A book can sometimes reveal far more than expected, and not just between the covers.
In 2014 a Melbourne book seller received three beautifully bound volumes of early nineteenth century music. On the cover was the name Mrs. W. Fletcher and the date 1834. From basic research it seemed that Mrs Fletcher was not a well known person. Could she simply have been an emigrant who had arrived in Australia with her precious books of music?
One of the volumes had a split along the spine, exposing fragments of the original newsprint packing material. Fortunately, the book seller noticed an advertisement from a store in Argyle Street dated October 4 1833, The packing used had been pages of the Hobart Town Courier.
Here is the advertisement found in the wonderful TROVE newspaper archive.
It was a surprise to find such fine gilding on volumes bound in Hobart during the 1830s.
The connection to Tasmania prompted the bookseller to offer the volumes to the Allport Library and Museum of Fine Arts.
After purchasing the books, staff at the Allport looked at who the most likely candidate for the mystery bookbinder might be. One name came up; George Henry Peck.
George Peck was a multitalented individual. He was a violinist and composer, a woodcarver, a fine arts dealer, a craftsman, and a book binder. He had arrived in Hobart in 1833 aboard The Warrior
Source – Colonial Times, July 9 1833
Among other endeavors he opened a stationery store, and offered his services in high quality bookbinding.
Carving, Gilding, and Bronzing, in all their branches, executed on the shortest notice,
N.B. – Bookbinding, Copperplate engraving and printing.
Geo. H. Peck Nov. 11 1836
(The Tasmanian. Nov. 11 1836)
Mrs W Fletcher was Hannah Fletcher, nee Hone, the daughter of a barrister. Her husband William was the Deputy Commissary General. No doubt Hannah came to know George Peck in Hobart’s musical circles, and entrusted her precious books to him.
Peck created the ‘Artium Pecciano’, a mechanical Theatre of the Arts which he exhibited in Tasmania in 1834. In 1837 he organized Hobart’s first art exhibition and that year he also began work on a detailed model of Hobart, which he exhibited in London and Liverpool. He died in Sydney in 1863, at the relatively young age of 52.
NOTE – The damaged, but wonderfully revealing book spine will never be repaired by the Allport Library.
