Travel Thursday – A Journey from Aleppo to Jerusalem at Easter
Written by Louise Cowan, Trainee Liaison Librarian ‘A Journey from Aleppo to Jerusalem at Easter A.D. 1697’ was written by Henry Maundrell, a Church of England clergyman and chaplain to the Levant Company’s factory at Aleppo in Turkey. Maundrell went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1697 and the journal he produced on his journey […]
College Song No. 1, “The Song of the Shield”
Written by Guy Baxter, Archivist Since the University celebrated the 90thanniversary of the granting of its Royal Charter last Thursday, many people have been asking for the words of College Song No. 1, “The Song of the Shield”, which was performed with gusto by the University Chamber Choir that evening under the direction of Samuel Evans. […]
A relic of an 18th century poet to mark World Poetry Day
Written by Fiona Melhuish, UMASCS Librarian Tucked away in one of our archive boxes is an envelope which contains a small, folded piece of paper which, when opened carefully, reveals a tiny fragment of netting, woven from fine string (University of Reading Special Collections MS 12) [see image below]. It is attached to the paper […]
Johannes Kepler – Astronomiae Pars Optica
Written by Louise Cowan, Trainee Liaison Librarian The theme of this year’s Science Week taking place from 11-20 March is ‘Science in Spaces’ so to celebrate here is our first edition of ‘Ad Vitellionem Paralipomena, Quibus Astronomiae Pars Optica Traditur’ (Supplement to Witelo, in Which Is Expounded the Optical Part of Astronomy) by German astronomer Johannes […]
The Edinburgh Imperial Atlas: Ancient and Modern
Written by Louise Cowan, Trainee Liaison Librarian The ‘Edinburgh Imperial Atlas: Ancient and Modern’ (1859) [Overstone – shelf large 34I/10] is a beautiful collection of maps developed from, what the publishers Gall and Inglis describe as, ‘The Best Authorities.’ Unfortunately, very little information is given as to who these authorities may be or which dates […]
Travel Thursday – Hungary and Transylvania
Written by Louise Cowan, Trainee Liaison Librarian Born in Leicestershire in 1808, John Paget studied medicine at Edinburgh University before travelling extensively on the continent (Czigány). His travelogue, ‘Hungary and Transylvania: with remarks on their Condition, Social, Political and Economical’ published in 1839 was formed from his visits to the region during 1835-36 and was […]
In the spotlight: Darwin’s On the Origin of the Species
Written by Erika Delbecque, UMASCS Librarian Today is Darwin Day, an annual event that marks the anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin on 12 February 1809. It aims to highlight Darwin’s contribution to science and celebrate science in general. Darwin first published his groundbreaking theory of evolution through natural selection in his famous work On the Origin of the Species, which was […]
Travel Thursday – The Voyages of the Alceste
Written by Louise Cowan, Trainee Liaison Librarian This week’s Travel Thursday follows the voyages of the ship Alceste as recounted by the ship’s surgeon, John McLeod in his ‘Voyage of His Majesty’s Ship Alceste to China, Corea, and the Island of Lewchew with an account of her shipwreck’ (3rd ed, 1820) [Reserve 915.1]. Under the command of […]
Mary Shelley and Gideon Mantell
Written by David Thomas, UMASCS Graduate Trainee Library Assistant We recently made quite a discovery in Special Collections – a book that had once belonged to Mary Shelley. Shelley’s gothic masterpiece Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus is arguably more popular than ever and is still inspiring films such as the latest Victor Frankenstein which was […]
Travel Thursday – Taunt and the Thames
Written by Louise Cowan, Trainee Liaison Librarian. This week’s Travel Thursday focuses on adventure a little closer to home, with Henry Taunt’s ‘New Map of the River Thames’ (c.1878) [Reserve 914.22 TAU] An Oxford-based photographer, Taunt won great acclaim for the high quality and technical skill displayed in his work, and his photographs, sketches and […]