Sketches in New Brunswick, taken principally with the intention of shewing the Nature, and description of the Land in the Tract Purchased by the New Brunswick & Nova Scotia Land-Company, in the year 1833; and of illustrating the operations of the Association during the Years 1834, & 1835

Book Description

London: Day & Haghe for Ackermann & Co, 1836. Large quarto. (14 1/2 x 10 inches). 4pp. letterpress text. Lithographed title, 12 lithographed plates after Kay (6), Harry (4), Kay and Harry (1) and E.N.Kendall (1), printed by Day & Haghe. Original upper wrapper. Each leaf separately window- mounted and tipped onto a backing board, the 16 mounted leaves contained within a single limp cloth portfolio, all within a single green straight- grained morocco-backed cloth box, titled in gilt on spine. A fascinating and rare work, setting out, in words and fine lithographed views, the details of the founding of a township. The actions and scenes took place in New Brunswick, Canada in 1833 to 1835 but they can be taken to represent similar events in wilderness areas across the sub-continent of North America during the whole period of European settlement. The work would have been printed in severely limited numbers, and (according to Abbey) almost certainly for private circulation, presumably to the more important members of the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Land-Company. The artists all clearly had some technical training, and when the plates are viewed in conjunction with the text a clear view is presented of the series of events leading to the successful founding of a settlement. The town of Stanley (named after the Colonial Secretary Lord Stanley) was founded in 1834, the site having been already chosen by the surveying party, which arrived in the area in July 1833. One of the first tasks was the building of a saw-mill, powered by damming the river Nashwaak, this and other work was overseen for the first season by E.N.Kendall (a Royal Naval officer and the artist of plate number 2). The ground was then cleared in preparation for building. By July 1835 houses were being completed, a large acreage of ground cleared, and the area was beginning to look like an established settlement. All this is documented in this work. The township flourishes today and according to information on its website page "The village is located approximately 50 kilometres north of Fredericton. It is nestled around the hills on the banks of the picturesque Nashwaak River… Stanley was founded to act as a depot of supply and center of social life for the homesteaders in the Upper Nashwaak Valley. The majority came from Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England [according to a gazetteer published in 1856 the population had by then risen to 737, but]… all shared in the toil of hacking out an existence in this wilderness" Abbey Travel 623 (coloured copy); Lande Collection Cat (1965) 2035; Sabin 81551; TPL 1907

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