1891_12-28-Dec 2001-errington copy.jpg

Errington Family Correspondence Collection

PI

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:38:08 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:24:49 PM

Added description

Description

Errington Family Correspondence Collection

Overview

The Errington Family Correspondence Collection is a small Victorian‑era set of personal letters sent to Alice Austen (Elizabeth Alice Austen, 1866‑1952) by members of the Errington family. Digitized in the early 2000s, the collection consists of three scanned copies of a single letter dated December 25, 1891, plus accompanying transcriptions. The materials were created on December 28, 1891, and are held by the Alice Austen House Museum on Staten Island, New York.

Background

Alice Austen was a pioneering photographer and a central figure in Staten Island’s social and cultural life. The Errington family, residing in Clifton, Natea, New Jersey, maintained a close friendship with Austen, exchanging holiday greetings and personal correspondence. The collection reflects the customary Victorian practice of sending “pretty cards” and handwritten notes to friends and relatives during the holiday season.

Contents

  • Three scanned images (JPEG) of the 1891 letter, produced in 2001, 2002, and 2003, each containing the same handwritten text.
  • Transcription files (TXT) providing typed versions of the letter’s content.
  • Metadata indicating the letter’s author (Miss S. Austin), recipient (Alice Austen), date (December 25, 1891), and the sender’s address in Clifton, Natea, New Jersey.
  • The letter itself expresses gratitude for a “pretty card” received from Austen, offers best wishes for the coming year, and mentions the sender’s temporary confinement for nearly two months.

Scope

The collection covers a single correspondence event in late 1891, illustrating Victorian social customs such as holiday card exchanges and personal friendship between a photographer and her acquaintances. Geographically, it links Clifton, Natea, New Jersey, with Staten Island, New York. The materials are limited to personal letters and do not include broader business or photographic records. This collection provides a focused glimpse into the intimate social networks surrounding Alice Austen during the late nineteenth century.

Raw Cheimarros Data

@errington_family_correspondence_collection:document {title: "Errington Family Correspondence Collection", created: @date_1891_12_28, language: "en", subjects: ["Correspondence","Victorian social life","Family relationships","Holiday greetings"]}

@errington_family:organization {type: "family"}

@alice_austen_house_museum:organization {type: "museum"}

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

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

@clifton_natea_nj:place {city: "Clifton", county: "Natea", state: "New Jersey", country: @united_states}

@miss_s_austin:person {full_name: "Miss S. Austin"}

@letter_1891_12_25_errington:document {date: @date_1891_12_25, type: "personal letter"}

@pretty_card:concept {description: "calling card"}

@file_pinax:file {}

@file_1891_12_28_dec_2001_errington_copy_jpg:file {}

@file_1891_12_28_dec_2002_errington_copy_jpg:file {}

@file_1891_12_28_dec_2003_errington_copy_jpg:file {}



@file_pinax -> documents -> @errington_family_correspondence_collection

@errington_family_correspondence_collection -> created by -> @errington_family

@errington_family_correspondence_collection -> held by -> @alice_austen_house_museum

@errington_family_correspondence_collection -> created on -> @date_1891_12_28



@file_1891_12_28_dec_2001_errington_copy_jpg -> part of -> @errington_family_correspondence_collection

@file_1891_12_28_dec_2002_errington_copy_jpg -> part of -> @errington_family_correspondence_collection

@file_1891_12_28_dec_2003_errington_copy_jpg -> part of -> @errington_family_correspondence_collection



@file_1891_12_28_dec_2002_errington_copy_jpg -> contains -> @letter_1891_12_25_errington

@letter_1891_12_25_errington -> from -> @miss_s_austin

@letter_1891_12_25_errington -> to -> @alice_austen

@letter_1891_12_25_errington -> expresses gratitude for -> @pretty_card



@miss_s_austin -> resides in -> @clifton_natea_nj



@alice_austen -> lived in -> @staten_island



@alice_austen_house_museum -> located in -> @staten_island

Metadata

Title
Errington Family Correspondence Collection
Type
Collection
Creator
Errington family
Institution
Alice Austen House
Created
1891-12-28
Language
en
Subjects
Correspondence, Victorian social life, Family relationships, Holiday greetings
Place
Clifton, Natea, N.J.
Source
PINAX

Files (3)

1891_12-28-Dec 2001-errington copy.jpgJPEG
399.82 KB
OCR Text

Miss S. Austin Clifton Natea, N.J.

1891_12-28-Dec 2002-errington copy.jpgJPEG
1.11 MB
OCR Text

On Dec 25th /91 Dear Alice, Many thanks for your pretty card and the kind thought of me that never fails. I wish I had a pretty one to send you in.

1891_12-28-Dec 2003-errington copy.jpgJPEG
822.34 KB
OCR Text

Return back, thank you for your acceptance of this little token of love. My very faithful love. And best wishes for happy years to you & your dear mother. I have been a captive prisoner for nearly 2 months great & much

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:38:08 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 12/9/2025, 8:24:52 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:47:00 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:24:49 PM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Errington_Correspondence"

Parent

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