The Birthplace of John Nicholson, the ‘Airedale Poet’, Born 1790, Died 1843

Watercolour on prepared, gilt edged card, 1889

Verses by Nicholson in ink, in a contemporary hand, on verso.

105x160mm

£130

The Birthplace of John Nicholson, the ‘Airedale Poet’, Born 1790, Died 1843

A delicately executed, detailed watercolour sketch of the humble farmhouse, at Weardley, West Yorkshire, birthplace of the rustic ‘Airedale Poet’ John Nicholson (1790-1843). This view shows the single storey, stone built, thatched farmhouse, with water butts and drive in the foreground. Receiving an elementary education, Nicholson became a wool sorter in his father's factory at Eldwick, and followed that occupation to the end of his life, allowing for intervals when he was hawking his poems. Employed eventually by Sir Titus Salt, who became his patron, he followed a dissipated lifestyle, although following the death of his first wife, he briefly became a Medthodist preacher. Nicholson's first published work was ‘The Siege of Bradford’, published in 1821, a dramatic poem which, along with a three-act drama, ‘The Robber of the Alps,’ which he had written for the Bradford old theatre. There were one or two short poems in this work, but it was not until the appearance of ‘Airedale in Ancient Times’ (1825) that Nicholson's claim to rank as a poet was generally recognised. The success of this volume was unique. The whole impression was sold in a few months, and a second edition followed in the same year. The poem, which gained for him the title of ‘the Airedale poet,’ is the best of his larger pieces. It contains some fine descriptions of the scenery of the district and of the various stirring incidents connected with its history. An attempt to seek recognition for his verse in London (where he was derided at as a Yorkshire yokel and figure of fun) failed, and after being involved with the Chartists’ Riots, he acquired a reputation as a drunk and troublemaker. In April 1843, while going on a visit to his aunt at Eldwick, he slipped while drunk into the River Aire, and although he managed to haul himself out was found dead soon after. He was buried in the presence of a large crowd at Bingley churchyard. His verse continued to be printed after his death, in 1876 there were rival editions one edited by Abraham Holroyd and published at Saltaire the other dedicated to Sir Titus Salt. Gradually his verse disappeared and as the generation that had known him vanished, so did he.

Nottingham Castle. The Seat of His Grace the Duke of Newcastle

London, J. Fittler Sept. 1st 1789

Copper engraving, open letter proof

Trimmed on platemark, misc marginal repairs, traces of old creases, slight overall time staining

345x445mm

£140

Nottingham Castle. The Seat of His Grace the Duke of Newcastle

An interesting, picturesque view of Nottingham Castle, perched on its crag above the town, with horsemen, tourists and grazing horses in the fields in the foreground. After the Civil War the original twelfth century fortress, built by William Peverel, was slighted. Subsequently most of remaining ruins of the medieval castle were destroyed and in 1663 the site was purchased by William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle, who started to build a magnificent ‘prospect house’ (shown here) on the Castle Rock. Newcastle died before the project was completed, and the house was finished by his son in 1678. In 1831 the house was attacked and gutted by rioters following the Duke’s opposition to Parliamentary Reform, and as a silent rebuke to the people of Nottingham the Duke left the ruined building unrepaired for forty five years. It is now the Nottingham Municipal Museum and Art Gallery.

Helmsley, Yorkshire

August 18th 1864

Watercolour and pen & ink

Slight old glue staining in corners, neatly repaired loss to upper right and lower left corners.

150x230mm

£85

Helmsley, Yorkshire

A small, skilfully executed watercolour sketch of the market square of Helmsley, Ryedale, North Yorkshire. In the foreground is the Market Cross (later rebuilt), with the square (looking towards Bridge Street) surrounded by houses many of which still exist.

Henley Regatta

Pencil drawing c. 1920

Slight acid staining around edges and in sky

380x255mm

£220

Henley Regatta

A skilfully executed, delicate and characterful sketch of Henley on Thames and the Royal Regatta. The view shows the Thames, crossed by the five arched bridge (built 1786), with the tower of the ancient church of St. Mary projecting above the grandstand on the right. Rowing boats, skiffs and barges are dotted about on the river, crowds line both banks, and onlookers peer over the parapet of the bridge. The Regatta has been held every July since 1839, and became ‘Royal’ when Prince Albert became patron in 1851.

The Death of Major Pierson, And the Defeat of the French Troops in the Market Place of Saint Helier in the Island of Jersey, Jan. 6th 1781.

London, c. 1785

Copper engraving

Trimmed within platemark & publication line, misc repairs affecting engraved surface, slight surface abrasion in margins and title area.

470x610mm

£280

The Death of Major Pierson, And the Defeat of the French Troops in the Market Place of Saint Helier in the Island of Jersey, Jan. 6th 1781.

A large, rare, dramatic engraving showing the heroic death at the moment of victory of Major Francis Peirson (1757-81). Peirson is shown in the centre of the design, falling back into the arms of his soldiers, beneath the british Standard, while on the right women and children flee the fighting in terror. Peirson entered the army at an early age, rising to the rank of major in April 1780, when he was appointed to the 95th regiment, which was shortly afterwards stationed in Jersey. At this period the Channel Islands were subjected to the constant danger of attacks from the French, who made several futile attempts to gain possession. By far the most important of these raids was that of 6th Jan. 1781, known as the ‘Battle of Jersey,’ when the French, under the Baron de Rullecour, a desperate adventurer, landed under cover of night and took possession of the town of St. Helier, making the lieutenant-governor, Major Moses Corbet, a prisoner in his bed. Under these circumstances the command of the troops devolved upon the youthful Peirson. Rullecour succeeded in inducing Corbet to sign a capitulation, and Elizabeth Castle was summoned to surrender, but the officer in command boldly refused to obey the order. Meanwhile the regular troops and the island militia, under the command of Major Peirson, advanced in two divisions towards the Royal Square, then the market-place, where a vigorous engagement took place, resulting in great loss to the French, who, though fighting with great obstinacy, became disordered and were compelled to retire. The victory was complete, but had been gained at the heavy price of the life of a promising young officer, for in the very moment of victory the gallant Peirson was shot through the heart, and fell dead in the arms of his grenadiers. Rullecour himself was mortally wounded, and most of the French soldiers were taken prisoners. Peirson, was interred in the parish church of St. Helier with all the honours of war, and in the presence of the States of the island, who caused a magnificent monument to be erected to his memory. Copley’s famous painting is now in the National Gallery.

