[Captain Thomas William PIxley of Hill Lodge, Freshwater, Isle of Wight.] Album filled with unpublished autograph poems, mostly autobiographical and composed for recitation at Christmas, with family information, newspaper cuttings, printed ephemera.

Author: 
Captain Thomas William Pixley (1819-1891) of Hill Lodge, Freshwater, Isle of Wight, a Younger Brother of the Corporation of Trinity House
Publication details: 
Hill Lodge, Freshwater, Isle of Wight. 1875 to 1884.
£750.00
SKU: 13889

The autograph matter within the volume covers 206pp., 4to, with a further 14pp carrying newspaper articles and printed ephemera. In fair condition on aged paper, with some leaves loose, in damaged and worn quarter-binding with marbled boards and leather spine. Large armorial bookplate of Thomas William Pixley laid down on front board. Captain Thomas William Pixley (1819-1891) of Hill Lodge, Freshwater, Isle of Wight, commanded the 850-ton merchantman Essex (belonging to Messrs. Wigram, of Blackwall), travelling between England and India, from 1848; by 1868 he was commanding the City of Buenos Ayres, travelling between England and Argentina. In later years he was a Younger Brother of the Corporation of Trinity House. In 1848 he married Caroline Blore (1822-1902), youngest daughter of Robert Blore of Ashbourne, Derbyshire; their son Francis William Pixley (1852-1933) was a senior partner in the firm of Messrs. Jackson, Pixley and Co., chartered accountants, and in 1905 President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. The volume contains a degree of family history, including 'Extracts from Essex Papers', relating to his wife's cousin David McIntosh of Havering Park, and the 'small properties [...] sold to clear the Estates of debt &c. after poor David died', but the main part consists of Pixley's poetical efforts, which show him to be an enthusiastic and energetic versifier. Several of the poems were written for recitation over Christmas dinner, as made clear by Pixley in jocular fake minutes of 'a Meeting held at Hill Lodge Freshwater on the 20th. of November 1875 presided over by Captain T. W. Pixley and the following Members being present | Mrs. Pixley | Miss Pixley | Miss E. A. Pixley | it was unanimously resolved that a Poem or something amusing should be composed by the above members and read on Christmas Day as soon as the Dessert shall have been placed on the Table'. Setting aside their literary quality (he notes that 'Lines sent to the "Country Press" Newspaper at Newport' were 'not accepted, nor did I expect it would'), the poems are of interesting for their autobiographical content, with such titles as 'A short account of a business transaction that I foolishly entered into in Yorkshire in the Year 1865', 'On Sunday March 5th. 1877. Our old Barn which was in a very shaky condition, fell in, as we were dressing for Church - it sounded like a Volley of Guns - or Clap of Thunder - hence the following verses', 'Recollections of the pleasantest voyage I ever made. In 1849 my Ship the Essex was taken up by Government to take the Head Quarters of the 87th. Royal Irish to Calcutta. The other ships to take the rest of the Regt. out were the Camperdown, Madagascar, Nile & Trafalgar. We were the last to leave & arrived in Calcutta 10 days before the others. 15 days before the Nile We had also on board some 40 other passengers, mostly young Ladies' and 'Revd. P. Haythornwaite, R.C. priest at Freshwater, in accepting an invitation to play Lawn Tennis said it would be the last time he should play this Year, and suggested my writing something about it (in fun) when he went away. He took one of our Racquets by mistake with him, so the next morning I sent him the following few lines'. One poem is 'Written to my friend David McIntosh Esqre of Havering Park near Romford Essex on his engagement to Miss Charlotte Tower 3rd Daughter of Christopher Tower Esqre of Huntsmore Park and Delafored Park Iver Bucks, J.P. & D.L. for Bucks, Beds, Essex & Middlesex'. This poem is accompanied by a long newspaper report on the marriage. Havering Park is also the subject of an eighth-page untitled poem, dated 15 January 1877, preceded by the following note: 'I'll try now and write a true Yarn on dear old "Havering Park", which I hope one day will be our Property - what I do write will be true. | So here goes'. Telling the tale of the doomed love affair of Arthur Bailey of the Twentieth Hussars and Nellie Gray, the poem begins: 'Not far from Londons far famed town - some fifteen miles or more | There stands a lovely Village - which was well known of yore'. And there are 'Lines Written on the marriage of my Boy Frank with Lilla Simpson at Trinity Church Paddington by Canon Protheroe, Chaplain to the Queen & Rector of Whippingham I. W April 8th. 1880 | Canon Protheroe was in consequence of the Election at the I of W. not able to go, so the Revd. Mr Harford performed the Ceremony'. There is also a poem on his eldest daughter's wedding. Both poems are accompanied by newspaper cuttings. Also present is the printed menu for his daughter's wedding reception. Other titles: 'A Midnight Walk on the Downs at Freshwater, Isle of Wight', 'Lady Maude', 'Written on "Good Friday" 1877 Our Boy came down from London to spend a few days with us', 'Reminiscences of a voyage in my old ship "Essex" 1848', 'On our little home "Hill Lodge"'. Another poem is preceded by the note: 'The lines following were written when the War between Russia & Turkey was at its worst & the British Government were ordering out some Regiments in order to protect Constantinople from the Russians - & there is no doubt that the firm attitude assumed by the Conservative Government under Lord Beaconsfield prevented the Russians from entering Constantinople'. There are poem on the death of his dog Barney and on the Parish of Pixley, and also present is a play in three acts entitled 'The Promise of December', featuring Pixley himself as 'Porpoise, A Grumbling old Sailor very deaf - and who always will have it that the wind is different to what it is'.The newspaper cuttings include a long article on 'The New Eddystone Light House', annotated by Pixley: 'On the 15th September 1881. Landed & visited the New Eddystone Light House in George Salt's Steam Yacht "Weldfire" - leaving his Yacht Ocshona at Dartmouth'. Also present are cuttings on 'Salaries of the Royal West India Mail Co.', and the deaths of friends and colleagues (one on an estate annotated 'Well done Lamb how did you manage to get this?' and another 'Dear old Moxhay! he was Surgeon of the Essex in 1848 when I commanded her'). Other printed matter includes two circulars regarding a Special Court of the Corporation at Trinity House, the printed score of a 'Sailor's Song', a copy of the funeral service of Harriet Hobson, widow of Rev. John Hobson, and funeral cards for Sarah Townshend and Mrs Mary Dynes.