Schooling Sexologists

It is always gratifying when a description or name mentioned by our author can be corroborated with the account of another. Such an example is given by Henry Havelock Ellis. In his colourful and controversial adult life he spent time as a sexologist, psychologist, philosopher, critic, author and editor, teacher, a man of medicine, long-time virgin and husband of a lesbian. At least some of his childhood time at the school near Tooting Station must responsible for influencing published ideas.

Frederick attended The Poplars, Mitcham from the age of 8 in 1856. It is surprising that, 16 years later, Havelock Ellis did the same under the notable Albert Grover. This teacher had at least 25 years of experience to develop his eccentric method and although Frederick is largely complementary, Havelock Ellis is exasperated by his poetry and it is a fellow teacher that inspires him on his path within philosophy and medicine.

Havelock describes Albert Grover as

...an oddity, a tall middle-aged man, looking much older than his years, with a long grey beard, a bald head and a blind eye. He had some resemblance to Darwin but he cherished much contempt for that great man's doctrines...

Havelock Ellis developed his interest in literature, reading Keats, Shelley, Carlyle and Elliot, the kind of people Frederick's grandfather would have had dealings with. As a man, he too mixed with the men of ideas and reformers of his age.











Sources:
Havelock Ellis
Australian Dictionary of Biography Online Edition Henry Havelock Ellis
Havelock Ellis, Henry et al. (1967) My Life
Brome, Vincent (1979) Havelock Ellis, Philosopher of Sex: A Biography

Frederick's Figge's Marsh Military Mates

Following his banishment to boarding school, Frederick was fortunate to come to know the brother's McRae, MacRae or M'Rae.

The 1861 census lists both brothers, their widowed mother and teacher Albert Grover boarding at the schoolhouse in Mitcham, Surrey. Archibald is roughly Frederick's age and Henry around three years younger. The boys' inevitable journey into the military would have made their Surgeon father, James and their mother, Emma Caroline proud.

My understanding of army rank and regiment is sketchy but first record found of Archibald attests that he became an Ensign on 11th January 1867 at the age of 19. His career starts with the 36th (The Herefordshire) Regt. Of Foot. Quickly he rises to Lieutenant by 1871 as part of the Punjab Frontier Force. Wing Subaltern, Quarter Master, Wing Officer, Adjutant and Wing Commander by 1883, he served in the '22nd (Punjab) Bengal Native Infantry (late 11th Punjab Infantry)'. The 22nd had their headquarters at Peshawur. We can speculate that Archibald felt somewhat at home in this part of the world as Emma's children were born and christened in India, Dr McRae had belonged to the Bengal Medical Service.

Archibald eventually becomes a Major but it is Henry Napier McRae CBE who becomes the subject of many a story of war gallantry and heroics...

Sources:
The New Army Lists of 1867, 1874, 1875, 1878 and 1883
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Family Search Index
Richard Cannon Historical record of the Thirty-sixth, or the Herefordshire regiment of foot

Henry Napier McRae

Younger brother of Archibald Spiers M'Rae, Henry, appears to have surpassed him in terms of fame, through the saving of lives, winning medals and contributing to favourable outcomes in famous battles.

Linley and Jim Hooper neatly summarise Henry's military career and further relations. An extract is below:

Henry Napier MacRae CBE
b. 27 January 1851, d. 18 January 1915

Henry Napier MacRae CBE was born on 27 January 1851 at Ferozepore/Firozpur, Lahore, Punjab, India. He was the son of Surgeon Major James McRae (b. 1803 Edinburgh), Indian Army. He was educated privately.

Henry Napier MacRae CBE appeared on the 1861 census at 'The Poplars', Figs Marsh, Mitcham, Surrey. Archibald S McRae, 14, born Benares, India & Henry N McRae, 10, born Ferzapor, scholars, were boarders with Albert Grover, schoolmaster.

Henry Napier MacRae CBE appeared on the 1871 census at Royal Engineers & Royal Engineer Dept, Aldershot, Hampshire. Henry Napier McRae, visitor, unmarried, 20, Ensign 8th Regt Infantry, born India.

He served in the Indian Army from 1871 to 1914. He received his first commission in the 8th Foot on 25 March 1871; Lieutenant 28 October 1871; Bengal Staff Corps 15 August 1874 with the 45th Bengal Infantry; Captain 25 March 1883; Major 7 December 1888; Lt Col 25 March 1897; Commandant of 45th Regt 19 April 1899; CB 20 May 1898. Served in Afghanistan 1787-80, North West Frontier 1884, Hazara 1888, North West Frontier 1897-8 (dispatches twice, medal with two clasps, CB); ADC to Queen Victoria and Edward VII; North West Frontier 1901-2 (despatches).

Frederick neglects to tell us of this in favour of fond memory concerning Archibald who was nearer his age. It is out of character for Frederick's pride not to make use of such association and so it is left to us and others including Winston Churchill to document these daring escapades. The Strand magazine documents the gripping account that persuaded The Royal Humane Society to provide the silver medal:

Follow the links for some more smashing pictures of Henry at the Siege of Malakand and Churchill's account, himself a second Lieutenant in the relief force.

