Quantity Of Papers And A Letter Associated With Hugh Molson M.P., Sir. Anthony Eden, The Suez Crisis, Philip Wilson Steer – Artist And Donald Sutherland Maccoll - Artist

The bundle contains items associated with Hugh Molson M.P., ( 1903-1991 ) including a hand-written letter, in pencil, that appears to be a draft copy of a resignation letter from Molson to Sir. Anthony Eden, the then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, over Molson’s concerns regarding the ongoing Suez Crisis of 1956. The letter is unsigned and undated and has several corrections/additions, in blue ink. Also included is a hand-written list, in blue ink and in the same hand-writing, which shows the pros and cons for the resignation. Hugh Molson was a member of Eden’s government in the position of joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, a position he had held since the Churchill premiership, since 1953, having taken over from John Profumo. I can find no evidence that Molson’s resignation was actually accepted by Eden. However, he fell foul of Eden’s post-Suez resignation in January 1957 and, under the new premiership of Harold Macmillan, was moved to The Ministry of Works. In 1961 he was appointed a Life Peer as Baron Molson of High Peak in the County of Derbyshire, his parliamentary seat. He died in 1991. During his life he was a collector of art, including the works of Philip Wilson Steer (1860-1942). In the bundle are a number of receipts and invoices from Sotheby’s, Agnew Art Dealers etc., for the sale and restoration of some of Steer’s works, including his ‘Rape of the Sabines’. A catalogue of Steer’s works of art, featured in a 1960 Centenary Exhibition of art is included, as is an ‘In Memoriam’ programme for the unveiling of a Memorial Slab for Steer, at St. Paul’s Cathedral, which took place in 1943. This programme was sent to Molson by Scottish water colour painter and critic Donald Sutherland McColl, and is signed by him, in ink, at the top of the front cover.