A Day in Newcastle – #ChristmasCountdown Door no. 15

Posted on 15 December, 2018 by nspeccoll

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 Page Turners.

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!

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.

Lady Tabitha and Us – Peg Doll Games

Posted on 24 December, 2017 by nspeccoll

#ChristmasCountdown
Door No. 24

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE!

The Newcastle University Special Collections team
would like to wish you all a very
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

What does your Christmas Eve consist of? Do you play games just like Kathleen Ainslie’s peg dolls, to get you in the mood for Christmas?

Illustrations taken from ‘Lady Tabitha and Us’ by Kathleen Ainslie (Rare Books, RB 823.912 AIN). You join Tabitha, a peg doll and her friends on Christmas Eve. They play party games, such as tug of war and drop the handkerchief, along with musical chairs, hunt the slippers, hide and seek, orange and lemons, blind man’s buff, guessing games and the Sir Roger dance. They then finally eat supper and “we didn’t go home till morning, till daylight did appear”.

Visit Door number 1 to find out a little bit more about Kathleen Ainslie.

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.

Geoffrey Trevelyan’s letter to Father Christmas

Posted on 22 December, 2017 by nspeccoll

#ChristmasCountdown
Door No. 22

Letter from Geoffrey Washington Trevelyan to Father Christmas, 1917 (CPT Uncat/30)

This letter to Father Christmas was written by Geoffrey Washington Trevelyan, the youngest son of the politician Charles Philips and Lady Mary Trevelyan of Wallington (find out more about the Trevelyan Charles Philips Trevelyan here). Written at his grandparents’ house Rounton Grange on Christmas Eve 1917, when he was seven years old. Geoffrey requests that Father Christmas decorate the tree and bring presents for the children.

Geoffrey later became an engineer at de Havilland, and the 5^th Baronet of Wallington.

Rag Pie Christmas Advertisement

Posted on 21 December, 2017 by nspeccoll

#ChristmasCountdown
Door No. 21

Powell’s Products advert from Rag Pie, 1932 (University Archives, NUA/13/5)

Advertisement for Powell’s Products in Rag Pie.

This advertisement is contained within the 1932 issue of Rag Pie, which was created and published by University students of Newcastle upon Tyne, in aid of the Newcastle Dispensary, The Babies’ Hospital, The Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital and the Eye Hospital. The magazine contains advertisements alongside stories, poems and songs written by students and sold for 6d to raise money for charity.

Front cover of Rag Pie, 1932

RAG is a student-led committee which organised fundraising activities and is still active today, although Rag Pie is no longer published.

Powells Products Ltd. operated on Kells Lane Low Fell until it went into liquidation in 1970.