19th Century Manuscripts Collection
User Collection Public
This collection showcases a selection of nineteenth-century handwritten documents (manuscripts) from Special Collections and University Archives at the University of Victoria Libraries dating from roughly 1800 to 1900. Documents such as artwork, autograph albums, letters, diaries, and scrapbooks can be found in the collection.
Collection highlights include:
Peter Lowens Collection: letters written by illustrators of Charles Dickens' works such as Edmund Yates, George Cattermole, William Powell Frith, and Alfred Chantrey Corbould.
Kidman Family Fonds: art album and autograph albums, dating from 1828 to 1930, created by sisters Lilian Kidman and Ella Kidman, and their father Henry Kidman.
Edward Morrell Holmes scrapbook: containing approximately 250 seaweed specimens collected between 1895 and 1918.
Permalink: http://vault.library.uvic.ca/collections/773738ef-6bf3-4d4f-96ca-586178011cc8
Works (75)
1. Letter from Clarkson Stanfield to "My dear Searle", Thursday, April 13 [1800's?]
- Title:
- Letter from Clarkson Stanfield to "My dear Searle", Thursday, April 13 [1800's?]
- Description:
- An autograph letter signed by Clarkson Stanfield to "My dear Searle." The letter pertains to Clarkson's work for "the Tragedy" and awaiting Searle's opinion on its merits. Dated April 13th (no year). "Clarkson Stanfield (1793-1867), marine and landscape painter. As a boy, he made several voyages in the merchant service, and was pressed into the Navy in 1812. He retired from the sea after an accident, became a scene painter at a sailors' theatre in east London, and progressed to be a member of the Hampstead Sketching Society and a friend of Charles Dickens, Thackeray, Macready, Sir Edwin Landseer, David Roberts, Samuel Lover, and C.R. Leslie. He was called Clarkson after the anti-slavery agitator. He illustrated Heath's Picturesque Annuals for the years 1832-34, and in 1838 published a collection of lithographic views on the Rhine, Moselle, and Meuse; forty subjects from both sides of the English Channel were also steel-engraved under the title of Stanfield's Coast Scenery (1836). Among literary works for which he provided illustrations were Captain Marryat's 'The Pirate and the Three Cutters' (1836), Poor Jack (1840) and the lives and works of Lord Byron, George Crabbe, and Samuel Johnson, mainly in editions by John Murray."-- Dealer's description
- Subject:
- Artists, Artists--Correspondence, Painters, Landscape painters, and Marine painters
- Creator:
- Stanfield, Clarkson, 1793-1867
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 18XX
- Rights Statement:
- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
- License:
- Contact Special Collections and University Archives for access to the original. This material is made available on this site for research and private study only.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Extent:
- 1 page
- Alternative Title:
- Autograph Letter by Clarkson Stanfield
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Handwritten in black ink.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- 19th Century Manuscripts Collection
- Provenance:
- Gift of Peter Lowens, April 2024.
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- autographs (manuscripts), manuscripts (documents), letters (correspondence), and correspondence
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2024-026
- Fonds Title:
- Peter Lowens collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC564
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/peter-lowens-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2024-04-17
- Technical Note:
- Metadata by KD.
2. Letter from Luke Fildes to Mrs. Lewis and photograph postcard, 1800's
- Title:
- Letter from Luke Fildes to Mrs. Lewis and photograph postcard, 1800's
- Description:
- An autographed letter, signed, sent by Luke Fildes to Mrs. Lewis, clarifying the date of an invitation to dinner. Also included is a photograph postcard of Fildes. The postcard is a part of the "R.A." series by Raphael Tuck & Sons "Real Photograph" series and has a black and white photograph of Fildes sitting in a chair with paintbrush and easel. Fildes (1844-1927), painter, is known for his woodcut designs for magazines. He illustrated Charles Dickens' Edwin Drood (1870).
- Subject:
- Artists, Personal correspondence, Illustrators, and Artists--Correspondence
- Creator:
- Fildes, Luke, Sir, 1844-1927
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 18XX
- Rights Statement:
- No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only
- License:
- Contact Special Collections and University Archives for access to the original. This material is made available on this site for research and private study only.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage and http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Extent:
- 4 unnumbered pages and 1 postcard
- Geographic Coverage:
- England--London--Kensington
- Coordinates:
- 51.50094, -0.19175
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Handwritten. Black ink. Letterhead: "II, Melbury Road, Kensington, W."
