The warm response to my last post helped make my decision, and so I scooted back to the British Heart Foundation shop on Monday morning, made the appropriate donation to their funds, and am now the proud owner of this rather nice book :
This is volume II covering 1714 to 1760, so just the right period for me. Originally published 1941, this is a reprint from 1971, with the price printed on the inside dustjacket - all of £3.30 , 50 years ago - which I am told would be about £48 today, so quite a luxury item. Lawson was an eminent artist as well as a military historian, and the pages are stuffed with his illustrations - no less than 220 of them in about 270 pages. Page 1 gives a good flavour of what is to come :
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And here are few more pages taken fairly randomly to give an idea of the contents. Chapters on Infantry of George I and II, Marines, Scots in both British and foreign service, Cavalry ( including saddlery, colours and standards ) , Artillery and Engineers, Militia and Volumteers, Hanoverians, 'and many, many more'..
It really must have been a labour of love...
There are only a couple of colour plates - both showing musicians, rather fine too.
I love the syle of the whole thing, and there is a serious amount of information too. I had not really considered a British element to my 7YW forces, but of course one gets tempted when looking through this. I wonder if a mercenary Scots or Irish unit might be added? Or perhaps a Hanoverian contingent?
It also has that essential element that my partner summed up so well : 'it smells of old book'..
Keep well, and safe, everyone.
Looks like a useful and interesting resource. Are you on the hunt for the other three volumes?
ReplyDeleteThanks Jon, indeed I am pleased to have got it! Not actively looking for the others, but I think I might be tempted by the first volume ( 1660-1714 ) if it turned up..
DeleteGlad you are the proud new owner.
ReplyDeleteThank you Alan, I am very pleased with it. Thanks for the encouragement!
DeleteLove the smell of old books. Musty…mmmm.
ReplyDeleteI'm sniffing it now... quality acid-free paper, mind you, it has not yellowed at all. A luxury item!
DeleteA great find! I look forward to seeing His Britannia Majesty’s Army making an appearance on your blog. Complete with kettle drummer and all the lace 😉
ReplyDelete[whistles Garryowen to self]
Thank you, yes a lucky find! I think osme British visitors may appear on campaign eventually. I'm sure the lace just looks like a bit of white at battlefield distance.. (do I hear cries of 'sacrilege!' )
DeleteA good decision. The section on the War of 1812 in...probably the next volume..was about the only source I had for Canadian unifoms back in the day.
ReplyDeletethanks Ross, your memories of poring over these books in the library helped me make my decision!
DeleteGosh, that's a splendid book. I am pleased that you were 'talked into it' by your the blogosphere!!
ReplyDeleteRegards, James
thanks James, indeed it's nice to have a lot of expert advisors on hand - the benefits of blogging! I'm glad I took their advice, it's a great book.
DeleteWorth buying for the smell of old book alone, Dave :-)
ReplyDeletechers Dave, yes I have to agree.. It's a luxury book I must say, nice quality acid-free paper that has not yellowed in 50 years, quite apart from the interesting contents!
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