Me and Catharine Susan earns an honest penny – #ChristmasCountdown Door no. 19

Posted on 19 December, 2018 by nspeccoll

The story starts with peg dolls sitting at a dinner table…

Page from ‘Me and Catharine Susan earns an honest penny‘ showing two peg dolls at the table with empty plates (Rare Books, RB 823.912 AIN)

“Empty plates!!
and not a penny left.

Something must be
done at once.”

You join two peg dolls on their journey trying to earn some money, through setting up (with varying successes) different businesses, such as a sewing and clothes alterations shop, a tea shop in their garden, becoming market gardeners and growing their own vegetables, selling buttonholes and teaching other peg dolls to dance.

Page from ‘Me and Catharine Susan earns an honest penny’ showing one of the peg dolls create buttonholes to sell (Rare Books, RB 823.912 AIN)

Page from ‘Me and Catharine Susan earns an honest penny’ showing one of the peg dolls showing the ‘Buttonholers’ to dance (Rare Books, RB 823.912 AIN)

Explore another Kathleen Ainslie book that we have in Special Collections; ‘Catherine Susan and Me’s Coming Out’, in our February 2017 Treasure of the Month Feature.

Life at San Remo – #ChristmasCountdown Door no. 17

Posted on 17 December, 2018 by nspeccoll

#ChristmasCountdown
Door No. 17

Page from Illustrated London News (19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll ILL 030)

Page from Illustrated London News, Volume 92 (19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll ILL 030)

Page from Illustrated London News, Vol. 92, dated 7th January 1888.

Image depicts ‘Life at San Remo – The Crown Prince and family in the billiard room, Villa Zirio : The Christmas Tree’

A Day in Newcastle – #ChristmasCountdown Door no. 15

Posted on 15 December, 2018 by nspeccoll

#ChristmasCountdown
Door no. 15

Spending a day in Newcastle doing some Christmas shopping? What’s changed since the description in this 1887 guide to enable visitors to the town to see as much of it as possible in a few hours? Maybe there’s something new that you’ve never noticed before…

Back and front covers of ‘A Day in Newcastle and its Jubilee Exhibition‘, 1887 (Edwin Clarke Local Collections, Clarke 298)

“To the visitor,
It is assumed that you have arrived in Newcastle by rail and find yourself standing outside the portico of

THE CENTRAL STATION
Directly opposite are situated the Inland Revenue, Bankruptey, and Post and Telegraphic Offices; also the extensive offices of the River Tyne Commission, where until recently stood one of the towers of the old TOWN WALL. Turn to the left, past St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Cathedral to the CATTLE MARKET.

Pass down between the two divisions of the Sheep Market. The large building on the left is the INFIRMARY. Go straight on to Scotswood Road, on the left side of which is that portion of the market appropriate to oxen, etc…”

Text take from pages 9-10

Illustration of Central Station taken from ‘A Day in Newcastle and its Jubilee Exhibition‘ (Edwin Clarke Local Collections, Clarke 298)

Read the full book on CollectionsCaptured.

The Hospital at Rounton, New Years Eve – #ChristmasCountdown Door no. 13

Posted on 13 December, 2018 by nspeccoll

#ChristmasCountdown
Door No. 13

Photograph of nurses outside the auxiliary Hospital at Rounton Grange, New Years Eve, 1916 (Charles Philips Trevelyan Archive, CPT/PA/6)

Photograph of soldiers and nurses around a table at the auxiliary Hospital at Rounton Grange, New Years Eve, 1916 (Charles Philips Trevelyan Archive, CPT/PA/6)

Photograph of wounded soldiers outside the auxiliary Hospital at Rounton Grange, New Years Eve, 1916 (Charles Philips Trevelyan Archive, CPT/PA/6)

Nurses outside the auxiliary Hospital at Rounton Grange, New Years Eve, 1916 (Charles Philips Trevelyan Archive, CPT/PA/6)

Playwright Florence Bell, stepmother of Gertrude Bell was an active Red Cross nurse during the First World War. These images, from her daughter’s (Mary Katharine Trevelyan, nee Bell [Molly]) family photograph album, show soldiers and nurses celebrating New Years Eve at the auxiliary hospital at Rounton Grange, 1916.

The photograph albums belonged to Molly Trevelyan. This volume, alongside 38 others are part of the Trevelyan (Charles Philips) Archive.

Flick through the full 1911-1916 photograph album that this page is taken from, along with others from the Philips (Charles) Archive on our Digital Showcase.

