Correspondence of James Pearse with Charles Bradlaugh (1833-1891), 20 Circus Road, St. John’s Wood, London. The letters refer to various publications on atheist and secularist issues by Bradlaugh and to Pearse’s dealings with the former’s publishing house. In a letter (29 September 1884) Bradlaugh wrote ‘As we have started a completely equipped printing office at 67 Fleet Street in addition to our publishing department we shall be pleased if at any time you can favour us with any commands for printing’. A copy letter from Pearse to Bradlaugh (5 December 1884) noted that it has been ‘six weeks since my pamphlet “Socialism a curse” was issued from your office’. A letter (4 July 1885) from Bradlaugh reads ‘I have heard some of your pamphlets [are] highly spoken of by friends. I am glad you liked the Birmingham meeting’. A letter (2 July 1885) from Pearse to Bradlaugh reads ‘I am placed in a very paradoxical position – an image maker by profession and an image breaker by inclination’. He adds ‘I have been dangling – to use a scriptural phrase – between Hell and Heaven for the last twenty five years of my life: only that I reverse the meaning of the words: - everything appertaining to ecclesiasticism I regard as the former; and to be free of which, I regard as the latter’. A letter (7 July 1885) from Pearse reads ‘The fact is I am extremely disgusted with what I read in this morning’s papers, especially the action of the ungrateful Irish Party’. A letter (16 Sept. 1889) from Bradlaugh reads ‘it is quite impossible for me to print in the “National Reformer” anything which William Stewart Ross prints in the “Agnostic Review” as he has ‘circulated the very vilest libels about me’. In a letter (17 Sept. 1889) Pearse writes ‘I have written a letter to the “Agnostic Journal” upon [the] same subject (agnosticism and atheism) principally because my name was mentioned therein’.
Copy letter from James Pearse to Charles Bradlaugh. The letter reads ‘I am placed in a very paradoxical position – an image maker by profession and an image breaker by inclination’. He adds ‘I have been dangling – to use a scriptural phrase – between Hell and Heaven for the last twenty five years of my life: only that I reverse the meaning of the words: - everything appertaining to ecclesiasticism I regard as the former; and to be free of which, I regard as the latter’.
Letters to James Pearse from Arthur Bonner, 20 Circus Road, St. John’s Wood, London, providing an estimate for the printing of Pearse’s manuscript titled ‘Socialism’. Includes an Invoice from the Freethought Publishing Company to Pearse for the printing of one thousand copies of ‘Socialism a curse’. The letters (from 1889) refer to the poor health of Charles Bradlaugh (1883-1891).
Letter to James Pearse from Battersby & Co., auctioneers & valuers, 6 Westmoreland Street, Dublin, re a half yearly rent on the former’s property at 27 Great Brunswick Street in Dublin.
Letter from Barry Collins, solicitor, 17 Lower Ormond Quay, Dubin, to James Pearse, 42 Great Brunswick Street, Dublin. 2 Apr. 1878. Refers to an outstanding mortgage on the Johnston premises.
Balance sheet and account for the partnership of P. J. O’Neill and James Pearse, monumental works, Great Brunswick Street, Dublin. Sept. 1876-3 Nov. 1877. Includes list of debts due to the firm. Most of the clients are seemingly clergymen. Total debts due are noted as £2,284 13s 1d.
Copy deed of indenture re the ownership of premises at No. 27 Great Brunswick Street in Dublin. The deed notes that that house and premises at the address is owned by Thomas Lloyd, 14 Longwood Avenue, Dublin. The copy deed was sent to James Pearse, 27 Brunswick Street, Dublin.
Five cartes de visite of sculptural monuments related to the workshop of James Pearse, 27 Great Brunswick Street, Dublin. Some of cards are annotated by James Pearse. Two of the images are described as the ‘Pulpit / Inchicore / Rough model’. One of the cards is annotated on the reverse ‘Pearse & [Edward Sharpe, sculptors]’. One of the cards is credited to the studio of William Lawrence, photographer, 5 & 7 O’Connell Street, Dublin. The decoration of the altar and communion rail in the Church of Mary Immaculate on Tyrconnell Road in Inchicore, Dublin, was crafted by James Pearse. This prominent church was built for the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate between 1875 and 1880.