R. M. I. G. – New Senior School at Rickmansworth

London, c. 1930

Etching, printed in sepia

250x200mm

£85

R. M. I. G. – New Senior School at Rickmansworth

An interesting view of the grand arched entrance to the newly built Rickmansworth School, Hertfordshire, with automobiles parked in the street.

Lindisfarne or Holy Island Cathedral

London, c. 1830

Aquatint, printed in sepia, on Whatman paper, open letter proof

Trimmed within platemark, misc neat marginal repairs, some affecting engraved surface.

480x620mm

£150

Lindisfarne or Holy Island Cathedral

A picturesque view of the ruins of Lindisfarne Abbey on Holy Island off the coast of Northumberland, with tourists admiring the remains

The Town Hall Abingdon

London, c. 1880

Etching

246 x 160mm

£70

The Town Hall Abingdon

A delicately etched, unusual side view of Abingdon County Hall. This view shows the County Hall from the side and rear, with the ancient medieval houses of East St. Helen’s Street on the left. The County Hall was built around 1680 to designs by Christopher Wren and was designed to serve three purposes: the cellars as warehouses, the ground floor as a covered market, and the first floor as a courtroom. Today it houses the town’s museum.

The Departure. (Second Class)
The Return. (First Class)

London, Gambart & Co. April 4th 1857

Mixed method mezzotints

Dust staining, slight overall browning, scratches to surface of plate ‘a’

580x630mm

The pair £500

The Departure. (Second Class)
The Return. (First Class)

A pair of well known, rare, large railway subjects. In plate ‘a’ the scene is the interior of a second class railway carriage with hard, unpadded, wooden benches. A young mother, plainly dressed in a black coat, bonnet and shawl, clutches the hand of her young son, who is evidently on his way to Portsmouth to join the service of the East India Company (a recruiting poster is pasted to the wall above his head). His tearful sister sits on the bench opposite next to her brother’s baggage, a sailor is travelling with his wife in the background, numerous posters advertising ship passages to Australia and India, and other advertisements are stuck to the walls, and ships in the harbour are visible through the carriage window. In plate ‘b’ the young man (now considerably older), has returned to England, evidently having made his fortune. He sits in backview, in a comfortably upholstered first class carriage, wearing smart military uniform, chatting to an elderly, well dressed fellow passenger, while exchanging glances with the old man’s pretty, fashionably dressed young daughter, who sits demurely crocheting in a corner of the carriage. The popular artist Abraham Solomon (1823-62), was the second son of Michael Solomon, a Leghorn-hat manufacturer. Abraham was born in Sandy Street, Bishopsgate, London and his father was the first Jew to be admitted to the freedom of the City of London.

(Guernsey). The Residence of His Excellency Lt. Gen. Sir John Doyle, Bart. K.B. K.C. &c. &c. &c. Lt. Governor

London, 1815

Aquatint

Traces of old folds

150x200mm

£65

(Guernsey). The Residence of His Excellency Lt. Gen. Sir John Doyle, Bart. K.B. K.C. &c. &c. &c. Lt. Governor

An interesting, early view of Old Government House, Guernsey, Channel Islands. This view shows the older, three storey, central block, with its hipped roof and dormer windows, before the addition of wings on either side, from across the forecourt. General Sir John Doyle (1750-1834), born in Kilkenney, Ireland, first distinguished himself fighting during the American War of Independence. He later fought in the Netherlands and Egypt, where he raised the first British dromedary corps against Napoleon. His last daring achievement was in bringing home despatches in the following year from Naples through the midst of the banditti who then infested Italy. In 1802 he was promoted major-general, and made private secretary to the Prince of Wales, a post he resigned in 1804 to take up the appointment of lieutenant-governor of Guernsey. An exceptionally able administrator, in Guernsey he made himself very popular, reinforcing the garrison and extracting extra money for defence of the islands from the Government. He was forced out in 1815, but the grateful inhabitants of Guernsey raised a pillar to him in 1826. He died unmarried at his home in Somerset Street, Portman Square, on 8th Aug. 1834.

View of St. Michael’s and Holy Trinity, Coventry

Coventry, c. 1800

Etching. Original hand-colouring

Slight time staining in sky, small neatly repaired hole.

330x595mm

£380

View of St. Michael’s and Holy Trinity, Coventry

A very delicately executed, detailed, rare, locally published view of Coventry, looking south, taken from Priory Row. In the centre is the ‘Old Cathedral’ church of St. Michael’s, surrounded by its extensive graveyard and on the right, separated from it by Trinity Row, is Holy Trinity Priory with its graveyard. In the distance is the High Street and and the half timbered Golden Cross Inn and on the extreme right are the half timbered buildings of Butcher Row and Broadgate. St Michael’s is now a shell, destroyed during the terrible ‘nine hour Blitz’ during the night of Thursday November 14th 1940, while the red sandstone church of Holy Trinity was one of the few buildings that escaped devastation.