Collection of ephemera and letters relating to the balloonist Charles Green

The collection comprises two autograph letters, three printed handbills advertising Green's ascents at Vauxhall and Standard Gardens in 1838, three admission tickets for ascents of which two were initialled by Green, and Green's visiting card.

The first letter is addressed to Mrs Hutton, Aerial Cottage, Highgate, 30 July 1844. It gives Green's résumé of more than 20 years of 'aerial excurtions [sic] ... I had the honor to make my first ascent by order of Government from the Green Park at the Coronation of Geo[rge] the 4th ... I proved the practicability of ascending with Carburetted Hydrogen (Coal Gas) being the first person that ever ascended with a Balloon so inflated. Since then I have made 299 ascents, 13 of which were Nocturnal and 548 persons has [sic] ascended with me Including 28 Ladies ... all of which reached the earth in perfect Safety except the unfortunate Mr Cocking who Liberated himself from the Nassau Balloon to descend with a parachute of his own Construction was killed by the fall'.

The second letter is addressed to an unidentified female recipient, Aerial Cottage, 4 October 1847 and discusses an account of a German ascent.