Sources:
The Strand Magazine, Volume V, Issue 28, April 1893, An Illustrated Monthly The Medal of the Royal Humane Society
Jim & Linley's family pages

In Good Company

Frederick attends an evening at the Oxford Music Hall with a partner in the firm of John Weiss & Son, a man by the name of Foveaux. A preliminary search reveals that the once cutlers and now surgical instrument makers had their premises at 62 Strand at the time of Frederick's meeting.

"John’s son Frederick Foveaux Weiss also joined the company in 1831, which became John Weiss & Son for the first time. John Weiss died on December 25th, 1843, and was buried by his wishes in St. Nicholas churchyard, Brighton. His large fortune took care of his widow, son, daughter, sister, stepsister, porter and coach man. Frederick Foveaux Weiss then managed the company."

It is credit to Frederick's namesake that the business became noted for its quality in manufacture and success, even when the market for surgical instruments changed with the growth in the modern hospital. Despite the bright future in store for the partner, it is gratifying to know that 'Foveaux' still took pleasure in mixing with the common folk at the music hall.

Sources:
History - John Weiss International
Snowden & Brother (1860) Surgical and Dental Instruments Catalogues from the Civil War Era

York Regatta

Another visit from the parents and another surprise from Grandad's attic.


Object: Silver cup.
Inscription: York Regatta, 1874, Won by F. Vincent Brooks

Frederick's associations with the old West London Rowing club are well known and are documented in the posts below. Unknown until now have been his exploits further a field. The river Ouse still sports a York City Rowing Club with their own regatta but whether this is the same historic event we do not know.

If you have any information please let us know using the comments facility below.

Obituary from Times of Old

THE DRAWING OFFICE MATERIAL MANUFACTURERES’ & DEALERS ASSOCIATION

26/27 Farringdon Street,
London. E.C.4

27th September, 1921.
Dear Sirs,

I have pleasure in quoting a copy of the Obituary Notice which appeared in “The Times” on the 11th August, which will be of interest to you.

Yours faithfully,
ALFRED W. FOSTER,
Secretary.

A Master Lithographer.

A correspondent writes:-
Frederick Vincent Brooks, who died on Sunday, was the hereditary head of the old lithographic firm of Vincent Brooks, Day & Son Ltd, and a leading authority on all the subjects connected with lithography and sun-copying, on which matter he wrote the articles in the latest edition of “The Encyclopaedia Britannica.” He was also chairman of the G.W. Bacon & Co, Ltd., Map Publishers, official printer to the Senefelder Club, and was a personal friend of Charles Dickens.

Born to a Chartist father 72 years ago, Brooks was educated at Bishops Stortford, where he became personally known to Cecil Rhodes. He obtained a scholarship for Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, but was called early to business. As a young man he distinguished himself on the river. For years he was the popular captain of the old West London Rowing Club, and became well know as “Daddy” Brooks. An excellent swimmer and a good boxer, he was also much more than an average amateur actor. Succeeding his father early as head of the business, he reproduced the first VANITY FAIR cartoon for Sir Gibson Bowles in 1869 – that of Benjamin Disraeli – and continued his connection with that journal almost without break until the end of its cartoon series. He was not only a master-craftsman, but a real artist in his own line, as may be judged generally by the work of the firm ever since it won the gold medal at the Great Exhibition of 1862 for a reproduction of Mulready’s picture, “The Wedding Garment.” He was also a very active Churchman. Well known and greatly respected as he was for his integrity and quick grasp of detail, he was in great demand as an arbitrator in business disputes. Brooks was a very kind-hearted and unselfish man, and was regarded with affection by his employees. Probably his last kindly action was to arrange for a service to be held at Holy Trinity Church, Kingsway, (close to his company’s works in Parker Street), to-day, at 12.30 before the funeral at the Wandsworth Cemetery, for the convenience of all the members of the staff.

Two sons are left to carry on the business after the hereditary manner. Both are ex-soldiers, and one of them, Captain W. Vincent Brooks, who gained the Military Cross, was wounded and taken prisoner by the Germans in May 1916.

Rowing, Sculling and Am-dram

Frederick Vincent Brooks intriguingly entitles chapter 11 of his autobiography 'Theatrical memories'. Sadly we do not have this entry and cannot shed light on whether a humble 'first dramatic venture', on an occasion of the West London Rowing Club, led to further board-treading by our author.

The occasion referred to is documented in a programme we have found and records an address penned and presented by Frederick at St. George’s Hall, Langham Place, Regent Street. This venue originally opened as a concert hall for the New Philharmonic Society on April the 24th 1867 and in 1878 was being leased to amateurs for theatre productions.

F.V Brooks was for many years Captain of the West London Rowing Club and as the column in Vanity Fair attests, helped win the Thames Cup at Henley in 1876.

Dickens Dictionary of the Thames states that "Wandsworth is the head-quarters of the West London, a club which has the credit of having originated many years ago the athletic sports which are now so interesting a feature in London life."

Birley confirms that such rowing clubs popularised out of season activities such as the boxing, high jump and even the tug-of-war to maintain their competitors fitness and raise funds.

