“Mrs B. called again to tell me that 2 bombs had been dropped close to… Milgate, last night. Heard the reports about 10.30 last night followed by a 3rd one which shook the house (probably in the fields somewhere.. One bomb fell rather near Clifford Farmer’s house in Leeds).”
Entry dated Saturday October 20th 1917. Diary of Alfred Osten Walker [LUL MS 9].
“Went to London by 10:50 arriving at the R.A about 1.15. After lunch walked with H. to see some homes in S. Eaton Place that had been damaged by a bomb in one of the recent raids… fine but cold.”
Entry dated Tuesday October 9th. Diary of Alfred Osten Walker [LUL MS 9]
October 1917
Goods Received Goods Distributed
12 Doz. Face Cloths 10 Doz to Casualty Clearing stn. B.E.F
” ” Tooth Brushes 6 ” ” ” ”
4 ” Hair Combs To Comrades Assn.
2 ” Packages Calox ” ”
2 ” Hot Water Bottles Casualty Clearing stn. B.E.F
1 1/2 Bath Gowns ” ”
…
Items donated by the wives of active servicemen aboard Cunard ships to be distributed to the indicated areas. From the Cunard Archive [Cunard Women’s War Service Association Report for 1917, D42/C1/1/22/2].
In our final blog post sharing the bumper crop of new accessions to SC&A over the summer we turn our attention to three additions to the children’s literature collections.
SPEC 2017.a.011
The first is an 1800 copy of Robinson Crusoe, bearing a woodcut frontispiece plate. This copy is printed in Liverpool, and is one of only 7 copies recorded on the ESTC in the British Isles. The item has a contemporary calf binding and is signed in ink on the upper inside board “Alex:r Patton Junr. Sundragen Dec.b 30th 1807”, it also bears the bookmark of William Kidd of Armagh.
The second item is an 1847 copy of “An alphabet of emblems“, with the publisher issued red buckram binding with gilt tooling.
SPEC 2017.a.016
This rather pious set of poems was designed to improve the moral fibre of the juvenile reader via poetry with biblical themes. The devout tone is somewhat improved, for the modern reader, by the images throughout (see below). This work, written by the Church of England clergyman Thomas Boyles Murray, has only four reported copies according to COPAC.
The final item in this round up of new children’s literature is “The little grammarian“, an 1828 book printed by that well known children’s book publisher John Harris.
SPEC 2017.a.021
Another effort from a clergyman (where did they find the time?!), this beautifully illustrated effort by William Fletcher introduces a young audience to the basics of English grammar.
All of these items are now available for consultation in SC&A, you can check our new website for information on how to make an appointment.
“This is Katherine’s birthday and she begins her 50th year… Never was there a younger woman at 50 years: and tis’ all because her heart is good and there is no hardness or hardening in it.”
Entry dated Tuesday 25th September 1917 regarding Katherine Glasier, John Glasier’s wife. Diary of John Glasier [GP/2/1/24].
This week marked 50 years since the launch of the Queen Elizabeth 2 (or QE2) by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Often described as one of Cunard’s greatest ships, the QE2 travelled over 5,800,000 miles and carried almost 2.5 million passengers during a career that spanned 40 years.
QE2. The Architectural Press Ltd © (D387/1/4/3)
By the end of the 1950s, discussion over the replacement of the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth was taking place. The decision to replace the ‘Queens’ was deemed to be of national importance and as such a special committee, known as the Chandos Committee was created to advise the Government and to determine whether such a project was economically viable. Originally Cunard had wanted to build two new liners with the help of a Government subsidy, however the committee’s report proposed that the Government loan Cunard £18 million towards the construction of one vessel. The project became known as ‘Q3’ and six British shipyards were asked to tender – this prestigious project was a huge opportunity for British shipbuilders to construct a transatlantic liner.
