Collection of 19th-century autograph letters assembled by the Rev. John Walker
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of c. 200 letters acquired by the Rev. John Walker (1855-1941), a Scottish-Australian autograph collector. The main fields of interest represented are geology, botany, theology, literature, academia, and politics. Names that feature particularly prominently include Walker's uncle John Stuart Blackie, Professor of Greek at the University of Edinburgh; William Garden Blaikie, Professor of Divinity at New College, Edinburgh; James Geikie, Professor of Geology at the University of Edinburgh, and William Carruthers, Keeper of the Botanical Department at the Natural History Museum. Besides autograph letters there are also class cards for lectures delivered at the University of Edinburgh by William Edmonstone Aytoun (Rhetoric and Belles-Lettres), George Dunbar (Greek), James David Forbes (Natural Philosophy), and Philip Kelland (Mathematics).
Dates
- Creation: 1792-1913
Creator
- Walker, John, 1855-1941 (Reverend | Scottish-Australian autograph collector) (Collector, Person)
Language of Materials
English
Physical Description
The letters still are in the plastic pockets used by the seller. They will be removed when the collection is fully catalogued.
Conditions Governing Access
Open. Please contact the repository in advance.
Biographical / Historical
Rev. John Walker, born in Cheshire to Scottish parents, emigrated to Australia in 1876 and rose to become Moderator General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia.
Extent
ca 200 letters (13 folders)
Arrangement
The letters are arranged in alphabetical order of the senders' names.
Other Finding Aids
A detailed handlist is available on request.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased in March 2023. Accession no. SC-Acc-2023-0116.
Physical Description
The letters still are in the plastic pockets used by the seller. They will be removed when the collection is fully catalogued.
Processing Information
Catalogued in October 2023 by Aline Brodin and Paul Barnaby, using information provided by the seller.
This collection needs (and will receive) further cataloguing.
Creator
- Walker, John, 1855-1941 (Reverend | Scottish-Australian autograph collector) (Collector, Person)
Subject
- Blackie, John Stuart, 1809-1895 (professor, University of Edinburgh) (Person)
- Blaikie, William Garden, 1820-1899 (Minister of Pilrig and Temperance Reformer) (Person)
- Geikie, James, 1839-1915 (professor of geology, University of Edinburgh) (Person)
- Carruthers, William, 1830-1922 (botanist, Keeper of the Department of Botany, British Museum) (Person)
- Aytoun, William Edmondstoune, 1813-1865 (lawyer, poet, professor of Belles Lettres at University of Edinburgh) (Person)
- Dunbar, George, 1777-1851 (Professor of Greek, University of Edinburgh) (Person)
- Forbes, James David, 1809-1868 (Scottish physicist and glaciologist) (Person)
- Kelland, Philip, 1808-1879 (professor of mathematics, University of Edinburgh) (Person)
- Title
- Collection of 19th-century autograph letters assembled by the Rev. John Walker, 1792-1913
- Status
- In Progress
- Author
- Aline Brodin
- Date
- October 2023
- Description rules
- Isad(G)2
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379
heritagecollections@ed.ac.uk