Emden Geese – #ChristmasCountdown Door no. 12

Posted on 12 December, 2018 by nspeccoll

#ChristmasCountdown
Door No. 12

Illustration of geese from Our Poultry (Douglas Gilchrist Collection, G636.5 WEI)

This very whimsical coloured plate of a gaggle of Emden geese, says ‘Property of Mr F G Rawson’ underneath.

The Christmas Pantomime – #ChristmasCountdown Door no. 9

Posted on 9 December, 2018 by nspeccoll

#ChristmasCountdown
Door No. 9

Page from Illustrated London News, Volume 92 (19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll ILL 030)

Page from Illustrated London News, Vol. 92, dated 7th January 1888. Illustrations shows various different pantomime costumes including characters Puss in Boots, The Queen, The Blondin Donkey and Cupid.

Have you been to any pantomines this Christmas season yet?

Illustrated London News is part of our 19th Century Collection and 20th Century Collection. You can find this volume and other Illustrated London News on our Library Catalogue here.

Butcher’s Market – #ChristmasCountdown Door no. 8

Posted on 8 December, 2018 by nspeccoll

#CollectionsCaptured
Door no. 8

Butcher Market, Avenue (Local Illustrations, ILL/11/206)

General plan of the Butcher and Vegetable Markets (Local Illustrations, ILL/11/206)

These two illustrations depict the interior of the Butcher’s Market, which is now known as the Grainger Market in Newcastle. A great place to visit to pick up some unique Christmas gifts!

Grainger Market opened its doors in 1835 and is named after Richard Grainger (1797 – 1861) the builder, developer and entrepreneur behind the Market. At the time it was the largest in Britain covering two acres with 12 entrances and 243 shops and stalls.

Originally it was a meat and vegetable market but the flesh-market section was optimistically large and so other goods like baskets and pottery were introduced.

On October 22nd 1835 a celebratory dinner was held in the market attended by 2000 men including John Dobson (1787 – 1865) and Grainger. Over 300 women were allowed to watch the feast in a specially constructed gallery!

Daguerrotypes – #ChristmasCountdown Door no. 7

Posted on 7 December, 2018 by nspeccoll

#ChristmasCountdown
Door No. 7

Daguerrotype of The American Falls, 1840 (Daguerrotypes, DAG/2)

The Horseshoe Falls, part of Niagra Falls Daguerrotype

Daguerrotype of The Horseshoe Falls, part of Niagra Falls, 1740 (Daguerrotypes, DAG/5)

Daguerrotypes were an early form of photography. They were produced using an early photographuc process involving an iodine-sentitised silvered plate and mercury vapour. This photographic method does not permit reproduction so the images are unique.

These particular ones are significant as they are some of the first known images of the Clifton Hotel and Niagra Falls.

You can see other Daguerrotypes of Niagra Falls on CollectionsCaptured.

Crawhall’s Old Aunt Elspa’s ABC – #ChristmasCountdown Door no. 6

Posted on 6 December, 2018 by nspeccoll

#ChristmasCountdown
Door No. 6

Page from Old Aunt Elspa’s ABC (Joseph Crawhall Collection, Crawhall 50)

Y
For Youngsters,
and Yawning,
and Yelling,
Yahoo!

Is this something that you’ll be doing on Christmas morning?

Old Aunt Elspa’s ABC is an alphabet book containing woodblock printed letters, with associated images, detailing the alphabet, created by Joseph Crawhall II.

Joseph Crawhall II was born in Newcastle in 1821 and was the son of Joseph Crawhall I, who was a sheriff of Newcastle. As well as running the family ropery business with his brothers, he also spent his time illustrating, making woodcuts and producing books.

See the full book online via CollectionsCaptured.

Interested in more from Joseph Crawhall II? Find more in the Joseph Crawhall II Collection and Joseph Crawhall II Archive.

Student Sports – #ChristmasCountdown Door no. 3

Posted on 3 December, 2018 by nspeccoll

#ChristmasCountdown
Door no. 3

Students Scottish dancing, 1963 (University Archives, NUA/018179-7)

Judo match, 1963 (University Archives,
NUA/018179-14)

Fencing class, 1963 (University Archives, NUA/018179-4)

These three photographs show students practicing sporting activities. What activities will you be getting up to during this festive period? Has much changed today since 1963?

You can see more from the University Archives on CollectionsCaptured.

Special Collections

Newcastle University

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