Dickens continues that "West London Rowing Club, founded in 1856, and consequently one of the oldest clubs on the river. Election by ballot of members, one black ball in five excludes. Entrance fee, £1 1s. Subscription £2 2s. for active, £1 1s. for non-active members. Members are permitted to take up life membership on certain conditions. Colours, scarlet and white stripes. Boat-house, Putney."

Programme of the Amateur Dramatic Entertainment, given at St. George’s Hall, Langham Place, by the West London Rowing Club, Saturday Evening, March 23rd 1878

An Address written and delivered by F.V. Brooks, (Captain W.L.R.C.) on the occasion of the West London Rowing Club

“ Brief words while actions wait are well,
The prompter’s hand is now upon the bell.”
And yet I must, although I gain your censure,
Just speak of this, our First Dramatic venture.
An old friend said ; who, it matters not,
Let’s show the world how many friends we’ve got.
Agreed ! Agreed ! ! Let us not lose a day,
But you, of course, must show to us the way.
Boxing ! Fencing ! ! Bayonet and Sabre ! ! !
Or “ Tug of War,” to show how we could labour
At pulling guns in front of hostile forces,
If England’s army should be short of horses.
No! there are competitions without end,
And competitions, Ladies can’t attend.
Ah ! That’s your weakness ; Well, you may laugh,
But of all our friends, they form the better half,
Who never fail to cheer us with their faces,
Whene’er a steamboat follows with our races.

This is such a theatre-going age,
For one short night we’ll try to walk the stage.
What shall we play ? Gilbert ? Farnie ? Reece ?
No ; we’ve a Member who has writ a piece.
This we can have, if we’ll but engage
To put it fairly on the stage.
Whose can it be ? Are you bewitched of Nemesis ?
A Comedy Drama is really Dilley-ightful.
Now, there’s the name, and here my mystery ends,
May “ Auld Acquaintance” bring to us new friends.
As to our Company, who shall create the parts ?
We’ve willing heads, I know we’ve willing hearts ;
Now flushed with pleasure, now pale with fright,
Just our Club colours, alternate Red and White.
We’ve Macklin and Hall, Simpson, yes and Strong ;
They’ll ply their sculls, and push the boat along ;
And should they meet with over much resistance,
We’ve other friends who’ll come to their assistance.
West Londoners have never yet been craven,
And should they hap’ly reach the looked of haven ;
Then shall this night, recalled o’er and o’er
“ In memory’s sweet, but brief encore.”
Bring back to us, though endless seasons run,
Your hearty, welcome plaudit, of Well Done !

Sources:
www.arthurlloyd.co.uk St. Georges Hall, Langham Place, Regent Street, London
The Rowers of Vanity Fair/Brooks FV
Dickens Dictionary of the London/the Thames (1871 & 1881)
Birley, D (1993) Sport and the making of Britain

John Hassall Draws W. Vincent Brooks

This piece, from the trunk of ephemera, is a menu for an occasion on January 12th 1937. It is illustrated with the unmistakable figure of Wilfred Vincent Brooks. The circumstances of the meal remain a mystery, although, like many of the conferences and celebrations documented before, the inclusion of cheese, biscuits and celery is comfortably replicated. The menu itself is in French and headed with the handshake logo of 'Entre Nous 1910'. The plot thickens. Who was or is 'Entre Nous'? A terribly difficult title to search for on the Internet and does the illustration give us any clues?

Entre Nous or 'between us' is captured in the illustrations of folk engaged intimately behind Wilfred. Wilfred clutches, with his partially drawn hand, what appears to be printed matter and written correspondence is in evidence but tantalisingly less than legible. Was he part of Entre Nous or working with this company?

The only positive connection I can make at this time is the signature on the bottom right.

'Hassall' refers to the illustrator John Hassall (and not the bassist with the Libertines). He designed a number of posters for the Underground Group 1908-1913 but might be most readily identified with the poster entitled 'Skegness is So Bracing'. He set up an Art school which later amalgamated with that founded by Frank Brangwyn, a name mentioned by Wilfred in one of his speeches. Vincent Brooks, Day & Son may have been associated with Hassall in the later years before the company's final demise when seemingly incorporated by the Baynard Press in 1960.

Some more investigation is needed to pin this one down.

The Duke of Wellington

The 'Iron Duke' believed in strong government and his opposition to parliamentary reform earned him his metallic title for reasons of a more domestic than constitutional nature; his unpopularity forced him to beef up security at Apsley House against the window-smashers. Despite this, his passing drew the crowds and the spectacle of a lavish state funeral had enormous repercussions on the arts, journalism and everyday consciousness of the general public. Although the irresponsible nature of Frederick's baby-sitting had arguably profounder impact on the boy who had not observed the procession himself, an account of the time would not be fitting without a mention of this occasion.

Frederick begins his autobiography with mention of his grandfather's return at the Waterloo celebrations and his subsequent agitation with regard to Arthur Wellesley. Scarcely had the Duke been 'stopped' in the 1820s, when, in the second chapter, his parents attend his funeral on Thursday November 18th 1852.

