D'une construction remarquable, bien qu'effectuée à différentes époques, l'église de Polignac est un véritable joyau de l'art roman qui mérite une visite attentive. Le chœur est des Xème et XIème siècles, la nef du XIIème siècle, sauf la dernière travée, qui fut ajouté au siècle dernier. Ses dimensions : 30m de long, 14m de large et 12m de haut (sous voûte) en font un édifice remarquable pour une petite agglomération. L'église est (sauf la dernière travée à l'intérieur) construite en pierre taillée, ocre ou noire, provenant des coulées volcaniques de la Denise. Cette pierre se prêtant mal à la sculpture fine, a été remplacée pour la plupart des chapiteaux par la pierre blanche des carrières de Blavozy.

Le bâtiment comporte une nef centrale, deux nefs latérales et un transept incomplet. Les piliers massifs, en forme de croix, sont agrémentés dans les angles, par de belles colonnettes en fuseau, qui ornent également le pourtour de l'église.

 

L’existence de l’église Saint Martin est attestée dès 1062. Des chanoines y célèbrent la messe, jusqu’à ce que le vicomte de Polignac s’en empare. En 1128, l’évêque rétablit l’ordre des choses. En 1588 l’église est cédée sous la contrainte au Collège des Jésuites et rétrocédée en 1597. Mais en 1603 le Parlement Toulousain confirme le droit des Jésuites. Les villageois refusent alors de payer la dîme jusqu’en Juillet 1617, où le parlement Bordelais fait signer une transaction. L’intérieur de cette église romane, construite à partir de brèches volcaniques, mérite l’attention des visiteurs. Des fresques murales ont été mises à jour en 1923 et restaurées quelques années plus tard. La plus impressionnante demeure le jugement dernier à travers des tableaux de l’Enfer et du Paradis. Imposante par sa taille, l'église a été régulièrement restaurée dès le début du XIXème siècle.

 

Un grand merci pour vos favoris, commentaires, encouragements et critiques toujours très appréciés.

 

Many thanks for your much appreciated favorites and comments

Des mains d'agriculteur! Cette photo va être imprimée sur une très grande bâche à l'entrée d'un village d'Occitanie pour la période estivale. Fière.

belpech.wixsite.com/belpech/chemins-de-photos

The abbey was founded in 1129 by Duke Godfrey, surnamed "Barbatus" ("the Bearded"), who possessed an immense park near Leuven and had invited the Premonstratensians to take possession of a small church he had built there.

 

Walter, abbot of St Martin's, Laon, brought a colony of his canons and acted as their superior for nearly three years, until the canons, now in sufficient number, elected Simon, another canon of Laon, as their abbot. The canons performed the general work of the ministry in the district of Leuven, in opposition to the heretic Tanchelm.

 

In 1137 the abbot was able to found Ninove Abbey. Godfrey made the Abbot of the Park and his successors his archchaplains. Simon died on 30 March 1142 and was succeeded by Philip, whose correspondence with Saint Hildegard of Bingen was preserved in the Park Abbey archives. Philip and his successors enlarged the buildings and prepared the land for agriculture. At the time there a canon living in the abbey, Blessed Rabado, whose devotion to the Passion was attested by miracles.

 

Abbot Gerard van Goetsenhoven (1414–34) had much to do with the establishment of the Catholic University of Leuven, and was also delegated by John IV, Duke of Brabant to transact state affairs with the King of England and the Duke of Burgundy. Abbot van Tulden (1462–94) was successful in his action against commendatory abbots being imposed on religious houses in Belgium. Abbot van den Berghe (1543–58) managed the contributions levied in support of the Belgian theologians present at the resumed Council of Trent.

The abbey seen from across one of the fishponds

 

The abbey frequently suffered during the wars waged by William of Orange and the Calvinists. Abbots included Loots (1577–1583), van Vlierden (1583–1601), Jan Druys (1601–1634), Maes (1635–1647), De Pape (1648–1682), and van Tuycum (1682–1702). They all favoured higher education at the University of Leuven, and academic study flourished in the abbey.

 

Under Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor, the abbey was confiscated, because Abbot Wauters (died 23 November 1792) refused to send his religious to the general seminary erected by the emperor at Leuven. In the successful revolution against the emperor, the religious returned to their abbey. Wauters was succeeded by Melchior Nysmans (1793–1810).

 

Under the French Republic the abbey was confiscated again on 1 February 1797. At the request of the people the church was declared to be a parish church and was thus saved. The abbey was bought by a friendly layman who wished to preserve it for the religious, in better times. One of the canons, in the capacity of parish priest, remained in or near the abbey.

 

When Belgium was made a kingdom and religious freedom was restored, the surviving religious resumed community life and elected Peter Ottoy, then rural dean of Diest, as their superior.

 

In 1897 the abbey undertook the foundation of a priory in Brazil. (Wikipedia) Leuven, Belgium

Oui, toutes les fenêtres offrent une vue imprenable sur le port de Port-Vendres.

Non, je n'ai pas de commission sur une éventuelle transaction !

Ma seule motivation est le partage de cette façade que je trouve belle.

 

The abbey was founded in 1129 by Duke Godfrey, surnamed "Barbatus" ("the Bearded"), who possessed an immense park near Leuven and had invited the Premonstratensians to take possession of a small church he had built there.

 

Walter, abbot of St Martin's, Laon, brought a colony of his canons and acted as their superior for nearly three years, until the canons, now in sufficient number, elected Simon, another canon of Laon, as their abbot. The canons performed the general work of the ministry in the district of Leuven, in opposition to the heretic Tanchelm.

 

In 1137 the abbot was able to found Ninove Abbey. Godfrey made the Abbot of the Park and his successors his archchaplains. Simon died on 30 March 1142 and was succeeded by Philip, whose correspondence with Saint Hildegard of Bingen was preserved in the Park Abbey archives. Philip and his successors enlarged the buildings and prepared the land for agriculture. At the time there a canon living in the abbey, Blessed Rabado, whose devotion to the Passion was attested by miracles.

 

Abbot Gerard van Goetsenhoven (1414–34) had much to do with the establishment of the Catholic University of Leuven, and was also delegated by John IV, Duke of Brabant to transact state affairs with the King of England and the Duke of Burgundy. Abbot van Tulden (1462–94) was successful in his action against commendatory abbots being imposed on religious houses in Belgium. Abbot van den Berghe (1543–58) managed the contributions levied in support of the Belgian theologians present at the resumed Council of Trent.

The abbey seen from across one of the fishponds

 

The abbey frequently suffered during the wars waged by William of Orange and the Calvinists. Abbots included Loots (1577–1583), van Vlierden (1583–1601), Jan Druys (1601–1634), Maes (1635–1647), De Pape (1648–1682), and van Tuycum (1682–1702). They all favoured higher education at the University of Leuven, and academic study flourished in the abbey.

 

Under Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor, the abbey was confiscated, because Abbot Wauters (died 23 November 1792) refused to send his religious to the general seminary erected by the emperor at Leuven. In the successful revolution against the emperor, the religious returned to their abbey. Wauters was succeeded by Melchior Nysmans (1793–1810).

 

Under the French Republic the abbey was confiscated again on 1 February 1797. At the request of the people the church was declared to be a parish church and was thus saved. The abbey was bought by a friendly layman who wished to preserve it for the religious, in better times. One of the canons, in the capacity of parish priest, remained in or near the abbey.

 

When Belgium was made a kingdom and religious freedom was restored, the surviving religious resumed community life and elected Peter Ottoy, then rural dean of Diest, as their superior.

 

In 1897 the abbey undertook the foundation of a priory in Brazil. (Wikipedia) Leuven, Belgium

Foire aux chameaux de Pushkar, état du Rajasthan, Inde.

 

Le soleil vient juste de se lever sur les bivouacs des marchands de chameaux de la foire de Pushkar mais il ne fait pas encore très chaud. Encore un peu ensommeillé, l'homme se pelotonne dans sa couverture avant de commencer une nouvelle journée de transactions.

 

Quelques centaines de marchands de dromadaires mais aussi de chevaux se donnent rendez-vous chaque année en novembre dans la plaine de Pushkar pour une manifestation certes commerciale durant laquelle sont négociés des milliers d'animaux, mais aussi religieuse, dédiée au dieu hindouiste Brahma. A cette occasion, de nombreuses activités commerciales, religieuses et festives animent la ville durant douze jours

   

L'actuelle église paroissiale Saint-Rémy est l'ancienne abbatiale de l'abbaye bénédictine fondée en 673 par saint Berchaire sur des terres données par le roi Childéric II. A la Révolution, l'ancienne église paroissiale de Montier-en-Der, du vocable de Saint-Rémy, fut détruite. Les paroissiens retrouvèrent un lieu de culte dans l'abbatiale inoccupée qui était alors dédiée à Notre-Dame et où ils continuèrent à célébrer leur ancien patron, saint Rémy.

L'abbé Adson (960-982) entreprit la reconstruction de l'église qui fut consacrée en 998 (il en subsiste les grandes arcades de la nef).

Au cours de la 1ère moitié du 11e siècle, on dota la nef de tribunes et d'un massif antérieur à tours et à la fin 12e on édifia le choeur et la tour de façade qui furent probablement achevés aux alentours de 1200.

Au 14e siècle, l'abbé Ferry éleva la chapelle des fonts au nord du choeur. Au début du 16e siècle, l'abbé commendataire François de Dinteville modifia la partie antérieure de l'église (reconstruction de la façade et destruction de sa tour septentrionale) et remplaça les charpentes des tribunes par des voûtes.

Une transaction fut passée le 6 février 1556 entre le cardinal Charles de Lorraine, archevêque de Reims et abbé commendataire, et Girard de Hault, procureur des habitants dépendants de l'abbaye pour que ces derniers effectuent 600 charrois pour la réparation de l'église (réfection des flèches des deux clochers de l'abbaye et de leur couverture en ardoise), d'autres travaux comme la démolition des corps de logis en bois de l'abbaye (maisons abbatiales, trésorerie, chantrerie, aumônerie, étables, prévôté) et reconstruire le mur de clôture de l'abbaye avec quatre tours à canonnière, un pont-levis et une herse à l'entrée.

En 1773, les bâtiments abbatiaux furent reconstruits puis transformés en haras en 1811 et enfin rasés en 1860.

Sous l'impulsion de Prosper Mérimée, le choeur, la chapelle axiale et le déambulatoire furent restaurés par Emile Boeswillwald entre 1851-1855 et 1860-1863. Son fils, Paul-Louis Boeswillwald, reconstruisit la charpente de la nef, brûlée par un incendie en 1893, et les parties supérieures du clocher entre 1896 et 1901.

L'édifice fut bombardé et incendié le 14 juin 1940 ce qui entraîna un grand chantier de restauration dès 1941 et la reconstruction quasi-totale de la nef sous la direction de Jacques Laurent, architecte en chef des Monuments Historiques. Cette phase de travaux s'acheva au milieu des années 1950 mais la flèche de la tour ne fut posée qu'en 1982

L’édifice Archivo de Indias, Avenida de la Constitución, Séville (Sevilla), Andalousie, Espagne.

 

Les Archives générales des Indes ont investi en 1785 le vaste bâtiment de style Renaissance de la Casa Lonja, ancien centre de transactions commerciales (ancienne Bourse de commerce) du 16e siècle. On y trouve aujourd’hui des documents concernant la navigation et les explorations entreprises par des Espagnols ainsi que des nombreuses cartes et dessins datant du 15e siècle jusqu’au 19e siècle. Parmi les documents, on compte des lettres de Colomb, de Magellan, Cortés ou encore de Cervantès.

 

Séville est la capitale de la région de l'Andalousie, au sud de l'Espagne. Elle est réputée pour la danse flamenco, en particulier dans le quartier de Triana. C’est également une ville au passé prestigieux, dotée d'un patrimoine artistique d’une grande richesse, ce qui en fait une des destinations touristiques les plus prisées d’Europe.

 

Les principaux monuments incluent le palais richement travaillé de l'Alcazar, construit sous la dynastie maure des Almohades, ainsi que les arènes de la Real Maestranza de Caballería, qui datent du 18e siècle. La cathédrale gothique de Séville comprend le tombeau de Christophe Colomb et un minaret transformé en clocher surnommé « la Giralda ». Depuis 1987, la Cathédrale, l'Alcázar et l'Archivo de Indias de Séville sont classés au patrimoine de L’UNESCO (WHL-383bis).

Imaged during the night of the 3-4 March this is an image of the galaxy triplet in the constellation of Leo.

 

Two of the galaxies were catalogued by Charles Messier, M66 (top left) and M65 (bottom left). The third galaxy (right) is found in the NGC Catalogue as NGC 3628.

 

NGC 3628 is popularly known as the "Hamburger Galaxy" due to its edge on appearance to us said to resemble a Hamburger.....!

 

Lying at a distance of 35 million light-years from us they are a true group of interacting systems.

 

Our viewpoint means we see the three galaxies at different angles. NGC appears edge-on - displaying lots of dust and a prominent dust lane.

 

M65 & M66 are inclined enough so that their spiral arms are visible.

 

The three systems are very different in character.

 

M66 is a barred and shows a high rate of star formation with numerous tell-tale red/pink areas of glowing hydrogen gas. Its spiral arms are also deformed, indicative of interactive gravitational forces within the group.

 

M65 is an intermediate spiral and is poor in dust and star formation. It appears the least affected by interaction showing a more or less classical spiral shape.

 

NGC3628 is an unbarred spiral which we see edge on. The galaxy is transacted by a broad band of dust which stretches along its outer edge hiding young stars in the galaxy arms.

 

Imaged with an Esprit 120ED with flattener and a cooled ZWO 2600MC camera.

 

Thanks for looking!

