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A Short Account of the Archery Meeting and Ball held in Thirsk in September 1844
1844ref. AQ33592Thirsk: s.n. 1844. Manuscript on paper. 16pp. Stitched. Housed in modern navy moire cloth folder bound by John Gardener of Borough Green Kent. Single old central vertical fold. 'Do not Agincourt Cressy and gory Poitiers Prove the aim of our archers and yeomen When thousands of Gauls in despite of their spears Fell slaughtered by hundreds of bowmen.' A mid-nineteenth century manuscript in a single legible hand providing an apparently unpublished verse account of an archery meeting at Thirsk North Yorkshire. The anonymous author of the rollicking thirty-three stanza narrative was evidently a member of the Thirsk Bowmen one of England's foremost archery societies established on 3rd July 1824. The lively poem charts the course of a grand ball held at an undisclosed location in September of 1844. The celebration was most probably held to commemorate of the culmination of that year's practice season which ran from the first Tuesday of May to last Tuesday of September. Though there is no extant evidence that the event was an annual one jubilation was indeed in order as in August of 1844 the inaugural Grand National Archery Meeting had taken place; an event instituted be the secretary of the Thirsk bowmen and largely dominated by society members. The narrative itself charts the evening's festivities affectionately championing those in attendance; each referred to by a grandiose pseudonym reflecting their character or sporting achievements. The manuscript replete with in-jokes and personal anecdotes was evidently intended for circulation amongst members for both their amusement and as a token of remembrance for what was undoubtedly a joyous and somewhat raucous occasion. 'The hall is deserted the guests are all gone The chandeliers shed their effulgence on none The floor is untrodden the benches are bare The graceful and lovely no longer are there! The scene shall be ended the curtain shall fall And we'll close with a wish that's echoed by all May Thirsk have an annual Archery ball.' . 8vo. [s.n.] hardcover
Antiquates Ltd · United Kingdom£950.00≈ €1,134.63
