Correspondence with John Lawrence Le Breton Hammond (1872-1949), historian and journalist, relating to a request by Hammond to be considered for employment at the Manchester Guardian, with examples of previous work as a leader writer for The Leeds Mercury, and letters of recommendation for Hammond from S[idney] Ball, socialist, and senior tutor of St Johns College Oxford, Sir John Brunner, politician and businessman, and Edward Richard Russell, newspaper editor and proprietor. There is a letter of thanks from Hammond for congratulations from Scott on his appointment as editor of The Speaker, and discussion of Hammond's work as a reviewer for the Manchester Guardian, with reference to his work [for the ministry of reconstruction] during the [First World] war, and to [Charles Edward] Montague's work for the Intelligence department at the front. Also included is a code used by Hammond [to send encoded telegrams to the Manchester Guardian].
There is a request by Scott for Hammond's assistance on the leader writing staff of the Manchester Guardian, owing to the depletion of staff during the [First World] war, with discussion of whether this would be possible in addition to Hammond's war work, and with discussion of potential subjects for articles on Russia, Ireland, and politics in Austria and Germany. There are arrangements for Hammond to write articles from London, with discussion of salary. There is also discussion of Hammond's attendance at the [Versailles] peace conference as the paper's representative, with reference to form and content of coverage required by Scott, and to salary.
There is discussion of an offer by Scott of full time employment for Hammond at the Manchester Guardian as a leader writer, with reference to potential arrangements and salary, which is refused, owing to the precedence placed by Hammond on his work and collaboration with his wife, [Lucy Barbara Hammond, on social and economic history], and an inability to move to Manchester. There is also correspondence relating to Hammond's desire to continue to write for and to support the Manchester Guardian, and details of frequent visits by Hammond to Manchester to carry out a month's work for the paper, during which he stays as Scott's guest at The Firs. There are internal memoranda relating to payment for articles by Hammond.
Also included is correspondence relating to a further request by Scott that Hammond become a full-time member of the leader writing staff at the London office of the Manchester Guardian, which is accepted, with reference to the departure of [Charles Edward] Montague, journalist and novelist, from the paper, and the depletion of the staff on whom Scott feels he can rely to produce leader articles. There is discussion of terms of employment, salary and expenses, and related internal memoranda. There is discussion of leader articles on political affairs, on the land scheme and the work of the Land Inquiry committee, of members of staff at the paper, of requests for Hammond to write reviews of books, and reference to sittings by Scott for the bust produced by [Jacob] Epstein. There is also reference to the change to Baskerville as the type font used by the Manchester Guardian, and Scott's approval of this change.
There is correspondence relating to the end of Hammond's employment as a leader writer, with discussion of his continued contribution of articles to the Manchester Guardian on a frequent basis, accompanied by related internal memoranda. There is also discussion of disarmament and arbitration with relation to the [Geneva] protocol, political affairs in Cyprus, the importance of free trade, and the general state of the Liberal party. There is discussion of the sale of The Nation, and its purchase by John Maynard Keynes and his associates.
There is also correspondence between Hammond and E.T. Scott, relating to discussion of and requests for articles, reviews and obituaries produced by Hammond for publication in the Manchester Guardian, with internal memoranda relating to payment for Hammond's work, and reference to the process of delivering proofs of articles for correction. There is discussion of articles on the tactics of trade unionists in relation to negotiations on the cotton trade, historical parallels to trade unemployment, the change in the position of the church, colour prejudice in the British empire, a book on [Lord Edward] Grey, viscount and politician's speeches on foreign affairs, and a retrospective on the proposal for a capital levy. There is also discussion of the potential need to acquire copies of decisions and advisory opinions from The Hague. There is discussion of reviews of books by Hammond for the Manchester Guardian, including The Foreign Policy of Castlereagh by C.K. Webster, A Village Politician; the life story of John Buckley, by J.C. Buckmaster, the Letters of Queen Victoria, 1886-1901, edited by George Earle Buckle, The Unity of the World by Guglielmo Ferrero, The Making of Modern Lancashire by Alfred P. Wadsworth, andThe Milner Papers: South Africa 1897-1899, edited by Cecil Headlam.
There is correspondence relating to advice provided by Hammond when consulted on multiple occasions as to the employment of staff at the Manchester Guardian, with discussion of the leader writing department, and the recommendation by Hammond of numerous potential candidates. There are references to [Arthur] Ransome, [John Martin Douglas] Pringle, Ponsonby, Patrick J. Monkhouse, and [David] Ayerst. There is also discussion of the financial status of the Manchester Guardian, the need for economies to be made, the need for a decrease in staff and discussion of which staff members will leave, and of advertising revenue generated by the paper. There is discussion of the alleged support of the Manchester Guardian of a campaign in Evening Standard for the withdrawal subscriptions from the L.N.U. [League of Nations Union], and an expression of concern by Hammond that photograph of [Herbert] Du Parcq, judge, contains self-advertisement of the Manchester Guardian, which Hammond considers beneath the paper's dignity.
Also included is correspondence relating to discussion between Hammond and E.T. Scott of the coverage of political affairs in the Manchester Guardian, and the stance by the paper on subjects including the coal [mines act 1930], electoral reform and the defeat of the [representation of the people bill, 1930], the land tax [and income tax, 1931], and discussion of the Liberal party, the Labour party, their leadership, and the general election of 1931. There is discussion of Hammond's concern over the contents of published volume of Foreign Office archive material, with reference to [Joseph] Caillaux, prime minister, [Maurice] Rouvier, politician and [Lord Edward] Grey, viscount and politician. There is discussion of a request by Hammond, who proposes to take a holiday in London, as to whether the Manchester Guardian might provide a car for a return journey to Manchester, should Hammond be trapped by the bombing [during the Second World war], which is granted.
There is correspondence relating to discussion of C.P. Scott, with reference to a meeting between Scott and Molly [Mary Agnes] Hamilton, arranged by Hammond. There is also correspondence relating to discussion of C.P. Scott's welfare, with reference to a fall from his bike, and to expressions of concern by Hammond during Scott's final illness, with thanks from E.T. Scott for Hammond's assistance in writing leader articles during this time. There is also correspondence relating to the writing of C.P. Scott's biography by Hammond, with reference to length, form, sources, the arrangement and use of C.P. Scott's correspondence, and arrangements for Hammond to view Scott's letters. There is also a copy of a statement of appreciation made on the occasion of Hammond's 70th Birthday.
GDN/A/H19/3 - 5, 7-8A are leader articles entitled 'News Summary' [by Hammond] in The Leeds Mercury, 1898-1899.