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Ellen Harper Parkes Commonplace Album

 Collection
Identifier: Ellen Harper Parkes commonplace album

Scope and Contents

An album composed by Ellen Harper Parkes (later Ellen Worsley) in 1826, containing written and illustrated material created largely between 1824 and 1827. Among the material are handwritten transcripts of poems originally written by Sarah Parkes, Anna Letitia Barbauld, and Letitia Elizabeth Landon (signed L.E.L.) as well as drawings and watercolors by an array of acquaintances, most of which are identified by their initials. Some of the illustrations were copied from contemporary printed books, while others appear to be original.

Many of the illustrations appear to have been contributed by individuals who were part of social circles intersecting with Robert Southey's house, Greta Hall. Among seventeen hand-drawn illustrations on similar cards,two are of the house itself. Some of the illustrations may be by members of the Coleridge family.

Dates

  • Creation: Title page dated 1826; Content primarily from 1824-1827

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open to the public and must be used in the John M.K. Davis Reading Room of the Watkinson Library, Trinity College Library, Hartford, Connecticut. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws when using this collection.

Conditions Governing Use

Digital surrogates may be provided in accordance with the duplication policy of the Watkinson Library.

Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs unless otherwise specified. It is the researcher's responsibility to secure permission to publish materials from the appropriate copyright holder.

Archival materials may contain sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal and/or state right to privacy laws or other regulations. While we make a good faith effort to identify and remove such materials, some may be missed during our processing. If a researcher finds sensitive personal information (e.g. social security numbers) in a collection, please bring it to the attention of the reading room staff.

Biographical / Historical

Ellen Harper Parked married Samuel Worsley in 1844, and was later known as Ellen Worsley. She was the aunt of Samuel Butler (1835-1902), writer, artist photographer. Ellen's cousin, Mary Parkes (1794-1835), was married in 1823 to William Swainson, later the first attorney-general of New Zealand. She was his first wife and mother to five of his children, and died before he moved to New Zealand. Swainson subsequently published "Zoological Illustrations", from which two of the paintings of birds in Parker's collection appear to have been copied.

After Ellen Parkes and Samuel Worsley married, they moved to Clifton, Bristol.

Extent

1 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchased from Kate Oliver, Cheltenham, England 6/15/2012.

Related Materials

The following volume resides at St. John's College Library, Cambridge:

Bound volume of printed music presented to Samuel Butler by his Aunt Ellen [Worsley, nee Parkes], inscribed 'Samuel Butler with the love of his Aunt Ellen Worsley January 2nd 1865'. Contains: 'Sonate a Violino e Violono o Cimbalo da Arcangelo Corelle da Fusignano Opera Quinta Parte Prima' (London: Preston & Son), inscribed 'Ellen Parkes. 1819'; 'Corelli's Celebrated Twelve Concertos... Adapted for the Harpsichord or Piano Forte by Thomas Billington, Opera IX' (London: G. Walker), inscribed 'Ellen Harper Parkes February 27 1820 from her brother JEH'; 'Thorough Bass, made Clear to every Capacity by M.P. King' (London: W. Mitchell), inscribed 'Ellen Parkes March 1819'; 'Handel's Overtures Arranged for the Piano Forte with an Accompaniment Ad Libitum for a Flute or Violin by J. Mazzinghi' (London: C. Mitchell); 'Handel's Overtures Arranged for the Piano Forte with an Accompaniment Ad Libitum for a Flute or Violin by J. Mazzinghi' (London: Goulding & Company), inscribed 'Ellen Parkes'. Contains pencil annotations by Samuel Butler.

Title
Guide to the Ellen Harper Parkes commonplace album
Status
In Progress
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Watkinson Library - Archival Collections Repository

Contact:
Trinity College Library
300 Summit St.
Hartford Connecticut 06106