Grantham NWR had an interesting meeting last week about ‘The Oldest Book on your shelf’; we found the topic on the NWR Programme Planning Facebook page and we thought it would make a good evening. It was a well attended meeting, with a wide range of books brought along, including three from members who could not attend; there were interesting stories about how the books had come into our possession and we would certainly recommend this topic to other groups.
The oldest book was an 1850 first edition by Wordsworth, titled ‘Growth of a Poet’s Mind’. There was an Illustrated London News from January to June 1855, which included references to Florence Nightingale in the Crimea, David Livingstone discovering the Victoria Falls and the River Thames being frozen over at Richmond! A copy from a second-hand bookshop of Mrs Curwen’s Pianoforte method, originally published in 1886, a Sunday School Union edition from 1893 and a large family bible from 1899, with beautiful illustrations, completed the 19th century books.
Early 20th century editions included Wonder Books 1908 Poem of a Busy Bee, Thrilling deeds of Valour – heroic stories of the Great War 1916, a Daily Mail Cookery book 1919 and 50 humorous pen & ink sketches of Scenes & Incidents in Buxton, Derbyshire. Mid 20th century books included Little Women/Good Wives borrowed from Stepney library in 1944 and never returned, Mrs Beeton’s All About Cookery, Winnie the Pooh 1951 and two books awarded as form prizes in the 1950s The newest book was the Language of Flowers presented by a grandmother to her grand-daughter in 1984.
Report credited to Jane