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Frances Arnold Manuscripts

Archive Collection: BC MS 19c Arnold-Forster

Details

Type of record: Archive

Title: Frances Arnold Manuscripts

Level: Collection

Classmark: BC MS 19c Arnold-Forster

Creator(s): Arnold-Forster, Frances()

Date(s): 1861-1917

Language: English

Size and medium: 7 vols, manuscript, and 1 vol., printed.

Persistent link: https://explore.library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections-explore/7494

Description

The collection comprises: (a) Six volumes of personal journals of Frances Arnold-Forster, autograph, covering the years, 1871-73, 1873-76, 1876-79, 1879-83, 1883-85, and 1885-87, and describing her life (and interest in church and missionary activity) in her home village of Burley-in-Wharfedale, Yorkshire, and in London, the Lake District, Ireland, and elsewhere. There is considerable reference to contemporary public events, including episodes in the public life of W.E. Forster; (b) A commonplace book of Frances Arnold-Forster containing transcribed poems, notes of historical or exemplary incidents, and extracts from sermons, apparently in several hands and written from both ends; the dates of entries go up to 1917. The book is inscribed "Frances Egerton Arnold, a present from her Mother on the Christmas Tree, December 27th, 1869, Fox How"; (c) Frances Arnold-Forster's prayer book (London, 1861), inscribed at the front "Frances Egerton Arnold from her loving Aunt & Godmother F. Arnold, Fox
How, August 7th 1862", with autograph manuscript notes of her dates of birth, baptism, confirmation, first communion, etc., of the names and dates of baptism of her godchildren, and of important family occasions when she had used the book. The latest date amongst the notes is 1902.


Some of the manuscript volumes have loose inserts, including artwork, sometimes in other hands. The cover of the printed book is now detached from the text-block.

Biography or history

Frances Egerton Arnold-Forster (1857-1921) was a granddaughter of Dr Thomas Arnold of Rugby School. Following the early death of her parents, she and her sister and brothers were adopted by her aunt Jane and the latter's husband, the statesman W.E. Forster, and they all subsequently took the surname Arnold-Forster. Frances Arnold-Forster is best known for her work 'Studies in Church Dedications' (1899). For an account of her life, see the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.

Provenance

Formerly in the possession of Florence Arnold-Forster, Frances Arnold-Forster's sister.

Access and usage

Access

Access to this material is unrestricted.

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