesbrough historians!