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- 19th Century Literature Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- black-and-white photographs, correspondence, letters (correspondence), picture postcards, postcards, manuscripts (documents), and signatures (names)
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2025-004
- Fonds Title:
- Peter Lowens collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC564
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/peter-lowens-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-03
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Plustek OpticBook A300 Plus (600 dpi no correction) as TIF file by MT. Metadata by KD.
3. The Centre of Nature Concentrated
- Title:
- The Centre of Nature Concentrated
- Description:
- A handwritten translation into English (by F.E. in the 19th century) from a German translation by D.J.O.H. (Helbigius in 1682). The original was written in Arabic. Ali Puli, also known as Alipili, is the attributed author of a number of 17th-century alchemical and hermetic texts. However, his historical existence is doubtful. He is described as a Mauretanian Christian of Asiatic extraction; also variously as an Arab (because he was said to have written in Arabic), and a Moor. Most probably, Ali Puli is the pseudonym of Johann Otto von Helwig (1654-1698), a German physician, alchemist and author).
- Subject:
- Alchemy--Manuscripts, Alchemy, Alchemists, Substance (Philosophy), Alchemy--Religious aspects, Matter, and Creation
- Creator:
- Ali Puli
- Contributor:
- F.E.
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 18XX
- Rights Statement:
- No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only
- License:
- Contact Special Collections and University Archives for access to the original. This material is made available on this site for research and private study only.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text and http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 volume (approximately 38 pages)
- Alternative Title:
- The center of nature concentrated. Or Ali Puli his tractate of the regenerated salt of nature.
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Handwritten. Consists of a 38 l. 1/4 leather bound volume. Hand-coloured initial letter at beginning of text, part of text in red ink (l. 31).
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- 19th Century Manuscripts
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- manuscripts (documents) and books
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 1999-019
- Fonds Title:
- Ali Puli fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC349
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/ali-puli-fonds
- Date Digitized:
- 2022-03-14
- Technical Note:
- Metadata by KD.
4. Letter from Samuel Williams to J.H. Wiffen, December 20, 1824
- Title:
- Letter from Samuel Williams to J.H. Wiffen, December 20, 1824
- Description:
- Autograph letter, signed. Accompanied by envelope and illustration of "Old House, Toddington" by Samuel Williams.
- Creator:
- Williams, Samuel, 1788-1853
- Contributor:
- Wiffen, Jeremiah Holmes, 1792-1836
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1824-12-20
- Rights Statement:
- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
- License:
- Contact Special Collections and University Archives for access to the original. This material is made available on this site for research and private study only.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage and http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Extent:
- 2 pages
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Letter is two pages, affixed to board with an envelope and illustration.
- Collection:
- 19th Century Manuscripts Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- letters (correspondence), correspondence, drawings (visual works), and illustrations (layout features)
- Fonds Title:
- Peter Lowens Collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC564
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/peter-lowens-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2017-04-24
- Technical Note:
- Scanned @ 600 with Epson GT-15000 flatbed scanner; images cropped & stitched using Photoshop CS5, no colour correction by KMercer. Physical item part of Peter Lowens' personal collection, provided by him for digitization. Additional metadata by Maggie Tan.
5. Letter from Maria Edgeworth to Mr. R. Hunter, May 21, 1827
- Title:
- Letter from Maria Edgeworth to Mr. R. Hunter, May 21, 1827
- Description:
- A handwritten letter to Mr. R. Hunter (publisher) concerning the proofs for a proposed edition of Edgeworth's "Little plays, warrented harmless". Maria Edgeworth was a prolific Irish novelist of both adult and children's literature. Rowland Hunter was a printer and bookseller, active 1815-1836.
- Subject:
- Women authors, Authors and publishers, Authorship, Authors, Irish, Publishers and publishing, and Authors
- Creator:
- Edgeworth, Maria, 1768-1849
- Contributor:
- Hunter, Rowland
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1827-05-21
- Rights Statement:
- No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only
- License:
- Contact Special Collections and University Archives for access to the original. This material is made available on this site for research and private study only.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Extent:
- 4 unnumbered pages
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Handwritten. and Letter removed from UVic Special Collections copy of "Comic dramas, in three acts." by Maria Edgeworth (Call Number: PR4642 C7).
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- 19th Century Literature Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- correspondence, manuscripts (documents), and letters (correspondence)
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 1997-074
- Fonds Title:
- Maria Edgeworth collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC197
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/maria-edgeworth-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2021-01
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Epson Expression 1640XL at 800 dpi TIFF on 5 by JF. Metadata by KD.
