#annwalker

[naituxx]

#Lesbiantober - Day 18, Gentleman Jack // (Show, 2019) "It won't be easy."

[marlagraysonn]

HB to our courageous queen

[gentleman-jacker]

“paint me like one of your French girls...” 

[skwirrol]

one more then #annwalker #gentlemanjack 🎩 #halifax #perioddrama #perfectcostumedesign #gentlemanjackfanart #sophierundle #tompye #fanartfriday #savegentlemanjack #skwirrol #illustration https://www.instagram.com/p/CgRwdg0q1AL/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[bagga-coal]

Cue all my followers leaving in droves! Bye, it was good while it lasted. Might be a better way to go tbh 🤷‍♀️😝😝

[the-deeds-to-shibden]

Friday 20th September 1839

[Another shortish entry from St. Petersburg, still managing to encompass mining, botany, books, and languages. Anne and Ann first visit the mining university, and then head over to the botanical gardens, where Anne as usual takes a great interest in the various plants, comparing them to the ones at far-away Shibden. A Russian grammar (2 volumes and 855 pages) and dictionary are bought at yet another famous bookshop with Pushkin connections, and another Russian lesson is taken.]

[up at] 7 1/4

[to bed at] 11 50/”

fine morning Fahrenheit 62 1/2º now at 10 25/” after having breakfasted at 9 and written out yesterday’s accounts and inked over journal of yesterday – out at 11 – at the mines in 20 minutes – In the rooms (halls) – till 2 5/” – then in the mines from 2 10/” to 3 10/” – gave the 1st man a five Rubel note – the 2nd a silver rubel and the man at the door a 20 kopek silver piece – 

Detail of the building (finished in 1811) of the St. Petersburg Mining University (School of Mines) on Vasilyevsky Island (picture source):

then to the Botanic garden there at 4 10/” about an hour’s drive from the mines – Tall dahlias – round bed of in the middle golden rod – round that lilac flower phlox – then an outer circle of peonies – then outside circle of the broad leaved pink flowering saxifrage (not in flower here) that we have in the walk at home – marigolds and ragworts (senecio, ragwort) – great deal of the low spreading, reddish-stemmed, single-flower (not in flower here) rose tree that we have over Gray’s cistern at home and that my aunt brought from Harrogate – Red American dogwood with clusters of a lividish white berry (like elderberry clusters, but the berries white) –  Barberries in fruit, lilacks – sumach – what accacia is it that forms hedges here (e.g. alonging /sic/ the Neva here alonging /sic/ the road outside the garden) and is everywhere green and hardy looking?   

there is here the bush bearing a little black berry that we saw so common at the Pyrenees – with a rather birchy shaped and veiny leaf – the red-berried dogwood or Elder so common at the Pyrenees, in fruit here, very pretty – and the shrub with woolly underneath thick leaf that used to be at the bottom of the orchard at Shibden  – came away at 5 5/” much of the red-berried I know not what with a maple like leaf that grew between the 2 brook Ings at Shibden

An 1843 plan of the St. Petersburg Botanical Garden (image source):

Polygonum orientale  a sort of sweet dock in red flower

at the bookseller’s Bellizard and compagnie maison Hollandaise, au pont de police* –

F. Bellizard’s bookshop in the building of the Dutch church of St. Petersburg, a detail from V. S. Sadovnikov’s famous watercolour Panorama of the Nevsky Prospekt (1830-1835); Bellizard’s French shop sign is clearly visible, and one of the figures strolling by the house is supposed to be the poet Pushkin himself (image source)!

 bought French Russian grammar and dictionary** – home at 6 35/” dinner at 6 50/” good – Had Mr. Nouvel 2nd time from 7 1/2 to 9 20/”  then tea and Ann went to bed – I sat reading my grammar till 11 35/”  (had had Grotza in the mean time) – very fine day Fahrenheit 60º now at 11 35/”  

Note:

*maison Hollandaise (French) = Dutch House;

au pont du police (French) = by the Police Bridge

**Anne’s accounts book SH:7/ML/AC/32 gives more details about her purchases, so we know exactly which grammar and dictionary she bought at Bellizard’s, and then used to study Russian throughout the rest of her last voyage.

