Alice Austen Correspondence from Trudie Eccleston

PI

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:37:04 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:24:22 PM

Added description

Description

Alice Austen Correspondence from Trudie Eccleston (June 1890)

Overview

This collection consists of a single, multi‑page letter written by Trudie Eccleston to her friend and photographer, Elizabeth Alice Austen, on 17 June 1890. The letter is preserved as fifteen scanned JPEG images (pages 8001‑8015) and accompanying OCR text. It is in English, public‑domain, and part of the Alice Austen House Museum’s archival holdings on Staten Island, New York.

Background

Trudie Eccleston was a correspondent and friend of Austen, residing near Fort Douglas, Utah, during the late 19th century. The letter reflects the social milieu of a U.S. Army post, where officers, their families, and visiting civilians engaged in recreational and cultural activities. Austen, a pioneering photographer, maintained a wide network of friends and patrons, and her correspondence offers insight into her personal and professional life.

Contents

The letter narrates daily life at Fort Douglas, describing:
  • Social gatherings such as dancing in the “hop room,” visits to the lake, and a mining excursion.
  • Interactions with military personnel (e.g., Dr. Eddie, Mr. Gregg, Mr. K, Mr. G) and civilian acquaintances (e.g., Edith, Effie Simmons, Mrs. H, Julia Martin, Julie Bredt, Frances, Miss Jenkins, Uncle Ec).
  • References to photography, including a mention of a photographer named Albert and the presence of a darkroom.
  • Personal reflections on friendship, travel, and leisure.

The OCR text reveals the informal, conversational tone typical of personal letters of the era. The collection includes the full visual record of the handwritten pages, preserving the original script and layout.

Scope

The collection covers a single correspondence dated 17 June 1890, written from Fort Douglas, Utah, to Alice Austen in Staten Island, New York. It documents the social and military life of the period, offering a snapshot of late‑Victorian leisure, gender roles, and the early photographic profession. The material is limited to the content of this one letter and does not include additional documents or photographs beyond the scanned pages.

Raw Cheimarros Data

@file_pinax:file {type: "metadata", format: "PINAX"}

@collection_trudie_eccleston_correspondence:document {title: "Alice Austen Correspondence from Trudie Eccleston", creator: @trudie_eccleston, institution: @alice_austen_house, created: @date_1890_06, language: "en", subjects: ["Correspondence","Social life","Victorian era","Military life","Friendship","Travel","Photography"], description: "A collection of letters from Trudie Eccleston to Alice Austen in June 1890, describing social activities, military life at Fort Douglas, and personal reflections.", place: [@fort_douglas, @staten_island, @new_york]}

@file_pinax -> documents -> @collection_trudie_eccleston_correspondence


@trudie_eccleston:person {full_name: "Trudie Eccleston", role: "correspondent"}

@alice_austen:person {full_name: "Elizabeth Alice Austen", birth: @date_1866, death: @date_1952, occupation: "photographer", location: @staten_island}

@alice_austen_house:organization {type: "museum", location: @staten_island}


@fort_douglas:place {type: "military post", state: "Utah", country: @united_states}

@the_lake:place {description: "recreational lake near Fort Douglas"}

@silver_mine:place {description: "local silver mine"}

@miners_camp:place {description: "camp near the silver mine"}

@hop_room:place {description: "dance hall used for social gatherings"}

@edith:person {first_name: "Edith", relation: "family member"}

@dr_eddie:person {full_name: "Dr. Eddie", occupation: "doctor"}

@mr_gregg:person {full_name: "Mr. Gregg"}

@mr_k:person {full_name: "Mr. K.", description: "younger, handsome"}

@mr_g:person {full_name: "Mr. G.", description: "mentioned in mining outing"}

@albert:person {full_name: "Albert", occupation: "photographer"}

@mary:person {full_name: "Mary", role: "cook"}

@effie_simmons:person {full_name: "Effie Simmons"}

@mrs_h:person {full_name: "Mrs. H.", role: "teacher"}

@julia_martin:person {full_name: "Julia T. Martin", relation: "close friend", location: @albany}

@julie_bredt:person {full_name: "Julie Bredt"}

@frances:person {full_name: "Frances"}

@miss_jenkins:person {full_name: "Miss Jenkins"}

@uncle_ec:person {full_name: "Uncle Eccleston"}

@mr_johnston_sister:person {full_name: "Mrs. Johnston's sister"}

@dr_p_austin:person {full_name: "Dr. P. Austin"}

@miss_alice_austin:person {full_name: "Miss Alice Austin"}  // reference to Alice Austen (spelling variant)


@letter_june_1890:document {date: @date_1890_06_17, from: @trudie_eccleston, to: @alice_austen, location: @fort_douglas, title: "Letter to Alice Austen, June 17 1890"}

