1892_3-5-March 8004-ACA copy.jpg

Austen Family Papers: Miscellaneous Correspondence Collection

PI

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:42:24 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:29:11 PM

Added description

Description

Austen Family Papers: Miscellaneous Correspondence Collection

Overview

The Miscellaneous Correspondence Collection is a set of two handwritten letters dated March 5, 1892, preserved in the Alice Austen House archives. The letters are scanned as JPEG images and accompanied by typed transcriptions. They are part of the broader Austen Family Papers, which document the personal and professional life of Staten Island photographer Elizabeth Alice Austen (1866‑1952).

Background

Alice Austen, a pioneering American photographer, maintained extensive correspondence with family, friends, and business associates. The 1892 letters were written by her mother (“Mama”) to Alice, reflecting everyday concerns, social events, and news from London. The collection was created in the early 1890s and is housed in the Alice Austen House, a museum dedicated to her legacy.

Contents

  • Letter 8004: A message from Mama to Alice, mentioning the death of the Duke of Clarence as reported in the London News, the McAndrews’ voyage aboard the ship Majestic during a storm, visits to Pond Street Bank, and a friendly note to Lottie.
  • Letter 8005: A letter from Mama to Alice discussing plans to visit “Little James,” a trip to St. Malonic, a knitted bonnet for Auntie, and observations about local weather, a post‑carrier named Samoi, and a mention of Willie the Girl’s use of a hair product called Trisphim.
Both letters provide vivid snapshots of Victorian social life, family dynamics, and contemporary events, linking Staten Island to London and other locales.

Scope

The collection covers a single date (March 5, 1892) and includes two letters in English. It focuses on family correspondence, local social events, and news from London, offering insight into the daily life of a Staten Island family during the late nineteenth century. The materials are accessible to researchers through the Alice Austen House’s digital archive (access URL placeholder).

Raw Cheimarros Data

@austen_family_papers_misc_corr:collection {title: "Austen Family Papers: Miscellaneous Correspondence Collection", creator: [@alice_austen], institution: "Alice Austen House", created: @date_1892_03_05, language: "en", subjects: ["Victorian social life","Family correspondence","Staten Island history","19th century photography","Duke of Clarence","McAndrews","Pond Street Bank","St. Malonic","Trisphim","Mr. Sedley"], description: "A collection of miscellaneous correspondence from the Austen Family Papers, including letters discussing family matters, social events, and personal observations from 1892.", places: [@staten_island, @london, @st_malonic]}

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

@date_1866
@date_1952
@date_1892_03_05

@staten_island:place {state: "New York", country: @united_states}
@london:place {country: @united_kingdom}
@st_malonic:place {description: "Location referenced in letters"}

@pond_st_bank:organization {type: "Bank", location: @staten_island}

@julia_t_martin:person {relationship: "close friend", location: @albany}
@albany:place {state: "New York", country: @united_states}
@julie_bredt:person {}
@violet_m_e_ward:person {}
@isabella_king:person {role: "photograph buyer"}
@bessie_strong:person {}

@lottie:person {}
@mama:person {relationship: "mother of Lottie"}
@grandpa:person {}
@auntie:person {}
@willie_the_girl:person {}
@mr_sedley:person {description: "appears old and stiff"}

@duke_of_clarence:person {title: "Duke of Clarence"}
@mcandrews:person {family_name: "McAndrews"}
@majestic:organization {type: "ship", name: "Majestic"}
@london_news:publication {type: "newspaper"}
@storm:concept {description: "dreadful storm"}
@rp:place {description: "R.P. location mentioned in letter"}
@little_james:place {description: "Location referenced as 'Little James'"}
@samoi:person {description: "person mentioned passing the post"}
@trisphim:concept {type: "hair product"}
@library:place {description: "library mentioned in letter"}

@victorian_social_life:concept {}
@photography_business:concept {}

@letter_8004:document {date: @date_1892_03_05, recipient: @alice_austen, sender: @mama, source_file: @file_1892_3_5_march_8004_aca_copy_jpg}
@letter_8005:document {date: @date_1892_03_05, recipient: @alice_austen, sender: @mama, source_file: @file_1892_3_5_march_8005_aca_copy_jpg}

@letter_8004 -> mentions -> [@london_news, @duke_of_clarence, @mcandrews, @majestic, @storm, @rp, @lottie]

@letter_8005 -> mentions -> [@grandpa, @little_james, @st_malonic, @auntie, @samoi, @willie_the_girl, @trisphim, @mr_sedley, @library]

@alice_austen -> creator of -> @austen_family_papers_misc_corr

@austen_family_papers_misc_corr -> contains -> [@letter_8004, @letter_8005]

@austen_family_papers_misc_corr -> about -> [@victorian_social_life, @photography_business]

Metadata

Files (2)

1892_3-5-March 8004-ACA copy.jpgJPEG
1.04 MB
OCR Text

over the numbers of the 'London News' illustrating the death of the Duke of Clarence; very interesting; you ought to see them. The McAndrews sailed on Wednesday in the 'Majestic' in that dreadful storm. It has been very cold here, the wind very high until today. Stay as long as you like my dearest. There is nothing going on here, at R.P. you have at least lectures which I am glad you like. I am writing with dreadful ink. I must get a new bottle. Give my love to Lottie; you might say precious me, from your Mama. Friday My dearest Lottie - I was so glad to get your note this morning. So you wrote the gray gown after all, it seems destined to be worn at weddings. I went to town yesterday, went to the Pond St Bank, but the walking was very bad, today it is beautiful and quite dry.

1892_3-5-March 8005-ACA copy.jpgJPEG
1.16 MB
OCR Text

Your Grandpa and I are going tomorrow to see the 'Little James' but the weather being so bad, it is time time since I went to St. Malonic, and he has asked me several times to go to him. I wish I had something to tell you, but I have seen his one quite you left. Your Auntie liked the knitted bonnet, look saves so much, that she wished me to get her one from Granny which I did. These are some very cheap pillbox which I would like you to think of. The 'Samoi' passed the post in the house today rigged as a fish. I am sure you must learn a great deal at the festivals not do be careful near the machinery, it always almost kills me. Willie the girl tells me she has been using Trisphim and her hair has grown to thick she does not know what to think of it, a little while ago she has not enough to hold a hairpin. I saw Mr. Sedley pass in the, he looks old and stiff. I went to the library and looked

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:42:24 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 12/9/2025, 8:38:23 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:49:55 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:29:11 PM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Correspondence_Miscellaneous"

Parent

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