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ALBUMS, SCRAPBOOKS AND ANCILLARY MATERIAL RELATING TO ADMIRAL LORD CHARLES BERESFORD (1846-1919) This Year, 2019, Celebrates the Centenary of the Admiral’s Death Lord Charles Beresford (1846-1919) was the second son of the 4th Marquis of Waterford. Joining the Royal Navy at the age of 13, he had a long, varied and spectacular naval career. He achieved fame in 1882 when, as captain of the gunboat Condor during the Egyptian campaign, he sailed his ship inshore to bombard the gun-batteries of Alexandria at close range. Three years later, when in command of the Safie, he dramatically rescued the expeditionary force that had been sent to relieve General Gordon at Khartoum. These exploits made him a national hero; “Charlie B” was a great favourite of the future King Edward VII and he was adored by the public. In later life he campaigned vigorously to have the navy modernised and made ready for a future war. However, he clashed bitterly with Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Fisher never achieving his ambition to become First Sea Lord. However, in 1916 he was awarded the title Baron Beresford of Metemmeh and Curraghmore. At his death three years later he was given a ceremonial funeral in St Paul’s Cathedral. Photograph Albums Volume One, entitled: “British Isles – Malta – Egypt. K.B.” 40 x 42 cm. 28 ff. The first half consists of amateur photos taken in Britain and Malta – perhaps by “K.B.”, i.e. Beresford’s daughter Kathleen. Also some loose photos of the Admiral. The second half comprises commercial photos of ancient Egyptian monuments, especially the temple of Karnak and the Philae temple complex. The latter stood on an island in the Nile which was flooded by the building of the Aswan Low Dam, at that time the world’s largest masonry dam. It was built in 1898-1902 which may help to date the photographs. Some of the captions are quaintly phrased: “Philae on flood”, “Philae during the creasing Nile” etc. Volume Two, entitled “America”. 40 x 42 cm. 28 ff. (the rest blank). Photos of a voyage to America, c 1912, aboard RMS Campania. The company included Kathleen Beresford and the Hon. Claud Anson. These amateur photos are frankly of rather poor quality. Also views of New York and of a range of localities from Florida to Niagara. Volume Three,entitled “Continent – France – Italy – Sicily – Germany. K.B.” 40 x 42 cm. 96 ff. Mainly commercial photos but also some amateur ones (without captions) depicting buildings, monuments, and works of art. (Michelangelo’s fresco of the Creation of Man is so badly cracked it looks as if it could come down any time). Volume Four, entitled “Photographs”, disbound. 36 x 30 cm. 21 ff + blanks. Contains photos taken between 1899 and 1913, mostly of France and America. Some are commercial photos, some amateur ones of varying quality. Places and dates are identified, but not people. Subjects include family, peasants, houses, pretty girl with spaniel, Mardi Gras in New Orleans (1902), and – incongruously – a black man hanging from a tree, simply captioned “Lynching North Carolina”. Volume Five, of photographs. 29 x 37 cm. 57 ff. Family photographs including Lord Charles Beresford and the wedding of an oriental couple (Chinese? Japanese?). Photos taken on board ship (pretty girl at the wheel), on arrival in New York, and participants in a parade. The album has the imprint of Jessie Tarbox Beals Photographer, New York. Beals (1870-1942) was the first American female photojournalist and female night photographer and some of the photos appear to be her work. Albums of Newspaper Cuttings Album entitled “Incidents in the Life of Col. Lord William Beresford, V.C.” 43 x 33 cm. 38 ff. Consists of cuttings from newspapers that appeared after Lord William’s death and funeral (1900-1901). Dedication at the front to Nurse Jordan, signed by [Lord] Marcus Beresford, younger brother of Charles and William. Lord William Beresford (1847-1900) was the third son of the 5th Marquis of Waterford. At the age of 20 he joined the 9th Q