@trudie_eccleston -> wrote -> @letter_june_1890

@letter_june_1890 -> addressed to -> @alice_austen

@letter_june_1890 -> mentions -> @edith

@letter_june_1890 -> mentions -> @dr_eddie

@letter_june_1890 -> mentions -> @mr_gregg

@letter_june_1890 -> mentions -> @mr_k

@letter_june_1890 -> mentions -> @mr_g

@letter_june_1890 -> mentions -> @albert

@letter_june_1890 -> mentions -> @mary

@letter_june_1890 -> mentions -> @effie_simmons

@letter_june_1890 -> mentions -> @mrs_h

@letter_june_1890 -> mentions -> @julia_martin

@letter_june_1890 -> mentions -> @julie_bredt

@letter_june_1890 -> mentions -> @frances

@letter_june_1890 -> mentions -> @miss_jenkins

@letter_june_1890 -> mentions -> @uncle_ec

@letter_june_1890 -> mentions -> @the_lake

@letter_june_1890 -> mentions -> @silver_mine

@letter_june_1890 -> mentions -> @miners_camp

@letter_june_1890 -> mentions -> @hop_room


@file_1890_june_8001_trudie_eccleston_jpg:file {description: "OCR page 1 of Trudie Eccleston letter", format: "image"} 

@file_1890_june_8002_trudie_eccleston_jpg:file {description: "OCR page 2 of Trudie Eccleston letter", format: "image"} 

@file_1890_june_8003_trudie_eccleston_jpg:file {description: "OCR page 3 of Trudie Eccleston letter", format: "image"} 

@file_1890_june_8004_trudie_eccleston_jpg:file {description: "OCR page 4 of Trudie Eccleston letter", format: "image"} 

@file_1890_june_8005_trudie_eccleston_jpg:file {description: "OCR page 5 of Trudie Eccleston letter", format: "image"} 

@file_1890_june_8006_trudie_eccleston_jpg:file {description: "OCR page 6 of Trudie Eccleston letter", format: "image"} 

@file_1890_june_8007_trudie_eccleston_jpg:file {description: "OCR page 7 of Trudie Eccleston letter", format: "image"} 

@file_1890_june_8008_trudie_eccleston_jpg:file {description: "OCR page 8 of Trudie Eccleston letter", format: "image"} 

@file_1890_june_8009_trudie_eccleston_jpg:file {description: "OCR page 9 of Trudie Eccleston letter", format: "image"} 

@file_1890_june_8010_trudie_eccleston_jpg:file {description: "OCR page 10 of Trudie Eccleston letter", format: "image"} 

@file_1890_june_8011_trudie_eccleston_jpg:file {description: "OCR page 11 of Trudie Eccleston letter", format: "image"} 

@file_1890_june_8012_trudie_eccleston_jpg:file {description: "OCR page 12 of Trudie Eccleston letter", format: "image"} 

@file_1890_june_8013_trudie_eccleston_jpg:file {description: "OCR page 13 of Trudie Eccleston letter", format: "image"} 

@file_1890_june_8014_trudie_eccleston_jpg:file {description: "OCR page 14 of Trudie Eccleston letter", format: "image"} 

@file_1890_june_8015_trudie_eccleston_jpg:file {description: "OCR page 15 of Trudie Eccleston letter (forwarded note)", format: "image"} 


@file_1890_june_8001_trudie_eccleston_jpg -> part of -> @letter_june_1890

@file_1890_june_8002_trudie_eccleston_jpg -> part of -> @letter_june_1890

@file_1890_june_8003_trudie_eccleston_jpg -> part of -> @letter_june_1890

@file_1890_june_8004_trudie_eccleston_jpg -> part of -> @letter_june_1890

@file_1890_june_8005_trudie_eccleston_jpg -> part of -> @letter_june_1890

@file_1890_june_8006_trudie_eccleston_jpg -> part of -> @letter_june_1890

@file_1890_june_8007_trudie_eccleston_jpg -> part of -> @letter_june_1890

@file_1890_june_8008_trudie_eccleston_jpg -> part of -> @letter_june_1890

@file_1890_june_8009_trudie_eccleston_jpg -> part of -> @letter_june_1890

@file_1890_june_8010_trudie_eccleston_jpg -> part of -> @letter_june_1890

@file_1890_june_8011_trudie_eccleston_jpg -> part of -> @letter_june_1890

@file_1890_june_8012_trudie_eccleston_jpg -> part of -> @letter_june_1890

@file_1890_june_8013_trudie_eccleston_jpg -> part of -> @letter_june_1890

@file_1890_june_8014_trudie_eccleston_jpg -> part of -> @letter_june_1890

@file_1890_june_8015_trudie_eccleston_jpg -> part of -> @letter_june_1890

Metadata

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:37:04 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 12/9/2025, 8:24:01 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:46:06 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:24:22 PM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Trudie_Eccleston_Correspondence"

Additional Components (15)

Click to expand and load individual components

1890 June 8001 Trudie Eccleston.jpg.ref.json
1890 June 8002 Trudie Eccleston.jpg.ref.json
1890 June 8003 Trudie Eccleston.jpg.ref.json
1890 June 8004 Trudie Eccleston.jpg.ref.json
1890 June 8005 Trudie Eccleston.jpg.ref.json
1890 June 8006 Trudie Eccleston.jpg.ref.json
1890 June 8007 Trudie Eccleston.jpg.ref.json
1890 June 8008 Trudie Eccleston.jpg.ref.json
1890 June 8009 Trudie Eccleston.jpg.ref.json
1890 June 8010 Trudie Eccleston.jpg.ref.json
1890 June 8011 Trudie Eccleston.jpg.ref.json
1890 June 8012 Trudie Eccleston.jpg.ref.json
1890 June 8013 Trudie Eccleston.jpg.ref.json
1890 June 8014 Trudie Eccleston.jpg.ref.json
1890 June 8015 Trudie Eccleston.jpg.ref.json

Parent

01KC28TSYZGHJP74DM3QEGNJ9S

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