6. English 19th Century Autograph Scrapbook
- Title:
- English 19th Century Autograph Scrapbook
- Description:
- The scrapbook contains autographs of English notables including Wellington, Peel, Palmerston, Disraeli, and George Cruikshank. The creator of the scrapbook is unknown. It is likely that the scrapbook creator collected autographs after requesting them through the mail.
- Subject:
- Autograph albums, Autographs, Scrapbooks, and Autographs--Collectors and collecting
- Contributor:
- Cruikshank, George, 1792-1878, Fortescue, Hugh Fortescue, Earl, 1783-1861, Stanley, Edward, 1779-1849, Bagot, Richard, 1782-1854, Ryder, J. F. (James Fitzallan), 1826-1904, Russell, John Russell, Earl, 1792-1878, Cottenham, Charles Christopher Pepys, Earl of, 1781-1851, Hervey, A. C. (Arthur Charles), 1808-1894, Lyndhurst, John Singleton Copley, Baron, 1772-1863, Bethell, Christopher, 1773-1859, Northwick, John Rushout, Baron, 1770-1859, Anglesey, Henry William Paget, Marquis of, 1768-1854, Stamford, William Grey, Earl of, 1850-1910, Palmerston, Henry John Temple, Viscount, 1784-1865, Augustus Frederick, Prince, Duke of Sussex, 1773-1843, Abercorn, James Hamilton, Duke of, 1811-1885, Saumarez, James, 1757-1836, Perry, Charles, 1807-1891, Harrowby, Dudley Ryder, Earl of, 1798-1882, Fife, James Duff, Earl, 1776-1857, Disraeli, Benjamin, 1804-1881, Hurd, Richard, 1720-1808, Lonsdale, Hugh Cecil Lowther, Earl of, 1857-1944, Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769-1852, Peel, Robert, 1788-1850, Carlisle, George William Frederick Howard, Earl of, 1802-1864, Brougham and Vaux, Henry Brougham, Baron, 1778-1868, Hatherley, William Page Wood, Baron, 1801-1881, Monteagle of Brandon, Thomas Spring-Rice, Baron, 1790-1866, Pelham-Clinton, Edward, Lord, 1836-1907, Kinnaird, George William Fox Kinnaird, Baron, 1807-1878, and Hampton, John Somerset Pakington, Baron, 1799-1880
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1828/1859
- Rights Statement:
- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
- License:
- This material is made available on this site for research and private study only.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Extent:
- 1 volume (unpaged) ; 29 x 22 x 2 cm
- Geographic Coverage:
- Great Britain
- Coordinates:
- 54, -2
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Includes blank pages and an index.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- 19th Century Manuscripts Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- autograph albums and scrapbooks
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 1976-019
- Fonds Title:
- English 19th Century Autographs Scrapbook collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC198
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/english-19th-century-autographs-scrapbook-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2020-08-26
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Plustek OpticBook 4800 at 600 dpi TIFF on 26 August 2020 by JF ; Metadata by Dean
7. Lilian L. Kidman autograph album
- Title:
- Lilian L. Kidman autograph album
- Description:
- This album, created in England, features autographs of Lilian Kidman’s friends and family. Collected autographs are often accompanied by inscriptions and original artwork. The album also features Kidman’s own art. Autographs include surnames: Caen; Smyth; Sherriff; Kidman; Crawford; Morgan; Hays; White; Winters; Walde; Haines; Shettle; Martin; Waller; Figgins; Earle, and Dyke. Some autographs are only initials. Also containing autographs of English notables including Wellington, Peel, Palmerston, Disraeli, and George Cruikshank.
- Subject:
- Autograph albums, Autographs, Scrapbooks, Social networks, Art objects, Victorian, Personal archives, Arts, Victorian, Art, and Autographs--Collectors and collecting
- Creator:
- Kidman, Lillian L.
