1888_7-19-July 1001-Lou copy.jpg

Alice Austen Correspondence from Lou Alexander

PI

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:35:36 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:22:15 PM

Added description

Description

Correspondence from Lou Alexander to Alice Austen (1888)

Overview

This collection comprises five digitized images of handwritten letters written in 1888 by Lou Alexander to Elizabeth Alice Austen, a prominent Staten Island photographer. The images include the letters themselves, their envelopes, and a few calling‑card fragments. They were produced in the summer of 1888 and reflect the social milieu of upper‑middle‑class Staten Island during the late Victorian period.

Background

Lou Alexander was a close friend of Alice Austen, who lived in Clifton, Staten Island. The letters were written from various locations—Clifton, Southampton, and the Rosebank Post Office—and were addressed to Austen, who resided at the Alice Austen House Museum. The correspondence was likely preserved by the Austen family and later digitized for archival purposes. The collection is part of the Alice Austen House Museum’s holdings, which document Austen’s life and work.

Contents

  • July 4, 1888 – An invitation to a tennis tournament at the Southampton Casino (also known as the Meadow Club House). The letter includes an RSVP request addressed to Mr. Mayo and a brief note about the club’s courts.
  • July 19, 1888 – Three copies of a letter describing a day at the club, a beach outing, and a mention of Lake Mahopac. The letter is signed “Lou Alexander, White Cottage, Southampton.”
  • Envelopes and Postmarks – Images of envelopes bearing “Miss Alice Austen, Rosebank P.O., Clifton, S.C.” and “Miss Alice Austin, Rosetank Post Office, Clifton, State Island.”
  • Calling‑cards – Small fragments of Victorian‑era social cards that accompany the letters.

Scope

The collection covers a single year (1888) and focuses on personal correspondence between two friends. It documents social events such as tennis tournaments, beach outings, and club gatherings in Southampton and Clifton. The material is geographically limited to Staten Island and the surrounding Southampton area. It does not include any photographic negatives or business records, but it provides valuable insight into the social life and daily routines of the Austen circle during the late 19th century.

Raw Cheimarros Data

@alice_austen:person {full_name: "Elizabeth Alice Austen", birth_year: @date_1866, death_year: @date_1952, occupation: "photographer"}

@lou_alexander:person {full_name: "Lou Alexander"}

@staten_island:place {borough_of: @new_york, state: @new_york, country: @united_states}

@clifton:place {city: "Clifton", borough_of: @staten_island, state: @new_york, country: @united_states}

@southampton:place {neighborhood: "Southampton", borough_of: @staten_island, state: @new_york, country: @united_states}

@southampton_casino:place {name: "Southampton Casino", also_known_as: "Meadow Club house", location: @southampton}

@lake_mahopac:place {state: @new_york, country: @united_states}

@rosebank_post_office:place {name: "Rosebank Post Office", location: @clifton}

@alice_austen_house_museum:organization {name: "Alice Austen House Museum", location: @staten_island}

@collection_lou_alexander:document {title: "Alice Austen Correspondence from Lou Alexander", creator: @lou_alexander, institution: @alice_austen_house_museum, created: @date_1888}

@letter_1888_07_19_1002:document {date: @date_1888_07_19, from: @lou_alexander, to: @alice_austen, location: @southampton}

@letter_1888_07_04_1002:document {date: @date_1888_07_04, from: @lou_alexander, to: @alice_austen, location: @clifton}

@tennis_tournament_1888_july_4:event {date: @date_1888_07_04, location: @southampton_casino}

@adeline_robinson:person {full_name: "Adeline Robinson"}

@loomis:person {full_name: "Loomis"}

@mr_mayo:person {title: "Mr.", surname: "Mayo"}

@social_life:concept {description: "Victorian-era social activities such as beach outings, club gatherings, and parties"}

@tennis:concept {description: "Sport and associated social events in the late 19th century"}

@date_1866

@date_1952

@date_1888

@date_1888_07_19

@date_1888_07_04


@lou_alexander -> wrote -> @letter_1888_07_19_1002

@alice_austen -> recipient of -> @letter_1888_07_19_1002

@lou_alexander -> wrote -> @letter_1888_07_04_1002

@alice_austen -> recipient of -> @letter_1888_07_04_1002

@letter_1888_07_04_1002 -> invitation -> @tennis_tournament_1888_july_4 {details: "Tennis tournament on Wednesday & Thursday"}

@adeline_robinson -> participant in -> @tennis_tournament_1888_july_4

@loomis -> participant in -> @tennis_tournament_1888_july_4

@mr_mayo -> addressed in -> @letter_1888_07_04_1002 {role: "RSVP recipient"}

@letter_1888_07_19_1002 -> mentions -> @lake_mahopac {context: "not going next week"}

@letter_1888_07_19_1002 -> mentions -> @southampton {context: "writer's location"}

@letter_1888_07_19_1002 -> mentions -> @clifton {context: "address header"}

@letter_1888_07_19_1002 -> discusses -> @social_life {topics: ["beach", "club", "surf"]}

@letter_1888_07_04_1002 -> discusses -> @tennis {topics: ["tournament", "courts", "club"]}

Metadata

Files (5)

1888_7-19-July 1001-Lou copy.jpgJPEG
398.42 KB
OCR Text

Miss Alice Austin Rosetank Post Office Clifton State Island

1888_7-19-July 1002-Lou copy.jpgJPEG
1.79 MB
OCR Text

Day long. Everyone goes down to the Club in the morning & then they all launch over to the beach from there and go in. There is always surf. I won't go up to Lake Mahopac next week. I hope you will have a jolly time & write to me soon. With much love, Lou Alexander White Cottage Southampton July 19th Dear Alice, I haven't heard whether I have been elected or received by the Club over at Livingston. Would you mind finding out for me? Because I want to pay my dues, if I have!

1888_7-19-July 1003-Lou copy.jpgJPEG
1.8 MB
OCR Text

and Friday of next week June has been invited by a young lady to take dinner at her place in the morning. This place is far from the city for business only, so the men that are here are mostly from college or elsewhere. The coast guard men are playing tennis every day, all There is a splendid club here the courts are fine. The house itself is quite a large one. I believe they call it the Southampton Casino as well as the Meadow Club house. Adeline Robinson & Loomis are coming on for the Tournament which takes place on Wednesday & Thursday.

1888_7-4-June 1001-Lou copy.jpgJPEG
467.24 KB
OCR Text

Miss Alice Austen Rosebank P.O. Clifton, S.C. 1888

1888_7-4-June 1002-Lou copy.jpgJPEG
735.06 KB
OCR Text

Miss Alexander requests the pleasure of your company at a tennis tournament on Wednesday, July fourth at two o'clock promptly. R.O.V.P. Care Mr. Mayo 68 Broadway St New York

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:35:36 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 12/9/2025, 8:17:25 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:44:43 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:22:15 PM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Correspondence_Lou_Alexander"

Parent

01KC28TTNA95H5GBNB0G7GZH3A

No children (leaf entity)