Bidspirit auction | PEARSALL SMITH ALYS: (1867-1951)

PEARSALL SMITH ALYS: (1867-1951) - PEARSALL SMITH ALYS: (1867-1951) American-born British Quaker relief organiser, the first wife of Bertrand Russell from 1894 until their divorce in 1921. A.L.S., Alys Russell , three pages, 8vo, Court Place, Iffley, Oxford, 10th February 1910, to Lady Ottoline Morrell ( ´My dear Ottoline´ ). Russell states that the Liberal Women had met yesterday and expressed their sadness at the defeat of Philip Morrell in the General Election, remarking ´They are all devoted to him & to you, & they cheered warmly when I told them about the Gladstone League & Mr. Morrell´s having been chosen Treasurer´ , further expressing her pleasure at knowing that Miss. lambourne is staying on for the time being, and suggesting that she might find some employment with the Women´s Liberal Federation that would help with her salary, adding ´I do like her so very much to work with, & we must keep Liberalism alive about here, though we no longer have you & Mr. Morrell to inspire us´ . Russell concludes with a reference to her husband, ´Bertie sends many thanks to Mr. Morrell for his kind letter. We are rested after a little walking-tour in Devon, & we hope that you will have a very nice Italian journey & come back thoroughly rested´ . A letter of interesting association. Two small, neat splits to the right edges of the central horizontal fold, VG Lady Ottoline Morrell (1873-1938) English aristocrat and society hostess whose patronage was influential in artistic and intellectual circles. Morrell was known to have had many lovers and conducted a long affair with Bertrand Russell, beginning in March 1911 (just over a year after the present letter was written). Philip Morrell (1870-1943) British Liberal politician who served as Member of Parliament for Henley from 1902-10.