QE2 interior design. The Architectural Press Ltd © (D387/3/1/1/4)
QE2 Clydebank workers – The Architecture Press Ltd © (D387/1/4/5)
Increased opposition to the building of Q3; in part due to the decline in British
shipbuilding coupled with the growing competition from air travel resulted in Cunard’s Chairman, Sir John Brocklebank announcing in October 1961 that the plan was to be postponed. By 1963 the scheme had been altered in response to the growing popularity of transatlantic air travel. The new proposal was to build one slightly smaller liner which could traverse the Panama and Suez canals and would primarily be used for cruising (dual-purpose).
The new ship, code-named ‘Q4’ was built by John Brown & Company Ltd, Clydebank (later Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Ltd) and scheduled for May 1968. On 20th September 1967 the keel was launched by Queen Elizabeth II and the ship was named Queen Elizabeth 2.
One of the shipyards asked to tender for Q3 was The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Limited, Glasgow. While updating catalogue descriptions for the Cunard Archive we recently came across two folders which contains Fairfield’s specification for the ‘Geared Turbines’ and ‘Machinery Installation’ for a ‘Proposed Cunard Express Liner’. However a lack of contextual information such as date and name of the ship means that it is unclear whether this is for project ‘Q3’ – if anyone has any information about this record please feel free to contact us. Below is a section from one of the illustrations accompanying the specification.
The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Limited, Glasgow – Q3? (D42)
Alongside the business papers within the Cunard Archive, researchers may also be interested in some of the collections within the Cunard Associated Deposits that relate specifically to the QE2; namely D387 images relating to the QE2 (The Architectural Press Ltd) and D922 Papers of Mr. T. Kameen, Technical Director for Cunard.
As part of our series introducing new summer acquisitions to SC&A, we are pleased to showcase two items from 1854 and 1890.
SPEC 2017.a.023
Controul of the passions, printed in 1854, is, on the surface, a guide to the “duties and obligations of the married state”. With a brief nod towards conjugal relations the text focuses primarily on “self pollution”, gonorrhoea and other venereal diseases and includes some choice images of the ravages of syphilis. 
This item is exceptionally rare, despite it being printed as the twenty first edition, with no copy with this imprint being recorded elsewhere. In keeping with the theme of sexual health and propriety, the second acquisition is The golden referee: a guide to health, printed in 1890.
SPEC 2017.a.024
Heavy on “the injurious effects of solitary and sexual indulgence” one of the most interesting aspects of this book is a printed note on the inside upper wrapper stating that the copyright for the item is owned by Joseph Thornton Woodhead. The same Mr. Woodhead was the owner of the Liverpool Museum of Anatomy, a notorious attraction which remained open in Liverpool until 1937. On the lower wrapper is an advertisement for the Museum, previously at 29 Paradise Street, which seeks to present it as “An interesting collection! An intellectual study!! And a public advantage!!!”. In reality it offered a mix of models and diagrams of the human body, discreet consultations for men with sexual problems and even courses on midwifery with a heavy tone of morality, rather than titillation.
Already included in the collections here at SC&A is a copy of the descriptive catalogue of the Museum at shelfmark Y87.3.222, which includes a matching advertisement to the one found on The golden referee.
SPEC Y87.3.222
For further reading on medical museums the Sydney Jones Library holds:
“Lady J.B still in London with Charlie (on leave from Sandhurst)…”
Entry dated Sunday September 23rd 1917. Diary of Alfred Osten Walker [LUL MS 9]
September 1917
Goods Received Goods Distributed
From Boston per Mr Stewart
Playing Cards To No. 57 General Hospital B
Books To Comrades Association
Games ” Y.M.C.A Camp B.E.F
Items donated by the wives of active servicemen aboard Cunard ships to be distributed to the indicated areas. From the Cunard Archive [Cunard Women’s War Service Association Report for 1917, D42/C1/1/22/2].
“Exciting discovery that Swedish ambassador… has been acting as a German political agent… Sweden called upon to explain.”
Entry dated Saturday 8th September 1917, Diary of John Glasier [GP/2/1/24].