As I’ve recounted in prior postings, the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam which became New York after the war between Great Briton and the Netherlands originated on the southern tip of the island of Manhattan, it is the oldest part of the city. The age of the area which was organized prior to the grid pattern of streets that dominates the rest of the island which really only has Broadway traversing diagonally across the pattern, explain why it streets cross and turn sometimes without logic; remember that Broadway was in fact an original Lenape Indian trail. I enjoy walking this part of the city, without the grid pattern, you end up in a different direction before you know it. It is just east of the aforementioned Broadway at the intersection of Liberty Street and Liberty Place that one encounters 65 Liberty Street what today is the International Commercial Bank of China. However as captured on this image on the buildings restored façade, etched in the stone above its six two story columns are carved “1768 Chamber of Commerce 1901” which reveals the edifice’s original purpose. Opening in 1902 though its cornerstone was actually laid on November 8, 1901 (which is what the 1901 stands for) and it was a designed by James B. Baker during the City Beautiful Movement that spawned the architectural masterpieces such as the majestic entrance to the Manhattan Bridge that I posted previously

[ flic.kr/p/pqXEUq ]. The architect Baker’s design was French Renaissance Eclectic Style. What is captured in this image is the top of the building from Liberty Street, reminiscent of the Paris Opera House with large fluted columns, topped by a gently curved mansard copper clad roof with distinct ornate dormers which contained the the Assembly Hall where most of the gatherings for the Chamber of Commerce of New York State were held during its heyday.

What is the 1768 stand for? That is when a group of twenty New York City merchants met on April 5th at Bolton and Sigel's Tavern (today Fraunces Tavern [ flic.kr/p/CcLpzj ]) to forge a mercantile union that would promote and protect their collective interests, which was initially called ‘The New York Chamber of Commerce and Industry”. Yes, it predated the American Revolutionary War and in 1770 was granted a royal charter from good old King George III himself, incorporating as “the Corporation of the Chamber of Commerce in the City of New York in America.” It survived the British occupation of New York City during the Revolutionary War as it was a divided organization, the Patriots left New York City when the Brits arrived, but the Loyalist remained and continued to hold meetings and transact business in the city. The organization grew, though for its first century it was a gypsy of sorts, moving from location to location. Initially meeting at Bolton and Sigel’s Tavern, in 1770 after receiving their royal charter it moved its home-base to the Royal Exchange. After the British evacuation in 1783, the organization moved to the Merchants' Coffee House building where the following year they received a new charter reincorporating it as "the Corporation of the Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York." A decade later in 1793 the organization migrated across the street to the Tontine Association. In 1827 the Chamber of Commerce took over the Merchants Exchange Building until the great New York City fire of 1835 found the organization moving to the Merchants Bank located on Wall Street. It was during this time the powerful Chamber of Commerce heavily pushed with it influence the building of the Erie Canal citing the interest of serving regional commerce which greatly contributed to the development of the ever growing New York City. The sphere of influence of the organization was far reaching during most of the 19th Century, expansion of New York City’s water & waste water system, the building of a rapid transit system for the city, even health initiatives like developing measures to protect New York during the cholera outbreaks of the 1890’s were championed by the visionary members of this group.

The organization continued to grow in power and influence at the turn of the 20th Century, and it was actually in 1897 that the Chamber of Commerce began a building fund to build a permanent and proper headquarters. After securing the location at 65 Liberty Street, they chose James B. Baker to design the building. The building would open in November of 1902 with an impressive list of guest attending the opening ceremony including sitting US President Theodore Roosevelt (a New York City native), former president Grover Cleveland (a Caldwell New Jersey native), the French & British Ambassadors, New York City Mayor Seth Low, the Consul Generals of Russia, Germany and Britan as well as several European Royals. The building was not completely finished at the opening; eventually in 1903 three donated statues were placed in the three spans between the fluted columns, statues of Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and De Witt Clinton. Then in 1921 architects Helmle & Corbett began a major remodeling which required that the building be closed for six months reopening in January of 1922. The organization remained in the magnificent white Vermont marble building until 1980; it being designated a New York City landmark in 1966 and National Historic Landmark in 1977. The Chamber of Commerce moved in with an affiliate organization, The New York City Partnership in 1980. In 2002 the two organizations merged into The Partnership for New York City and sadly that is where New York Chamber of Commerce ended its existence, which was amongst the oldest merchant organizations in the States.

Before the International Commercial Bank of China completely moved into the historic edifice in this image, extensive restoration was done by Haines Lundberg Waehler in 1991. The damage of acid rain and pollution had deteriorated the white marble façade of the building to the extent that it required 25,000 tons of white Vermont marble to accomplish the restoration. Sadly the three aforementioned statues of Hamilton, Jay and Clinton as well as a statue of Mercury were beyond repair when the restoration was completed in 1992.

Captured on Olympus E-5 using an Olympus Zuiko 12-60MM F2.8-4.0 SWD lens hand held processed with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.

 

Paris, avril 2017.

Project 365 (one photo per day for 2022 taken on 5x4 large format film)

 

Event: Project 365

Location: Bedroom at home

Camera: Wista 45VX

Lens(s): Schneider-Kreuznach Apo-Symmar 210mm f/5.6

Film: Ilford Delta 100

Shot ISO: 80

Light Meter: Minolta Spot Meter F

Movements: Rear swing, front swing, front tilt forwards, front rise

Bellows: 240mm (+0.33)

Exposure: 1s @ f/32

Lighting: Vivanco VL300 - 11:45am

Mounting: Tripod - Manfrotto

Firing: Cable release

Developer: Ilford DD-X(1+4)

Scanner: Epson V800

Post: Adobe Lightroom & Photoshop (dust removal)

Fort Ross Kuskov House 1812-1838

 

The old house for the commandant, two stories, built of beams, 8 toises [sazhens [1]] long by 6 wide, covered with double planking. There are 6 rooms and a kitchen. Inventory for Mr. Sutter, 1841.

 

This building served as headquarters for the first manager, Ivan Kuskov, and as a storeroom for arms and other valuables. It must have been one of the first of the Russian buildings to be lost; there are no pictures or reports of it from the following ranching years. Archaeological investigations found a line of postholes to aid its reconstruction. The substantial building was carefully designed based on the 1817 stockade layout, visitors’ descriptions, and on other Russian American buildings of similar use. It stands in its original location, built by 20th century craftsmen using old joinery techniques.

 

“In one corner of the commandant’s living room there was on a canvas two feet high a painting of St. Peter and St. Paul and another very small one below it of St. Nicholas. Writings of Mariano Payeras, 1822.

 

The first room we entered was the armory, containing many muskets, ranged in neat order; hence we passed into the chief room of the house, which is used as a dining room & in which all business is transacted. It was comfortably, though not elegantly furnished, and the walls were adorned with engravings of Nicholas I, Duke Constantine, &c... An (anonymous) Bostonian’s description, 1832.

 

The replica Kuskov House was completed in 1983. It has a furnished armory and storerooms on the ground floor, and a trade room and attached living quarters upstairs. From the second floor “dining room,” one can see the sea, and any approaching ships through the old-style hand-made glass. It is now the most spacious room in the fort, and worth a climb up the stairs, over which heavy doors were installed in the reconstruction.

 

Also upstairs is a small room on the northeast corner designed as a scientific study. The Russian naturalist Ilya G. Voznesenskii spent part of 1841 at the fort, collecting and sketching; the lab is arranged as he might have used it. Several local plants and animals are named for Voznesenskii, and his watercolor of Fort Ross is one of the most accurate and valuable visual representations of the settlement.

 

[1] A sazhen (Russian) is seven feet or 2 1/3 yards. In the French version of the Inventory for Mr. Sutter the term is toise, in the Spanish, braza, each meaning fathom. The correct translation is the seven foot Russian fathom, called a sazhen.(Glenn J. Farris)

Cavendish Mews is a smart set of flats in Mayfair where flapper and modern woman, the Honourable Lettice Chetwynd has set up home after coming of age and gaining her allowance. To supplement her already generous allowance, and to break away from dependence upon her family, Lettice has established herself as a society interior designer, so her flat is decorated with a mixture of elegant antique Georgian pieces and modern Art Deco furnishings, using it as a showroom for what she can offer to her well heeled clients.

 

Today we are in Lettice’s drawing room where Edith, Lettice’s maid, has just shown in Lettice’s new milliner and friend of Gerald’s, Miss Harriet Milford. The orphaned daughter of a solicitor with little formal education, Harriet has taken in theatrical lodgers to earn a living, but more importantly for Lettice, has taken up millinery semi-professionally to give her some pin money*. As Harriet made Lettice a fetching picture hat for her brother Leslie’s wedding in November, Lettice commissioned her to make a new millinery creation for her for the wedding of Lettice’s friend Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon** who is marrying the Duke of York*** in a few days.

 

Although dressed in a fawn coloured three quarter length morning frock that makes up in functionality what it lacks in fashion, Lettice’s pretty visitor does not seem to feel self-conscious or at all ill at ease in her stylish surroundings as she takes them in with an observant eye. Lettice indicates with an open hand to the chair opposite her own and Harriet elegantly takes a seat and places the rather large round white cardboard hatbox that she brought into the drawing room with her onto the green and gold satin Chippendale stool next to her chair.

 

“It really was very good of you to come to me, Miss Milford.” Lettice says gratefully as she sinks down into her round Art Deco tub chair.

 

“It’s my pleasure, Miss Chetwynd,” Harriet replies as she smiles across at her hostess. “I’m just trying to demonstrate a little of that professionalism you spoke of when you commissioned me to make the hat.”

 

“Oh I can assure you, Miss Milford,” Lettice chortles as she pushes the copy of Vogue that she had been reading to the edge of the black japanned coffee table. “You will quickly gain the patronage of every one of Madame Gwendolyn’s clients if you personally deliver every one of your millinery creations to their new owners. Goodness knows she won’t.”

 

“Oh dear!” Harriet exclaims, raising her bare hands to her cheeks as she blushes. “Have I made another faux pas? I do beg your pardon.”

 

“Oh not at all, Miss Milford.” Lettice assures her soothingly. “No, your personalised service, if this is something you are prepared to do for your clients, will put you streets ahead of your competition, I assure you.”

 

“Well,” Harriet breathes a sigh of relief, her shoulders loosening. “Thank goodness for that! Mind you, you are a bit of a special client, Miss Chetwynd.”

 

“Me?” Lettice asks, raising her well manicured hand to her chest. “How is it that I, of all people, should garner such favour?”

 

At that moment, Edith enters the drawing room carrying a silver tray which holds Lettice’s elegant Art Deco tea service. Bobbing a courtesy, she unpacks a teapot, milk jug, sugar bowl and two teacups and saucers onto the cleared surface of the coffee table. Assured by Lettice that if she needs anything further she will ring, Edith bobs a second curtsey and leaves.

 

“Oh, I do so, miss having a parlour maid.” Harriet sighs as she watches Edith’s retreating figure leave the room. “They do make life so much easier when entertaining.”

 

“Oh yes!” Lettice enthuses. “Edith is such a brick. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”

 

“Sadly, I suspect that either my father, or more likely I, was swindled by the other gentlemen in father’s partnership. I can’t imagine him dying and leaving me in such an impecunious situation that I can’t even afford to have a maid-of-all work. When Father was alive we had a cook, a tweeny and a parlour maid.”

 

“Then your belated father’s partners are no gentlemen, if you don’t mind me saying, my dear Miss Milford.”

 

“Indeed I don’t. They are however solicitors and lawyers, and I must confess that much of what they spoke to me about in the days following Father’s funeral bamboozled me.”

 

“Well, I’m hardly surprised by that, Miss Milford. You’re certainly a smart woman, and capable too, but legalise, well,” Lettice tuts and shakes her head. “That is quite another language indeed, and one peddled by a certain type of lawyer and solicitor to swindle, rather than assist those in a less fortunate situation.”

 

“Evidently I may be smart, but I’m not capable of keeping a neat home.” Harriet admits. “And that’s why you are a rather special client, Miss Chetwynd. I didn’t want to subject you to the indignity of having you collect your hat from my front parlour, which I will confess is still just as untidy as the last time you saw it. I just don’t seem to be able to keep on top of the housework along with all the other duties of running a boarding house, not that my tenants are particularly handy with a mop, dustpan or broom either.”

 

Lettice feels a pang of guilt as Harriet speaks, and she remembers the conversation she had not a few short weeks ago in this very room wit Gerald about the shoddy way in which she treated the young lady the last time they met.

 

“Yes, well about that, Miss Milford.” Lettice begins, the words catching awkwardly in her throat as she speaks.

 

“About what, Miss Chetwynd?” Harriet asks, looking up with innocent eyes to her hostess sitting across the black japanned coffee table.

 

“Look, I don’t know how else to say this, but I think I was rather unjust to you when we last saw one another. I shouldn’t have been so critical of your housekeeping skills.”

 

“No! No, Miss Chetwynd.” Harriet defends her. “You did right to upbraid me. I need to be told things that will impact or restrict the success I strive for.”

 

“No. I was wrong for being quite so critical, Miss Milford. It didn’t come from a place of kindness or good will. It was ungallant of me, and I was unjust to you.”

 

“Did Gerry put you up to this?” Harriet asks warily.

 

“Yes… well no… well yes and no.”

 

Harriet huffs and smacks the top of the hatbox in her lap in frustration. “Goodness, I can’t trust him, can I? Just because I said…”

 

Lettice’s hands held out, palms facing outwards silence Harriet.

 

“Please, Miss Milford, don’t be cross with Gerald.” Lettice pleads. “He did the right thing by pulling me up and admonishing me. You see, Gerald and I are like brother and sister, and he knows me far too well, and what my propensities can be, especially when I feel threatened.”

 

“Threatened? Miss Chetwynd..”

 

“That last time I saw you, I behaved like a prig. I was overly critical. In fact, if I’m being truthful, which I am now going to be, even though I suspect you may despise me after the fact, I was looking to find fault, in even the smallest of trivialities.”

 

“But why, Miss Chetwynd?”

 

“Because I felt threatened by you.” Lettice looks guiltily across at Harriet. “Because I felt jealous of you, and your relationship with Gerald. I wanted to prove myself to be better than you.” She looks down sadly into her lap. “And in doing so, I made myself look worse than you, in Gerald’s eyes.”