WYAS page:  SH:7/ML/TR/14/0017

[blochbee]

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[awhilesince]

Tuesday, 11 December 1838

8 10/..

12 1/4

fine white frosty morning – and seen out at 9 1/4 at which hour Fahrenheit 40 1/2° and breakfast in 3/4 hour –

then had Mark Hepworth who had waited ten minutes – paid me for the 3 horses sold yesterday at Bradford fair – (no! Mangnal sold at home before he (Mark) went to Bradford) – the gray (bought in 1835? of Cooper, York) £12.18.0 Blind gin (had put out a jack spavin £6.3.0 and Mangnal £9.10.0 and the 2 pigs £5 with a turn again of 1/. which I of course gave Mark and gave him a sovereign for his Trouble of selling the horses – will lend me one of his till he gets me one – thinks of going to York fair next week –

then had Holt for a moment – thought he had best see what Harper at the Stump X Cross would board and lodge Mr Hird’s Engine-men for – Had Throp – stood talking outside the door – and then left A– [Ann] to see his bill settled while I had Joseph Mann about his account during the time he was waiting of Robert Norton’s making him a straight edge for the Engine men who begin today to put up the Engine – Holt called for a minute on returning – Harper will board and lodge the men at 12/. a week each man – reasonable enough for he says they will want five pints of beer a day –

A– [Ann] rode off to Cliff hill at 11 1/2 – I wrote the above of today – and at accounts till 1 when went down to Mr Parker for about 40 minutes – came to know whether I would put off navigation stock selling to 1 February at 431 per share upon which I should have no Expense it being for a Mrs Wells who lived away years as housekeeper with the late Mr Wiliam Mitchell of Booth Town – selling at present 3 1/12 shares at 440 = 1356 – Expense 7 = £1349 + the interest to 1 February = at 4 per cent say one month £4.10.0 Ditto ditto at 431 = 1329 + 9 per cent dividend 28 = £1357 no Expense but loss of interest – to let Mr Parker know Tomorrow night whether to sell immediately or not

Told P– [Parker] the story of Greenwood’s stopping his midsummer’s rent towards his bill for papering etc at Northgate – and desired him to see him G– [Greenwood] about the Northgate land rent which is to be placed to his account – said the H–x [Halifax] fields ought to be £16 per annum – hoped to be able to pay Mr Wainhouse £500 this Xmas or beginning of next year –

Messieurs Busfield incumbent of Coley and Mr Wilson church warden waited almost from the 1st of Mr Parker’s coming – came to ask A– [Ann] and myself to subscribe towards warming Coley church – I declined for myself said I would Tell Miss W– [Walker] but that if she chose to give anything she would send it – and if not, they would suppose she intended to decline like myself giving anything – 3 or 4 minutes with the gentlemens –

then out with Robert Mann – 1000 bricks wanted for the Engine house at Listerwick – to be taken from the pile left in the garden – out with Robert – with him in the ground above the low fish pond (with Robert from 12 50/.. to about 1 1/2 when came back expecting Holt) – and at the Conery – walling 5 feet high against the Allen Car and against the upper Conery would be 5/. a rood – 10 loads (2 horse) per rood of stone – would be 9d [pence] a yard getting at Hipperholme quarry – would go 7 times a day to bottom of Allen Car – and 6 I should think to the Conery –

had just written the last 20 lines at 2 p.m. – then at accounts and memoranda till 2 40/.. having had small parcel from Mr Harper York continuing working drawing for Tower study Chimney piece and 2 pages civil letter – enclosing the account of Messieurs Sturgess that I had the other day – Booth had best send his accounts before Mr H– [Harper] comes – will be here on Wednesday the 18th instant –

‘Have you seen the inscriptive embellishment Mr Crossland has affixed to the external frieze of the large room at Northgate? I wrote to him about it, but instead of removing it he only changed the letters from black to gold – I told him if he had not had your sanction, I thought you would not approve of it and I suppose he thought golding the letters would make them more palatable’ –

As C– [Crossland] chooses to embellish his own way, I will let alone mine – I will do no more – neither paint nor anything – I conclude he suits the taste of his customers – I have not seen the place since my return – Had just so far at 2 50/.. – It seems to me that

