HC Deb 13 July 1950 vol 477 c114W
Mr. Wyatt

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what was the reason for the refusal of the authorities of the British Museum to allow Dr. Randolph Hughes to see Ashley MS.1755, letters by Simeon Solomon, Ashley MS.5081, letters from A. C. Swinburne to C. A. Howell, Ashley MS.5256, a poem by A. C. Swinburne, Ashley MSS. 5271, 5751, A4395, A4406, and B4436b, verses, A4464b, letter from A. C. Swinburne to T. Watts-Dunton, for a period of one year.

Mr. Jay

It is regretted that in 1948, owing to a misunderstanding in the Department of Manuscripts of the Trustees' regulations and instructions for the custody of these papers, Dr. Hughes was led to believe that he could not have further access to these manuscripts without the special permission of the Trustees. It was only recently that these facts came to the notice of the Keeper of the Department, who at once saw Dr. Hughes and explained to him the misunderstanding which had arisen.