Letter 14
BR TO THE HOME SECRETARY / SIR GEORGE CAVE, 6 JUNE 1918
BRACERS 57177. ALS. National Archives, UK. Papers 14: App. XIII.4
Previous Brixton letter, BRACERS 19311; next letter, BRACERS  46919
Edited by K. Blackwell, A. Bone, N. Griffin and S. Turcon

<petition form>1
H.M. Prison Brixton
6 June 19182

To the Right Honourable His Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for the Home Department.

Sir,

I am petitioning for permission to see on business weekly (not as regular visitors) Professor H. Wildon Carr,3 107 Church Street, Chelsea, S.W, and Dr. A.N. Whitehead, 97 Coleherne Court, Earl’s Court, S.W, or whichever happens to be available in any week. It is important to the carrying on of philosophical work4 that I should have opportunities for discussion with these two.5

Yours faithfully
Bertrand Russell

• 1

  [document] The letter was edited from a digital scan of the signed, handwritten original, a blue petition form in the National Archives, UK. The verso of the single sheet is quoted in note 3 below. The petition was approved by “C. Haynes”, the prison Governor. The addressee’s formal title was printed on the form (see the image). The letter was published as App. XIII.4 in Papers 14.

• 2

  [date] The date was written in another hand on the form in which the petitioner (i.e., BR) filled his portion with the above letter.

• 3

  Carr Captain Haynes minuted on the verso of the petition: “Professor Carr has already applied for permission to visit Russell and, by direction of the Commissioners, his application has been referred to the Visiting Committee for their recommendation” (6 June 1918). A further note, dated six days later, stated that a letter from the Visiting Committee was attached. Its contents are unknown.

• 4

  philosophical work This was BR’s state-approved job in prison, for which he won “marks” at the end, leading to earlier than expected remission of his sentence.

• 5

  discussion with these two The petition was successful. BR had a “business” visit from Carr on Friday, 21 June and one from Whitehead on Monday, 24 June (Letter 27).