LETTERS, ACCOUNTS & RECEIPTS, MIDDLE TEMPLE, ARCHIBALD PAULL BURT

Letters, accounts and receipts, mainly pertaining to Archibald Paul Burt's payment of Duties to Middle Temple. Dates ranging from 1845-1881.
Fourteen items. (Included are three pairs of cheques issued after the death of AP Burt on 21 November 1879.)
a) Handwritten note from Henry Sweet of 1 Chancery Lane, London dated 4 Nov 1845. Confirming arrangements for Burt to attend an occasion at Middle Temple.
b) Middle Temple Bill of Duties account dated 1845 to AP Burt for £10/11/5. Printed invoice (single sheet of paper) with handwritten amounts filled in. (AP Burt was called to the bar at Middle Temple on 21 November 1845.)
c) Small handwritten receipt dated 5 Nov 1845 from Middle Temple sub-treasurer (W Eldred) to AP Burt acknowledging payment of his account £10/11/5.
d) Standard size envelope addressed to AP Burt, Western Australia from TH Dakyns, Middle Temple. London postmark "London. E.C. / 6 / Oc 2 / 65".
e) Undated printed circular from TH Dakyns, Middle Temple referring to a decision made by the organisation on 2 June 1865. This was that a member, after being called to the bar, would have the option of paying £14 in full discharge of all duties and dues, chargeable at £1 per year. This circular was sent with a Middle Temple invoice for £20 for Duties for the Year 1865 (see 1987.23f). AP Burt refers to the receipt of this circular in a 25 December 1865 letter to Dakyns in his letterbook containing copies of private business correspondence 1861-1875.
f) September 1865 Middle Temple invoice no. 1565 to AP Burt for £20, Duties for the Year 1865. This invoice was sent with a printed circular referring to a new option of the payment of duties and dues (see 1987.23e). After Burt received the circular and this invoice, he wrote to TH Dakyns, Under Treasurer, Middle Temple on 25 December 1865 querying the outstanding account. He wished to clarify if he was in default because he had been abroad. It had been his understanding that while he was away his dues to Middle Temple were suspended. A copy of Burt's December letter is recorded in his letter book containing copies of private business correspondence 1861-1875.
g-1) Response by TH Dakyns dated 26 February 1866 to Burt's letter of 25 December 1865 querying his outstanding account with Middle Temple. The handwritten letter (some of which is missing due to damage) appears to include further clarification of the ruling pertaining to serving in the colonies and the payment of future duties. Accompanying the letter was invoice g-2)
In Burt's 1861-1875 private business letter book on 21 Apr 1866 Burt acknowledges receipt of Dakyn's Feb 1866 letter and invoice and in a reply indicates he will be forwarding three money orders to settle the account and for commutation of future duties. He again mentioned he had been unaware that he had been in arrears because he had not been informed of this situation at any time over the last 20 years.
g-2) Middle Temple copy of invoice to AP Burt for £19/13/2 for past fees due over two time periods following Burt’s call to the bar in 1845, viz. “Up to 1852” & “Up to 1866”. (Appears to be calculated using the option mentioned in circular 1987.23e for commutation of duties when the lump sum of £14 is paid for a 14-year period.)
h) Middle Temple receipt number 230 dated 19 June 1866 acknowledging payment by AP Burt of £28/8/2 (made up of two amounts £19/13/2 & £8/15/-). Burt refers to these amounts in his 21 April 1866 letter to TH Dakyns, Under Treasurer, Middle Temple when indicating he was settling the accounts owing. On 26 Sept 1866 Burt wrote again to Dakyns requesting confirmation that his payment had been accepted because he had received no acknowledgement yet.
i) Small handwritten receipt, indecipherable signature & date, acknowledging payment by AP Burt of £3/6/6.
j) Letter addressed to AP Burt from W Purdue, Treasury Office, Middle Temple, indecipherable date (possibly 23 Feb 1867). Indecipherable handwriting for the most part, possibly confirming the commutation of all future duties by AP Burt. The last paragraph included an apology for the delay, presumably in communicating this to Burt.
k) Two copies of National Bank of A'Asia bank cheque number 2155 for £47/3/- dated 2 December 1879 and payable to AH Linnington.
l) Two copies of National Bank of A'Asia bank cheque number 2581 for £55/14/- dated 25 November 1881 and payable to Edmund W Burt. Edmund Wigley Burt, born 1846, was the son of AP Burt. He is assumed to be the intended beneficiary of this cheque.
m) Two copies of National Bank of A'Asia bank cheque number 2582 for £55/14/- dated 25 November 1881 and payable to Frederick A Burt. Frederick Augustus Burt, born 1840, was the son of AP Burt. He is assumed to be the intended beneficiary of this cheque.