 

“I’m sure that isn’t true, Miss Chetwynd.”

 

“I can assure you it is, Miss Milford. You know how adroit our Gerald is. He told me that from your account, which I’m sure was kinder than I deserve, that I sounded pompous, and I know that I was being pompous and mean spirited and far worse.”

 

“Because you are jealous of me?”

 

Lettice nods remorsefully.

 

“But I thought we had all that out already, Miss Chetwynd, the day you collected the hat I made you for your brother’s wedding last year. I told you the last thing I want to do is intrude on your friendship with Gerry, nor usurp you in his affections. I promise you, I’m not a threat.”

 

“I know, but even though I said I believed you, I lied. I didn’t believe you, and I unjustly wanted to find fault in you and punish you for what I now know, and in truth probably knew then, to be for no good reason. I was being spiteful.” She looks directly into Harriet’s placid face. “And I know now that I was very wrong to do that, and that I hurt you in the process, Miss Milford, intentionally. And I sincerely apologise.”

 

A silence falls heavily between the two of them.

 

“I believe, Miss Milford that now is the time for you to behave like the leading ladies who sometimes hang off the arms of your theatrical boarders, and make a scene by throwing a fit before storming out.”

 

Harriet laughs, a burst of genuine delight cascading from her pretty pert lips. “Oh Miss Chetwynd, you overestimate both my ability for and enjoyment of melodramas. I am very far from theatrical, so there will be no fits of temper, at least not from me, a fact for which you may be grateful.”

 

“You are far nicer to me than I deserve, Miss Milford. I’ve been a beast, and here you are, as smiling and civilised as ever.”

 

“My Father once told me that in his profession as a lawyer, you see the very best and the very worst in human nature, and that when you are faced with the latter, you should always channel the former so that you have nothing to reproach yourself with. I don’t know if I wholly agree with his holier than thou approach, but then again, he was a man of very black and white opinions, however in spite of all you have told me, Miss Chetwynd, you haven’t diminished in my esteem.”

 

“Then I really don’t deserve to know you, for you must surely be a saint.”

 

“Not at all, Miss Chetwynd. I may not admire you for your misjudgement of me, but I admire your truth and honesty, even if it took a nudge from Gerry for you to be so. You told me that we would never be bosom friends****, and nor do I want you to be one. However, I do honestly think that I can gain a great deal from you. As I noted, we both are trying to establish names for ourselves, albeit in different areas, and as women in a male dominated world, I think I would value your dispassionate and truthful opinion as I make my way in it.” She pauses. “That is if you can move on from this silly and unfounded jealously, Miss Chetwynd.”

 

“I think I could manage that.”

 

“Good!” Harriet sighs. “Well, now that we have that bit of business out of the way, perhaps we might move on to the business that I came here today to transact.” She pats the top of the plain cardboard hatbox and cocks an eyebrow at Lettice.

 

“I’ll just ring for Edith to fetch the hatstand from my dressing table.”

 

A short while later, with the hatstand fetched, Harriet presents Lettice with the hatbox.

 

“Me, Miss Milford?”

 

“I think that since this is your hat, you should have the honour of unveiling it, Miss Chetwynd.”

 

“And if I don’t like it?” Lettice asks earnestly, looking into her companion’s placidly smiling face.

 

“I don’t think we need to worry about that occurring, Miss Chetwynd.” Harriet’s lips curl up just a little bit more at the edges of her mouth as she speaks.

 

“Good.” Lettice agrees. “It’s vital as a woman in business to believe in your product.”

 

“See, Miss Chetwynd,” Harriet says. “Such wise advice from one businesswoman to another.”

 

Lettice lifts the lid off the round hatbox and drops it at her feet. Faced with a froth of white tissue paper, she carefully unfolds it, the paper whispering noisily beneath her fingers. She delves her fingers in until she feels the firmness of a satin covered brim beneath her hand, and grasping it, she foists the hat free, the tissue paper cascading to the ground around her. Lettice casts the hatbox aside and places the hat on the hatstand. With her left index finger and thumb pinching her chin, she contemplates the hat with a considered look, sighing with satisfaction.

 

“A deeply crowned hat with a wide, poke style brim.” Harriet gesticulates around the hat’s edges without actually touching it. “Stiffened of course.” she adds. “I know I had suggested from the outset that it should be made of apricot felt, but really for a Royal wedding, I felt satin was called for. And, as we discussed, I have edged it with the thinnest trim of white lace and ornamented the crown with creamy orange taffeta roses and ribbons. What do you think, Miss Chetwynd?”

 

“Honestly, Miss Milford,” Lettice replies. “I think it is perfect!”

 

“I’m so pleased you think so, Miss Chetwynd.” Harriet replies with a proud smile.

 

*Originating in Seventeenth Century England, the term pin money first meant “an allowance of money given by a husband to his wife for her personal expenditures. Married women, who typically lacked other sources of spending money, tended to view an allowance as something quite desirable. By the Twentieth Century, the term had come to mean a small sum of money, whether an allowance or earned, for spending on inessentials, separate and in addition to the housekeeping money a wife might have to spend.

 

**Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, as she was known at the beginning of 1923 when this story is set, went on to become Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions from 1936 to 1952 as the wife of King George VI. Whilst still Duke of York, Prince Albert initially proposed to Elizabeth in 1921, but she turned him down, being "afraid never, never again to be free to think, speak and act as I feel I really ought to". He proposed again in 1922 after Elizabeth was part of his sister, Mary the Princess Royal’s, wedding party, but she refused him again. On Saturday, January 13th, 1923, Prince Albert went for a walk with Elizabeth at the Bowes-Lyon home at St Paul’s, Walden Bury and proposed for a third and final time. This time she said yes. The wedding took place on April 26, 1923 at Westminster Abbey.

 

***Prince Albert, Duke of York, known by the diminutive “Bertie” to the family and close friends, was the second son of George V. Not only did Bertie propose to Elizabeth in 1921, but also in March 1922 after she was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Albert’s sister, Princess Mary to Viscount Lascelles. Elizabeth refused him a second time, yet undaunted Bertie pursued the girl who had stolen his heart. Finally, in January 1923 she agreed to marry him in spite of her misgivings about royal life.

 

****The term bosom friend is recorded as far back as the late Sixteenth Century. In those days, the bosom referred to the chest as the seat of deep emotions, though now the word usually means a woman's “chest.” A bosom friend, then, is one you might share these deep feelings with or have deep feelings for.

 

Contrary to popular belief, fashion at the beginning of the Roaring 20s did not feature the iconic cloche hat as a commonly worn head covering. Although invented by French milliner Caroline Reboux in 1908, the cloche hat did not start to gain popularity until 1922, so even though this story is set in that year, picture hats, a hangover from the pre-war years, were still de rigueur in fashionable society and whilst Lettice is fashionable, she and many other fashionable women still wore the more romantic picture hat. This included Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the future Queen of Great Britain and Queen Mother, and she maintained her romantic style all her life using soft colours and often wide brimmed hats. Although nowhere near as wide, heavy, voluminous or as ornate as the hats worn by women between the turn of the Twentieth Century and the Great War, the picture hats of the 1920s were still wide brimmed, although they were generally made of straw or some lightweight fabric and were decorated with a more restrained touch.

 

This 1920s upper-class drawing room is different to what you may think at first glance, for it is made up entirely of 1:12 size dollhouse miniatures.

 

Fun things to look for in this tableau include:

 

Central to our story, the beautiful hat made by Harriet with it’s soft peach colour, romantic wide brim and soft satin rose trim. 1:12 size miniature hats made to such exacting standards of quality and realism such as these are often far more expensive than real hats are. When you think that it would sit comfortably on the tip of your index finger, yet it could cost in excess of $150.00 or £100.00, it is an extravagance. American artists seem to have the monopoly on this skill and some of the hats that I have seen or acquired over the years are remarkable. The maker of this hat is unknown, but it is part of a larger collection I bought from an American miniature collector Marilyn Bickel. The hat stand the hat rests on is also part of Marilyn Bickel’s collection.

 

The Vogue magazine from 1923 sitting on the coffee table reflects the prevailing style for romantic hats and soft colours of the time and was made by hand by Petite Gite Miniatures in the United States. Lettice’s tea set is a beautiful artisan set featuring a rather avant-garde Art Deco Royal Doulton design from the Edwardian era.

 

Lettice’s drawing room is furnished with beautiful J.B.M. miniatures. The Art Deco tub chairs are of black japanned wood and have removable cushions, just like their life sized examples. To the left of the fireplace is a Hepplewhite drop-drawer bureau and chair of black japanned wood which has been hand painted with chinoiserie designs, even down the legs and inside the bureau. The Hepplewhite chair has a rattan seat, which has also been hand woven. To the right of the fireplace is a Chippendale cabinet which has also been decorated with chinoiserie designs. It also features very ornate metalwork hinges and locks.

 

On the top of the Hepplewhite bureau stand three real miniature photos in frames including an Edwardian silver frame, a Victorian brass frame and an Art Deco blue Bakelite and glass frame.

 

The fireplace is a 1:12 miniature resin Art Deco fireplace which is flanked by brass accessories including an ash brush with real bristles.

 

On the left hand side of the mantle is an Art Deco metal clock hand painted with wonderful detail by British miniature artisan Victoria Fasken.

 

In the middle of the mantle is a miniature artisan hand painted Art Deco statue on a “marble” plinth. Made by Warwick Miniatures in England, it is a 1:12 copy of the “Theban Dancer” sculpture created by Claire-Jeanne-Roberte Colinet in 1925.

 

The carpet beneath the furniture is a copy of a popular 1920s style Chinese silk rug, and the geometric Art Deco wallpaper is beautiful hand impressed paper given to me by a friend, which inspired the whole “Cavendish Mews – Lettice Chetwynd” series.

110521: Set20 AST Amsterdam Sevens Tournament: Transact Pro v Ascrum

Enfield, Nova Scotia - The community of Hornes Road in Nova Scotia was named for the Horne family that settled there in 1829. The area in Enfield, NS, was once home to a prominent railway station built by the Nova Scotia Railway, which was later demolished, and the site is now a private residence. "Hornes Road Station Enfield" refers to an old, historical railway station in Enfield, Nova Scotia, Canada. LINK to a photo - www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2811196272277524&set=a.8...

 

E.D. Horne Garage in Enfield. It is where Shooters Bar is presently located (1919) - www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=5069237699806692&set=a.4...

 

The home of Ernest Horne and once the residence of Fred and Mame Horne. It is located on the Horne Settlement Road in Enfield - www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=5069227673141028&set=a.4...

 

LINK to - Vintage Photos of Enfield, Nova Scotia - www.facebook.com/vintagephotosofenfield/

 

- sent from - / ENFIELD / MY 17 / 1871 / N • S / - "Venning" double split ring cancel with Venning type "7's" - 5 to 7 strikes are known for this hammer.

 

Thomas Brown Donaldson (1835–1924): Born in Porto Bella, Nova Scotia, he was the son of Henry Donaldson and his first wife, Jean (Jane) Brown. He served as the first postmaster of Enfield and died there at age 88.

 

Henry Fulton Donaldson (1843–1921): Born in New Jersey (during a period his father spent in the U.S.), he was the son of Henry Donaldson and his second wife, Jane Anderson. He later returned to Nova Scotia, lived in Enfield and Nine Mile River, and died in Enfield in 1921.

 

Legacy in Enfield - The Donaldson family was central to the early development of Enfield. Thomas B. Donaldson's appointment as the first postmaster established a long family association with the local postal service. His half-brother Henry Fulton Donaldson was also a well-known resident whose descendants continued to live in the Hants County area for generations.

 

LINK to a list of the Postmasters who served at ENFIELD - central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=posoffposmas&id=4...

 

Hugh Rathbun states: "All known ENFIELD double split ring covers have the "H" grid on the stamp. All covers were received in Stellarton on the same day the letters were dispatched from ENFIELD. It seems unlikely that these letters would travel from ENFIELD to Halifax and still get to Stellarton on the same day. Thus, I have concluded that ENFIELD had an "H" grid obliterator."

 

Did the "H" in the grid marking stand for HORNES - HORNES ROAD STATION - early name for ENFIELD?

 

Addressed to: Jesse Hoyt Esq. / Acadia Coal Mines / Pictou County / (Nova Scotia)

 

When the Acadia Coal Company was formed in 1865, its first field manager was Jesse Hoyt, also to be found in the Pictou Ship Register; and John Campbell who was building ships in the 1860s and 1870s was the discoverer of coal at what became Westville. Westville mine opened in 1865, and the Acadia, Intercolonial and Black Diamond mines followed in 1866, 67 and 68.

 

Jesse Hoyt

(b. 18 September 1835 in Annapolis, Annapolis County, Nova Scotia, Canada - d. 30 April 1881 at age 45 in Halifax, Nova Scotia / buried in Stellarton, Pictou County, Nova Scotia, Canada)

 

OBITUARY.- Among the obituary notices this morning will be found that of Mr. Jesse Hoyt. The deceased was for many years engaged in the Western Union Telegraph office in this city, and some years ago was appointed manager of the Acadia Mines. He was an energetic, hard worker; agreeable with those transacting business with him, and a popular gentleman with all classes. LINK - www.newspapers.com/article/the-halifax-herald-obituary-fo... Saturday morning at 6 o'clock, after a long and painful illness, Jesse Hoyt, in the 45th year of his age LINK - www.newspapers.com/article/the-halifax-herald-jesse-hoyt-... - At Halitax, on the 30th April, at 6 o'clock, after a long and painful illness, Jesse Hoyt, former Manager of the Acadia Mines, Stellarton, N. S., in the 45th year of his age. LINK - www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-transcript-obituary-...

 

LINK to his Find a Grave site - www.findagrave.com/memorial/216137812/jesse-hoyt

 

- arrived at - / STELLARTON / MY 17 / 71 / N.S / - split ring arrival backstamp - this split ring hammer is not listed in the Proof Book - it was most likely proofed c. March 1871 - the ERD for this hammer is - 25 March 1871.

