March 29, 2015 by Clare

What they played: a sheet music catalogue

I often get given items relating to research I undertook on a music retail and publishing company, Charles Begg & Co Ltd. I think I’m seen as the unofficial archivist for the business and have gathered quite a collection of different things since I published the history of the company.

Recently I was given a small catalogue of sheet music published by the Australian publisher, Albert’s, sometime after 1910 and prior to World War One.

The reason I was given it is the business I am interested in, which is a New Zealand one, has its name printed on the cover of the catalogue – along with branches it had open at that time. This little catalogue (9.5cm x 15.5cm) would have been given to customers to promote Begg’s as well as Albert’s.

Inside are samples of pieces published by Albert’s, with a cover illustration and the first few bars of the piece, all designed to whet the customer’s appetite for the latest tunes of the day. I’m confident in dating this catalogue prior to 1914 as there are no war themed pieces, hundreds of which were published during the First World War. The closest is Colonel Bogey’s Popular Marches seen in the catalogue,

and in a later edition (after 1926) of the sheet music form here. I love the colours of the cover.

It’s possible to glean a lot about popular musical taste from a booklet like this. The book includes marches, fox trots, waltzes, novelettes and caprices – echoes of a different world. At the back there is a list of other publications of Albert’s including such intriguing titles as “Can You Tame Wild Cairo Wimmen?”, I’ve Lost My Heart in Maoriland”, Good Gravy Rag” and “Umbrellas to Mend”.

Funnily enough, given the thousands and thousands of pieces of music published at this time, I have one of the pieces advertised in the catalogue, “Black & White Rag”(1908) but unfortunately I can’t tell if the customer purchased it from Begg’s or not as there’s no retailer’s stamp. I like to think Begg’s did sell this copy – it just completes the picture somehow.

March 25, 2015 by Clare

Historical postcards – Queen Victoria’s statue, Malta

Queen Victoria became the outward symbol of Empire in a way that none of her predecessors or successors were. This was due to a combination of the length of her reign (1837 – 1901) – she is still the longest serving British monarch, although it’s likely Queen Elizabeth will surpass her (as of 9 September this year) – and the huge expansion the British Empire undertook during this period. Streets, towns, cities, provinces and states were named after her and numerous statues of the Queen were erected.

Nearly one hundred statues of her were commissioned to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of her reign in 1897, or as memorials after her death in 1901. This is in addition to those which were commissioned earlier in her reign.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, I’ve recently begun to collect historical postcards and now collect cards showing these statues, some of which no longer exist. When I was in Malta a month ago I visited Republic Square in Valletta and admired the statue of Queen Victoria outside the National Library. It was carved in white marble by Giueseppe Valenti in 1891 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee (1897). The square is a popular meeting place with shops and cafes so I enjoyed some Maltese pastizzi (cheese pastries) and coffee while admiring the statue.

Although lots of the statues of the good Queen are very similar, or even identical, the Maltese one is rather special because the Queen is wearing a beautiful Maltese lace shawl. Sometime before Queen Victoria had placed an order for “eight dozen pairs long and eight dozen pairs short mitts beside a scarf” of Maltese lace to encourage the revival of the old art of lace making in Malta. The statue reflects her interest in the local industry, and was no doubt a good advertisement for it.

The statue was restored and cleaned in 2011 so the detail in the lace shawl is easy to see. The only postcard I’ve managed to find so far is not particularly clear but gives a general view of the statue and its location outside the library. The card was probably produced at the beginning of the 20th century. The small garden around the statue is no longer there but it looks as though the square has always had a cafe.

In 1901 when Queen Victoria died, the Maltese people laid wreaths around the statute.

Photo credit: “The Times of Malta” newspaper

I’ll keep looking for other postcards of this statue as they’re a fascinating way of tracing the history of a place and the Empire.

