Manchester - Mills - Old Engraving

The cotton mills at Union Street, Manchester, built by Adam and George Murray (1798), were monumental buildings in their day.  Eight storeys high and full of spinning carding and spinning machines they were part of a massive industrial complex.

Union Street (now Redhill Street) was located next to the canal which was a vital trade link in its day for bringing in raw cotton from the Americas, coal for the engines, and for taking out the finished cotton goods.

Drawn by Samuel Austin.   Engraved by J. McGahey.  

The original image had this dedication:  "Cotton Factories, Union Street, Manchester.  To Mr. Murray and Mr McConnel.  this plate is respectfully inscribed."

Produced for W. H. Pyne's "Lancashire Illustrated, from Original Drawings" (London : 1828-1831). 

Published by London: Fisher, Son & Co., 1829.

London - Buckingham Palace - Old Engraving



London - Buckingham Palace, c. 1860

The front of Buckingham Place in the mid nineteenth century from an 1860 print.  The grand archway with the flag flying on top is called Marble Arch which was built between 1827-32.  Originally the plan was to have sculpture all over the arch including a statue of George IV on the top.  Even though the sculptures were created the decision was made to keep the arch simple.  The sculptures found new homes inside Buckingham Palace, in the National Gallery, and the equestrian statue of King George stands on a plinth in Trafalgar Square.   The arch was moved in 1851 to its current location at the junction of Oxford Street and Park Lane (opposite Speakers' Corner, Hyde Park), and lends it name to the area and the Marble Arch underground station.

The image originally appeared in Thomas Dugdale's  "The Curiosities of Great Britain" (various editions between 1838 and 1860.)

Original print was labelled:  "The Queen's Palace, Pimlico.  Middlesex.  The Birth place of the Prince of Wales, born Nov 9, 1841 also of the Princes Royal, born Nov 21, 1840.

Liverpool - River Mersey - Old Engraving



Liverpool - The Mersey 1840



This image is from a series of engravings depicting the River Mersey.  It shows the Port of Liverpool in full swing during the age of sailing ships.    The skyline of Liverpool is dominated in the centre by the parish church of St. Nicholas, and the Customs House to the Right of the picture.

By W. H. Bartlett & J.C. Armytage

Published by Geo: Virtue, 26 Ivy Lane, London, 1840.

Rydal Mount - Old Engraving

Wordsworths at Rydal Mount 1840

The image depicts William and Mary Wordsworth at their home at Rydal Mount, Ambleside in the Lake District.  They lived here from 1813 with three of their five children (Thomas, their six year old son, and Catherine, their four year old daughter, had both died the year previous).   Much of his poetry for which he is so famous was written before moving to Rydal Mount.     Poems he did write here include 'To a Snowdrop', 'Surprised by Joy',  'The Longest Day', and the final version of 'The Daffodils'.   Each spring the gardens are full of daffodils.   William lived here until his death at the age of 80 in 1850.

Rydal Mount was a tudor cottage which was added to in 1750.  The drawing room and library depicted in this image were part of this extension.  The house is still owned by the Wordsworth family and is open to the public.

The original image titles this as a "Room at Rydal Mount".

The image is taken from a Steel Engraving print by W. Westall, A.R.A.

It was published by Edward Moxon, Dover Street, London in 1840.

Herefordshire Beacon - Old Engraving



Herefordshire Beacon

Herefordshire Beacon - Malvern Hills"

The unusual lines on the hill are a series of extensive earth fortifications made as part of the Iron Age British Camp in the 2nd Century.  The earthworks enclosed an impressive 44 acres.

These hills are famous for the quality of their water which attracted huge numbers of  Victorian visitors who came to 'take  the waters' and enjoy the splendid views.

Close by is the charming town of Ledbury with its charming timber framed stores, alleyways and parish church.  You can take a tour of Ledbury on www.obelisktours.com

Ledbury Tour Description:

"Ledbury is one of the nicest medieval market towns in England.  This circular tour will weave in and out of ancient alleyways and burgess plots to explore the legend of St Katherine, the influence of the Bishop of Hereford,  and why did little blue boy blow that horn?  Surrounded by half-timbered houses, and cobbled streets we hunt out the poetical influences on Elizabeth Barrett-Browning, Robert Frost, and John Masefield  and discover the literary influence of the forgotten Jacob Tonson.    Along our route we uncover a hidden anti-reformation light, an unusual church tower, a tin armadillo, a civil war battlefield, impressive coaching inns and a quick lesson on how to eavesdrop. " 

Birmingham - Old Engraving

Birmingham from the South, 1848

The rustic meets the urban.

The placid stillness of cows, sheep and trees in the foreground creates a marked contrast to the encroachment of early Victorian Birmingham with chimneys and steeples puncturing the skyline.  It creates a sense of a slow lava-like swallowing up of the English countryside.

By W. Harvey and   Taken from a Sketch drawn by Stephen Thomas Davis.   Engraved by Thomas Abiel Prior (1809-1866).   Used by William Harvey in "The Land We Live In" in 1848.

Original print labelled: "Birmingham from the South.  London: Charles Knight 1848.

British Quotables - John Wesley

"Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the souls you can, in every place you can, at all the times you can, with all the zeal you can, as long as ever you can."

John Wesley  (1703-1791)

Anglican Cleric & co-founder of the Methodist movement