 

Stellarton is located approximately 4 to 6 kilometers (roughly 2.5 to 4 miles) from the primary historical sites associated with the Acadia coal mines in Pictou County.

 

STELLARTON is one of the five Pictou County Towns, it is located along the East River south of the Town of New Glasgow. It was named after a bed of coal known as “stellar” or “oil” coal. The original name for the area was Albion Mines, the name given by the General Mining Association to their collieries in 1827. At a public meeting held in 1870, the place was renamed to “Stellarton” to represent the high-oil content coal known as Stella coal that was abundance in this area. LINK - pictoucounty.net/stellarton.php

 

A Way Office was established at ALBION MINES in 1841 and was upgraded to a Post Office in 1852. The Post Office name was changed to STELLARTON on - 1 March 1871.

 

LINK to more information on the Postmasters who served at STELLARTON - central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=posoffposmas&id=2...

 

The Postmaster at this time period at STELLARTON was H. McKenzie - he served from - before 1868 to - 7 February 1882.

 

(29 May 1882) - An enthusiastic affair occurred at Stellarton on Wednesday evening, the 19th inst. It was an ovation tendered by the residents to Mr. Hugh McKenzie, who for 47 years has been a school teacher, and since 1851 has held the postmastership at Stellarton. Mr. McKenzie had lately retired from his position, and the residents felt that the occasion should be marked by some testimonial of respect. Accordingly a meeting was arranged, at which he was presented with an address, accompanied with a handsome easy chair and $30 in gold. LINK - www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-transcript/188144364/

 

(28 September 1882) - Ex Postmaster of Stellarton - Hugh Mckenzie Dies on Monday - 25 September 1882 - LINK - www.newspapers.com/article/the-eastern-chronicle-ex-postm...

TRANSACT 14 / WED / SESSIONS

Best viewed LARGE size. This drawing of the William Henry Sternberg residence at 1065 North Waco Avenue appeared in the 1887 Wichita City Directory. The house is still standing today (09/2010) and looks much the same except for maintenance and upkeep on the structure and the south chimney is temporarily down due to structural instability. Sternberg Mansion is the only one of the "Fabulous 10" homes (see photostream for the Fabulous 10 flyer) to survive from Wichita's economic boom of the 1870s and 1880s. The house incorporates a variety of Sternberg design elements also seen on other Sternberg-designed Sternberg-built homes such multiple ornate chimney flues that corbel down through the second and/or first floors, diamond designs within the slate roof, a zig-zag "V"-shaped design at the very apex of the roof, one and only one half-moon window in the entire structure and located on the 3rd floor, an asymmetrical roofline broken with multiple dormers and pitches, a triangular porch roof over the main entry way with a square porch over that, second and third story windows held together with decorative designs which give the appearance of a two-story enclosure, multiple fuctional porches on the first and second levels and decorative porches (too small to be functional) appearing on the 3rd level, a fourth floor dormer with windows, uncovered stairs entering into the home, large heavy carved double front doors, a plethora of decorative gingerbread ornamentation, two-story bay windows separated with bands of fishscales between the first and second story and many other features common to Sternberg.

 

William Henry Sternberg was a highly skilled and popular builder during Wichita’s boom years of the 1870s and 1880s. Mr. Sternberg came to Kansas from New York in 1875. He grew up on a family farm in Norwich, New York helping his father in the family saw mill, felling and hauling trees, cutting lumber, woodworking and working as a carpenter on local homes and buildings. As years passed and Sternberg continued working as a contractor and a carpenter, his skills in building grew and he became well-known throughout New York State for his elegant and innovative building designs, his integrity, work quality and prudent approach to costs. People far and wide knew of his reputation for quality and knew him as a fair man in dealing with customers. Partly as a result of his reputation for being a fair and honest man in addition to his first-rate work as a builder, he was elected Mayor of Norwich for a period of several years. Although comfortable with his life in New York, Mr. Sternberg increasingly heard about Wichita, Kansas ~ a rapidly growing nucleus on the plains. Indeed the growth bubble (from the late 1870’s until about 1890) was so significant that Wichita was by some estimates the fastest growing city in the country! At one point, the absolute value of real estate transactions in Wichita ranked it the third highest in the nation in terms of dollars transacted. This was behind only New York City (#1) and Kansas City (#2). People were speculating on land and buildings and making handsome profits in return.

 

“In the first five months of 1887 real estate transactions

totaled $34,893,565 according to Dunn and Bradstreet’s

reports. Wichita was third in the nation in total real estate

transactions. Only New York and Kansas City were ahead

of Wichita (in terms of volume). Chicago was fourth having

$33,173,950 in transactions.”

 

However, in terms of the dollar value of real estate transactions per capita, Wichita was first in the country for a period of several years in the mid-late 1880s, because New York City and Kansas City had much larger populations to produce a similar amount of real estate transactions. The volume of real estate transactions going on in Wichita was a little surprising to say the least (shocking may be a better word) because in the 1870s,1880s and 1890s, New York City was the largest city (population-wise) in the country. Kansas City was around the 75th largest city of the top 100 cities in the U.S. and Wichita didn't even figure into the top 100 largest cities until the 1920 census! In terms of population numbers, New York boasted 1,206,299 in 1880. Kansas City came in at 55,785 in 1880 and Wichita came in 4,911 in 1880 but had more dollars of real estate being transacted per person than a city 10 times its size (KC) or even 250 times its size (NYC)! With its new found wealth, Wichita was progressive in its early days and news of its budding wealth traveled the country. Evidence of its progressive spirit was noted with much fanfare on May 23, 1873 when Wichita’s first regularly-scheduled electrified street cars (trolley cars) began shuttling people between the bustling downtown and the outskirts of the city. Three years later, Wichita installed several hundred nighttime electric street lamps throughout downtown, while still retaining some of its existing gas and “vapor” lamps. Then, in 1882 Wichita began installing an underground water system with corner hydrants for fire suppression. In this year, Wichita contracted with a St. Louis firm for laying a 14-inch main, six inch supply pipes and a total of 60 hydrants throughout the city. This system was finished, tested and in operation by Spring of 1883.

 

Spying an opportunity for building, Mr. Sternberg moved his family to Wichita and after only a few months, was successfully bidding contracts, hiring workers and constructing buildings at a frenzied pace. The economic bubble of Wichita in the 1880s was perhaps the most dynamic growth spurts of any city in American history. Wealth sprung up practically overnight. Land offices implemented numbering systems and pecking rules for the crowds frequently waiting outside to get in. Not uncommonly, people camped out overnight in front of the land offices to get an early ticket for the next day. Indeed, wealth was fast and easy and people such as William Griffenstein, George Pratt, Bertrand H. Campbell and John O. Davidson displayed their newly found wealth by building palatial mansions of the highest quality and most extraordinary craftsmanship. When Wichita’s well-to-do wanted homes or buildings, W.H. Sternberg was the builder of choice by a wide margin. The 1888 book, Portrait and Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kansas (Chapman Brothers; Chicago, 1888) in which Sternberg is noted, states about him:

 

“Ninety brick stores in Wichita stand as monuments of

his skill and industry, besides numberless other

buildings, probably twice as many as have been put

up by any other contractor in the city.”

 

Not long after coming to Wichita, Mr. Sternberg used a marketing approach – common today, but relatively unheard of at the time, called a “spec home”. The spec home he built was his own (drawing above) and it was a huge 7,500 sq. ft. showcase home that contained virtually every ornamental and stylish feature that he and his crews could muster. He located his home on the most elite street in Wichita at the time ~ Waco Avenue (as it was to become). Before Waco became the “elite street” of Wichita, city planners named it “Waco Street”. As elegant mansions continued to appear on Waco, property owners in this well-dressed district became dissatisfied with the designation of “Street”, so local residents petitioned the City and officially had the name changed to “Avenue” to be more in keeping with the fashionable tone of the neighborhood. Today, the official name of "Waco" is actually "Waco Avenue". Mr. Sternberg reckoned that showcasing the capabilities and ornate building skills of the construction trade would draw customers to him, and it proved to be a very successful technique. Even back in 1886 when he completed his Victorian gingerbread mansion people acknowledged it was something extraordinary. His worthy showcase mansion was written up in the newspapers as well as the 1888 Portrait and Biographical Album of Sedgwick, County, Kansas as follows,

 

“The residence of Mr. Sternberg, a handsome and costly structure, is beautifully located on a rise of ground commanding a fine view of its surroundings. Within and without it bears the evidence of refined tastes and ample means, and it is universally admired by all who have occasion to pass it.”

 

Even before the Sternberg’s mansion was finished, the newspaper was remarking about its exceptional characteristics as the September 6, 1886 edition of the Wichita Beacon commented,

 

“Mr. Sternberg is building for his own use a fine residence on the corner of 10th and Waco Streets. Judging by the foundation it will be one of the largest and finest in the city.”

 

Within weeks after finishing his home at 1065 North Waco Avenue, Mr. Sternberg was flooded with requests to build other fine mansions for Wichita’s “polite society”. And in 1887 and 1888, Sternberg and his crews built first-class mansions and buildings all over Wichita as quickly as they could.

 

The Sternberg Mansion at 1065 North Waco Avenue is historically significant because it represents the height of elegance, style and Victorian housing dreams at the height of one of the greatest sustained economic booms in American history . . . it was the height of pure style and “refined tastes” on “Wichita’s Fifth Avenue,” when money was easy and the future was indeed bright. That the Sternberg Mansion is historically significant is demonstrated in part by the fact that it is listed on the: (1) National Register of Historic Places, (2) the Register of Historic Kansas Places, and (3) the Wichita Register of Historic Places. But there are additional reasons that speak for the historical significance of the Sternberg Mansion . . . The house at 1065 North Waco Avenue and its builder W. H. Sternberg are historically significant for a number of “firsts”. Sternberg set precedence in building design at a time when style and social status was highly important and people had the money to express it. Sternberg (unlike other home designers and builders of the day) built custom features into his homes that allowed the occupants to enjoy their home more, such as low rise stairs, windows at the apex of the home which create strong upward movement of air through the home and staircases that turn allowing access while maintaining privacy. In addition to an extensive use of smaller more intimate porches in his homes and particularly romantic highly corbelled chimney flues, Sternberg was also the first builder in Wichita to construct a very practical laundry chute into a home (the first home in Wichita to have a laundry chute was the Pratt house at 1313 North Emporia). The idea of such a feature so that people didn’t have to climb up and down stairs was new and unheard of in 1887, but Sternberg believed a home should be both beautiful and comfortable. It was new and trend-setting features such laundry chutes, ornate porches, better ventilation, floor plans and walls that visually enlarged the home yet kept personal areas private and his ability to create exceptional milled gingerbread work that brought acclaim and respect to Sternberg. Other builders simply didn’t offer such features, and most didn’t have the expertise to do so.

 

In early Wichita before there were wood millworking shops with millworking equipment, local saw mills would attempt to create ornate millwork on ordinary saws and equipment for example by holding the wood pieces and cutting curves. But more often than not this didn't work. Pieces frequently broke or were cut the wrong way and when a final piece was struck, the wood was often quite rough especially in curved areas - not meeting Sternbergs standards for high quality millwork.

 

In New York state where Sternberg grew up and worked for many years before coming to Wichita, he is credited with being the first person to build a Mansard-style roof. The concept was made popular at the 1855 Worlds Fair in Paris - which reports indicate Sternberg attended. A mansard roof is a French style that allows more unencumbered space on the attic level than a traditional pitched roof does. Although not an architect by training, Sternberg often had considerable input into the design and layout of the homes he built. Indeed Sternberg publically advertised himself as an architect. Many of his customers, unaware of the need for an architect at the time when deciding to build a house, would contact Sternberg first when they wanted to build and then it was Sternberg who would usually contact an architect of his choice and advise the architect on what the home-owner wanted and could afford. So the architect (if there was one) would frequently follow Sternberg's ideas and designs. Sternberg was the first recorded builder to and use an “outside” (New York) architect purely for style and design in a Wichita residence. The house, designed by Stanford White and built by Sternberg was the Charles R. Miller residence at 507 S. Lawrence Avenue (now Broadway Street). Stanford White although building a national reputation would a few years later would receive national acclaim for his designs including Madison Square Garden in New York as well as many homes for the Vanderbilts, the Astors, Joseph Pulitzer and other notables of the day. The design and construction of this Sternberg-built home that Stanford White-designed was eye-catching and charming to Wichitans of the day and the local Wichita Beacon in April 18, 1883 commented about the house,

 

“It will be of brick, 40 x 44 feet in area, with basement

eight feet, two stories above that, and a ten foot mansard

attic. The basement will be used for a steam heater,

laundry, coal, etc. The facades will be broken by swells,

bay windows and porches. It will be one of the finest

in southern Kansas.”

 

Obviously, Sternberg felt that for some exceptional projects, local architects were not up to the task, and Sternberg liked the press attention. What's more and another “first” for Sternberg is that he was the only builder during the 1870s-1880s working in Wichita to have also built major public and private buildings in at least two other states. No other builders in Wichita at the time are known to have done anything outside the area. In addition, he’s the only builder during Wichita’s boom period to have his works from three states (Kansas Missouri and New York) listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Additionally his 30 years of experience in the lumber business grading qualities of woods and knowing the particular characteristics of various woods allowed Sternberg to build with exceptional quality. Arguably he provided the highest quality and was the most highly skilled builder of the day in Wichita. An article from November 2, 1969 in the Eagle-Beacon newspaper noted the quality of the Sternberg Mansion,

 

“It was built to last with joists

of 2 by 8-inch timbers, and wood-

work of pine so hard it will not take

a regular nail and one interior

wall that is 15 inches thick.”

