From the governor's residence in Gibraltar, a manuscript record of British colonial officials, staff, naval and army officers in the Crown Colony…
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From the governor's residence in Gibraltar, a manuscript record of British colonial officials, staff, naval and army officers in the Crown Colony which was used by the Governor's household as a social register for entertaining Gibraltar's elite and prestigious visitors, including the second in line to the British throne, Prince Albert Victor. An additional pleasure of the manuscript is that it includes a page-long listing of the officers of the 'Royal Dublin Fusiliers' who were stationed in the colony in 1884-5 with whom served the fictional Major Brian Tweedy, father of James Joyce's Molly Bloom who remembers her time with her father in Gibraltar in 1885 (the moment covered by this manuscript) in the famous soliloquy which ends Ulysses: 'Yes I said yes I will Yes.' The manuscript is written in Army Book 129 (issued '7 Dec 1883 Army Forces Stores') bound in worn half reversed calf over blue paper covered boards (31 × 19cm). The inner hinges are cracked although the binding is sound if delicate. An Index precedes a 'Precedence List made out for H.s E[xcellency]'s Levée of 6.1.83' - an event that would have been presided over by Governor Sir John Adye, the ultimate presumed owner of this volume. This is followed by the Colonial Office's 'Precedency List' starting with The Governor, 'Staff' in a mixture of red and black ink with a series of symbols, possibly relating to their dinner invitation status, alongside positions occupied and, often, their addresses in Gibraltar, annotated regarding redeployment and transfers. There are 62 pages of comprehensive entries with particular interest attending mention of the legendary father and son American consuls with their addresses (p.13) 'Horatio Jones Sprague Esq; John Louis Sprague Esq, Mrs and the Misses, Prince Edwards Road'. The manuscript makes a second start at page 20 when Sir Arthur Hardinge took over from Adye as Governor whose departure is annotated in red ink 'Retired 2 Nov. 86. Sir G Hardynge'. The social element of the manuscript is signalled in two labels to the covers, on the upper cover 'People to ask' and on the lower cover the tantalising phrase, 'People Dinners and Dates'. This relates to the second section of the manuscript at the back of the book which details dates and invitees to a series of 'Dinners' beginning in December 1884 and concluding in December 1887 by which time Governor Hardynge had taken over. These are written in a very tricky hand, many of the names annotated with a miniscule '2' (presumably a couple) or a cross - meaning unknown. The most prestigious event in the four years covered by this record (1883-1887) involved the visit to Gibraltar of the eldest son of the future Edward VII, Prince Albert Victor who died before his father became king. On 30th March 1887, early in Governor Hardynge's tenure he hosted dinner for: 'Prince Albert Victor, Major Miles... Capt. Hon A Grenville Equerry, Sir H and Lady Temple, Colonel and Mrs Montmorency...' On May 21st the Governor seems to have entertained the young Prince once again along with a large party at a 'Picnic Waterfalls.' A line is drawn across the dinner dates two days before the retirement of Sir John Adye as Governor with an intimate gathering held the night before he left Gibraltar, comprising just '3 Adye girls, Col Layard, Major Dulton, Cap.t Church Ward and Hickson.'