It is worth noting that the Duke had died on the 14th September. We can speculate on the reason for the delay in his interment. It may be that the preparation required for the ceremony, coupled with a macabre level of Victorian superstitious fear of burying a living icon meant that it was not until two months later, that Wellington was finally laid to rest.

For a taste of the experience Frederick's parents may have had, we can quote the New York Times, which followed the procession from Constitution Hill, Piccadilly, St. James's Street, Pall Mall, Cockspur Street, Charing Cross, Trafalgar Square to the Strand towards Fleet Street, Ludgate Hill and St. Paul's.

"Amid the rise, and perhaps the fall, of empires, amid “fear of change perplexing the nations,” amid earthquake and flood, a trembling earth and a weeping sky, Wellington was conveyed..."

"Most of the houses along the line of the route exhibited half-mast flags or other symptoms of mourning. Temple Bar was completely enveloped in drapery of black silken velvet, with fringe of silver, and turned aside at the top so as to display an under lining of cloth of gold."

Despite Frederick's fleeting reference to the funeral and his grandfather's apparent preference to rock cakes and drinking, we should not underestimate the occasion for a significant proportion of Londoners and those from further a field.

W. Liebknecht neatly illustrates the frenzy of the procession as observed and as joined from the opposite side of Temple Bar to that of Frederick's parents.

"I had made my plan. We had no money to hire seats at a window, or on a stand. The funeral procession was to pass along the Strand, parallel with the Thames. We must get into one of the streets entering the Strand from the north, and running towards the river.

Holding one little girl by each hand, our pockets filled with provender I steered towards the coign of vantage which I had chosen, just by Temple Bar – the old City gates that divided Westminister from the City. The streets from earliest morning had been unusually animated, and were thronged with people. The procession, however, having to pass through many quarters of the giant town the millions of sight-seers divided up, and without any crush, we reached the chosen places. It was just what we wanted. I stood on some steps, the two little ones clasping one another, and each holding me by the hand, stood on a higher step. Hush! A movement in the sea of people; a distant, growing roar, like the roaring of the ocean, drawing nearer and nearer! An “Ah!” from thousands upon thousands of throats! The procession is there, and, from our position, we can see it as beautifully as if we were at the theatre. The children are delighted. No crush. All my fears are gone.

A long, long time. The golden procession wends its way with the gorgeous catafalue that is taking the “Conqueror of Napoleon” to his tomb, One new sight after the other until nothing more came. The last gold-laced rider has gone.

And now suddenly a rush – a rush forward of the mass piled up behind us. Everyone wants to follow the “procession”. I struggle with all my might to protect the children so that the stream may pass without hurting them. In vain. Against the elemental force of the masses no single human force can stand. It was as easy for a small fragile boat, after a hard winter, to resist an icefloe. I must give way, and, pressing the children tightly to me, I try to get out of the main street. I seem to be succeeding, and I breathe again, when suddenly from the right a new and more mighty wave of people bears in upon us; we are thrown into the Strand, the thousands and hundreds of thousands who have gathered into this street-artery want to hurry after the procession in order to see the sight once again. I set my teeth, try to lift the children on to my shoulders, but am too hemmed in. I convulsively seize the children’s arms; the vortex carries us away, and I suddenly feel a force pressing between me and the children. I grasp their wrists in either hand, but the force that has pushed its way between me and the children still presses forward like a wedge – the children are torn from me, resistance is hopeless. I must let them, go, or I shall break their arms. It was a hideous moment."

"...the funeral procession, comprised of more than ten thousand marchers, encompassed central London, enjoying an audience numbering more than one and a half million people. Queen Victoria and virtually every major and minor national figure in politics or the arts viewed either the procession or the ceremony at St. Paul’s."

Sources:
Bloy, M Arthur Wellesley, first Duke of Wellington (1769-1852)
December 3, 1852 New York Times The Wellington Funeral
March 1895 W. Liebknecht A Bad Quarter of an Hour translated by Eleanor Marx Aveling
Illustrated London News November 20th 1852 The Duke's Funeral
Pearsall C.D.J (1999) Burying the duke: Victorian mourning and the funeral of the Duke of Wellington Victorian Literature and Culture 27: 365-393 Cambridge University Press

Come let us cut the cackle

Yet another speech written by W. Vincent Brooks has been transcribed addressing those in the company of a certain Douglas Cockerell of bookbinding fame. It can be found here.

The speech is clearly written in anticipation of great and somewhat unsettling changes within lithography, the print industry and the wider world. Despite this, Wilfred remains defiantly optimistic in this between war era of considerable uncertainty.

Nerves are the Devil

1889 saw the birth of Frederick's first child, a girl named Edith Mary Brooks. The photograph here dates from around the turn of the last century.

At the age of nineteen, on the 3rd June 1908, Edith married Edward W L Jarrett. We currently know little of their early time together other than they had soon produced both a son and a daughter.

By the mid 1920's Frederick's old school acquaintance Cecil Rhodes had moved up in the world and Edith's youngest brother Herbert Cecil Brooks was working as a Assistant Native Commissioner in what was then Northern Rhodesia. Although far removed from the luxuries of London, while the kids boarded at school, Edith and Edward Jarrett decided on a little holiday.