3 1/12 shares at £440 = 1356.0.0

1 months interest at 4 per cent 4.10.0

1360.10.0

Expense 10/. per cent on purchase) monthly to be paid to Mr Ridsdale) common on selling suppose) 7.0.0

1353.10.0

3 1/12 shares at £431 = 1329.0.0

9 per cent x months Dividend 27.15.0

1356.5.0

no Expense save loss of) 1 months interest) 4.10.0

1352.5.0

wrote to Messieurs P– [Parker] and A– [Adam] tonight to say Sell immediately – had just written and determined thus at 3 5/.. –

from 3 1/4 to 4 10/.. wrote 3 pages to Mrs Duffin –

‘Shibden hall – Tuesday 11 December 1838. my dear Mrs Duffin – It was very good of you to write to me so soon – I am sorry to say, you may be sure I want you to do me some favour, or my own idle pen would not greet you again thus early – But I give you trouble, I must set down a word or two that concern me more at heart than all I have to ask for – I had no idea that yourself and Mr Duffin had suffered so much, – the one from idleness, the other from musing and anxiety – I do hope with all my spirit that we may recover our strength entirely, the utmost strength one can expect, at 68, and that even at a perceived twenty years later, a life so valued as that of our excellent friend, may still eke out for some while longer – I owe much to Mr Duffin – I know, and think of, am grateful for it – and, come when it may, the hour that must deprive us all of him who has done so much for us and many, you will not perhaps have truer sympathy from others than from me – But give my love, and kind regards, and say for me all you think will be most agreeable – I am glad Isabella received my letter – tell her with my love, it would give me great pleasure to hear from her; but I neither think of nor expect it – I should be glad to see her here – but ….. now for domestic wants and troubles – may I ask you to send Thomas to the Register offices (unless he knows somebody likely to suit us) to inquire for a footman – and may I ask you still more? to see the man, and do for us as you would do for yourself (if you dare dare so much) assured of thus thus doing us the greatest service – the wages and clothes you would give – the requisites you would require – honest, sober, willing to stay at home, good temporaril ‘if such good luck may be within reach – the house is still so unfinished, that a stranger would suppose all yet to do – It is my miserable task for oak-wainscot that is in fault – but in an eight-centenary house like this, I like not plaster and paper – we have hardly them to stir in – Think of us without maid, (left our Frenchwoman in Paris) footman, good cook or good kitchen maid – Yet we have roast necks of mutton, and cutlets, and the like, and keep body and soul together by dint of a certain good fellowship between the latter not dependent upon dainty eating – I am glad how Eliza Raine is so well – I have brought my papers from Paris, but have not had time to look into them – But for you, I do not think I should give myself one moments trouble on the subject of the eventual disposition of her property – I may not survive her – I cannot fancy Mrs Anne looking too old to have at least some reminder of prettiness! – I remember her only as she used to be – I wish I could do this kindness to all the world – Love to Mr Duffin and the Norcliffes, etc Ever affectionately yours AL– Anne Lister Miss Walker’s kind regards’ –

had just written so far at 4 35/.. – then wrote ‘Messieurs P– Parker and A– Adam solicitors H–x [Halifax]’ Shibden hall – Tuesday evening 11 x December 1838 –

‘Sir – I think you had best sell the navigation stock immediately – I am, Sir, etc etc etc A Lister’ –

A– [Ann] returned about 4 3/4 and staid with me a few minutes – then went downstairs and gave the working drawing of the Tower Chimney piece – out in the farm yard a few minutes with John – A– [Ann] sent for me – she wrote to Mrs William Henry Rawson to say Mrs Ann Walker much better and would be glad to see her any time –

dinner at 6 1/4 – coffee between 8 and 9 – skimmed over the paper – came upstairs at 10 35/.. – fine day – thick fog in the afternoon from between 3 and 4 – Fahrenheit 40° in my study at 10 35/.. p.m. – with A– [Ann] till after 12 –

Samuel Booth poorly – John took to the post this evening my letter to ‘Mrs Duffin Petergate York’ and my note to P– [Parker] and A– [Adam]

reference number: SH:7/ML/E/22/0079, SH:7/ML/E/22/0080

[sex-lies-and-boiled-milk]

“the 1st thing she ever gave me”