 

Indeed modern-day carpenters have remarked when doing remodel work on Sternberg Mansion that “when hammering, nails, they bend before they go into the wood;” even today the wood still prefers to bend nails.” For Sternberg’s own residence and for other first-class houses, Sternberg selected only the highest grades of lumber, had them cut extra thick and insisted they be cut to maximize the wood grain for the particular use of the wood. Sternberg was a dedicated builder ~ he loved woodworking and building and he was still bidding and building up until about a month before his death (1906). Mr. Sternberg’s passion for Wichita, Kansas wasn’t just a passing affair when the boom period ended, either. After moving to Wichita in 1875, he remained in Wichita for 31 years until his death in August, 1906. His two sons continued living and working in Wichita for many years after their father’s death and almost the entire family including W. H. Sternberg is buried in Wichita. The current owner is pursuing an additional status of “National Historic Landmark” for the Sternberg Mansion ~ identifying it as a structure worthy of national attention, partly based on the fact that Sternberg built structures throughout the country that today are designated historical, but in addition, historic information indicates that Sternberg built a fair amount of temporary housing for people moving to the area to take part in various land rushes. Not uncommonly, people would move Wichita (as it was the largest major town close to the Oklahoma border) or between Wichita and the Oklahoma border sometimes two to three years in advance of a land rush. Tens of housands of people did this and land rushes were opened several different times (there wasn't just one land rush). Sternberg was directly involved in helping with housing for these people getting ready to take part in a land rush and thereby helping to settle the western frontier.

 

Of the surviving local homes and buildings that W.H. Sternberg built or contributed to, not all are protected with historic designation. Following are some of the structures that Sternberg and his crews constructed. Note the Carey Hotel (originally called the "Carey House but now the Eaton Apartments) and Garfield University (now Friends University) had multiple contractors. Sternberg wasn’t the sole contractor on these two buildings, but he did contribute significantly to their erection (such as the ornamental stonework, window headers, windows, doors and interior carpentry). These two buildings (the Eaton and Friends) are protected on historical registers. It was somewhat unusual in Sternberg’s day with buildings as large and lavish as the Carey Hotel or Garfield University to have only one contractor do all the work. To Sternberg’s credit, however, he was the sole contractor on the Sedgwick County Courthouse.

List of Confirmed Sternberg-designed and built structures:

1)Alfred W. Bitting residence - Wichita

2)Finlay Ross residence - Wichita

3)Sternberg Mansion - Wichita

4)High School building - Wichita

5)Expansion of the Occidental and renovations to it - Wichita

6)County Poor House – 1886 in Wichita - Wichita

7)Garfield Memorial Hall (corner of 1st and Water) - Wichita

8)Carey Hotel (carpentry all doors, windows and interior woodwork) - Wichita

9)Sedgwick County Courthouse - Wichita

10)First Ward School - Wichita

11)City Hall and Government Building in Springfield Missouri - Springfield

12)Gettos Block Building in Wichita – Wichita (SW corner of Main & Second St)

13)Second Ward School in Wichita

14)Garfield University (Friends University Administration Building) - Wichita

15)The Methodist Church in Guilford New York

16)The Chenango County Poor House in New York

17)The Methodist Episcopal Church in Norwich New York

18)The residence of Charles Merritt in Norwich New York

19)The store of John O. Hill & Company in New York

20)The residence of Warren Newton in New York

21)An elegant mansion for himself in New York which had the first Mansard roof – Norwich, NY

22)New Telephone Building (on North Market immediately south of Hose House #1) - Wichita

23)New Baptist Church (begun in September 1883 in Wichita, Kansas) - Wichita

24)Ferrell’s Brick Block (opposite the Post Office) in Wichita

25)The house and two lots adjoining Mr. Barnes on North Lawrence Avenue – enlarging it and raising it to occupy himself - Wichita

26)The new Masonic Temple (formerly the YMCA building) - Wichita

27)Masonic home and the limestone buildings on its grounds - Wichita

28)Four story brick building for W.H. Porter @ 211 – 213 E. Douglas - Wichita

29)Additions to the Masonic Home (June 1904) - Wichita

30)Congregational Church (October 1885) - Wichita

31)Naftzger Building (three stories high, corner of St. Francis and Douglas 50’ X 140’) - Wichita

32)Central Power Station of the Wichita Electric Railway Company (June 1890) - Wichita

33)The Little-Reed Building - Wichita

34)Two homes for Kos Harris - Wichita

35)Four homes on the 1200 block of North Waco Avenue – Wichita

1231 North Waco Avenue – Russell Harding Superintendent MO Pacific Rail Road

1235 North Waco Avenue – Robert A. Hamilton – 1891 (Manager of Whittaker P H).

1235 North Waco Avenue, W E Reeves

1230 N. Waco Avenue – Mr. George B. Chapman in 1891 and Miss Sarah

Chapman in 1891 (Chapman & Walker)

36)One brick home on University Avenue – Wichita (1813 W. University Avenue in Wichita, Kansas)

37)The Hydraulic Mills - Wichita

38)The old Post Office and Federal Building - Wichita

39)Two old frames on the west side of Main belonging to Emil Werner to put up a two story brick building with a 50 foot front - Wichita

40)Residence of C.N. Lewis in Wichita - Wichita

41)Residence of Albert. W. Oliver in Wichita - Wichita

43)Residence of Aaron Katz in Wichita Katz Aaron, prop Philadelphia store, r 420 s Main

44) Residence of Mark J. Oliver at 1105 North Lawrence in Wichita

45)Residence of Hiram. Imboden in Wichita

46)Residence of M.W. Levy (1st and Topeka) - Wichita

47)Residence of Peter Gettos in Wichita – Wichita (255 N. Water)

48)Residence of Reuben H. Roys in Wichita - Roys Reuben H, atty 217 e Douglas, r 1127 n Lawrence

49)Residence of Finlay Ross in Wichita - Wichita

50)Residence of William H. Whitman in Wichita

51)Residence of Jacob Henry Aley @ 1505 Fairview in Wichita

52)Residence of Robert E. Gutherie on Third Street in Wichita

53)Residence of J.R. Van Zandt in Wichita

54)Residence of George Pratt (now the Pratt Campbell Mansion on Emporia in Wichita)

55)Residence of C.W. Bitting (corner of Pine and Lawrence) - Wichita

56)Residence of A.W. Bitting in Wichita - Wichita

57)Residence of Judge James L. Dyer in Wichita

58)Residence of Charles M Jones in Wichita

59)Residence of Dr. G.E. McAdams in Wichita

60)Residence of Charles Smyth in Wichita

61)Residence of Dr. J. Russell in Wichita

62)Eads Block Building - Wichita

63)Smyth & Sons Block Building - Wichita

64)Fletcher Block Building - Wichita

65)Union Block (corner of Douglas and Water) – Wichita

66)Temple Block Building - Wichita

67)Bitting Block Building / Bitting Building (corner of Market and Douglas) - Wichita

68)Elliott’s Store - Wichita

69)Peter Getto’s Store - Wichita

70)Finlay Ross’s Furniture Store (corner of Main and 1st Street 119 & 121 N. Main) - Wichita

71)Roys Block at the corner of Lawrence and Douglas - Wichita Roys Block 217 219 227 and 229 e Douglas

72)Market Street Block (August 1887) – Wichita

 

Count: 75 structures Sternberg confirmed either built or did significant work on.

The 6 buildings below (all still standing) are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places and Sternberg either designed, built or both:

1)Sternberg Mansion

2)Friends University Administration Building

3)Sedgwick County Courthouse

4)Eaton Hotel (formerly the Carey Hotel)

5)Occidental Hotel Building

6)Methodist Episcopal Church in Norwich New York (brick)

 

In all W. H. Sternberg built hundreds and hundreds of buildings and homes in Wichita alone after moving here in 1875. Other homes and buildings he is known to have built before coming to Wichita include: (1) the Methodist Church in Guilford, New York, (2) the Chenango County Poor House in Norwich, New York, (3) the Methodist Episcopal Church in Norwich, New York at a cost of $47,000, he later completed the beautiful case inside this church for the church organ, (4) the residence of Charles Merritt in Norwich, New York at a cost of $35,000, (5) the store of John O. Hill & Co. at a cost of $23,000, (6) the residence of Warren Newton in New York and (7) “an elegant mansion for himself” which had the first mansard roof in the town.

 

Mr. Sternberg was a remarkable man. In 1888, Chapman Brothers in Chicago, Illinois printed an expensive first-class volume of notable persons in Sedgwick County, Kansas ~ a sort of “Who’s Who” of the time. At the time, Wichita was growing so fast, the value of real estate transactions during the 1880s ranked Wichita third largest city in the country behind only New York and Kansas City. The book, entitled “Portrait and Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.” Contained “Full Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County together with Portraits and biographies of all the governors of Kansas, and of the Presidents of the United States.” Mr. Sternberg is listed on pages 190 – 191 in the Album. His biography notes:

 

“William H. Sternberg, who is one of the prominent citizens

of Wichita, arrived here in time to assist in the building up of

the town, the growth of which has been phenomenal. He has

been one of the most interested witnesses of its progress

and development, and no unimportant factor in bringing it to

its present proud position. As a man of influence, public

spirit and liberal, this brief record of his history will be more

than ordinarily interesting to those who are identified in any

way with the business or industrial interests of one of the

leading cities of the West.”

 

In addition the biography noted that,

 

“Ninety brick stores in Wichita stand as monuments of

his skill and industry, besides numberless other

buildings, probably twice as many as have been

put up by any other contractor in the city.”

 

Sternberg is credited in Masonic history books as being one of three key individuals whose work and labors were instrumental in reviving the early (and struggling) Masons movement in Wichita particularly by giving the Masons a grand and wonderful place in which to conduct their activities. W.H. Sternberg was an active and devoted member of the Mason's movement in Wichita and even though Sternberg didn't originally build the Scottish Rite Temple, after the somewhat impoverished Mason's acquired it, he undertook and completed extensive renovations to the interior of it (without any expectation of compensation at the time - although the Masons did later compensate Sternberg for his work on this building).

 

And as always, whatever the job, W. H. Sternberg was noted for work of the finest quality and expertise. Mr. Sternberg had a reputation for only hiring the best workers which sometimes was hard to do as the building boom created quite a shortage of workers, never-the-less, he was known for the fact that he and “his workmen should be persons of the highest skill and reliability.” In 1888, just two years after. Sternberg personally built and constructed his own “showcase” mansion for himself, it was written up in the Portrait and Biographical Album as though it was undeniably a special residence in Wichita . . . .

 

“The residence of Mr. Sternberg, a handsome and costly

structure is beautifully located on a rise of ground

commanding a fine view of its surroundings. Within and

without it bears the evidence of refined tastes and ample

means, and is universally admired by all who have

occasion to pass it.”

 

Today, historical authorities who know the Sternberg Mansion lay accolades on it for its style, its authentic representation of Victorian influence, its extreme ornamentation and its first-rate quality throughout. The following is an excerpt from the City of Wichita’s Historic Landmark website (www.wichitagov.org/Residents/History/Listing51-60) about the Sternberg Mansion:

 

“William H. Sternberg, a prominent builder during Wichita's

economic boom days of the 1880's built his own resi-

dence in 1886, incorporating the Victorian penchant

for "gingerbread" millwork with this extravagantly gabled

Queen Anne-styled home. This house is one of a few

remaining homes of this elaborate style in the city and

is regarded as a quintessential product of the late

Queen Anne residential design and stylistic features.

From its native stone foundation to the four corbelled

brick chimneys with their decorative flues, the house

served as a showcase for the builder's trade including

colored glass window panes, stained glass windows in

the ornate stairway, several fireplaces and combination

gas/electric chandeliers. The two and one-half story

residence also has porches projecting from each of

the three main elevations.”

 

A quote in the Wichita Eagle-Beacon from Wichita’s Historic Preservation Officer, Marian Cone on April 10, 1977 stated about the mansion,

 

“The Sternberg Mansion…is unusual in that its

eclectic style incorporates all the elements Stern-

berg could fabricate…Sternberg used his own

home as a sort of ‘model home,’ a tangible ex-

ample of his expertise for prospective customers…

it is the only remaining Queen Anne-style man-

sion of its size in the city and it is a magnificent

example of architecture…The use of exterior

wood in patterns is most unusual as are the var-

iations of the use of colored and plain glass.

The leaded and stained glass windows on the

landing of the very ornate staircase are most

unusual in that they are of a geometric pattern

not common until the 1920s.”

 

Yet another article about the Sternberg Mansion in the Eagle-Beacon in November 16, 1976 states,

 

“The house, built in 1886 by William H. Stern-

berg, one of Wichita’s foremost builders during

the city’s early boom days, is the only remaining

Queen Anne style mansion of this size in the city.

It is seen as a magnificent example of Victorian

architecture, with most of the original detailing

and gingerbread on the exterior, a large walnut

staircase, wood paneling, and six fireplaces.”

 

And Mr. Sternberg located his first-rate mansion in Wichita’s finest district at the time (on Waco Avenue). Yet another article appearing in the Wichita Evening Eagle on August 3, 1933 comments,

 

“in the early ‘70s (1870s)…Waco avenue was

‘the elite’ street. Waco avenue in the very early

day was considered to be the best residential street

and many believed that when the city grew large it

would be the choice residence district of the city.”

 

Indeed, W. H. Sternberg was an extraordinary person in Wichita at a time when the rest of the country was curiously taking note of this fast-growing prairie town. His work as a contractor, his involvement in civic groups, his reputation for doing the highest quality work possible, his reputation for being hard-working and fair to all, his diligence to hire only the most highly skilled workers and his pioneering ideas in building style and function bestowed to the people of Wichita and beyond an authentic Victorian legacy to be enjoyed by all for generations to come.

 

Your comments, ideas, thoughts and/or stories about this drawing or this place (Sternberg Mansion) are greatly appreciated and welcomed!

  

non délirium!

Dunes at Brancaster Beach Norfolk

TRANSACT 14 / WED / EXPO HALL

Norfolk

130518 Susies Sevens v Transact Pro, Amsterdam Sevens 2013

IMG_1782

N109

www.europetrucks.pt.vu/

La tour Agbar, est un gratte-ciel de Barcelone en Catalogne, datant du début du xxie siècle. Elle a été dessinée par l'architecte français Jean Nouvel en collaboration avec la société b720 Fermin Vazquez Arquitectos. La tour a ouvert ses portes en juin 2005, et a été inaugurée officiellement par la famille royale d'Espagne le 16 septembre 2005.