On Christmas day 1927 Edith wrote to her brother in Solwezi. She and Ted would be sailing on the Arundel Castle out of Southampton on Jan 27th bound for Cape Town. She had booked directly with Union Castle as, "I know someone there and got 10% back off the passage money". Ted had problems with depression but on this Christmas morning at 33 Wilbury Gardens he had managed to get himself out of bed.

Ted's health also prolonged their stay once they had reached Cape Town. Whilst staying at the Mount Nelson Hotel Edith took the time to finalise the details of the trip. The Walmer Castle would take them on the six day voyage to Durban. From the 11th to the 15th of April they would be staying at the Marine Hotel before heading for the Carlton in Johannesburg. After a further stay in Bulawayo they would be staying at Victoria Falls for a week before making the final leg of their journey to Elisabethville (modern day Lubumbashi) and Solwezi.We see from Edith's letters that she arranged with Thomas Cook to have supplies for their stay sent straight up to Solwezi. As well as extra food and camp kit, a collection of gramophone records was also dispatched. Unfortunately Thomas Cook had trouble with this request, the road between Elisabethville and Solwezi "is at present impassable the bridge having been carried away". Another request for a car to take Edith and Ted on the final leg of the journey from Sakania was also in doubt as the car due to collect them was, "apparently held up at Kasenga; we understand there are five lorries bogged on the Kasenga road and the position at present does not appear hopeful".

While still in Cape Town Ted visited a Doctor recommended by a friend. Whilst waiting Edith pencilled another letter to Solwezi. "Friday, Saturday and Sunday Ted seemed much better and took quite an interest in everything but hasn't been to grand since. Nerves are the devil. I'm only hoping it will be such an immense change with you it will make him forget there is such a person as E. Jarrett for a bit". They had some luck at the horse races and attended a dance at Sea Point but Edith ends her letter, "Ted hasn't brought a gun as he said he should shoot himself if he had one so I dropped the question quietly".

The next letter we have dates from 19th April 1928, two weeks after Edith and Ted arrived in Solwezi. Herbert wrote to Thomas Cook in Elisabethville asking for arrangements to be made for their return to Cape Town via Durban. It is only in a letter from the following day that a clearer picture starts to emerge. Herbert wrote to a friend in Elisabethville, "the visit of my sister and brother-in-law, Mr & Mrs Jarrett, has unfortunately been a failure and Jarrett is now suffering with a bad type of nervous breakdown. The Doctor has ordered him home and they will leave Elisabethville for Durban on the 28th April".
He goes on to ask if a travelling companion can be found for Edith for the journey as, "my sister is nervous of the journey down to Durban, without anyone on the train that she knows, as Jarrett is at times very difficult to handle".

On the 16th May Edith once again writes to Herbert's wife Hilda. Having arrived back in Cape Town she is now at the Cape of Good Hope. "Dear Hilda, Many thanks for forwarding letters and sending home address book. I got your letter the day of Ted's funeral. He died on board the Edinburgh Castle on May 12th and was buried at Maitland cemetery on Monday...I am now staying with Miss Fairbridge till Friday when I am going on on the Edinburgh. I am very sorry I created such a disturbance in your household. Lots of love to you & Bill, Edith [p.s] Ted especially wanted to be remembered to Kinross whom he said he felt liked & was sorry for him".

The events in Solwezi and the cause of Edward's death are not covered by any of our present documents. The story told by 'Bill', now in his eighties, is that Ted tried to attack his brother-in-law with a knife. The death on the Edinburgh Castle while officially being recorded as malaria, again according to Bill, was in fact suicide.

Back in the UK their son Jack Jarrett went on to marry Molly (maiden name unknown) who apparently was a pioneer in the flower business, being the first to grow carnations under glass and establishing a very early floral mail order service. Jack and Molly had two boys together, one of which being David Allan Robert Jarrett born at Puncharden, Willian, Hertfordshire on 6th December 1936. Edith's daughter Kathleen, or Kay as she is better know, married Alfred Wall. They had two children Judith and Robert.

Following the unexpected end to her first marriage, Edith later tied the knot with Herbert Edward Newsum. Herbert was nearly twenty years her senior and was the fourth child of Henry Newsum the famous timber merchant of Lincoln. In his younger days Herbert made an appearance for Lincoln City FC in an FA Cup match against Hull. Both him and his brother Clement scored in the 5-1 victory. Later, as a Captain, he headed the Lincolnshire Volunteer Company during the Boer war. Later still, in 1913, he followed in his brothers foot steps and became mayor of Lincoln.

Borman and the Body Snatcher

Allan Borman was the father of Frederick's wife Mary Jane Elizabeth Borman. During 1838-39 he attended a number of courses at Edinburgh's Old Surgeon's Hall.

From November 1838 to April 1839 he attended nineteen of twenty lectures on 'Nathology (?) and the Practice of Medicine'
and from 1st May to July 27th 1839 he attended a ten part course on 'Practical Chemistry and Pharmacy'. Both these were given by William Reid.