I started working on just one sentence I read in Anne Lister's diary:

Wednesday 26 September 1832

“then called to inquire if Miss Walker was returned – yes! last night – sat with her from 12 50/”  to 2 20/” – she had brought me a presse-papier from the marble works at Kendal”

After Miss Ann Walker returned from her trip to the Lake District in September of 1832 she brought a present for Miss Anne Lister. It seems it was the 1st ever present she gave her. It was a paperweight made of polished marble, bought in Kendal, a market-town situated on the border of today's Lake District National Park. Ann Walker indeed went to the Lake District with her cousin Catherine Rawson just like we saw it happen in Season 1 of Gentleman Jack. We know Anne did not follow Ann to Wasdale (a valley near Wastwater lake in the Lake District) and her going there was dramatized for the needs of the show.

Before Ann went on this trip, Anne and Ann had been enjoying each other’s company for just over a month. During that time Anne visited Ann frequently at her home at Lidgate; confiding conversations and gaining each other’s trust became a regular occurrence and the bond between them was growing stronger on a daily basis. However, buying a gift implied that the nature of that bond was likely to become even stronger in the future. Or at least, that was something Ann Walker was looking forward to.

A paperweight (press-paper or letter-press) – in French it's presse-papier – is a small heavy object whose purpose is to be placed on top of papers to keep them from blowing away. Any material can be used for its production, they can be more or less decorative, cheaper or more expensive, made as unique objects or on a mass scale. Workmanship, design, rarity, and condition determine a paperweight's value, and the ones made out of glass are often considered to be fine art.

I went reading on, checking through a couple of days later in Anne's diary hoping for some kind of description of this paperweight. No luck. There were some mentions though. Words in bold are bolded by me.

Later, on 26th September when Miss Lister got back home to Shibden after a whole day of work on her estate, she found Ann's manservant James with a note – Miss Walker asking her to return a couple of books she lent her, which Anne did and also replied:

“may I beg for my press-paper – now that you have given it me, I am impatient to have it – very truly yours, A Lister”

Two days later:

Friday 28 September 1832

“On my return home found on my desk parcel the Letter-press (presse-papier) and Note from Miss Walker – explaining about Collins, and that she should hope to find me in my walk between 3 and 5 – begins with “I have real pleasure in sending the letter-press, tho’ my own motive, and its possible utility are its only recommendations to your acceptance” – “

In the margin: “the 1st thing she ever gave me”

All transcription credits: Dorjana Širola 

Before many questions I started asking myself about the paperweight, I couldn’t help noticing how appropriate, singled out and romantic this object would be as a present for Miss Lister. It confirmed my sentiments of Miss Walker as a person of good observations and excellent taste. Indeed an item more than harmonious with Miss Lister’s books and papers collection? I think so.

It would be thrilling to find out where this object is today, or if it ever left Shibden Hall. Unfortunately we don't know. Anne doesn't record at all what it looked like, she doesn't say what size or shape it is, is it just plain geometrical shape or more decorative and maybe a shape of an animal, flower, book etc. But there are some things I have managed to find out.

These websites (and many others) have been of great help:

http://www.stricklandgate-house.org.uk/historic-kendal/

https://www.feolifineart.net/artist.php?id=541 

the page from Anne’s journal 28 September 1832

Credits: West Yorkshire Archive Service 

These are screenshots from WYAS catalogue with the note made by Anne in the left margin of her journal page. The marginal note is also demarcated with two straight strokes of the pen from the rest of the text.

It seems she thought of adding this remark a bit later, after already filling the lines in the journal for that day, like she gave it extra thought and then noted it down this way.

Anne’s handwriting, in plainhand: “the 1st thing she ever gave me.”

Credits: West Yorkshire Archive Service

Francis Webster Sr.

Credits: stricklandgate-house.org.uk

Francis Webster (1767–1827) started a successful and well known architect's business in the north of England in the 2nd part of the 18th century. His speciality was the production of marble chimney-pieces and funerary monuments. He introduced two of his sons, George and Francis Jr., to the business. Around 1800 the firm started with water-powered machinery for cutting and polishing marble at their mill at Helsington Laithes on the river Kent (a few miles from the town of Kendal). The type of marble he would have quarried there was called Dent marble. The stone is not actually marble, it is a highly polished form of black limestone. Its beauty and ability to take a highly polished surface in its final form is, in large part, due to the high percentage of fossils that it contains. 

