Correspondence between WSC and Samuel Smethurst [Lancashire cotton mill-owner and Vice-Chairman of Oldham Conservative Association], chiefly while WSC was MP for Oldham, on subjects including: Smethurst's concern about WSC's support for Free Trade, Liberalism and 5th Lord Rosebery; the possibility of a new middle-ground political party led by Rosebery or a less radical Conservative Party; the difficulties of WSC leaving the Conservatives and his own moderate political views and dislike of extremism; the appointment of a new magistrate for Oldham; the possible closure of the Wesleyan Oldham Greenacres School; WSC's belief that Joseph Chamberlain [Secretary of State for the Colonies] would leave the Conservative Government over Tariff Reform; poor relief for mill workers; differences between WSC and the Oldham Conservatives over his support for Free Trade following Chamberlain's campaign for Imperial Preference and WSC's decision not to stand again as a Conservative candidate; negotiations with the local Labour Party; WSC's view that the Government could not stand much longer; the influence of Macaulay on WSC's own writing style; negotiations between the National Federation of Building Trades Employers [of which Smethurst had been president], the Trades Unions and the War Priorities Committee over wages and labour conditions for Government contracts.

Also includes a sketch of Smethurst and an extract from his biography, "Last of the Dinosaurs", by George Smethurst, on subjects including his relations with WSC.