In our June 2011 Treasure we featured illustrations added by William Bowness Bond to “Vestiges of old Newcastle and Gateshead”.

For this month’s Treasure we highlight illustrations he added to another book in his collection: Richley, Matthew – History and characteristics of Bishop Auckland…

As he says in the hand written note on the flyleaf of volume 1:

“I have extra illustrated this History of Bishop Auckland, in which town I was born, by inserting 270 engravings, water colour drawings and autographs.”
WB Bond, Venice September 1913.Mr. Bond had added numerous items to the volume. There is a type-written list of the items at the end of volume 2.

The book in its original form was a single volume comprising 190 pages. With the additions it consists of 2 substantial volumes half bound in green goatskin with green cloth sides.

William Bowness Bond died in Venice in April 1932. He had bequeathed his book collection to Armstrong College, one of the Colleges that would later form Newcastle University. Most of the collection reached the library in January 1933, but, according to the Library Committee minutes of the period one box of material was delayed in Customs. The collection consisted of approximately 360 volumes and some miscellaneous material.

We have been unable to find any further information about Mr. Bond, or why he bequeathed the books to the College.

* “Bridge over Tees. Gainford. 1860.” is Gainford Railway Bridge completed in 1856 allowing the Darlington to Barnard Castle branch of the North Eastern Railway to cross the Tees. The branch line was closed in November 1964.