A specimen of Dent Marble 

Credits: Gallery Sedbergh, Cumbria

A Chessboard made of Dent Marble

Credits: museumsintheyorkshiredales.co.uk/dent-marble

The larger of the two mills (both of which would have closed down by 1895) polished locally mined limestone for ornamental use. It seems the Websters produced all sorts of objects (including paperweights) to advertise and market their architects' business. These objects would have been sold at the showroom at Marble Works, today's Bridge House restaurant in Aynam Road in Kendal.

Francis Webster Senior's most notable achievements surviving today are many buildings in Kendal: schools, churches, assembly rooms, banks, mills, bridges, monuments etc. The Websters also worked on the construction of the Lancaster canal, which opened in 1819 and closed in the 1960s.

Marble Works, Kendal

Credits: stricklandgate-house.org.uk

Marble Works in Kendal, designed and built in 1819 by Francis Webster, architect, as his offices and showroom, is today's Bridge House restaurant in Aynam Road. In 1832 Francis Jr. was in charge of the Marble Works.

This is where Ann bought the paperweight in September of 1832. 

We don’t know if she bought it on her way to Eskdale or on her return home to Lidgate, Halifax. She could have stopt at Kendal at any point, it being an important stop on the trade routes towards the north.

George Webster’s (1797–1864) architectural designs include classical public buildings and gothic churches, but his most important and innovative buildings were Jacobean or Tudor Revival country houses, such as Eshton Hall, Gargrave and Underley Hall near Kirkby Lonsdale. He also built 13 churches in the Gothic Revival Style.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_works_by_George_Webster  

St Mary's church in Rydal was also designed by George Webster, for Anne Frederica Elizabeth le Fleming (1784-1861), the Mistress of Rydal Hall at the time. When Anne visited Rydal in July 1824, the church was just about to be finished, and would be consecrated in December that year.

Paperweight made of Dent Marble

The only thing I am sure about the paperweight is that it was made of Dent marble, or more likely from smaller broken off pieces of Dent Marble, as slag in production. It could have been just a by-product of a more substantial industry so perhaps not a lot of artistry would have been invested in its crafting.

We don't know what the paperweight looked like. I imagine it looking like any of the examples on the photos I found online, although none of these are perfect.

From these examples it can be seen how marble takes on a nice polish. The object could have had sharp or canted edges; price would have also been a significant factor as well as a compromise between the practicality of the item and esthetics of the time. Perhaps even the fact that Anne didn't note down what it looked like suggests that it was a pure geometrical shape like the paperweights in these photos.

I haven't been able so far to find a photo of any paperweights produced by the Websters from Kendal.

Examples of paperweights Ann might have bought in September 1832, (all are made of marble, but not Dent marble):

Credits: Pamono.eu

Credits: britishfossils.co.uk

Credits: lot-art.com

Credits: Oxford Exchange

I like how the symbolic value of this object has been noted down by Anne in her diary entry. It was one of the first material tokens of love between Anne Lister and Ann Walker resulting in them taking the sacrament on Easter Sunday in York in 1834 and living together at Shibden Hall, Halifax.

My guess is that this paperweight is still somewhere at Shibden Hall, having lain unnoticed for decades on Listers' writing desks or on top of piles of papers in the library tower. Of course, it’s more than possible that it might be, as well ... lost forever.

[incorrectgentlemanjack]

Anne: What am I allergic to?

Marian: Pine nuts. And the full spectrum of human emotion.

[gjack1832]

#Gentlemanjack inspiring a ton of wonderful artwork!

[ahalexr]

I traveled in time and am now living curiously through Anne Lister. 

[multi-fandoms-help]

Gentleman Jack

[the-deeds-to-shibden]

Monday 23rd September 1839

[Anne again wakes up with a bowel complaint, and Ann will likely soon fight her for access to the necessary, seeing as how the doctor has prescribed her a laxative. Today the two of them go to the Hermitage and are impressed by some stunning works of art (one of which used to be owned by Anne’s friend Countess de Bourke), but are no doubt disappointed to miss a picture notorious for containing a pissing cow. After some more sightseeing, and the obligatory bookshop visit, Russian is again studied in the evening. At midnight, the moon is beautiful.]

