Tag Archives: Napoleonic Wars

The political cocks

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“Two fighting-cocks, with the heads of Napoleon and Pitt, face each other across the English Channel. Napoleon (left) has a large ruff of tricolour feathers and enormously long spurs, but his wings and tail feathers are clipped. His cliff is the higher; he leans forward, saying, “Eh Master Billy, if I could but take a flight over this Brook I would soon stop your Crowing, I would Knock you off that Perch, I swear by Mahomet, the Pope and all the Idols I have ever Worshiped.” Pitt stands on a large royal crown which brings his feet almost to a level with those of Bonaparte; he stands erect, thus towering above his rival; he has very short spurs but a fine tail and wings; he crows: “Tuck a roo – too that you never can do!!!” Below them lies the sea with a fleet of ships in full sail close to the English coast.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
  • Title: The political cocks [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. March 27th, 1803, by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly, [27 March 1803]

Catalog Record

803.03.27.01

Acquired November 2023

The coffin expedition, or, Boney’s invincible armada half seas over

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“Gunboats in the form of coffins are foundering or about to founder. Each has a single cannon in the bows, and a mast with a triangular sail whose corner is held in the teeth of the skull which surmounts the mast. The crews all wear shrouds and bonnets rouges; on the skulls also are bonnets rouges. Some of the men are screaming in the water, where a floating skull holds the end of a sail in its teeth, looking round fiercely at one of the drowning men. Others are still in the coffin-gunboats, holding muskets or making gestures of despair. One says: “Oh de Corsican Bougre, was make dese Gun Boats on purpose for our Funeral.” In the background are two British men of war. Two tiny sailors say: “I say Messmate if we dont bear up quickly there will be nothing left for us to do”, and, “Rigt [sic] Tom, & I take them there things at the mast head to be Boney’s Crest, a Skull without Brains.” A satire on the manifest impracticability of an invasion (see British Museum Satires No. 10008) by gunboats without the command of the sea, cf. British Museum Satires Nos. 9995, &c, 10125, 10223, 10231, 10260, 10277.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
  • Title: The coffin expedition, or, Boney’s invincible armada half seas over [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. Jany. 6th, 1804, by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly, [6 January 1804]

Catalog Record

804.01.06.01

Acquired November 2023

The governor of Europe stoped [sic] in his career…

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“Napoleon, trampling over the map of Europe from ‘Germany’ to the ‘British Channel’, drops his sabre and raises his left leg, leaving behind the front part of his left foot, planted on the coast and sea between ‘Holland’ and ‘France’. The foot has been slashed off by a little John Bull, who stands on the ocean pointing down at the two islands of ‘Great Britain’ and ‘Ireland’, towards which the amputated foot points. John holds a dripping sword, and looks up at the angry giant, saying, “I ax pardon Master Boney, but as we says Paws off Pompey, we keep this little Spot to Ourselves You must not Dance here Master Boney.” Blood gushes from both sides of the amputation. Bonaparte, who wears his huge cocked hat, shouts, with gestures of pain and anger: “Ah you tam John Bull!! You have spoil my Dance, !! You have ruin all my Projets!!” ‘Switzerland’ and ‘Italy’ are also marked on the map in close proximity to France.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
  • Title: The governor of Europe stoped [sic] in his career, or, Little B-n to [sic] much for great B-te [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. April 16, 1803, by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly, [16 April 1803]

Catalog Record

803.04.16.01

Acquired November 2023

Napoleon after the Battle of Maloyaroslavets

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Satirical print showing Napoleon after the battle of Maloyaroslavets (24 October 1812) during his Russian campaign (‘The Patriotic War’ in Russian parlance). He is vomiting fragments of plans and charts as well as a shattered anchor. In his hand he holds a large medicine bottle of emetic labelled in Russian: ‘Emetic. Pour Mr Napoleon. Heartfelt thank you, if only to take it more often. By order of the Russian army, from the pharmacy near Maly Yaroslavets’.

Catalog Record

812.10.24.01

Acquired April 2023

The C … ll volunteer corps

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  • Author: Inhabitant of Coggeshall.
  • Title: The C … ll volunteer corps : a farce, in two acts / by an inhabitant of Great Coggeshall.
  • Edition: The fourth edition.
  • Publication: Colchester : Printed and sold by I. Marsden : Sold also by all the Booksellers in the United Kingdom, [1804?]
  • Manufacture: [Colchester] : Marsden, printer, Colchester.

Catalog Record

768 In56 804

Acquired May 2022

An account of the proceedings respecting the Armed Association

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An account of the foundation meeting of the Hull Armed Association, set up by the ‘Merchants, Ship-Owners, and other Inhabitants’ in February 1798 to ‘assist the Magistrates in support of Civil Society, and for the Defence of the Town, in case the Military should be ordered away, to oppose the landing or resist the progess of the Enemy’.

  • Title: An account of the proceedings respecting the Armed Association of the inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood of Kingston-upon-Hull.
  • Publication: [Hull?] : [publisher not identified], [1798?]

Catalog Record

File 63 H87 798+

Acquired March 2022

Impartial thoughts on war and peace

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  • Title: Impartial thoughts on war and peace : together with some hints regarding the ability of Great Britain to carry on the contest, should it be unavoidable.
  • Manufacture: [London] : Printed by W. Bulmer and Co., Cleveland-Row, St. James’s, [1803]

Catalog Record

File 63 803 Im34

Acquired August 2021

At a general meeting of His Majesty’s lieutenancy

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  • Author: Great Britain. Army. Beverley Volunteers.
  • Title: At a general meeting of His Majesty’s lieutenancy of the East-Riding of the county of York, and town and county of the town of Kingston-upon-Hull, held at the Tiger Inn, in Beverley, on Wednesday the 26th day of October, 1803 ; for carrying into further execution, the Acts for the general defence and security of the realm.
  • Publication: Beverley : M. Turner, printer, [1803?]

Catalog Record

File 63 G787 803+

Acquired November 2021

William MacMurdo Duncan Scrapbook

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A scrapbook seemingly begun by William McMurdo Duncan in the 1790s, based on the earliest manuscript entry entitled “Books Belonging to William McMurdo Duncan 10th Feby. 1799” with later additions perhaps made by other members of his family, as the names of William’s wife Marianne and his daughter Helen are inscribed on the front endpaper. The scrapbook includes newspaper clippings and broadsides relating to the city of Liverpool; shipping and naval news; the Napoleonic Wars; reports of the royal families of England and France; local news stories tending to reports of dramatic accidents and crimes, including reports of the abuse of servants and presumanbly enslaved girls. Also included are two manuscript poems (1816) and a manuscript list of books. Also included is a printed form, completed in manuscript, from New College Manchester, dated “May 1st, 1797”, for a Norwegian student, “Mr. Kield Moestre” (1776-1805), which gives his grades for two months (“March & April”) of lectures in the subjects of languages, mathematics, and natural philosophy. A page from the Observer (no. 1249) from 29 October 1815 includes a large woodcut “Island of Saint Helena” with “A descriptive sketch of the Island of Saint Helena”. Clippings from a column “Cabinet”. Laid in the front are over two dozen clippings from the column “Cabinet” that provide spiritual advice about conduct of life and marriage and other religious topics dated from the 1830s.

  • Creator: Duncan, William MacMurdo, 1772-1853.
  • Title: William MacMurdo Duncan Scrapbook : printed text and manuscript.
  • Production: Liverpool?, England, circa 1795-1816.

Catalog Record

LWL Mss vol. 270

Acquired October 2021