Lavishly illustrated tour of Scotland undertaken by two young men in 1892 including a long description of climbing Ben Nevis in the fog, arriving at the summit for a slap-up meal in the famous Observatory Hotel: ‘Plain teas 2/6, Ham and Eggs 4/” Two of the former were called, & the quality of two mountain appetites tested with very satisfactory results... No view was to be obtained, the mist only moving off to make room for more...’
Bad weather dogged the pair throughout the trip which ranges across all of the major cities and sights of Scotland and the 14000 word narrative is enlivened by 86 large format (21x14cm) albumen photographs from the firm of G W Wilson and Co. The recipient of the manuscript was the writer’s travelling companion H M Young who has annotated it throughout during a second trip made to Scotland half a century later, signing off Volume III: ‘We say yes to all that is written here after our 1939 visit - Pencil notes by H M Young age 82 - So all errors in writing and spelling must be forgiven Nov 22nd 1940.’ Beautifully bound and written, together a very attractive group of manuscripts.
DESCRIPTION: Three large landscape format (33x26cm) half black leather volumes with ‘Scotland’ in gilt to the covers and volume number to the spine. Bookseller’s ticket for ‘D Macara, Stationer, Cockspur Street, Edinburgh’ to the front pastedown. Thick card leaves throughout:
Volume I Manuscript title page opposite inscription ‘to H M Young Xmas 1892 from W.I. and then later ‘Horatia Wells (1948) below - this latter inscription postdates a subsequent visit to Scotland made by Young in 1940 during which he annotates this text with later impressions. The writer refers to his companion as ‘Hannah’ suggesting that H M Young was actually Hannah M Young although everything about the narrative implies two men travelling together.
Vol I [pp] 35 text; 23 photographs; Preface entitled ‘Anticipation’ describing the preparation and guide book purchasing ahead of the first visit before the trip begins in Mossley near Manchester, 25th June 1892, via Leeds and York to Scotland by rail, over the Forth Bridge, onto Perth, Aberdeen and Inverness - all illustrated with photogaphs. The holiday proper begins when the steamer Glengarry sets off along the Caledonian canal - into Loch Ness - stopping at Foyers Falls, Urquhart Castle with a call at Fort Augustus. The pair are disappointed by Ben Nevis (see diagram explaining their disappointment) on account of the cloud wrapping round the summit, though they recount the story of how ‘the dew of Ben Nevis is collected by a very tall man who goes by the name of Long John.’ They board the steamer for Fort William on June 30th and on July 1st start the climb up Ben Nevis from the Post Office in Fort William prepared with mackintoshes, umbrellas, a pocket flask, sandwiches and cigarettes, managing to send a telegram from the legendary Observatory Hotel at the top. 7/8 sides dedicated to description of the climb up, their meal in the hotel: ‘Rain, Rain! Rain!! through mackintosh, jacket & vest’, recalling how ‘in the days of my innocence I used to watch the clouds come over Lough Neagh’ in Ireland. The pair continue onto the sadness of Glencoe and then, Oban and then onto Portree, then ‘packed up and went off to Elgin... said to enjoy a very mild climate, in fact our landlady in Aberdeen called it ‘such a hot, stuffy place; this statement is of course preposterous’. Rain follows them everywhere. The account ends his journey in Aberdeen on July 16th when Hannah heads south.
VOLUME 2, (30 photographs 29 pp manuscript text) ‘Narrative Continued’, July 30th - Sept 2nd. Hannah arrives back from the south and they stay a week in Aberdeen, moving onto Forfar for a week -(Hannah goes south again on Aug 5th but appears to return), then Arbroath and Montrose, Dundee ‘a kind of little Liverpool’ with travels Perth - rain rain rain - told along the way that they are always ‘just a fortnight late’ when it comes to weather although ‘when meteorological conditions are are favourable in Scotland we don’t think it can be beaten’. Pitlochery and on to the heart of the Trossacks, Loch Katrine where the view was indescribably beautiful, Loch Lomond and back to Glasgow ‘which boasts itself the second city in the Empire’, a train to Stirling ‘arrived..... feeling overpowered with a sense of the grandeur and majesty of the wonderful works of god in nature of which Scotland has such an abundant share’.
VOLUME 3 (34 photos plus 22 pp of written descriptions)’Narrative Continued’ from Sept 3rd, based in Edinburgh - a trip to Allen Water and Cocksburn Glen, Bridge of Allan onto Stirling Castle, Alva Glen, train back to Edinburgh and boat from Leith to Stirling where they bought a tandem tricycle and in Edinburgh visited the National Gallery, the castle, Holyrood, Burns monument and ascend Arthur’s Seat.
Annotated 47 years later with updates of more recent trips by HM Young now 82 years old.