Allan Borman took two anatomy courses. Both consisted of twenty sessions, the first between 4th November 1837 and 23rd April 1838, the second between 6th November 1838 and 26th April 1839. These took place at Robert Knox's private Anatomy School in Surgeon's Square (pictured).

Knox was infamous for the role he played in receiving the murder victims of Burke and Hare. Between 1827-28 the pair, after selling on a pensioner who had died at Hare's lodging house, murdered a total of seventeen victims, each one bought by Knox. On two occassions students on Knox's course recognised the cadavers. Knox denied the bodys' identities but on one such corpse started the dissection with the face just to stop further interjections.

Hare later testified against Burke who was executed and himself used for medicial dissection. A note book bound with Burke's skin can still be seen at the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh.

An old family story also involves Allan Borman. It is told that one night he was awoken by a knock at the front door. On opening the door he was seized, blindfolded and taken to an unkown location. He was held for three days during which time he safely delivered a baby. Job done, he was once again blindfolded and dumped back on his door step in the middle of the night. Who the mystery mother and child were, or the reason for the secrecy we will never know.

Revisiting Hornsey and Holborn

On a rather wet Saturday we set off up to London to revisit some of the places associated with Frederick's family and the business.

The first stop was a building site in Hornsey Rise Gardens. The Brooks family's old home was first given permission to divide in 1978. Then it was into three flats now, in 2007, it is five. To help achieve this the earth around the basement has been removed and the whole garden re landscaped.

My Grandfather, William Vincent Brooks, recalls visiting Granny Brooks at the house and how Frederick, his grandfather, had purchased a strip of land to the rear of the garden that ran along the top of the now disused railway embankment. This was the perfect play area for Frederick's four boys.

Next stop on the trip was Oxford Street. Since John Brooks first started business in 1813 the buildings have of course changed and been redeveloped at least twice.

Frederick describes his Grandfather's business to have been, 'just opposite to the Western end of where Frascati’s now stands'. If our detective work is correct Frascati's was next door to the Oxford Music Hall which is now occupied by the Virgin Mega Store. This places John Brooks somewhere near the top of Soho street. Just across the road is Rathbone Place home of the future Wybrow inlaws.

Kings Street was left for another visit as was Chandos Place.

Moving along to Holborn we came to Parker Street. Knowing that the the firm had been bombed out during the war, we did not expect to find very much but it was worth a look. Indeed the majority of the street seems to be post war although the buildings on the south side at the western end give a taste of it's previous industrial character. Unlike the office block that stands where number 48 once was, one of the new developments pictured, shares many features with the old Brooks building.

Just across Kingsway we find the narrow entrance to Gate Street. This was the original home of Day & Son. Having gone into liquidation in 1868 the company was purchased by Vincent Brooks forming 'Vincent Brooks, Day & Son'.

The centre section of the building has been rebuilt, presumably after war damage, but both ends remains the same. The northern part is now Pu's Brasserie while the south section is home to the Barristers of the Holborn Chambers. An old illustration of Gate Street can be found in 'The Business' post blow. It was dark by the time we arrived late on that winter's afternoon, the narrowness of the street also made a good photograph of the whole building difficult. At least we have an excuse to return and maybe sample one of Pu's coffees.

Educating Good Taste and Art in Industry

On Monday 29th April 1935 Wilfred Vincent Brooks gave a speech to the Lincolnshire branch of the National Council of Women. Having served as chairman of the Commerical Printing Section of the Royal Academy of Art's 'British Art in Industry' exhibition earlier that year he gave a luncheon talk entitled:

"How Improved Art in Industry can help to conquer Ugliness and add to the Happiness of our fellow countrymen."

As the article is lengthy we have posted it here. The paragraph below is just a taster...

"The day, I hope, will come when quality and quantity will come together in happy alliance and the most ordinary commodities will benefit in form as well as in substance. Ugliness is at all times and in all places to be vigorously rejected; it is a coarsening and debasing influence, a clear sign of deterioration in a nations life. Since the products of industry are so widespread amongst the people, there influence for a good or evil condition of taste is immense. Hence the conquest of ugliness is of even greater moment in industry than elsewhere."

Looking to Learn about Lithography?

Want to know a little more about this 'lithography' thing that you keep reading about on this site? Nowadays the internet is an amazing source of information on just about any subject you can imagine. Just ten years ago we would have had to spend much time visiting libraries or seaching through archives. One of the many useful sources may have been an encyclopedia, none more well-known than the Encyclopedia Britannica. If we had followed this course, and happened upon the 1911 edition, we would have discovered an entry on Lithography written by none other than Frederick himself which you can read here. The 'LoveToKnow' site we have linked to states that many consider "the best encyclopedia ever written:[to be] the eleventh edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, first published in 1911. At a time when many encyclopedias have capsulated and condensed important knowledge, the 11th edition is generally much more in-depth and thorough on its topics.

