Illustrated stories [possibly written by Ellen F. Bleeck aged about 14 of Huish, Wiltshire]

Four stories each bound into a small home-made volume, written and illustrated by the same anonymous author. The four volumes are entitled: Gipsy Millie, Millie Vernon, Olive and Flora and Pinewood Rectory and appear to have the same characters running through each story. Each volume contains water colour illustrations. The last story is inscribed ' A Birthday Gift to Ada Bleeck from The Author October 19th 1862'.

The author is unidentified but the dedication to Ada Bleeck and the inscription 'Hewish Rectory' inside the 'Gipsy Miller' story enables a search in the 1861 census to reveal some information. At that time, Ada Bleeck was aged 16 and was the eldest of three daughters of William Bleeck, the rector of Huish, Wiltshire. William Bleeck had become rector there in 1830 and remained until his death in 1873. It is probable the stories were penned by one of Ada Bleeck's sisters, Ellen (aged 14 in 1861) or Emma (aged 13 in 1861)

Source: 1861 census for Huish, Wiltshire; Foster's Oxonienses

Open. Access to all registered researchers.

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Former location: MSS 7/iii/31
Each volume was assigned a book number on acquisition by the Library as follows:
Gipsy Millie 9232775; Millie Vernon 9232775; Olive and Flora 9231221; Pinewood Rectory 9232427

These volumes measure approximately 9cm x 6cm with a fairly tight binding, some of which is now broken