[up at] 8

[to bed at] 12 35/”

Bowel complaint again – breakfast at 9 3/4 – had Dr. Lefevre 1/4 hour – prescribed something cooling and laxative for Ann – breakfast over at 11 – very fine sunny morning Fahrenheit 64 1/2º now at 11 a.m. – out at 11 1/4 – at the Hermitage palace at 11 50/”  catalogue in French St. Petersburg 1838 De l’Imprimerie d’Edouard Pratz and company In salle 5 the vierge d’Albe bought by Count Bourke  ambassador from the King of Denmark to Charles iv of Spain, and sold by Madame to de Bourke to   .   .   .   .* of London –  

The Alba Madonna by Raphael (image source). This painting, once owned by the de Bourkes, was among a group of priceless works of art from the Hermitage which the Soviet authorities sold mainly in the early 1930s, and is now in the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC.

In salle 31 the mosaic of Paestum – the 3 temples – the middle large one has 14 x 6 columns counting the corner columns to side and end – this the most perfect temple – has the two pediments remaining – Doric – the temple left (as I look at the mosaic) of the large middle temple 17 x 9 columns the other 13 x 6 columns – a very beautiful mosaic –  Large Lapis Lazuli jatte** in the middle of this salle – one side the river – other side hanging garden having turned left from the 1st suite of rooms – the mosaic ticketed – It is number 14 ‘Copie du tableau de Théodore Matveieff representant les ruines de Paestum execute en mosaique par Constantin Rinaldi en 1837’.              

De Piles – Dissertation sur les ouvrages des plus fameux peintres – quoted at page 354 of the Catalogue, number 4 Salle 35. the famous picture by Rubens of our Saviour at the table of Simon the pharisee and Mary Magdalene washing his feet with her tears – 

Feast in the House of Simon the Pharisee, by Rubens (image source):

De Piles speaks highly of this picture – good –  Van d’Eyc’s copy of this picture*** (in the same salle) very good but me judice**** not so good by far as the original –  walked in the hanging garden – 

A marvellous video reconstruction of the Hanging Garden of the Small Hermitage through time, including what it would have looked like when Anne and Ann sauntered in it (source):

coach houses underneath – Came away at 4 1/2 . Salle 37 the last we saw – the rest shut up – full of workmen – the pictures all put aside in one room – among them the Paul Potter (vache qui pisse*****) –  

at the Smolnoi monastery at 4 55/” to 5 1/2 – all shining white scagliola – very handsome church – greek cross –  

View of Smolny Monastery, by Karl Beggrov (1799-1875) (image source):

returned (by Lit-tāy-ny street as pronounced by Whitaker) – saw the manège thro’ the officers bedrooms and stables and exercising room – 100 x 30 yards? holds 2000 men under review

A John Peter Gaubert engraving of a drawing by Alexey Gornostayev of the front of the Manège, 1834 (image source). The building is now used as an exhibition hall.

at Dixon’s and home at 6 35/” – dinner at 6 40/” to 7 35/”  Had Monsieur Nouvel from 8 to 9 50/” – did the podoroshna (translated it) – tea – sat reading Russian grammar till 12 – very fine day – Fahrenheit 59 1/4 now at 12 midnight – A- took physic beautiful moon now at midnight –  

visible in pencil after the inked text:

59 1/4 now at 12 midnight

A- took her physic tonight

beautiful moon now at midnight

Marginal notes:

+

the Hermitage

Notes:

*The museum guide/catalogue Anne is reading gives the name she missed out as ”Monsieur Coswelt”; this is William Gordon Coeswelt, banker and art dealer.

**jatte (French) = shallow bowl.

*** The copy of Rubens she refers to was attributed to van Dyck at the time, but is not anymore; it is also no longer in the Hermitage, but in Perm. See the last paragraph here.

****me judice (Latin) = in my judgment.

*****vache qui pisse (French) = cow that pisses.

WYAS page:  SH:7/ML/TR/14/0019

[gentleman-jacker]

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[blochbee]

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