Today’s Curious Find comes from Reader David Fletcher, who was consulting the Stamford Papers, specifically George Harry Grey’s letter to his sister Jane.
Whilst researching the letter, David found 2 delightful comic decoupage figures – very neatly cut from the same paper as the letters. He suggests that they were included to amuse Grey’s sister, as these letters were very affectionate and informal.
David compared the letter to those written to their father, the 6th Earl – but sadly he found no direct reference in the text to explain the figures.
We can assume that the figures are two of the people gossiped about by George and Jane in the letter (there are plenty of examples) and we can infer from the one figure’s bulbous buttocks that they were very much presented in jest, if not outright mockery.
Today’s Curious Find’s reference is GB 133 EGR 4/10/9 No 3. If you would like to consult material in the Special Collections Reading Room please contact the team at 0161 275 3764 or uml.special-collections@manchester.ac.uk.
Reblogged this on Lives of Letters.
The dancing figures remind me a bit of Hans Christian Andersen’s paper cuts.
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