More than 150 private press books from the library of Walter Lyon Blease, including the 5-volume Doves Press Bible of 1903-05, 31 titles from the Golden Cockerel Press, 21 Nonesuch Press titles, and examples from the Gregynog, Shakespeare Head, Chiswick, Argonaut, Cupid and Rodale Presses.
This significant gift forms an extremely valuable complement to the Noble and other private press collections, and extends their range through the 1920s - 1950s. The few inserted letters include one from Evan Gill inThe Devil's devices (Blease 77) - the first book for which Eric Gill did woodcuts - saying "there is ... no admirer of Eric's work with whom it gives me more pleasure to “share” his work than yourself." The collection was presented in 2000 by Professor Lyon Blease's daughter, Mrs Jane MacLachlan.
Professor Walter Lyon Blease (1884-1963) read Law at the University of Liverpool, was called to the Bar in 1906 and joined the staff of the Law Faculty in 1910; he served with the Red Cross during the 1st World War. From 1919 until his retirement in 1949 he returned to the University as Queen Victoria Professor of Law. Lyon Blease's published writings include The emancipation of English women (1910), Suvorof (1920) and pamphlets onThe Poor Law in Liverpool, 1681-1834 (c.1909) and Votes for Women(1913).
