Cambridge
7 July 1847
My Dear Sir
Many Thanks for your notice of 122 Regent St & for your Promise to replace Tom Tower & the Cathedral of Ch Ch <1>
My last to you was written ½ an Hour before I rec’d Your last. I shd otherwise have announced to you that with my own Hands I delivered to the Prince of Saxe Weimar <2> the parcel you intended for Him. & that it was accepted by HRH. with the strongest professions of Gratitude
I will leave Mr Calvert Jones <3> Portfolios at 122 Saturday Morning
and am Your Obliged & faithful
W Buckland
[envelope:]
[added in another hand:] Buckland
H F Talbot Eq
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Notes:
1. WHFT took numerous views in Oxford and it is possible that ‘Tom Tower’ refers to Pencil of Nature plate 18, ‘Gate of Christchurch’, published in 1845 and prominently featuring Tom Tower ( Schaaf 913). There are no WHFT photographs specifically titled as ‘Cathedral of Christ Church’ but numerous views are possibilities. Given the reference to Calvert Jones, it is just possible that this could be the negative titled ‘27. Old Christ Church Cathedral Dublin (before restoration) from s.w.’, traditionally attributed to WHFT but more likely by Calvert Jones, who photographed considerably in Ireland ( Schaaf 7). Many of the prints from Henneman's establishment fell victim to fading and had to be replaced. For a discussion of the factors that contributed to this problem, see Larry J Schaaf, Introductory Volume to the Anniversary Facsimile of H. Fox Talbot’s The Pencil of Nature (New York: Hans P Kraus, Jr, 1989).
2. William Augustus Edward (1823–1902), Prince of Saxe Weimar and an important British military figure. WHFT had discussed photography at the Oxford meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science in June (see Doc. No: 05968), and probably spoke to Buckland there.
3. Rev Calvert Richard Jones (1802–1877), Welsh painter & photographer.