 

Le 16 novembre 2013, il est annoncé que le gratte-ciel a été racheté par la chaîne hôtelière Hyatt et qu'il sera transformé en hotel de luxe. La transaction s'élève à 150 millions d'euros1,2.

 

Il offre 30 000 m2 de bureaux, 3 210 m2 pour les services techniques et 8 351 m2 destinés à des fonctions diverses, avec notamment un auditorium et des parkings, pour une superficie totale de 50 693 m2. La tour Agbar mesure 145 mètres de haut et comporte 38 étages, dont quatre en sous-sol.

 

Son design mêle différentes conceptions en matière d'architecture : une structure en béton armé, entièrement recouverte d'une façade de verre, créant plus de 4 400 fenêtres.

 

Cette tour est devenue l'un des bâtiments les plus remarquables de Barcelone, occupant désormais la troisième place en termes de hauteur, derrière l'Hôtel Arts et la Tour Mapfre, qui culminent tous deux à 154 mètres. Elle est située sur l'avenue Diagonale, près de la Place des Glòries Catalanes. Le bâtiment possède, intégrés à sa façade, plus de 4 000 dispositifs de types DEL qui permettent la création d'images sur les parois extérieures. De plus, des capteurs de température, placés à l'extérieur du gratte-ciel, permettent d'agir sur l'ouverture ou la fermeture des fenêtres, et par là même, de réduire la consommation d'énergie du dispositif d'air conditionné. Ce bâtiment abritera le siège du groupe Aigües de Barcelona, la Société des Eaux de Barcelone.

 

La tour s'éclaire différemment lors des équinoxes, d'ailleurs, son inauguration a eu lieu quelques jours avant l'équinoxe d'automne (21 septembre).

 

La Torre Agbar est appelée par les Barcelonais par le joli surnom de « suppositoire » (supositori). Un surnom en verdict populaire qui reste assez réducteur pour qualifier ce projet.

 

L'ambition délibérée fut de créer une icône pour la ville de Barcelone s'inscrit dans un contexte de profusion architecturale en Asie et dans les pays du Golfe a conduit à choisir l'architecte super-star Jean Nouvel. La Torre Agbar répond doublement à l'architecte super-star anglais Norman Foster, qui a fait sa marque de fabrique la production de "bâtiments symboliques" ("New Symbol...), comme l’exceptionnelle tour de communication de Barcelone justement, ou encore la tour londonienne en forme d'ogive conçue en 2004 appelée le Gherkin, le "cornichon" par les Londoniens. Mais ici pour insérer la Torre Agbar dans la ville de Barcelone, les architectes font appel à l’héritage architectural de Barcelone, et plus précisément à l’œuvre de l'architecte GAUDI selon deux références claires, la forme et la couleur.

 

1-Le profil de la tour est une parabole (x2) appelée chaine, catène ou caténa par les architectes : La simple suspension d'une chaine permet d'obtenir la courbe d'égale tension, en inversant nous déduisons la courbe d'égale compression, tel fut l’extraordinaire apport de Gaudi, à la pensée constructive et à l'esthétique de la ville ainsi qu'à l'architecture en général. Ici, seule l'enveloppe offre cette expression de catène, on peut regretter que la structure ne l'ai pas suivie (si ici le dogme fonctionnaliste s'applique à cette tour « form follows functions », disait Louis Sullivan, on peut regretter que la forme ne suive pas la structure comme le prônait Gaudi et bien d'autres architectes, on peut se demander quelle fut la part d'innovation structurelle ici? Il semble que ce ne fut pas l'ambition du projet.

 

2-Les couleurs miroitantes modulables sont aussi une belle interprétation contemporaine des revêtements en céramiques multicolore des façades et cheminées de l’œuvre de Gaudi.

 

Mais au delà des références symboliques relatives à la ville ou à la concurrence entre architectes ou entre les métropoles, on retrouve dans ce projet une constance de l’œuvre de Jean Nouvel : vouloir rendre les bâtiments vivants, cette ambition poétique est atteinte dans le projet de double peau et elle trouve son apogée quand la ville est plongée dans la nuit ; les jalousies de verre oscillent pour faire passer l'air et les couleurs chatoient.

 

WIKIPEDIA

TRANSACT 14 / THURS / CEO ROUNDTABLE

towns.org.uk/2012/05/08/awards-2012-wales-environment-and...

 

A transcription from Slater's Commercial Directory written in 1880:

 

COWBRIDGE is a parliamentary borough, market and post town in the parish and hundred of its own name, situated in the pleasant, fertile and well-cultivated vale of Glamorgan. It is 172 (by rail 186) miles W. from London, 56 S.W. from Bristol (via Bristol and South Wales Railway), 12 W. from Cardiff, 7 E. from Bridgend, and 40 E. from Swansea. It is in the Bridgend and Cowbridge union and county court district, the Cardiff district Court of Bankruptcy, and in the diocese of Llandaff, and deanery of Gro-Neath (lower division).

 

The town consists chiefly of one long street, stretching from east to west, containing some well built houses, a Town Hall and convenient Market House. It is a contributory borough, with Cardiff and Llantrisant, in returning one member to Parliament; and is governed by a mayor and two bailiffs, the former appointed by the Marquis of Bute for life, and the latter elected by the burgesses annually. A court of record may be holden under the charter of Charles II. but the Corporation do not avail themselves of the privilege; the only court is one of common council, held as occasion may require, for transacting the borough business. Petty sessions are held at the Police Station every alternate Tuesday.

 

This place is without manufactures and its trade, which is local and domestic, is chiefly supported by those engaged in agriculture, and by the market and fairs which are numerous and well attended. In the eleventh century the town was encompassed by a wall, by Robert de St. Quinton, one of the Roman adventurers, who afterwards rebuilt and strengthened a castle called Llanbethian, situated near the village, of which only one of the gates now remains standing. The parish church of St. Mary is a handsome building in the Norman style of architecture, with square tower and peal of eight bells, and was restored in 1851 at a cost of £1,400.

 

Dr. Benjamin H. Malkin, the celebrated historian of South Wales, was buried here, and there is a tablet to his memory. There are also chapels for English and Welsh Baptists and Wesleyan and Calvinistic Methodists. The living is a vicarage consolidated with Llanblethian and Welsh St. Donats, in the gift of the dean and chapter of Gloucester.

 

The Grammar School was founded and endowed by Sir. Leoline Jenkins, was who judge of the prerogative court, and Secretary of State in the reign of James II., and had been educated at the school. He not only endowed the school but gave the site of the present building. He founded six monitorships each of the present value of £16 10s. and provided for the admission of certain boys free. The scholarships and fellowships originally attatched to the school have been, as in most foundations, thrown open to competition by the Royal Commission, in granting to English boys educated in the school equal advantages with the Welsh, in competing for the scholarships of Jesus College, Oxford.

 

There are also large and commodious Board schools. There is a branch of the Taff Vale Railway from Llantrisant station (Great Western) to this town. The market is held on Tuesday; and there are twelve great markets or fairs in the year, namely - first Tuesday in January and February, on the Tuesday before the 25th March, first Tuesday in April, May 4th, June24th, the first Tuesday in July and August, September 29th, and the first Tuesday in October, November and December. The markets and fairs are well attended, and are chiefly for cattle of all kinds, and in August includes wool. The parish of Cowbridge contained in 1861, 1,049 inhabitants, and in 1871, 1,134.

 

POST OFFICE, Cowbridge, Thomas Felton, Post Master. - Letters arrive from London, Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea, Gloucester, Bridgend, Carmarthen, and all parts of the kingdom at thirty minutes past seven morning, and from Ireland, Scotland, and North of England at ten minutes past ten morning. Letters are despatched to London, Cardiff, Bristol, Swansea, Gloucester, and all parts of the kingdom at twenty-five minutes past six evening, and to the North of England, Ireland and Scotland at forty minutes past four afternoon.

 

130518 Susies Sevens v Transact Pro, Amsterdam Sevens 2013

original drawing by: Bill Rogers

 

See Silvershoe 30 Transactor

Touchay (Cher)

  

Château de l'Isle-sur-Arnon.

 

Situé aux rives de l'Arnon en contrebas du village.

 

La construction du château est attribuée à Jean Dumas (Jean du Mas ou de Mas), conseiller et chambellan de Louis XI en 1480 et enrichi par son fils, évêque de Périgueux en 1494, puis passe aux mains de Jean de Beaufort, prince de Canillac en 1579, mais fut incendié par le prince de Condé en 1650 après avoir perdu une partie de ses défenses en 1591 à la suite d'un siège.

 

Par une transaction intervenue en 1175 entre Jean II, seigneur de Lignières et Isambert, abbé de Puyferrand, nous savons qu'une seigneurie de l'Isle existait déjà au XIIe siècle.

 

Au XIIIe siècle plusieurs seigneurs de l'Isle se succéderont. Au XIVe siècle, le domaine est dans la famille du Mas, famille qui tirait son nom du lieu dit le Mas Sarrazin commune de Préveranges (Cher).

 

Les deux premiers seigneurs de l'Isle du nom de du Mas sont Isambert et Humbault (fin du XIVe siècle). Humbault ou Humbert du Mas était écuyer comme l'indique une quittance de gages du 18 mars 1386. qui lui furent octroyés pour l'indemniser de ses frais pendant la dernière campagne.

 

A Humbault succéda Pierre du Mas vers 1450, auquel la tradition attribue la construction d'un château féodal. Il mourut le 8 juillet 1456, et fut inhumé dans une chapelle latérale de l'église Saint-Martin de Touchay. De son mariage avec Jacqueline de Chamcour, Pierre du Mas laissa plusieurs fils : Philippe, Gabriel, Pierre et Jean.

 

Philippe du Mas était seigneur de l'Isle en 1460-1470.

Gabriel entra dans les ordres et sera, peut-être, seigneur du Mas -Sarrazin, la terre d'origine de la famille. Sixte IV nommera Gabriel évêque de Mirepoix en 1475. En 1497, il devient évêque de Périgueux, qu'il administra par l'intermédiaire d'un tiers.

Pierre du Mas se consacra également à l'Eglise, comme moine, et deviendra le trente-cinquième abbé du monastère de Chezal-Benoît. Le couvent était en triste état, ayant été pillé et incendié par les Anglais, et la discipline s'était relâchée. Grâce à la puissante protection de son frère Jean, le monastère put être entièrement reconstruit (il sera de nouveau détruit par un incendie au XVIIIe siècle). Il rétablit également l'ordre intérieur dans le couvent en changeant la règle. La Règle de Pierre du Mas subsista jusqu'à l'époque

de Richelieu.

Jean du Mas hérita de la seignerie de l'Isle et fut conseiller et favori de deux rois de France et d'une régente. Dans sa jeunesse, vers 1463, Jean du Mas batailla, avec quelques compagnons bourguignons, contre Louis XI, mais celui-ci sut se l'attacher par quelques faveurs. Jean de Mas fut de l'expédition contre Jacques d'Armagnac, duc de Nemours, celui-ci ayant participer au complot féodal de la "Ligue du Bien Public" contre le pouvoir royal. Jean de Mas participa à la prise du château de Carlat, possession du duc de Nemours. Jean de Mas fera partie des 17 qui jugeront le duc de Nemours à la décapitation en place publique, à Paris, le 4 août 1477. Les biens de l'accusé furent donnés aux juges, en confirmation de la promesse faite avant le procès. Jean du Mas s'était vu attribuer la seigneurie de Vigouroux et la vicomté de Murat. A la mort de Louis XI, à Amboise, le 30 août 1483, Jean du Mas resta dans les bonnes grâces de la régente Anne de Beauleu (le roi n'avait que 13 ans), puis de Charles VIII. Jean du mas fut le probable maître d'oeuvre du château actuel.

 

Au XVIe siècle, la terre de l'Isle sortira de la famille du Mas, vers 1578-1579, pour passer dans celle des Beaufort-Montboissier Canillac. A la fin du XVIe siècle, l'Isle était une des places fortes du Berry en faveur du roi. C'est ainsi qu'elle fut assiégée le 5 janvier 1591 par le maréchal de La Châtre, qui avait rompu avec Henri IV, et venait d'échouer dans le siège d'Aubigny. La place était forte, elle était entourée de larges fossés qu'alimentait la rivière l'Arnon, de plus elle avait d'épaisses murailles. La position de la rivière rendant impossible l'établissement de canons devant la porte d'entrée, le château fut prit grâce à un pétard* attaché à la porte par un habitant du village, le nommé Texier, probablement par ruse. M. de la Châtre fit détruire les remparts du château.

 

Au début du XVIIe siècle, la terre de l'Isle est dans la famille de Varie (ou Varye). René de varie, seigneur de l'Isle, avait pour grand père Guillaume de Varie clerc et bras droit de l'argentier Jacques Coeur. Guillaume fut entraîné dans la chute de Jacques Coeur, ses biens furent vendus et il fut emprisonné en 1453, mais il put bénéficier de la réhabilitation que le roi accorda à la mémoire de Jacques Cœur.

 

Philippe de Varie, héritier de René, seigneur de l'Isle et de la Brosse, résidait habituellement à l'Isle, sans doute avec ses frères. En 1638, les frères de Varie accordèrent l'hospitalité aux habitants de Linières qui fuyaient la ville infestée par la peste.

 

Les familles Longueval et Villeneuve Trans succéderont aux Varie dans la possession de la seigneurie de l'Isle.

 

En 1650, pendant la Fronde, le château de l'Isle, ayant pour seigneur Antoine de Villeneuve marquis de Trans, restait fidèle au roi. La même année, le 13 juillet, les troupes du prince de Condé s'emparèrent de la place. Les assiégeants occupèrent la place pendant huit jours et abattirent une tour d'enceinte et toute la muraille orientale. Les bâtiments furent incendiés**.

