The collection consists of about a hundred autograph letters by nineteenth-century British politicians, clergymen, and men of letters, the majority of which are addressed to the Rev. William Denton. Although not a Christian Socialist in the classic sense, Denton took up the cause of the poor in his city parish (St Bartholomew, Cripplegate), and many of the letters reflect the political battles he fought to promote their welfare. The other significant strand in these letters is Denton's concern for the people of the Balkans. In 1876 when there were allegations of massacres of Bulgarian Christians under Ottoman rule, he played a prominent part --also reflected in this collection (see particularly the letters from W. E. Gladstone)--in bringing this to the attention of the world. Apart from those letters addressed to Denton, there are also letters addressed to other contemporary figures. It is not clear how they came to be in this collection, but it may be through chance or acquaintance. Of particular interest is an important draft letter from the tractarian clergyman William John Butler, responding to the criticisms of his Catholic contemporary Henry James Coleridge.