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Gardiner, Ralph;
Two EARLY works on the English coal trade on the River Tyne Englands Grievance Discovered, In relation to the Coal-Trade with the Map of the River of Tine, and Situation of the Town and Corporation of Newcastle... [bound with] The Conservatorship of the River Tyne.
Publisher: D. Akenhead and Sons; M. A. Richardson; J. Russel Smith; Newcastle; Newcastle; London;
Date of Publication: 1849
Stock Code: 12226
Two works bound in one. Octavo, pp. [2], viii, 216 and pp. 108.


Gardiner’s Grievance: second edition; complete with the engraved folding plan of the river and 20 engraved plates. The Conservatorship of the River Tyne is the first (and only) printing and one of 150 copies only, complete with folding genealogical table. Bound in later brown diced full morocco, gilt fillet frames to boards, 5 gilt tooled raised spine bands, red morocco spine label with gilt titles, marbled text-block edges, combed marbled endpapers. Board edges lightly rubbed, gilt bright. Small neat ownership inscription “William Bramble of Benwell Hall, 1900”, the now demolished Northumberland mansion, to title-page. With some marginalia in soft pencil throughout. Light offsetting to some plates. Folding map and plates free from nicks or tears. A sturdy near fine copy. One of the earliest books relating to the English coal trade and an important treatise originally published to interest Cromwell and his fellow parliamentarians in the troubles of Newcastle Upon Tyne. Gardner’s diatribe against the Newcastle Corporation’s draconian control of trade on the River Tyne (Gardner was himself imprisoned without charge for five months for brewing beer and ship repair in Chirton and North Shields, before dramatically escaping) accuses the Corporation of misuse of its royal charter and rampant corruption. The preservation of the navigability of the River Tyne for the more economic transportation of coal is requested along with protection for the inhabitants of the town; the benefits resulting from improved living conditions for the inhabitants are also pointed out. Bound with a “rebut[tal] to the malevolent accusations of Gardiner” here reprinted from the original manuscript account of the defence made by the corporation against Gardiner’s charges in 1653 (preface). This is the first time the manuscript appeared in print, and with a very limited print run of only 150 copies, the work is rare. The Printer, Moses Aaron Richardson, made a name for himself in Newcastle for his series of reprints of rare historical tracts, each mostly limited to 100 copies. £280.00