It is not uncommon for its entries to be 5 to 10 times the length of other encyclopedias. As a research tool, this 11th edition is unparallelled - even today.
The Eleventh Edition filled 29 volumes and contains over 44 million words. It contains over 40,000 articles written by over 1,500 authors within their various fields of expertise. What was particularly remarkable was that many of the entries were written by the most famous people of the age. As such, it was considered to represent the sum of human knowledge at the beginning of the 20th Century."

A handwritten copy of the entry (see picture) was also found amongst Frederick's documents. At first we thought these papers might be a speech or draft of a journal article. Finding the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica online, as we had during many internet searches, we noticed the tell-tale F.V.B. signature and put two and two together. The online text matches the hand script which Frederick wrote in 1907.

From the Cradle...

From reading the obituary in the British & Colonial Printer Circular, we knew that Vincent Brooks was laid to rest in Wandsworth Cemetery. His funeral, four days after his death, took place on October 3rd 1885.
Working in Selhurst and finishing early on a Friday I decided to track down his final resting place, if indeed it was still there. For a small fee I could have checked the local borough's cemetery records but declined, thinking that it might take the spontaneity out of the expedition. Walking from Wandsworth Common Station, on an overcast autumn day, I reached the cemetery and regretted not having done my research. Wandsworth cemetery is large. Some areas were obviously more recent than others but half a mile of probable headstones, crosses and angels stretched down the gentle hill, their colour matching the threatening clouds above.

Not quite knowing what to do or where to start (we only came across the colour print, right, later on) I walked towards the cemetery's two chapels. I was here and I had to start somewhere. I was drawn across to the plots on the right hand side of the road, as good a place to start as any. Bainford, no, Seaman, no, Vincent Brooks, yes! Just three graves into my search there he was. Much to my surprise, he was joined not only by his wife Rhoda, but also by his son Frederick and his wife Elizabeth.

The next part of the puzzle is the stone 'King's Royal Rifles Corps' emblem at the base of the headstone...

The Business

Frederick very clearly states the business of his grandfather as a, stationer at 421 Oxford Street. The trade directories also have him as a bookbinder at 3 John street in 1810 and at 72 Farringdon Street and at the first address as a bookseller and account-book manufacturer from between 1812 and 1817-1839. There may be some confusion at Farringdon Street as it is a John Henry Brooks listed here in 1846. Whether this middle name is correct we cannot verify at this time. Lastly, publishing is confirmed as part of the equation between 1839-68 when Vincent comes into his own. Preceding this, the firm trades as John Brooks & Son.

Through Frederick's writing, we have the clearest picture of his father's movements from Oxford Street around 1852, to King Street, Covent Garden then to 1 Chandos Street in 1859 where expansion is such to force the family to live away from the business in Mitcham. In 1868, the drive of pioneering Vincent sees the purchase of Day & Son at Gate Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. This is described in detail here. Tidman states that Brooks himself had set up as a printer around 1843, but apparently did not produce any lithographs until the early 1850s. It appears he was building on equipment and premises purchased in 1864 at Lambeth Street from J.S. Hodson where his brother Alfred was in charge.

The centenery of the business we record, attests to 100 years of lithography by 1923 and finds the family business at 48 Parker Street. In credit to Vincent, his sons and grandsons, the business was shrewd in pursuing new techniques and processes, moving from chromo-lithography to photo-lithography and offset printing. The purchase of Day & Son was crucial to the business, especially as it bought not only the premises but good reputation of the company.

Sources:
Tidman, Kathy Kajander (2007) A Lithographic House: Day & Son
University of Birmingham The British Book Trade Index

A Word on William Wybrow

We've heard quite a bit regarding Frederick's father and grandfather's activities so it is appropriate to mention his other esteemed maternal grandfather. The publisher William Wybrow was, by Frederick's account, quite fond of a tipple in his later years. No hint of intemperance is betrayed in the largely and alternatively spiritual material he was producing in the realm of the arts. Sheet music appears to have been his mainstay with some work satirical in nature.

Like John Brooks, Wybrow's firm appears to have been struck by criminal opportunists and it is through this court case we learn of the nature of his business run with his brother Stephen. Fortunately for the alleged thieves, the sentences are merciful. Records show the premises at 24 Rathbone Place was known as "The Temple of Apollo" and William is listed in the trade directories, here and at no. 33, from 1822-57.

The area of the shop has for a long time been characteristically artistic and Bohemian with artists and craftsman occupying the quarter. It is gratifying to know that this haunt, just off Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street, is still occupied by those in the music business.

Lady Lytton Legs it to Lizzy in London

When we first started to transcribe 'My Life's Medley' we worked from a typed copy. In a subsequent hunt for the missing chapters we obtained the original hand-written script. Unfortunately no 'thirty-six years of Vanity Fair' or 'theatrical memories' were found but the hand-written copy did provide us with a wealth of scribblings and corrections that were omitted when the document was later typed.

The most substantial of these alterations comes from the chapter on 'Family History' and relates to John Brooks' wife Elizabeth Steggell. Although now crossed out, this original paragraph can just about be read;


"She was an amateur actress of eminence and was proud of having been requisitioned to go to Knebworth where she played Mrs. Malaprop in The Rivals; a visit which led to such a friendship with the first Lady Lytton that on leaving her husband her Ladyship came straight to her home in Oxford Street for shelter. Elizabeth was never tired of telling how she and the visitor enjoyed sitting on the first floor window hearing the news boys of the period shouting out, “flight of Lady Lytton from Knebworth".

