Private Press Smith James (1 results)

Various colours. James Smith, the Oxford Street Ballad Seller, is photographed on p.184 of Leslie Shepard's 'The Broadside Ballad' 1962. With the cards is an ALS from him to Leslie Shepard with a carbon copy of Shepard's reply 11th November 1954 and a TLS from the Bethnal Green Central Public Library 1962 giving information about Smith, who lost an arm and leg in a workplace accident in 1930. Smith describes his career as a travelling seller but does not answer Shepard's pencilled questions about how he started writing. On some cards he gives his age as 65. The poems are on political and topical subjects: Why Hitler Hates Stalin, What Our Seamen Think "post to someone", West the Tipster, That's Stalin, The Dictator (after Charlies Chaplin) &c.…