With a movingly halting inscription “For Michael with love & thanks Jean London New Years Day”. Michael Henshaw was an accountant, but the most rock and roll of accountants, who represented a remarkable swathe of artistic types in their battles with the Inland Revenue. Barry Miles’ characteristically elegant Guardian obituary described his later career thus “Michael’s unorthodox approach sometimes caused mayhem. Many clients left, horrified at unexpected tax bills; others had problems getting their papers back - there seemed to be a black hole into which his files vanished. His method of dealing with the Revenue was a mixture of stonewalling, combined with the kind of personal confrontation that no tax inspector wants. He won a number of important concessions, but it was nerve-wracking for all involved. In spite of it all, at the time of his death he still had 100 or so loyal clients.”
He and Rhys were good friends, but his administration of her estate led to an extremely ill-tempered falling out with the family. The family’s case seemed fairly strong, not least because Henshaw hadn’t disclosed his personal bankruptcy when acting as trustee.
A very good copy.