Considering how fond of name dropping Frederick seems to be during the rest of his autobiography it is hard to understand why he scrapped this segment.

Lady Rosina Bulwer Lytton (1802-1882) was the daughter of the eary feminist Anna Wheeler. She married Edward Bulwer Lytton in 1827, a marriage that seemed to scar the rest of her life for after their separation in 1836 she spent much of her time denouncing her exhusband, exposing mistresses, illegitimate children and even claiming that he had sexual relations with Disraeli. Lady Bulwer Lytton went on to write thirteen novels, Edward, a poet and playwright, moved in to politics ending up as Secretary of State for the Colonies serving alongside his old friend Disraeli.

Introducing Captain Wilfred Vincent Brooks

After Frederick's death on the Seventh of August 1921, control of Vincent Brooks, Day and Son passed on to Wilfred Vincent Brooks (centre) and Frederick Allan Brooks (right). The latter of these two has been described by his nephew as a bit of a lay about and it is perhaps for this reason that Wilfred seems to have played the major role in the continuation of the firm.

Below are two 'Who's Who' articles from trade journals that give some insight into the man.


Who’s Who
In the
Printing & Allied Trades

A prominent London Lithographer.

Captain W. Vincent Brooks, M.C., who has consented to take the chair at the concert of the Lithographers’ Auxiliary to be held at the Cannon Street Hotel on the 17th inst., in aid of the funds of the Printers’ Pension Corporation, is the managing director of Messrs. Vincent Brooks, Day and Son, Ltd. This well-known establishment, now in its 104th year of existence- can justifiability boast of many interesting historical connections with the evolution and practice of lithographic printing. In spite of its long association with the industry, however, it retains a foremost position among firms devoted to this branch of the graphic arts. Amongst the many outstanding happenings in this firm’s long history, it may be mentioned that it was granted a Royal Warrant by Queen Victoria in 1837, whilst in 1855 the grandfather of Captain Brooks held a class for the teaching of lithography at St. James’s Palace, at which class the Princess Royal, Empress of Germany, was a pupil. This celebrated pupil sketched her own originals, which were afterwards transferred on to the lithographic stone, then printed by the firm. In 1867 Messrs. Vincent Brooks, Day and Son secured a gold medal at the Paris International Exposition for the excellence of their productions, and in 1921 and 1925 were successful in gaining awards for chromo and offset printing at the exhibitions held in London. It is also interesting to mention that Messrs. Vincent Brooks, Day and Son hold the original plates for the illustrations for the Chapman and Hall’s editions of Charles Dickens’ works, and for over forty years printed the Vanity Fair cartoons. As indicative of the progressive nature of the business, it may be stated that a factory comprising 2,000 square feet has recently been acquired in Parker Street. Captain Brooks has much meritorious war service to his credit. Though he received eight wounds during his period overseas, he, fortunately, to-day feels no ill effects of the strenuous years of war. He joined up as a private in 1914 in the Seventh City of London Regiment, and when to France in 1915 as a Lieutenant. He was taken prisoner in May 1916, at Vimy Ridge, and afterwards spent two years as a prisoner of war in Germany, being eventually exchanged in Holland in 1918. Captain Brooks is a valuable member of the Colour Lithography Committee of the London Master Printers’ Association and is also a member of the London Central Districts Master Printers’ Association. Though he has no outstanding hobbies, except it be[sic] his absorbing interest in his own particular craft, he is a believer in open air exercises, and finds time occasionally to indulge in a game of tennis. He is looking forward with pleasure and anticipation to the laudable task he is setting himself in raising funds for the Lithographers’ Auxiliary, and hopes that the occasion may prove in every way successful.

Source:
British & Colonial Printer & Stationer
Volume 100, Number 2. January 13th 1927
Page 22.

Printer’s Who’s Who
W. Vincent Brooks
Managing Direct, Vincent Brooks, Day & Son, Ltd.


Captain Vincent Brooks is best known in the printing industry for his activities in the allied spheres of lithography, art and education. Head of a firm of lithographers which specialises on poster work, he is closely connected, as a Chairman of the Education Committee and member of the Advisory Sub-committee, with the London County Council School of Photo-Engraving and Lithography in Bolt Street, Fleet Street, and has been an inspector of the London printing schools for the Board of Education. He represents the London Master printers’ Association on the Federation Lithographic Committee, and the Federation itself on the Industrial Art Committee of the Federation of British Industries. He as acted also as Arbitrator and has frequently given expert evidence in legal cases in which lithographic questions have been involved. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the London Master Printers’ Association.
Educated at Merchant Taylors’ School, he joined the 7th London Regiment in 1914, went to France the following year, was taken prisoner in May 1916, and retired at the end of the war with the rank of Captain and the Military Cross. His clubs are the Eccentric and the Royal Automobile.

Source:
World Press News
Vol. 4, No. 81. September 18th, 1930
Page 47.