 

Anthoine de Villeneuve mourut en 1672 sans laisser d'enfants et sa veuve*** vendit ou donna l'Isle à Henry de Mousnier, écuyer, seigneur de Meslan. Le fils d'Henry de Mousnier, Louis de Mousnier vendit l'Isle, à son tour, à Georges Goujenot, écuyer conseiller et secrétaire du roi, tuteur onéraire des enfants du régent et plus tard du prince de Condé. Sa famille le conserva jusqu'à la Révolution.

 

Adrien Gougenot, chevalier des Mousseaux,seigneur de l'Isle, Mallerays et autres lieux, devait être avant la

Révolutionl e dernier châtelain de cette terre. Il partit pour l'émigration en 1792.

 

Le château, y compris la réserve, fut adjugé le 24 ventôse, an II, au citoyen Étienne Boulié dont la famille l'a gardé jusqu'en 1859.

 

Au XIXème siècle, des tours menaçant de ruines ont été abattues, dégageant la cour du château. Ce château est actuellement habité et propriété privée.

  

* Les pétards étaient des petits canons qu'on accrochait aux portes pour les défoncer.

 

** Une inscription sur le mur intérieur d'une tour en témoigne : "Cette place a été prise le XIII juillet 1650 à

XI heures de nuict et brûlée le XXVI du mesme mois par les Condéistes."

 

*** Gabrielle du Mas de Castellane qui descendait des du Mas.

  

(Pour l'essentiel, voir François Deshoulières)

visualiseur.bnf.fr/CadresFenetre?O=30000004083972&I=2...

maison.omahony.free.fr/ascendants/fiche dumas jean.pdf

www.pop.culture.gouv.fr/notice/merimee/PA00096914

original drawing by: Bill Rogers

 

See Masks And Death: 2013

Hasselblad 500CM - double exposure

TRANSACT 14 / WED / SESSIONS

TRANSACT 14 / TUES / SESSIONS

nrhp # 75001178- The First Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions of the Peace took place in the town of Hamilton, June, 1798. At that time Chenango County included what later became Madison County.

 

First business transacted was the entry of an order that Thomas R. Gold, Joseph Kirkland, Nathan Williams, Stephen O. Runyon, Nathaniel King, Arthur Breese, Peter B. Garnsey and Medad Curtis be admitted to practice as attorneys and counselors of the court.

 

Second Court was held at Oxford in October of the same year. Subsequently court was held alternately at these two places three times each year.

 

The first Circuit Court was held July 10, 1798, at the Academy in Oxford.

 

March 6, 1807 the supervisors selected the site of court house and goal (jail) in the Norwich village, within one mile of the residence of Stephen Steere, (now site of Cole Muffler, 32 North Broad Street, Norwich, NY).

 

Josiah Dickinson and George Saxton where hired to erect the court house and jail. It was completed in 1809. “A wooden structure, two stories high and substantially built. It was square and well proportioned; but its interior dimensions proved inadequate to the accommodation of the large audiences which congregated when trials of interest took place. Its entire cost was sixty-five hundred dollars”. They were over budget by $1500.

  

March 24, 1837, an act was passed for erection of a new court house at Norwich (the current one). A tax was levied on the taxable property for $7000, not more than $400 of which was to be levied in any one year. The bond was authorized to draw the entire amount, at six per cent interest, due in 5 years. William Randall, of Norwich, and William Knowlton, of Smithville, were appointed to superintend the construction of the new building; subsequently David Griffing and Alfred Purdy, both of Norwich, were substituted in their place. The new building exceeded the amount originally allowed by $9000.

 

from co.chenango.ny.us

Title / Titre :

Contract of sale between Louis Motart and Father Rageot, 1715 /

 

Contrat de vente entre Louis Motart et le curé Rageot, 1715

 

Description: “Contract of sale by Louis Motard, dit la Motte, to the Reverend Father and the Parish of Cap-Santé, July 8, 1715. Louis Motard, resident of Portneuf, and Élisabet Langlois, his wife, authorize this transaction and the sale or transfer to the Fabrique of the Parish of Holy Family in Cap-Santé, accepted by Charles Rageot Morin, Parish Priest, and François Tellico, former warden, of two arpents of land from north-east of the barn, as far as the school and down to the beach. The Fabrique and the priest agree to say two low masses for the sellers and their family. In addition, the sellers will have use of their pew in the church free of charge during their lifetimes.”

Contract made before the Royal Notary in the provost of Quebec.” /

 

« Contrat de vente fait par Louis Motard, dit la Motte, à monsieur le curé et à la fabrique de la paroisse de Cap-Santé, le 8 juillet 1715. Louis Motard, habitant de Portneuf, et Élisabet Langlois, sa femme, autorise la transaction et que soit vendu, cédé à la fabrique de l’Église paroissiale de la Sainte-Famille de Cap-Santé, ce acceptant par Monsieur Charles Rageot Morin, prêtre et curé de la paroisse, et François Tellico, ancien marguillier, deux arpents de terre au nord-est de la grange jusqu’à l’école et qui descend à la grève. La fabrique et le curé acceptent de faire dire deux messes basses pour les vendeurs et leur famille. De plus, les vendeurs auront leur banc gratuit dans l’église pendant leur vie. Contrat par devant le notaire Royal en la prévôté de Québec. »

 

Source: Conseil du patrimoine culturel de Cap-Santé, 1516-81 Conseil du patrimoine Cap-Santé (1)

 

Note :

This album features examples of images that have been digitized by external heritage communities and that have received funding for digitization and access projects.

 

The Documentary Heritage Communities Program (DHCP) ensures that Canada’s continuing memory is documented and accessible to current and future generations by adopting a more collaborative approach with local documentary heritage communities. The program will be delivered in the form of contributions that will support the development of Canada’s local archival and library communities by increasing their capacity to preserve, provide access to and promote local documentary heritage. Additionally, the Program will provide opportunities for local documentary heritage communities to evolve and remain sustainable and strategic.

 

The DHCP provides financial assistance to the Canadian documentary heritage community for activities that:

 

*Increase access to, and awareness of Canada’s local documentary heritage institutions and their holdings; and

*Increase the capacity of local documentary heritage institutions to better sustain and preserve Canada’s documentary heritage.

 

-----

 

Cet album comprend des exemples d’images qui ont été numérisées par des collectivités du patrimoine externes qui ont reçu du financement pour des projets de numérisation et d’accès.

 

Le Programme pour les collectivités du patrimoine documentaire (PCPD) établit une approche axée sur la collaboration avec les collectivités du patrimoine documentaire local pour que la mémoire continue du Canada soit documentée et rendue accessible aux générations actuelles et futures. Ce programme de contributions favorisera l’épanouissement des collectivités des bibliothèques et des archives en développant leur capacité à préserver, rendre accessible et promouvoir le patrimoine documentaire local. Il leur donnera aussi l’occasion d’évoluer, de rester viables et de conserver leur importance stratégique.

 

Le PCPD finance des activités de la collectivité canadienne du patrimoine documentaire visant à :

 

*faire connaître et rendre plus facilement accessibles les institutions du patrimoine documentaires locales du Canada et leurs collections;

*accroître la capacité à préserver le patrimoine documentaire du Canada de façon plus durable.

TRANSACT 14 / WED / SESSIONS

130518 Susies Sevens v Transact Pro, Amsterdam Sevens 2013

EDWARD MONTAGU, second Earl of Manchester (Earl of SANDWICH ) (1602-1671), born in 1602, was the eldest son of Sir Henry Montagu, first Earl of Manchester, by Catherine, second daughter of Sir William Spencer of Yarnton in Oxfordshire, who was the third son of Sir John Spencer of Althorp, Lincolnshire. After a desultory education, he entered Sidney Sussex College Cambridge, on 27 Jan. 1618.1 He represented the county of Huntingdon in the parliaments of 1623-4, 1625, and 1625-6. In 1623 he attended Prince Charles in Spain, and was by him created a knight of the Bath at his coronation on 1 Feb. 1625-6. On 22 May 1626, through the influence of the Duke of Buckingham, he was raised to the Upper House with the title of Baron Montagu of Kimbolton. In the same year he became known by the courtesy title of Viscount Mandeville, on his father being created Earl of Manchester. Being allowed but a small income from his father, Mandeville resided little in London, and mixed much with the relations of his second wife, the daughter of Robert Rich, second Earl of Warwick. By them he was led to lean towards the puritan party, and to detach himself from the court.

 

On 24 April 1640, during the sitting of the Short Parliament, he voted with the minority against the king on the question of the precedency of supply.2 In June 1640 he signed the hesitating reply sent by some of the peers to Lord Warriston's curious appeal to them to aid the Scots in an invasion of England.3 Mandeville signed the petition of the twelve peers (28 Aug. 1640) urging the king to call a parliament, and with Lord Howard of Escrick presented it to Charles on 5 Sept. In the same month he obeyed the king's summons to the grand council of peers at York, and was one of those chosen to treat with the Scottish commissioners at Ripon on 1 Oct. In the negotiations he took an active part, passing frequently to and fro between Ripon and York, urging an accommodation,4 and drawing up the articles.5

 

Mandeville was during the early sittings of the Long Parliament an acknowledged leader of the popular and puritan party in the Lords. He was in complete accord with Pym, Hampden, Fiennes, and St. John, and he held constant meetings with them in his house at Chelsea.6On the discovery of the 'first army plot,' in May 1641, he was despatched by the Lords to Portsmouth with a warrant to examine the governor [see Goring, George, Lord Goring], and to send him up to London to appear before parliament.7 He was one of the sixteen peers chosen as a committee to transact business during the adjournment from 9 Sept. to 20 Oct. 1641. On 24 Dec. he protested against the adjournment of the debate on the removal of Sir Thomas Lunsford from the command of the Towering

His position was very clearly denned when his name was joined with those of the five members who were impeached by the king of high treason on 3 Jan. 1642, although his inclusion appears to have been an afterthought.8 When the articles of impeachment were read, Mandeville at once offered, 'with a great deal of cheerfulness,' to obey the commands of the house, and demanded that, 'as he had a public charge, so he might have a public clearing.'9 This demand he reiterated in the House on 11 Jan., and again on 13 Jan., notwithstanding the message from the king waiving the proceedings.10 A bill was finally passed by both houses in March 1642,11 clearing him from the accusation.12

 

Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester. After Anthony Van Dyck's painting of the late 1630s.

Having thus identified himself with the popular party, he was among the few peers who remained with the parliament in August 1642, and in the following month he took command of a regiment of foot inEssex's army. When the king retired to Oxford, Mandeville (who had succeeded his father as Earl of Manchester in November) returned to London and occupied himself in raising money for the army,13 and in the negotiations for the cessation of arms. He was made Lord-Lieutenant of Huntingdonshire and Northamptonshire by the parliament in 1642. On the first suspicion of the Tomkins and Challoner plot [see Waller, Edmund], Manchester, with Viscount Save and Sele and others, managed (on Sunday, 28 May 1643) to elicit from Roe, a clerk of Tomkins, so many important secrets, that the whole conspiracy was speedily discovered. He afterwards acted as president in the resulting court-martial in June and July.14 Manchester was one of the ten peers nominated to sit as lay members in the Westminster Assembly of Divines in July of the same year.

 

The fortunes of the parliamentary forces in the eastern counties had in the early summer been seriously imperilled by local quarrels. Cromwell recognised the danger, and appealed to parliament to appoint a commander of high position and authority. On 9 Aug. accordingly the Commons resolved to make Manchester Major-General of the associated counties in the place of Lord Grey of Wark. The choice was confirmed by the Lords on the following day, and Essex at once complied with the request to give him the commission. Cromwell and Manchester were thus brought into close connection. They were already well acquainted with each other. Each belonged to a leading family of Huntingdonshire, had been educated at Sidney Sussex, Cambridge,16 and had been concerned in a dispute relating to the enclosing of common lands in the eastern counties, which had been before a committee of the House of Commons.17

 

By 28 Aug. Manchester, in his new capacity, was besieging Lynn-Regis in Norfolk; the town capitulated 16 Sept., and the governorship was bestowed upon him (21 Sept.). On 9 Oct. he joined Cromwell and Fairfax, then besieging Bolingbroke Castle, and the three commanders won Winceby or Horncastle fight on 11 Oct.18 On 20 Oct. the town of Lincoln surrendered to Manchester. On Cromwell's motion (22 Jan. 1644), Lord Willoughby of Parham, who had been commanding in Lincolnshire as Serjeant-Major-General of the county, was ordered to place himself under Manchester's orders. Charges of misconduct had been brought against Willoughby, who resented the position now forced on him, and challenged Manchester as he was on his way to the House of Lords. Both houses treated Willoughby's conduct as a breach of privilege, but after Manchester had defended himself against Willoughby's complaints, the subject dropped,19 and Willoughby returned to his duties under him.