- Contributor:
- Cruikshank, George, 1792-1878, Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769-1852, Peel, Robert, 1788-1850, Palmerston, Henry John Temple, Viscount, 1784-1865, and Disraeli, Benjamin, 1804-1881
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1828/1928
- Rights Statement:
- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text and http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Identifier:
- Call Number: Z42.4 G7K535
- Extent:
- 1 volume (unpaged) ; 20 x 16 x 2 cm
- Geographic Coverage:
- Great Britain and England--London
- Coordinates:
- 54, -2 and 51.50853, -0.12574
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- On cover: Album. Label at bottom of inside back cover: M.W. & Co. Ltd. London. No. 6483. On first page: poem in German with English paraphrase signed with 3 initials, last one W; Linkenholt, 8/10/99. On second page: "Yes this is my album ... Lilian L. Kidman, 1/5/1898.", Illustrations (some colour)., and A commercially produced autograph album, each page with red and blue borders. Mostly blank pages but some have illustrations with blank spaces for autographs. Album contains signatures, verses, drawings, paintings and greeting cards. Most illustrations signed. Some illustrations and cards pasted in.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- 19th Century Manuscripts Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- albums (books), scrapbooks, paintings (visual works), sketches, illustrations (layout features), autograph albums, and drawings (visual works)
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2020-041
- Fonds Title:
- Kidman Family fonds
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC624
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/kidman-family-fonds
- Transcript:
- 2020-09-14
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Plustek OpticBook 4800 at 600 dpi TIFF on 14 September 2020 by JF. Metadata by KD.
8. Letter from Charles Dickens to Mr. Eward
- Title:
- Letter from Charles Dickens to Mr. Eward
- Description:
- Letter from Charles Dickens to Mr. Eward. Autographed letter signed. Accompanied by a photo of Dickens.
- Subject:
- Authors, English, Authors, Authors, English--Correspondence, and Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870
- Creator:
- Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1836/1870
- Rights Statement:
- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text and http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 2 pages and 1 photograph
- Geographic Coverage:
- England
- Coordinates:
- 52.16045, -0.70312
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Letter is one page double sided, framed with conservation glass mounted with a photograph.
- Collection:
- 19th Century Manuscripts Collection
- Provenance:
- For further information please contact Special Collections and University Archives.
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- correspondence, letters (correspondence), black-and-white photographs, and photographs
- Fonds Title:
- Peter Lowens Collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC564
- Is_referenced_by:
- Archival Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/peter-lowens-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2017-10-26
- Technical Note:
- Scanned using TTI BetterLight scanner; 600dpi; no colour correction; cropped to remove colour bar using Photoshop CS5. Metadata by Karen Dykes. Additional metadata by Maggie Tan.
9. Letter from Sir Edwin Landseer to a publisher, June 27, 1837
- Title:
- Letter from Sir Edwin Landseer to a publisher, June 27, 1837
- Description:
- Autograph letter, signed.
- Creator:
- Landseer, Edwin, Sir, 1802-1873
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1837-06-27
- Rights Statement:
- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Identifier:
- 2/137
- Extent:
- 2 pages
- Collection:
- 19th Century Manuscripts Collection
- Provenance:
- For further information please contact Special Collections and University Archives.
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- letters (correspondence)
- Fonds Title:
- Peter Lowens Collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC564
- Is_referenced_by:
- Archival Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/peter-lowens-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2017-04-24
- Technical Note:
- additional metadata by Maggie Tan and Scanned @ 600 with Epson GT-15000 flatbed scanner; images cropped & stitched using Photoshop CS5, no colour correction by KMercer. Physical item part of Peter Lowens' personal collection, provided by him for digitization
10. Mr. Fogg dreams illustration
- Title:
- Mr. Fogg dreams illustration
- Description:
- Original illustration by John Leech for the book "The Fortunes of the Scattergood Family" by Albert Smith (1816-1860) published by Richard Bentley in 1845. John Leech was a British caricaturist and illustrator known for his work in "Punch" and Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol". The illustration depicts several sleeping people in a room with illuminated figures like clowns and fairies from their dreams in the middle of them.
- Subject:
- Illustration of books, Victorian, Art, and Illustration of books
- Creator:
- Leech, John, 1817-1864
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1845~
- Rights Statement:
- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
- License:
- Contact Special Collections and University Archives for access to the original. This material is made available on this site for research and private study only.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 page
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- "Mr. Fogg dreams." and some other largely illegible words written on pencil under the sketch on the recto and "Scattergood Family" written in pencil on the verso.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- 19th Century Manuscripts Collection
- Provenance:
- Purchased by donor from Jarndyce Antiquarian Booksellers, May 26, 2021. Gift of Peter Lowens, November 2023.
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- illustrations (layout features), pencil drawings, sketches, and drawings (visual works)
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2023-080
- Fonds Title:
- Peter Lowens collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC564
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/peter-lowens-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2023-11-10
- Technical Note:
- Metadata by KD.