1893_11-6-Marion J Cuthberson 6 Nov 001 copy.jpg

Marion Hutchinson Correspondence Collection

PI

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:46:22 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:33:20 PM

Added description

Description

Marion Hutchinson Correspondence Collection

Overview

The Marion Hutchinson Correspondence Collection is a digitized set of Victorian‑era letters written by Marion J. Hutchinson to Elizabeth Alice Austen, the celebrated Staten Island photographer. The collection is housed at the Alice Austen House Museum and consists of scanned images of a single 1893 letter (November 6) and its envelope, along with the typed transcription of the letter’s text. The materials are in English and represent a snapshot of social communication among upper‑middle‑class families on Staten Island in the late 19th century.

Background

Marion J. Hutchinson was a contemporary of Alice Austen and a frequent correspondent within the Austen family network. The letter was sent from Clifton, a neighborhood in Staten Island, and reflects the close personal ties that bound the Austen household to their neighbors. The Alice Austen House, now a museum, preserves these documents as part of its broader Austen Family Papers (MS1) collection, which documents the social, cultural, and professional life of the Austen family and their associates.

Contents

  • Envelope: A handwritten envelope addressed to “Miss Alice Austen, Clifton,” dated November 6, 1893.
  • Letter body: A personal invitation to Alice, her cousin, and a friend (Hopkins) to stay for a few days and attend a “game” on Friday evening at 8 p.m.
  • Signature: Marion’s handwritten signature and the date “Monday Nov 6th.”
  • Transcription: A typed version of the letter’s text, preserving the original wording and informal tone.

The collection also includes contextual metadata such as the creator, institution, and subject tags (e.g., correspondence, social life, Victorian era, Staten Island).

Scope

The collection covers a single date—November 6, 1893—and documents a specific social invitation. It is geographically focused on Clifton, Staten Island, and thematically centered on social interaction, leisure activities, and the everyday correspondence of a Victorian upper‑middle‑class household. While the broader Austen Family Papers include additional correspondence, calling cards, and photographic materials, this collection specifically illustrates the personal network that supported Alice Austen’s life and work.

Raw Cheimarros Data

@marion_j_hutchinson:person {full_name: "Marion J. Hutchinson", role: "Correspondent"}

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

@clifton:place {city: "Clifton", borough: "Staten Island", state: @new_york, country: @united_states}

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

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

@marion_hutchinson_correspondence:document {title: "Marion Hutchinson Correspondence Collection", creator: @marion_j_hutchinson, institution: @alice_austen_house, created: @date_1893_11_06, subjects: ["Correspondence","Social life","Victorian era","Upper-middle-class families","Staten Island"]}

@file_pinax:file {title: "Marion Hutchinson Correspondence Collection", type: "Metadata"}

@file_pinax -> documents -> @marion_hutchinson_correspondence

@letter_1893_11_06_001:document {type: "Letter", date: @date_1893_11_06, from: @marion_j_hutchinson, to: @alice_austen, location: @clifton, snippet: "We are expecting Alice, Hopkins & her cousin to spend a few days with us the end of this week, will you come over on Friday evening and play a game"}

@marion_j_hutchinson -> wrote -> @letter_1893_11_06_001

@alice_austen <- received <- @letter_1893_11_06_001

@letter_1893_11_06_001 -> mentions -> @clifton

@game_friday_evening:event {description: "Informal game gathering", date: @date_1893_11_06, time: "8:00", location: @clifton}

@letter_1893_11_06_001 -> invites -> @game_friday_evening

@file_1893_11_6_marion_j_cuthberson_6_nov_001_copy_jpg:file {description: "Envelope addressed to Miss Alice Austen, Clifton"}

@file_1893_11_6_marion_j_cuthberson_6_nov_002_copy_jpg:file {description: "Letter body inviting Alice to a Friday evening game"}

@file_1893_11_6_marion_j_cuthberson_6_nov_003_copy_jpg:file {description: "Signature and date line of the letter"}

@file_1893_11_6_marion_j_cuthberson_6_nov_001_copy_jpg -> depicts -> @letter_1893_11_06_001

@file_1893_11_6_marion_j_cuthberson_6_nov_002_copy_jpg -> depicts -> @letter_1893_11_06_001

@file_1893_11_6_marion_j_cuthberson_6_nov_003_copy_jpg -> depicts -> @letter_1893_11_06_001

Metadata

Title
Marion Hutchinson Correspondence Collection
Type
Collection
Creator
Marion J. Hutchinson
Institution
Alice Austen House
Created
1893-11-06
Language
en
Subjects
Correspondence, Social life, Victorian era, Upper-middle-class families, Staten Island
Place
Staten Island, Clifton
Source
PINAX

Files (3)

1893_11-6-Marion J Cuthberson 6 Nov 001 copy.jpgJPEG
565.86 KB
OCR Text

Miss Alice Austen Clifton

1893_11-6-Marion J Cuthberson 6 Nov 002 copy.jpgJPEG
1.85 MB
OCR Text

My dear Alice, We are expecting Alice, Hopkins & her cousin to spend a few days with us the end of this week, will you come over on Friday evening and play a game

1893_11-6-Marion J Cuthberson 6 Nov 003 copy.jpgJPEG
1.96 MB
OCR Text

of Progressive Enchre with us very informally at 8 o'clock. Hoping to see you with love believe me Sincerely Yours Marion J. Hutchinson Monday Nov 6th

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:46:22 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 12/9/2025, 8:48:03 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:51:41 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:33:20 PM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Marion_Hutchinson_Correspondence"

Parent

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