March 22, 2015 by Clare

Mansion House, Kawau Island: Governor Grey’s legacy

Mansion House, Kawau Island

A week ago I visited Kawau Island, near Auckland in the Hauraki Gulf. I’ve been keen to go there for ages but something has always interrupted my plans – too little time in Auckland or bad weather. However, Monday was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for taking the Royal Mail cruise to the island and seeing Mansion House, the one-time residence of one of New Zealand’s most important historical figures, Governor (later Premier) George Grey, and the reason I was so keen to visit Kawau.

Governor Grey (nzhistory.net.nz)

As a librarian I’ve always had a special fondness for the Governor as he donated a magnificent collection of early New Zealand publications and other important works (over 15,000 volumes) to the city of Auckland and today it forms the basis of the Sir George Grey Special Collections. It’s one of three major heritage library collections in the country; the others are the Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington and the Hocken Library in Dunedin.

The Special Collections Librarian at the University of Otago, Donald Kerr, has written a fascinating account of Grey’s collecting and collections titled Amassing Treasures for all Times: Sir George Grey, Colonial Bookman and Collector. It wasn’t only New Zealand who benefitted from Grey’s collecting zeal – he also donated collections to Australia, where he was Governor of South Australia, and South Africa, where he was Governor of Cape Colony. But I’m digressing as this post isn’t about the man, a servant of the British Empire if ever there was one, but the house he built.

Mansion House, Kawau Island

When Grey bought the Kawau Island in 1862 copper mining had been undertaken there for around 20 years and parts of the island were crowded with miners’ homes, centred around several mining villages. Evidence of the mining can still be seen on the island today.

Remains of copper mine, Kawau Island

Mansion House was originally the 10 roomed mine manager’s home which Grey transformed into a stately home. As well as Mansion House he built farm buildings, dwellings for his staff and their families and a school for their children. The school, which has been extended and is now a private home, can be seen in Schoolhouse Bay.

Old Schoolhouse, Schoolhouse Bay, Kawau Island

Governor Grey spent a large part of his personal fortune on Mansion House and its grounds. Grey had a wide range of interests, including history, literature, natural history, maths, astronomy, ethnology and languages. On Kawau he extended his collecting enthusiasm to include exotic plants and wildlife from all over the world. The informative captain on the Royal Mail catamaran told us that the two Brazilian palms growing in the grounds of Mansion House are said to be the best examples in the world today.

Brazilian palm trees, Mansion House gardens, Kawau Island

As well as plants from all over the world Grey also collected animals and imported over 30 species from zebras to monkeys. Most did not flourish (in a slightly ghoulish decorating touch there’s a zebra skin on the floor of the library) but some did. There are still wallabies, rosellas, kookaburras and peacocks on the island carrying on the legacy of Grey’s collecting passion.

The house is now owned by the Department of Conservation and has been extensively restored in keeping with the period during which Grey lived there. Another of Grey’s collections was of Maori artefacts and some are displayed in the reception room.

Reception room, Mansion House, Kawau Island

The kitchen is in the original part of the house and so has a lower ceiling, giving it a cosy feel.

Kitchen, Mansion House, Kawau Island

Grey’s niece, who lived with Grey, married the estate manager and they and their growing family also lived in Mansion House. The nursery wing was up its own flight of stairs.

Nursery, Mansion House, Kawau Island

There was also a schoolroom where the children could take their lessons.

Schoolroom, Mansion House, Kawau Island

Grey’s bedroom was immense with beautiful views out to the sea.

George Grey’s bedroom, Mansion House, Kawau Island

Of course I’m always interested in a library ….

The Library, Mansion House, Kawau Island

Mansion House was everything I’d hoped it would be and is a fascinating part of New Zealand’s colonial history. Well worth a day out if you’re in Auckland.

The Wandering Historian

Queen Victoria, her Empire and me

Month: March 2015

What they played: a sheet music catalogue

Historical postcards – Queen Victoria’s statue, Malta

Mansion House, Kawau Island: Governor Grey’s legacy