Colleagues might be interested to know that the magnificent Jon A. Lindseth Lewis Carroll collection has been donated to Christ Church Oxford. The gift transforms the existing collections held by Christ Church, where the Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson - better known as Lewis Carroll - taught mathematics from 1855 to 1881. In 1856 Carroll became friends with Henry Liddell, the new Dean of the college, and his family. His friendship with the Liddell children led him to create one of the most famous and enduring children’s stories, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, which was first published in 1865.
One of the world’s largest privately held collection of Carroll letters, photographs, books, illustrations and other materials, the Lindseth collection includes c 300 original photographic prints and three glass plate negatives. Just under 100 of the photographs are by Carroll, who had a glass photographic studio built on the roof of his rooms at Christ Church. The photographs are of children, friends, fellow scholars, and noted figures of his day, The collection includes the iconic image of Alice Liddell as ‘The Beggar Maid’, photographs of Alexandra ‘Xie’ Kitchin and of Carroll’s friends and noted figures of his day such as Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The Carroll photographs are recorded in Edward Wakeling, The Photographs of Lewis Carroll: A Catalogue Raisonné (Texas, 2015).
To celebrate the donation we have just opened an Upper Library exhibition showcasing some of the highlights of the collection: Pictures and Conversations: the Jon A. Lindseth Lewis Carroll Collection | Christ Church, University of Oxford.
Cataloguing of the collection has just started and we will be digitising the photographic collection in the very near future. Please do get in touch (library@chch.ox.ac.uk) if you would like to know more about the collection.
With best wishes,
Gabriel Sewell, College Librarian
Christ Church
Oxford OX1 1DP
Pictures and Conversations: the Jon A. Lindseth Lewis Carroll Collection
4 February–17 April
Opening hours: Tuesday and Thursday 10am-1pm. Wednesday 1-4.30pm
Admission free
See: https://www.chch.ox.ac.uk/events/pictures-and-conversations-jon-lindseth-lewis-carroll-collection
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