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Friday, 1 August 2014

Fifty years of a golden reign: a souvenier of the Queen's Jubilee [1887]











 
Well now, here’s  a pretty thing…
A souvenier booklet celebrating the fifty year reign of Queen Victoria. It was published in 1887 by Eyre & Spottiswoode, who were the official printers to Her Majesty at that time.
Our volunteer [Alison] has been working her way through our pamphlet boxes and all manner of forgotten things and very kindly passes to me items that are interesting, unusual or just lovely, and this one falls into that last category.
It measures 11 x 13.5 cm, has 16 pages and, our accessions register states that it was donated to us in May 1935 by a Mr Charles Barnwell Esq.
The book also contains a poem written by Lord Tennyson especially for the occasion. Tennyson had been Poet Laureate since 1850 [after William Wordsworth's death] and held the position until his own death in 1892.
Interestingly, Eyre & Spottiswoode [established in 1845], went on to merge with Methuen Publishing in the 1970s.
 
All photographs in this post taken by the author.


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