Alice Austen and Julia T. Martin Correspondence

PI

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:40:07 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:27:00 PM

Added description

Description

Alice Austen – Julia T. Martin Correspondence (1892)

Overview

This digital collection comprises twelve handwritten letters written in 1892 by Julia T. Martin to photographer Elizabeth Alice Austen. The letters are preserved as high‑resolution JPEG scans, each accompanied by OCR text. The collection is organized by date (January 12, October 2, and October 23) and includes metadata such as place of origin, subject tags, and provenance information from the Alice Austen House Museum.

Background

Elizabeth Alice Austen (1866‑1952) was a pioneering photographer and resident of Staten Island, New York. Julia T. Martin, a close friend based in Albany, maintained a regular correspondence with Austen, reflecting the social and professional ties of the upper‑middle class in the late Victorian era. The letters were originally written in 1892, a period when Austen was expanding her photographic practice and engaging in social events across the region.

Contents

  • Letters (12 total): Four dated January 12, three dated October 2, and four dated October 23.
  • Themes: Health updates (e.g., influenza of Mrs. Cooper), social events (skating parties, sleigh rides, debutante gatherings), travel plans, and references to Austen’s photography business.
  • Places mentioned: Staten Island, Albany, Bennington, Hindukoth, and Toy.
  • Supplementary materials: JPEG scans of the original letters with OCR, metadata files detailing subjects such as Victorian social life, photography, travel, and fashion.

Scope

The collection covers the year 1892, focusing exclusively on Julia T. Martin’s letters to Alice Austen. It provides a snapshot of Victorian social life, the interplay between personal relationships and professional pursuits, and the geographic mobility of the era’s middle‑class families. The collection does not include letters from Austen to Martin or other correspondents, nor does it contain photographs or other media beyond the scanned letters.

Raw Cheimarros Data

@file_pinax:file {type: "Metadata", source: "PINAX"}

@alice_austen_julia_martin_correspondence:collection {title: "Alice Austen and Julia T. Martin Correspondence", created: @date_1892, institution: "Alice Austen House", subjects: ["Correspondence","Victorian social life","Family relationships","Health","Entertainment","Photography","Travel","Fashion"]}

@file_pinax -> documents -> @alice_austen_julia_martin_correspondence

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

@julia_t_martin:person {full_name: "Julia T. Martin", relationship: "close friend of Alice Austen", location: @albany}

@staten_island:place {state: "New York", country: @united_states}

@bennington:place {state: "Vermont", country: @united_states}

@albany:place {state: "New York", country: @united_states}

@hindukoth:place {description: "location mentioned in letters"}

@toy:place {description: "location mentioned in letters"}

@victorian_social_life:concept {description: "Social activities of the Victorian upper‑middle class"}

@photography_business:concept {description: "Alice Austen’s photographic enterprise"}

@letter_1892_01_12_1:document {author: @julia_t_martin, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1892_01_12, where: @albany, summary: "Discusses health of Mrs. Cooper with influenza, mentions opera 'Fiddler' and New York Company performing 'Romeo & Juliet'."}

@letter_1892_01_12_2:document {author: @julia_t_martin, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1892_01_12, where: @albany, summary: "Mentions seeing Sarah Bernhardt, skating conditions on Staten Island, a sleigh ride, and upcoming bagging with debutants."}

@letter_1892_01_12_3:document {author: @julia_t_martin, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1892_01_12, where: @albany, summary: "Describes social outings, engagement of Hattie Prwyn to Col. Rile, marriage on the 10th and sailing on the 12th."}

@letter_1892_01_12_4:document {author: @julia_t_martin, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1892_01_12, where: @albany, summary: "Talks about family returning, expresses affection and asks Alice to give love to her mother and aunt."}

@letter_1892_10_02_1:document {author: @julia_t_martin, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1892_10_02, where: @albany, summary: "Apologizes for delayed reply, mentions loss of silver and personal belongings."}

@letter_1892_10_02_2:document {author: @julia_t_martin, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1892_10_02, where: @albany, summary: "Discusses winter stay with Mrs. Cooper, dress making, and plans to write when arriving at the post office."}

@letter_1892_10_02_3:document {author: @julia_t_martin, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1892_10_02, where: @albany, summary: "Mentions Miss Hillhouse’s impending departure and sends affectionate regards."}

@letter_1892_10_23_1:document {author: @julia_t_martin, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1892_10_23, where: @albany, summary: "References a flower pot or plaque given to Alice, mentions Hindukoth, and discusses household items."}

@letter_1892_10_23_2:document {author: @julia_t_martin, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1892_10_23, where: @albany, summary: "Explains misapprehensions, plans to travel to Albany for clothing, and offers assistance with a desk."}

@letter_1892_10_23_3:document {author: @julia_t_martin, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1892_10_23, where: @albany, summary: "Requests Alice to watch newspapers ('Sun', 'World', 'Herald') and comments on Mrs. Lewis’s kindness."}

@letter_1892_10_23_4:document {author: @julia_t_martin, recipient: @alice_austen, when: @date_1892_10_23, where: @albany, summary: "Mentions tennis, Mr. Willington’s trip to Toy, and sends affectionate regards."}

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@julia_t_martin -> wrote -> @letter_1892_01_12_1

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@julia_t_martin -> wrote -> @letter_1892_10_23_3

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@alice_austen -> recipient of -> @letter_1892_01_12_1

@alice_austen -> recipient of -> @letter_1892_01_12_2

@alice_austen -> recipient of -> @letter_1892_01_12_3

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@letter_1892_10_23_3 -> mentions -> @victorian_social_life

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@letter_1892_01_12_1 -> mentions -> @photography_business

@letter_1892_01_12_2 -> mentions -> @photography_business

@letter_1892_01_12_3 -> mentions -> @photography_business

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@letter_1892_10_02_1 -> mentions -> @photography_business

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@letter_1892_10_02_3 -> mentions -> @photography_business

@letter_1892_10_23_1 -> mentions -> @photography_business

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@letter_1892_10_23_3 -> mentions -> @photography_business

@letter_1892_10_23_4 -> mentions -> @photography_business

@letter_1892_01_12_1 -> mentions -> @staten_island

@letter_1892_01_12_2 -> mentions -> @staten_island

@letter_1892_01_12_3 -> mentions -> @staten_island

@letter_1892_01_12_4 -> mentions -> @staten_island

@letter_1892_10_02_1 -> mentions -> @albany

@letter_1892_10_02_2 -> mentions -> @albany

@letter_1892_10_02_3 -> mentions -> @albany

@letter_1892_10_23_1 -> mentions -> @hindukoth

@letter_1892_10_23_2 -> mentions -> @albany

@letter_1892_10_23_3 -> mentions -> @albany

@letter_1892_10_23_4 -> mentions -> @toy

Metadata

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:40:07 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 12/9/2025, 8:30:59 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:48:29 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:27:00 PM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Correspondence_Julia_Martin"

Additional Components (11)

Click to expand and load individual components

1892_1-12-Jan 6002-JTM copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_1-12-Jan 6003-JTM copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_1-12-Jan 6004-JTM copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_1-12-Jan 6005-JTM copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_10-2-Oct 1002-JTM copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_10-2-Oct 1003-JTM copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_10-2-Oct 1004-JTM copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_10-23ish-Oct 4002-JTM copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_10-23ish-Oct 4003-JTM copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_10-23ish-Oct 4004-JTM copy.jpg.ref.json
1892_10-23ish-Oct 4005-JTM copy.jpg.ref.json

Parent

01KC28TMWX8MXKZ244FJNMNVZV

No children (leaf entity)