Book Inscriptions # 1
Posted on 28 December, 2009You find all sorts of inscriptions in books, usually on the front endpaper, from the plain name and address to pledges of undying love. I came across one today at the front of a copy of ‘Grammont’s memoirs of the Court of Charles the Second’ by Anthony Hamilton.
The inscription to the front pastedown reads thus -
“To Claude S. Jackson. Coldstream Guards
From Archer Windsor-Clive
3rd Bn. Coldstream Guards
Windsor 1913
Killed in action with the 3rd Bn. at LANDRECIES.
August 25th 1914.“
The internet being the marvellous tool that it is, confirms some of these details and throws up more information.
Lt. Hon. Archer Windsor-Clive was born on 6 November 1890. He was the son of Robert George Windsor-Clive, 1st Earl of Plymouth. He attended Eton and played first class cricket for Cambridge University. The excellent Commonwealth War Graves Commission website gives more details of his death – http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=581548
Another site gives a quote from ‘Tommy Atkins at War’ by James Alexander Kilpatrick -
A sergeant of the Coldstream Guards, in an account given tothe Evening News, speaks of the death of CaptainWindsor-Clive. "We were sorry to lose Captain Clive, who,"he says, "was a real gentleman and a soldier. He wasknocked over by the bursting of a shell, which maddened ourfellows I can tell you."...........Many British soldierssuffered from the treachery of the Germans in wearingEnglish and French uniforms, and their letters home arefull of indignation at the practises of the enemy. It wasin the fighting following such a ruse at Landrecies thatthe Honorable Archer Windsor-Clive, of the ColdstreamGuards, met his death.
Tragically, another search on the CWGC site shows that the owner of the book and author of the inscription, Claude S.[Stewart] Jackson, was also killed in the Great War 3 years later in the mud of Flanders – http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1633111
Clarence.
A Scotch Carol
Posted on 3 December, 2009You find all sorts of interesting things stuck inside books: letters, tickets, obituaries, even money.
Today I found a Carol – a Scotch (or Scots) Carol in fact which I will now commit to cyberspace. It was typed on a small piece of paper and “From Popular Antiquities Pub. 1810″ was scribbled in pencil underneath.
I come from Hevin to tell,
The best of Nowellis that ever befell:
To yow thir Tythinges trew I bring
And I will of them say and sing.
This Day to you is borne ane Childe,
Of Marie meike and Virgine mylde,
That blessit Barne bining and kynde
Sall yow rejoyce baith Heart and Mynd.
My Saull and Lyfe stand up and see
Quha lyes in ane Cribe of Tree,
Quhat Babe is that so gude and faire?
It is Christ, God’s Sonne and Aire.
O God that made all Creature,
How art thou becum so pure,
That on the Hay and Stray will lye,
Amang the Asses, Oxin, and Kye?
O my deir Hert, young Jesus sweit,
Prepare thy Creddill in my Spreit,
And I sall rocke thee in my Hert,
And never mair from thee depart.
But I sall praise thee ever moir
With sangs sweit unto thy Gloir,
The knees of my Hert sall I bow,
And sing that richt Balulalow*.
* Lullaby