I work on the Manuscript Project Website daily; increasing the volume of information, adding manuscripts &c.

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I am close to having all titles of Chatterton's works listed (11/01/2021),  with each title eventually being a link to an image of the original manuscript or, if the manuscript is not available, the link will be to the first printing of the work. 

Do note that many of the titles are still waiting for the link to go live but will be updated as and when the MS. or First Printing is uploaded.

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The update plan is as follows:

1. Complete basic layout - done 11/02/2021.

2. Work on all pages to check and increase information - Ongoing.

3. Prepare images of manuscripts or first printings for uploading - Ongoing

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I like to do the above online, in real time, rather than in the back office; this allows anyone interested in Chatterton to see these exciting documents as soon as I have them ready.

If you would like to collaborate by photographing manuscripts local to you, or have any questions or suggestions, do let me know via the blog.

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Best wishes

.QE!.

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E: chatterton.bristows.tragedy dot com.  

​Early Transcript of Songe to Ella

Chattertonian Manuscripts

Are Widely Distributed

Making it extremely Difficult

To View or Study Them

We either live too far away

Or don't have the accreditation 

That gets us into the

Hallowed Libraries of Massy Knowledge

​

The Project Aims to Ensure that

High Quality & Zoomable Images

Of all Chattertonian Manuscripts

Are Freely Available

 On the Project Website

For Study and Collaboration

Or Just for the Joy of it!

This is why the Project needs

Altruistic Collaborators

To Photograph Documents Local to Them.

All you need is a Smartphone;

Send me an email if you are able to help.

​

Even Horace Walpole's 'Shade,' 

Due to the Collecting Zeal of

Lefty-Lewis*, has its hands

On Chatterton Manuscripts.

(*Lewis Walpole Library, 

a department of Yale University),

​

I have Uploaded Numerous Manuscripts

I still have hundreds to Collate, Crop,

Adjust, Delete, Prepare & Upload

​

So many of the Manuscripts in Bristol

Are due to George Catcott

A Friend and Mentor to Chatterton.

He seems Never to have let

 The Quill Pen fall

From his Inky Fingers

​

Spare a thought for me

One of Catcott's Copy Books

Which Contains over 500 pages

Took weeks to Photograph

& Prepare for Uploading.

​

Chatterton Manuscripts Beyond Bristol

Will Often be One or Two Pages

Much less Onerous.

​

Bristol & London are Key Locations

Universities in England & America

Have the most important Manuscripts.

​

Do let me know if I can help your

Chatterton Researches in Any way.

Fire the Great Destroyer

Remember Notre Dame 2019

Remember the Cutty Sark 2007

Remember Windsor Castle 1992

Note Birmingham Library 1879

Fire Consumes too Often

To Remain Complacent

Get Thee to the Cloud!

Daniel Wilson's 1869 biography of Chatterton

Mentions the 1860 fire in Kerslake's Shop, Bristol

 It destroyed  "Manuscript Chattertoniana"

Collected by J. M. Gutch, and William Tyson

And further augmented by Thomas Kerslake'.

It also consumed the famous Fust manuscript. 

​

Then, 20 years later, on October 9th, 1881

The 'Great Fire' in Canynges' House, Bristol

 Destroyed the stock of

C. T. Jefferies, Printer & Bookseller.

​

Fortunately the Fabulous Canynges fireplace

Shown in the painting by E. H. Parkman

Survived the fire - See Below

Chattertonian Documents &

A.S.Catcott's Fossil Collection

Were destroyed when bombs landed

On Temple Church and Bristol Museum.

Irreplaceable Manuscripts

Should be Digitised ASAP!

Too Costly? 

Opt for the Cheap and Easy Answer

Use an Apple iPhone - it's good in low light

The Images on this Website

Show what can be Achieved

The Thomas Chatterton

Manuscript Project

Is a Huge Undertaking

A Living Thing!

Growing and Changing

Adding & Deleting

As it Rolls Along.

I think, therefore I am verbose!

However, verbosity can be wearing. 

So I am experimenting a little

By centering the text that I write.

This helps me cut back on the padding

(or does it?)

Which is the curse of documentaries on TV

I call it the Bends syndrome. 

​

I have to say

So you know where you stand with me

I have a Real Fondness

For all Chattertonian Writers

Biographers Editors and Chancers

Whether their work be large or small

Derivative or Otherwise - at least they had a go! 

​

As I write this I am surrounded by an array

Of Chatterton related books and periodicals

All of which I have used to work up the project

​

So many books and so many writers

Yet the Project is Driven, by two writers

Meyerstein, via  'A Life of Thomas Chatterton,'  

 Taylor, via 'The Complete Works of Thomas Chatterton'

​

A book I must mention is

'Thomas Chatterton 1752-1770,

An Annotated Bibliography'

by Jean C. Rowles, A.L.A,

It's a wonderful piece of work. 

(I would love to hear from Jean one day)

Thanks to Dawn Dyer of  (Bristol Library)

For telling me of this work.

​

I know that I go against the norm

With my liking for Dix, but with good reason

It was 1837 that brought me to Chatterton

I bought it for £5 from a bricks & mortar shop

In Bristol in the 1970s - Those were the Days

​

Yes Dix clouded the Chatterton story but

 It is easy to discover the rights and wrongs of it

 In any case, Meyerstein resolves the issues for us

I look at it like this: Dix was to Chatterton

What Hofmann was to the Mormons

Beyond Annoying in so many ways

But at least Dix didn't kill anyone

And he certainly Stirred things up - Just a Bit! 

​

Over the last few years

 I have taken thousands of photographs of

Manuscripts Postcards Newspapers Magazines

All sorts of Artifacts and Ephemera

  I am Lucky that two of my Favourite Places

Bristol Reference Library, and Bristol Archives,

The source of most of my images to-date

Are Local and Wonderful!

​

Manuscripts Included in the Project

Include the Following Writers:

Thomas Chatterton - obviously,

George Catcott,  Alexander Catcott, A. S. Catcott

William Barrett, Dr Fry, Dr Lort

Tyrwhitt, Richard Smith, William Blake

&c. ; oh and Horace Walpole too! 

​

 George Catcott

By Transcribing Chatterton's Works,

Played a Key role in Publicising Rowley

Good old George was very, very prolific.

'It's a simple thing, 

We don't need a ring'

There is No Need To Sign-up

To Join, To Enrol

 To Enlist, Become a member

Form a committee, Have a Meeting

Or

Form a Quorum.

​

In fact, nothing formal is required.

​

 It matters not who you are

Or where you live.

​

It matters only that you have the Desire

To be part of the Project.

​

The Desire to Research & Investigate

A Truly Remarkable Individual

A working-class poet

Chatterton, the Bristowyan. ​

I have checked the Website

On mobiles, laptops, PCs & Tablets

All showing High Quality Images.

​

If your Images are not Sharp

On your Tablet or Mobile

You need to Select a Setting to Suit

Such as 'Desktop.'  

​

In Truth you Should use a PC

Laptop or Tablet to get the

Best Images.

​

If you need advice

 let me know via the Blog.

Yours, &c. to the end of the chapter .QE!.

The works are clearly Chatterton's

But who is the Scribe?

This is Just the trailer

You will be able to Read

The interesting story behind

the creation of the manuscript

Soon, I promise.

​

George Catcott had a role in the story

Which is no Surprise!

The Muniment Room, Redcliffe Church

From the novel Bristol Bells by Emma Marshall

Yo! Chatterton!