Book  (1958)  Page(s) 216.  
 
Major Shelley. HT. (F. H. Howard; int. H&S, '39.) Mrs. J. D. Eisele X Crimson Glory. Description. Pl. Pat. 447

Article (magazine)  (Feb 1952)  Page(s) 103.  
 
Major Shelley a Seedling of 'Crimson Glory'; Hybrid Tea; Howard & Smith, 1937; Unnamed Seedling x 'Crimson Glory'; Crimson-scarlet.

Book  (1943)  
 
p28.  Mr. H. R. Darlington.  Crimson Roses
Two strong growers are Major Shelley and Prince Felix de Luxembourg. Both are fragrant and shapely flowers... Major Shelley is rather a more finished flower, but, after the summer flowering is over, the production later is too scanty. The foliage is good, and I hare not noticed either of them liable to disease.

p80.  Dr. A. S. Thomas.  An Exhibitor's Opinion.
Fritz Hoger, Governor Phillip, Major Shelley, ball and blue badly.  To go out. 

Book  (1941)  
 
p78.  John Poulsen, NZ.  South Island Roses
The foliage of Major Shelley is not nearly as persistent as I would like to see it. This variety can give splendidly shaped blooms of large size and very fine colour, while the scent is entrancing. The autumn flowers have been really good, and if only the growth and foliage were better it would be a champion show Rose, but in spite of these faults I like it for the choice blooms that it can produce.

p113.  Frank Mason. New Zealand Roses. 
Major Shelley is not a shapely Rose at times, but it has a most delicious scent. It is a red which does not fade quickly. It may give exhibition blooms sometime.

Book  (1940)  Page(s) 90.  
 
John Poulsen, South Island Roses
Major Shelley. Moderate growth with rather weak foliage. The early flowers were rather indifferent, but lately it has given some magnificent blooms of a very showy colour and carrying a rich sweet fragrance. It will, I think, improve with age.

Book  (1939)  
 
p13.  C. C. Hillary. Hayward’s Heath; England’s Test Garden
An attractive, crimson Rose, somewhat after the style of Hadley, undergoing trial, has. been named Major Shelley. This Rose has splendid growth, and the sweetly-perfumed blooms are of a deep shade of crimson. While full enough under English conditions, it may prove a thin Rose in the warmer parts of Australia.

p19.  Harry H. Hazlewood.  The New Roses of 1939. 
Major Shelley HT., comes from Howard and Smith (1937) in California. The long, pointed buds open to large, high-centred blooms of exhibition and garden value. The rich crimson scarlet colour is well held, while the fragrance is beyond question.  The variety is also in the good class.

p75.   R. Marion Hatton.  An American Review of the New Roses. 
At the National Rose Society's trial grounds in England this firm's Major Shelley won a first-class certificate, but the 20 plants watched here last year did very little. The large bloom, with 25. or 30 petals of lustrous scarlet crimson, is beautiful and the fragrance is unforgettable, but the plants were about as poor as those of the lovely Doctor, which also was awarded a first-class certificate in England, but which has so far refused to grow satisfactorily here.
 

Website/Catalog  (1939)  Page(s) 39.  
 
 New Roses 1939. Major Shelley (HT. Howard & Smith 1937) Long pointed buds, opening to unusually large, high centred flowers of rich crimson scarlet. The colour is brilliant and long lasting, while the growth is very vigorous. 5/- each.
Richly fragrant exhibition and garden type. 45-50 petals. Good.