Manuscript volume titled 'The Life and Adventures of Walter Venning Southgate, by his Father [the London auctioneer Henry Southgate].' Containing original manuscript letters, drawings, engravings and other material.

Author: 
Henry Southgate (1818-1888), London auctioneer with premises in the Strand, and anthologist; his son Walter Venning Southgate (b. 1844, fl. 1884)
Publication details: 
Manuscript title date 'London. MDCCCXLIV [1844]', but containing material from between 1844 and 1883.
£450.00
SKU: 18912

Folio, 110 pp, comprising [i] + 68 + [ii] + 39 pp. Handsome volume in slipcase, tight and internally in very good condition, on lightly-aged thick Whatman paper. Well bound in black leather morocco, all edges gilt. Binding blind-tooled and with 'Early Days' and 'W. V. S.' in gilt on spine and motto on front board: 'Nourish the sentiments thy principles approve and put thy trust and confidence in God.' Binding worn and rebacked, in worn black cloth slipcase. Laid down at the front of the volume is the attractive title-page, skilfully-drawn in sepia, red, black and blue, in imitation of one printed in the Gothic revival style. This is followed by 68 pp, under chronological headings from 1844 to 1859. The text neatly written in copperplate, twenty-six lines to a full page, with headings, marginal comments and underlinings in red. The first entry reads 'Walter Venning Southgate our second son was born at half past 7 Ock in the morning of the 25th of October 1844. He is a fine little fellow, full of vigour and health. His early childhood or rather infancy has not been remarkable in fact no note particular has been taken of him. He cut his teeth healthily. Was vaccinated and weaned. Took a very early liking to me, and always received comfort from me when in distress, more than any one else [...]'. The (made up?) motto before this entry sets the tone of a remarkably affectionate volume: '"The worth of mirth is the right to love" - Rose of Aragon', as do the first marginal comments 'He is vigorous | his infancy serene. | loved me from the first | Is baptized & vaccinated'. The volume provides an interesting and unusually-detailed view of a middle-class Victorian childhood. Among the marginal notes on the first two pages alone, the boy has his 'legs pumped on', has 'a strange idea', is 'industrious with his little spade', has a 'narrow escape of his life' and 'exhibits obstinacy'. As the volume proceeds Henry Southgate comments approvingly on his son's 'quiet life and loving ways', his 'pluck' and 'love of Art'. At the age of seven (1851) the boy's writing 'greatly improves', his father commenting that he 'will certainly be a good Caligraphist [sic]'. Demonstrating the development of the boy's writing are twenty-seven letters and calligraphic examples tipped in to the volume, produced from the age of six (in 1850) to the age of fourteen (in 1858), in various formats from 4to downwards. Some are simple letters (birthday poems to his parents, French exercises and so on), others set piece presentations of quotations (often religious) in a gothic hand. A number of other quotations by the son are to be found in the volume itself, 'written in his own autograph'. Also present are seven school reports, three (with the certificate of admission) from the City of London School (1851-2), and four from the Rev. Dr Arthur Johnson's school, 36 Canonbury Square, Islington (1853-4). By 1857 the son is writing from 'Priory House School' and 4 De Beauvoir Square, Kingsland (Dalston). The volume ends with 39 pages of 'Remarks'. These start with a 'Journal' for 1860, in the son's hand, on five pages, beginning 'January 2nd. Went to Buttle's & liked it much, I leave home at 1/2 past 7 to breakfast at Buttle's & close (excepting in the busy time) at 6 p.m. & on Saturdays at 1 OClock', and ending 'Aug 13. Letter from Arthur Wortley - Aunt Lizzie called 18th Went to the Ball of St. Paul's with Papa.' The rest of the volume consists of leaves on which various letters and original drawings, as well as prints and engravings, have been tipped in, in the style of a scrapbook. Throughout the volume are to be found examples drawings and paintings by both Henry Southgate and his son, beginning with two examples (a church, and 'The Long Leg Plover') painted by the son at the age of eight (1852). Henry Southgate's pieces include a few charming miniature watercolours, including an illustration of a field mouse and a portrait of 'Absalom the boatman' of Southend, of whom he writes in 1856, 'I had great fun rowing in the boat of a Mr. Absalom with whom I became acquainted, a jolly fresh water Sailor he was. We have had several sails along the Coast and visited Shrewbury Ness, and the Fort.' One of the last of Henry Southgate's watercolour miniatures is a country view of a cottage and cart, heading a 12mo letter from him to his son dated 'Ramsgate Dec. 86'. He has drawn it as he thinks he 'would like something done by my own hand, rather than the Conventional Card of Society'. Also present in the volume are a 4to advertisement for the elder Southgate's anthology 'Many Thoughts on Many Things', and an obituary (1861) of the Prince Consort from the Athenaeum; a programmme for a 'grand amateur performance' at the Lyceum Theatre, 1861; a number of engravings including a set of initial gothic capitals on india paper, and plates of Apsley House and Walmer Castle, present because the son saw and took 'emense interest' in the Duke of Wellington's funeral procession. For more information on Henry Southgate, see his entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. His son Walter Venning Southgate etablished the 'Strand Organ Studio' in 1867. The previous year, as the Musical Standard reported, an organ had been built by 'Mr. A. W. Coleman, of the Whitechapel-road, for Mr. W. V. Southgate of the Strand and Tooting', with 468 pipes, the speaking ones 'richly illuminated by Messrs. Harrison of Euston-road'. In By 1869 Southgate had also become organist at St Michael's, Stockwell. In the 1881 census he is described as a widowed 'Teacher Organ (Musician)' of 115 Davyell Rd, Lambeth. He was still operating from his Strand premises in 1884, with an organ 'Blown by engine-power'.