 

On 22 Jan. 1644,20 Manchester was directed to 'regulate' the university of Cambridge, and to remove scandalous ministers in the associated counties. On 24 Feb. he accordingly issued his warrants to the heads of colleges, and began the work of reformation. About the same time (19 Dec. 1643) he authorised William Dowsing to destroy 'superstitious pictures and ornaments.' In February 1644 Manchester became a member of the new committee of both kingdoms, meeting at Derby House. In April he was again with his army watching the movements of Prince Rupert. The town of Lincoln had been retaken by the royalists in March, but Manchester successfully stormed the close on 6 May, and thus secured the county for the parliament.21 A bridge was thrown over the Trent at Gainsborough, and Manchester marched to the aid ofLord Fairfax and the Scots, who were besieging York. This junction was effected on 3 June. On the same day the committee of both kingdoms sent Vane to York, ostensibly to urge the generals to send a force into Lancashire to arrest Prince Rupert's progress, but in reality to propose the formation of a government from which Charles was to be excluded. Manchester and his colleagues rejected the suggestion, but Cromwell, Manchester's Lieutenant-General, probably accepted Vane's proposals, and to this difference of view may be traced the subsequent breach between the two.22Cromwell at the battle of Marston Moor (1 July) commanded Manchester's horse, while the earl himself exercised a general control as a field officer. Though carried away in the flight, he soon returned to the field, and successfully rallied some of the fugitives. After the surrender of the city of York on 16 July, the armies divided, and Manchester marched to Doncaster, which he reached on 23 July. While there Tickhill Castle surrendered (26 July) to John Lilburne, who had summoned it contrary to Manchester's orders, Sheffield Castle surrendered (10 Aug.) to Major-General Lawrence Crawford, and Welbeck House to Manchester himself (11 Aug.) But Pontefract Castle had been passed by, and Manchester paid no attention to the entreaty of the officers to blockade Newark.23 Proceeding leisurely to Lincoln, he subsided into inaction. The committee of both kingdoms (3 Aug.) directed him to march against Prince Rupert, but he (10 Aug.) shrank from 'so large a commission, and a worke so difficult,' in the unsatisfactory condition of his men, and the lateness of the season,24 and though constantly urged to make his way westward, the earl made no movement till the beginning of September.25 By 22 Sept. he was at Watford, on his way to the general rendezvous at Abingdon, and reached Reading on 29 Sept. Here he remained till the middle of October, notwithstanding the urgent desire of the committee in London that he should move forwards. He had reached Basingstoke by 17 Oct., was joined by Waller on the 19th, and by Essexon 21 Oct. For the command of the three armies thus united, a council of war, consisting of the three generals, with Johnston of Warriston and Crewe, had been appointed by the committee of both kingdoms.

 

At the second battle of Newbury, on 28 Oct., Manchester's lethargy became fatally conspicuous. Delaying to make the attack assigned to him till too late in the day, he failed in his attempt on Shaw House, and the royalist army under cover of the darkness made its escape westward, within 'little more than musket-shot' of the earl's position.26 At the council held the following day Manchester opposed Waller's and Cromwell's advice to pursue the enemy, and preferred to summon Donnington Castle. Failing in his attempt to storm it on 1 Nov. he leisurely withdrew, and the castle thus abandoned was relieved by the king on the 9th. At a council of war at Shaw Field on 10 Nov. Manchester plainly declared his horror of prosecution of the war. 'If we beat the king 99 times,' he said, 'he is king still, and so will his posterity be after him; but if the king beat us once, we shall be all hanged, and our posterity be made slaves.' On 17 Nov. he left Newbury for the purpose of protecting the besiegers of Basing House. But Basing was never reached. His starving men were deserting him, and with the remains of his army he made his way to Reading. The siege of Basing House was necessarily abandoned.27

 

Manchester's religious views, though sincere, were not very deep. He inclined to presbyterianism from circumstances rather than from conviction, and had not attempted to curtail Cromwell's efforts to 'seduce' the army 'to independency'.28 Discords among his officers were growing, and in September he had paid a hurried and fruitless visit to London in the hope of healing them, but the breach between him and Cromwell was soon irreparable.

 

On 25 Nov. Cromwell laid before the House of Commons a narrative, charging Manchester with neglect and incompetency in the prosecution of the war.29 He called attention to 'his Lordshipe's continued backwardness to all action, his aversenes to engagement or what tendes thereto, his neglecting of opportunityes and declineing to take or pursue advantages upon the enemy, and this (in many particulars) contrary to advice given him, contrary to commands received, and when there had been noe impediment or other employment for his army.'30 Cromwell's charges were probably not exaggerated. Manchester, a civilian at heart, was always of opinion 'that this war would not be ended by the sword, for if it were so concluded, it would be an occasion of rising again or of a future quarrel, but it would be better for the kingdom if it were ended by an accommodation.'31 Manchester defended himself in the House of Lords on 27 Nov., when a committee of inquiry was appointed,32 and made a vigorous attack on Cromwell.33 But the presentation of the bill for new modelling the army turned the course of public debate from the shortcomings of individuals to more general principles. The Commons (26 Dec., 30 Dec., and 1 Jan.), although urged by the lords to deliver their reports respecting Manchester, centred all their energies on the struggle for the passing of the self-denying ordinance, and on 2 April 1645 (the day before the ordinance passed the Lords) Manchester, like Essex and Denbigh, resigned his commission in the army. Forty of his officers in January 1645 signed a petition for his continuance in the service, fearing that his removal would 'breed a great confusion amongst them by reason of the differences between the Presbyterians and Independents.'34

Manchester, although relieved of military duty, still (4 April) retained his powers for regulating the university of Cambridge, was a constant attendant on the committee of both kingdoms, and frequently acted as Speaker of the House of Lords. In the propositions for peace at the end of 1645 it was recommended that he should be made a marquis. He was one of those to whom Charles on 26 Dec. 1645 expressed himself willing to entrust the militia, in accordance with the Uxbridge proposals, and was a commissioner for framing the articles of peace between the kingdoms of England and Scotland in July 1646.35 With William Lenthall he was entrusted with the charge of the Great Seal from 30 Oct. 1646 to 15 March 1648. Early in 1647 he was busy with other leading presbyterian peers in sketching out a pacification more likely to meet with the royal approval. When the houses of parliament were attacked by the London mob in July 1647, Manchester, notwithstanding his presbyterian leanings, fled to the army on Hounslow Heath with the independent members, and signed the engagement of 4 Aug. to stand by the army for the freedom of parliament.36 On 6 Aug. he returned to London escorted by Fairfax and resumed his duties as Speaker of the upper chamber.

 

Manchester stoutly opposed the ordinance for the king's trial in the House of Lords on 2 Jan. 1649, and retired from public life when the formation of a commonwealth grew inevitable. After the death of the Earl of Holland he was, on 15 March 1649, made chancellor of the university of Cambridge, a post of which he was deprived in November 1651 for refusing to take the engagement.37 Cromwell summoned him to sit in his Upper House in December 1657,38 but the summons was not obeyed. Manchester took an active part in bringing about the Restoration, and as Speaker of the Lords welcomed the king on his arrival (29 May). He was speedily invested with many honours. On 27 April 1660 he was appointed one of the commissioners of the Great Seal, on 22 May was restored to his Lord-Lieutenancy of the counties of Northampton and Huntingdon,39 and on the 26th to the chancellorship of Cambridge. He was made Lord Chamberlain of the household on 30 May, privy councillor on 1 June, and was also chamberlain of South Wales.

From 9 to 19 Oct. he was engaged on the trial of the regicides, and appears to have inclined to leniency.40 At the coronation of Charles II on 23 April 1661 he bore the sword of state, and was made a Knight of the Garter. He became joint commissioner for the office of Earl-Marshal on 26 May 1662, and was incorporated M.A. in the university of Oxford on 8 Sept. 1665. When, in 1667, the Dutch appeared in the Channel, Manchester was made a general, and a regiment was raised under his command (15 June). He was a fellow of the Royal Society from 1667 till his death. He died on 5 May 1671, and was buried in Kimbolton Church, Huntingdonshire.

 

Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester. Studio of Peter Lely, after 1661. NPG

Manchester was of a generous and gentle disposition. Burnet speaks of him as 'of a soft and obliging temper, of no great depth, but universally beloved, being both a virtuous and a generous man,'41and this view is corroborated even by Clarendon.42 Sir Philip Warwick describes him as 'of a debonnair nature, but very facile and changeable,'43 while Baillie calls him 'a sweet, meek man.'44 Peace, a constitutional monarchy, and puritanism were the objects at which he aimed, and his inactivity in the army dated from the time when protracted war, the rule of the people, and independency seemed to be the inevitable outcome of the struggle. It was easy to begin a war, he was in the habit of saying, but no man knew when it would end, and a war was not the way to advance religion.45 When actually in the field, his sense of duty and his humanity prompted him to activity. To encourage his men he marched among them for many a weary mile,46 or spent the night after an engagement in riding from regiment to regiment, thanking the soldiers and endeavouring to supply their wants.47 The same longing for peace and accommodation is exemplified in his religious connections. A presbyterian member of the assembly of divines, he used his influence to have Philip Nye, the independent, appointed to the vicarage of Kimbolton, and in the hearing of Baxter pleaded for moderate episcopacy and a liturgy.48 Baxter, while designating him 'a good man,' complains that he would have drawn the presbyterians to yield more than they did, and was earnest in urging the suppression of passages that were 'too vehement.'49

 

Many of Manchester's letters on army business are in the British Museum50 and in the Bodleian Library.51Manchester married five times. His first wife was Susanna, daughter of John Hill of Honiley in Warwickshire, and of his wife Dorothy Beaumont, sister to the Duke of Buckingham's mother. Pecuniary arrangements between the duke and Manchester's father were amicably concluded by means of the match. The marriage ceremony, which took place early in February 1623, was performed in the king's bedchamber, where James was confined to his bed. He was not, however, incapable of throwing his shoe after the bridal party as they left the room. Susanna Montagu died in January 1625. As Lord Mandeville, Manchester married at Newington Church, on 1 July 1626, Anne, daughter of Robert Rich, second Earl of Warwick, Lord Admiral of the Long Parliament, by whom he had three children: Robert, his successor, noticed below; Frances, who married Henry, son of Dr. Robert Sanderson, Bishop of Lincoln; and Anne, who married Robert Rich, second Earl of Holland and fifth Earl of Warwick. Anne, Lady Mandeville, died on 14 or 19 Feb. 1641-2, and was buried at Kimbolton. There is a portrait of her at Kimbolton Castle. His third wife was Essex (d. 28 Sept. 1658), daughter of Sir Thomas Cheke of Pirgo in Essex, by his wife Essex Rich, daughter of Robert, first Earl of Warwick, and widow of Sir Robert Bevil (d. 1640) of Chesterton in Huntingdonshire, by whom he had six sons and two daughters. Of the daughters, Essex (born 1644) married, in June 1661, Henry Ingram, Viscount Irwin. Of the six sons, Edward, Henry, Charles, and Thomas were members of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. Manchester married a fourth wife in July 1659; she was Ellinor, daughter of Sir Richard Wortley of Wortley in Yorkshire, and he was her fourth husband. She had previously married Sir Henry Lee, first Baronet (d. 1631), of Ditchley in Oxfordshire; Edward Radcliffe, sixth Earl of Sussex (d. 1641); and Robert Rich, second Earl of Warwick (d. 1658) (the father of Manchester's second wife). She died in January 1666-7. In August 1667, at St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, Manchester married his fifth wife, Margaret, daughter of Francis Russell, fourth Earl of Bedford, a widow of James Hay, second Earl of Carlisle (d. 1660). She died in November 1676, and was buried at Chenies, Buckinghamshire.

  

1. Admission Registers.

2. Calendar of State Papers, 1640, p. 66.

3. Gardiner, Fall of Charles I, p. 402; Mandeville, MS. Memoirs in Addit. MS. 15567, ff. 7-8.

4. Harl. MS. 456, ff. 38-40.

5. Borough, Treaty of Ripon, pp. 44,55.

6. Evelyn, Diary of Correspondence, iv. 75-6.

7. Lords' Journals, iv. 238.

8. Nicholas Papers, Camden Society, i. 62.

9. Lords' Journals, iv. 501.

10. ib. pp. 505, 511.

11. ib. p. 649.

12. cf. v. 564.

13. Comm. for the Advance of Money, p. 1.

14. Sanford, Studies of the Great Rebellion, p. 561, quoting from D'Ewes.

15. Gardiner, History of the Great Civil War, i. 224-6.

16. Sanford, Studies, pp. 202-5.

17. Clarendon, Life, 1857, i. 73-4; Carlyle, Cromwell's Letters and Speeches, 1866, i. 90.

18. See Manchester's letter of 12 Oct. in Lords' Journals, vi. 255-6.

19. Harl. MS. 2224, ff. 12-16.

20. Husband, Ordinances of Parliament, 1646, folio, p. 415.

21. True Relation, E. 47 [2], Manchester's letter read in the House of Commons on 9 May.

22. Gardiner, Civil War, i. 431-3.

23. Pickering's Deposition, Cal. State Papers, 1644, p. 151.

24. Quarrel of Manchester and Cromwell, p. 9.

25. ib. pp. 20-4.

26. Watson's Deposition, Cal. State Papers, 1644-5, p. 150.

27. Gardiner, Civil War, p. 518.

28. Baillie, Letters and Journals, ii. 185.

29. Quarrel of Manchester and Cromwell, Camden Soc., pp. 178-95.

30. Cromwell's Narrative in Quarrel, p. 79.

31. Pickering's Deposition, Cal. State Papers, 1644-5, p. 152.

32. Lords' Journals, vii. 76.

33. Camden Miscellany, vol. viii.

34. Whitacre, Diary, British Library Addit. MS. 31116, f. 185.

35. Thurloe, State Papers, i. 77-9.

36. Rushworth, vii. 754.

37. See letters in Hist. MSS. Comm. 8th Rep. pt. ii. p. 64.

38. Parl. Hist. iii. col. 1518.

39. Hist. MSS. Comm. 8th Rep. pt. ii. p. 65.

40. Exact and most impartial Account. E. 1047 [3], p. 53 b.

41. Burnet's History of his Own Time,, 1875, i. 66.

42. History of the Rebellion, ed. Macray, i. 242, ii. 545.

43. Sir Philip Warwick, Memoires of the Reign of King Charles I, 1701. 246.

44. Baillie, Letters and Journals, ii. 229.

45. Cal. State Papers. 1644-5, Pickering's Deposition, p. 152.

46. Ashe, Particular Relation.

47. Sanford, Studies, p. 608.

48. Sylvester, Reliquae Baxterianae, p. 278.

49. ib. p. 365.

50. British Library Egerton MSS. 2643 ff. 9, 23, 2647 ff. 136, 229, 241, 319; Addit. MS. 18979, f. 158; Harl. MS. 7001, ff. 170, 172, 174, 202.

51. Bodleian Library Tanner MSS. lxiii. f. 130, lxiv. f. 91, lxii.'tf.43l, 471, lvii. f. 194.

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