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Auction: 18038 - Autographs, Historical Documents, Ephemera and Postal History
Lot: 3157

Autographs
Russia
Bolshevik Revolution, 1920
1920, a hand-written account the story of William Hopper during the Bolshevik Revolution, The forty two pages likely to have been intended for publication that detail the development of the Bolshevik Revolution and the conditions within prison camps. This along with an envelope addressed to Hopper in Surrey containing further notes and a type written letter on 'Unionist Central Office' letter paper from Philip G. Cambray. in response to Hopper's attempts to publish his accounts, dated 4 August 1921, "They are interesting but they contain nothing out of the common and I fear that the public is rather tired of accounts of life in Russia under the Bolshevicks.". Photo

William Hopper of the Scottish Hopper family, members of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. In 1842 William Hopper moved to Moscow to open an iron foundry and machine works. Between 1918-1920, Hopper was arrested three times after being accused of aiding the 'escape' of his brother and had his companies seized by the Bolsheviks without ever being given a reason for being held. His account records the conditions of imprisonment under the Bolsheviks, the kind of food served, the general conditions, the other prisoners, the methods of interrogation, and the ways in which Hopper attempted to protect his rights through contact with the Swedish Consulate.

During and after release from his third imprisonment, Hopper fell very ill, eventually leaving with the third batch of refugees on 12 April where he met the Rev. Mr. North. Hopper concludes his narrative by paying thanks to Mr. and Mrs. North for their aid during their return to England. Included is a long printed summary of the contents.

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Estimate
£600 to £650