From the dust jacket of the 1963 edition

In the year 1903 X 2, Terenace Alan Milligan, Batchelor of Button, and Spinster of this Parish, commenced work. For fifty agonised years he laboured for 3 years. Time was whne his army pension, a store fo dried fruit, was getting perilously low, and only stood one foot 3 inches. Nevertheless, girding his loins with cheap girders, he pressed on, in, off and out. Finally in the terrible winter of '08, he fell sobbing into the arms of his publisher, who immediately guided Milligan's unconcious hand at the foot of a powerful contract. Hurriedly the publisher felt in the Milligan's pockets; in lieu of money, to his trembling hand came the faded writing of 50 years ago.

The title? THE LITTLE POT BOILER. Praise be, a masterpiece had been saved for the nation.

Nicely signed by Spike, Bill Owen and Valentine Dyall. (Sadly not owned by me...)