Documents and drawings related to the winning entry in the 1864 competition for a Natural History Museum and Patent Museum, South Kensington, London, England
drawings executed between 1864 and 1907
- This group is comprised of drawings and photographs for Francis Fowke's winning entry in the 1864 competition for the Natural History and Patent Museums, South Kensington, London, and correspondence and pamphlets related to John Liddell's subsequent claim (1866) of sole authorship of the external treatment of Fowke's design. A hand-coloured reprographic copy (DR1989:0026:005) is apparently an elevation for Fowke's final design for the Natural History and Patent Museum, and a photograph of the section through the Patent Museum (DR1989:0026:001) is also possibly for Fowke's final design. Other drawings (DR1989:0026:003, DR1989:0026:006, and DR1989:0026:007 R/V) and another photograph (DR1989:0026:002) are possibly for preliminary designs for the competition. Many of the letters are by John Liddell to the First Commissioner of Works (W.F. Cowper and later, Lord John Manners), and Alfred Waterhouse asserting his claim to authorship of the external treatment of Fowke's design (DR1989:0026:013, DR1989:0026:015, DR1989:0026:017, DR1989:0026:029, DR1989:0026:031-33, DR1989:0026:036, DR1989:0026:040). The First Commissioner's secretaries' replies to these are also included (DR1989:0026:016, DR1989:0026:035, DR1989:0026:041-043). Liddell compiled many of these letters, as well as some not included in this group, into a pamphlet in order to publicize his case (DR1989:0026:020, DR1989:0026:023-24, DR1989:0026:026-27, DR1989:0026:039, DR1989:0026:044-045). There are ten copies of this transcribed correspondence as well letters to the editors of four London newspapers (DR1989:0026:022, DR1989:0026:025, DR1989:0026:028, DR1989:0026:030, DR1989:0026:051). Also included is Liddell's correspondence to two of the competition judges (DR1989:0026:019, DR1989:0026:037, DR1989:0026:038) and several Members of Parliament (DR1989:0026:014, DR1989:0026:018, DR1989:0026:021, DR1989:0026:034) solicting support for his claims. A letter from Fowke to Liddell accompanies the payment of Liddell's portion of the competition premium (DR1989:0026:009). Three letters discuss a recommendation for Liddell from Sir Henry Cole (DR1989:0026:010-012). Pamphlets include two copies of pamphlets (one incomplete) published in 1863 by the House of Commons describing Sir Richard Owens' ideas for the Natural History Museum, with hand-coloured plans and sections drawn by Sir Henry A. Hunt and printed by Henry Hansard (DR1989:0026:046-47); two copies of the competition guidelines, each annotated with sketches, probably by Fowke and Liddell (DR1989:0026:048-049); and two copies of the description of Fowke's design, one with his motto and modifications (DR1989:0026:050 ?). The tabletop designs on the verso of some of the sketches date to 1907 and are unrelated to the other material in the collection (DR1989:0026:006 R/V and DR1989:0026:007 R/V).
Drawings include graphite with wash on cardboard, graphite with chalk on wove paper, pen and ink with wash, gouache or watercolour on wove paper, and reprographic copies with wash on wove paper
manuscripts include pen and ink and/or graphite on wove or laid paper, reprographic copies on wove paper, letterpress printing on wove paper, one typescript on wove paper, and one newsprint on wove paper
the photograph is an albumen silver print
sheet (smallest; some irreg.): 11.9 x 17.9 cm (4 11/16 x 7 1/16 in.) sheet (larges; some irreg.): 52.4 x 43 cm (20 5/8 x 16 15/16 in.)
DR1989:0026:001-051
- Graphic material consists of 3 pieces of two albumen silver prints, 4 drawings, a reprographic copy, and 2 pamphlets. The pamphlets of printed drawings with letterpress text are bound with string. Two of the drawings are apparently part of the same image, but the sheet has been cut in two and reused on the verso. Documents include 27 letters, some of which are on embossed letterhead, 8 pamphlets of reprographic copes of correspondence and two unbound copies of the same correspondence. Most of the pamphlets are bound with string and the unbound copies were formerly held together with a pin at the u.l. The verso of two of the letters (DR1989:0026:032 and DR1989:0026:034) are advertising fliers for "The German Fair Photographic Studio, Portland Bazaar, Langham Place, Regent Street W".
signed and dated - on most of the letters, by the correspondents, in pen and ink, in various locations: with signatures and month, day, and year dated and inscribed - on most of the originals, by the compiler, in various locations: with dates numbered - on most of the objects, by an unknown modern hand, in graphite, in various locations, usually u.r.: with inventory numbers signed and dated - on DR1989:0026:006-007, by the draughtsman, in white chalk ? l.r.: "J. LIDDELL / 1917" dated and inscribed - on DR1989:0026:046-047, in letterpress, l.c.: "Ordered, by The House of Commons to be Printed, / 25 June 1863" dated - on DR1989:0026:048-049, in letterpress, u.r.: "January, 1849." inscribed - on DR1989:0026:050, by an unknown hand, in pen and black ink, t.: "Ad ogni uccello suo nido é bello / To be put in legible gothic letter about the side of the Caps / Revise"; and in various locations: with modifications numbered - on DR1989:0026:013-014, DR1989:0026:016-017, DR1989:0026:033, and DR1989:0026:035, by the correspondent or recipient, in graphite, in various locations: with inventory numbers stamped - on DR1989:0026:010 and DR1989:0026:012, embossed, t.: "COUNCIL ON EDUCATION KENSINGTON MUSEUM / VR" [within oval with crest] stamped - on DR1989:0026:014, embossed, t.: "House of Commons" [within oval with crest] stamped - on DR1989:0026:016, DR1989:0026:035, DR1989:0026:041, and DR1989:0026:043, embossed, t.: with the royal coat-of-arms within an oval
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