Letters from pre-Smiths Morrissey expected to sell for £22,000 in UK auction

A collection of unseen letters from a pre-Smiths Morrissey are expected to sell for £22,000 (€25,814) in an auction in the UK.

In these archived letters written between ages 14 and 20, he predicted his ambition to be a "rock 'n' roll star or an actor, or a writer."

They were written between the years 1974 and 1979 to his pen pal in Birmingham, Simon Pitt, who later became a self-proclaimed "poet, raconteur, rapper, and writer - a rebel in a cardigan."

Dawson Auctioneers will hold the Before The Smiths: The Morrissey Letters auction on August 26.

"It is exceptionally rare for an archive of this depth and intimacy to emerge," Dawsons auctioneer Peter Mason said.

"Through his observations on punk, music, politics and everyday life, the letters offer a vivid snapshot of the changing British music scene and political landscape during the 1970s."

One letter followed Margaret Thatcher's election as prime minister in 1979, where Morrissey said: "Did you vote? Labour, I hope? God knows what tortures that miserable Thatcher has prepared for us woikin' class folk. I dread to fink."

The singer was born in Lancashire in 1959 and grew up in Manchester. His parents were originally from Crumlin in Dublin before moving to England during the 1950s.

The 2017 biopic England is Mine portrays the pre-Smiths singer, whose full name is Steven Morrissey, during the time period which the letters were written in before meeting Johnny Marr and forming The Smiths.

The letters share Morrissey's first experience fronting a band when he joined The Nosebleeds in 1977, saying he would spring his "showbusiness" on "this unsuspecting world."

"One thing I won't do is record for the sake of it... I'm all set for superstardom. But then, I've always been a star, haven't I?" he said.

He spoke of his visit to CBGB in New York and attempting to join The Clash. He also mentioned meeting Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan from The New York Dolls, whose UK fan club he was president of, and singer Patti Smith.

Infamous for publishing lists of bands and people he hated throughout his music career, Morrissey's letters appear to be no different.

In one letter, he gave his opinion on the Sex Pistols: "As for the Pistols... they were pathetic. I take back all that I've said about the Pistols... They are just plain bad. Period."

In another he wrote "I always said I was a genius, but nobody listened."

The final letter reveals Morrissey joining a band in London who "have a recording contract and all that rubbish."

Dawson Auctions Before The Smiths: The Morrissey Letters 

The Smiths, formed by Morrissey alongside guitarist Johnny Marr in Manchester in 1982, became known for their hits including 'This Charming Man,' 'There is a Light That Never Goes Out' and 'How Soon is Now?' Their 1985 Meat is Murder album reached number one on the UK charts after its release. They had a heavy influence on UK music during the 1980s and disbanded in 1987 because of conflicts between Morrissey and Marr, before they began their solo careers.