Wish(ing) you a jolly Christmas…your friend, Uncle
Tosh
Tosh
1898 letter
from Mackintosh to a young Cameron Davidson among collection donated to the GSA
in aftermath of the fire
from Mackintosh to a young Cameron Davidson among collection donated to the GSA
in aftermath of the fire
A letter written in 1898 to the young son of
William Davidson (commissioner of Windyhill, Kilmacolm) has been donated to The
Glasgow School of Art along with a collection of around 30 books by King Edward VI High School
for Girls in Birmingham it was revealed today, 16 April 2015. Written to
Cameron Davidson, who was in France and recovering from illness, the letter
accompanied a “book of animals” sent as a Christmas gift by Mackintosh.
William Davidson (commissioner of Windyhill, Kilmacolm) has been donated to The
Glasgow School of Art along with a collection of around 30 books by King Edward VI High School
for Girls in Birmingham it was revealed today, 16 April 2015. Written to
Cameron Davidson, who was in France and recovering from illness, the letter
accompanied a “book of animals” sent as a Christmas gift by Mackintosh.
The donation is part of an extensive library which was gifted to the
Birmingham school by a former headmistress, Jean Wilks CBE last year. Miss
Wilks had for many years cared for her friend and colleague Maggie Davidson – a
grand-daughter of the Glasgow merchant William Davidson, who had commissioned
Mackintosh to build the family home of Windyhill in 1900.
Birmingham school by a former headmistress, Jean Wilks CBE last year. Miss
Wilks had for many years cared for her friend and colleague Maggie Davidson – a
grand-daughter of the Glasgow merchant William Davidson, who had commissioned
Mackintosh to build the family home of Windyhill in 1900.
“This is an
incredibly generous gift from the King Edward VI High School
for Girls,”
says David Buri, Librarian at The Glasgow School of Art. “Among the books are many on the life and work of Charles Rennie
Mackintosh as well as books with a direct link to Mackintosh and the Davidsons.”
incredibly generous gift from the King Edward VI High School
for Girls,”
says David Buri, Librarian at The Glasgow School of Art. “Among the books are many on the life and work of Charles Rennie
Mackintosh as well as books with a direct link to Mackintosh and the Davidsons.”
“Particularly interesting is
a late 19th century book on the Japanese artist and printmaker
Katsushika Hokusai with an inscription to the Davidsons from Mackintosh. As is
well-known Mackintosh was very interested in Japanese design and Japanese
influences can been seen in his designs for the Glasgow School of Art library. The
dedication suggests that the book was a Christmas gift to the Davidsons in
1899. We like to think that this was Mackintosh sharing his passion for Japanese
design with one of his friends and patrons.”
a late 19th century book on the Japanese artist and printmaker
Katsushika Hokusai with an inscription to the Davidsons from Mackintosh. As is
well-known Mackintosh was very interested in Japanese design and Japanese
influences can been seen in his designs for the Glasgow School of Art library. The
dedication suggests that the book was a Christmas gift to the Davidsons in
1899. We like to think that this was Mackintosh sharing his passion for Japanese
design with one of his friends and patrons.”
The letter which Mackintosh sent to Cameron
Davidson to wish him “a jolly Christmas
and a very happy new year” also included his hopes that the youngster would “soon be well enough to come back and
tell us all about your adventures in a foreign land”.
Davidson to wish him “a jolly Christmas
and a very happy new year” also included his hopes that the youngster would “soon be well enough to come back and
tell us all about your adventures in a foreign land”.
“There’s something quite poignant about the
letter, given that Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret MacDonald never had
children of their own,” adds David Buri.
letter, given that Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret MacDonald never had
children of their own,” adds David Buri.
The donation was made to the GSA following a call for help in replacing
books lost in the fire. It was delivered from Birmingham by Findlay Mackinnon,
English master at King Edward VI High School for Girls who hails from Ardrossan
and was instrumental in arranging for the GSA to be the recipients of this
Mackintosh material.
books lost in the fire. It was delivered from Birmingham by Findlay Mackinnon,
English master at King Edward VI High School for Girls who hails from Ardrossan
and was instrumental in arranging for the GSA to be the recipients of this
Mackintosh material.
“It was wonderful to find so many books about Charles Rennie
Mackintosh among Jean Wilks’ collection and I’m delighted they’ll be such a
benefit to The Glasgow School of Art,” says Findlay
Mackinnon.
Mackintosh among Jean Wilks’ collection and I’m delighted they’ll be such a
benefit to The Glasgow School of Art,” says Findlay
Mackinnon.
“Losing so many books in the fire was a
real blow to them, but everyone’s rallying round to try to provide
replacements. Jean
would have been delighted to know that her books would go to such a good home.”
real blow to them, but everyone’s rallying round to try to provide
replacements. Jean
would have been delighted to know that her books would go to such a good home.”
Ends
Further information
Lesley Booth
0779 941 4474 / press@gsa.ac.uk
Notes for Editors
Full text
of the letter to Cameron Davidson
of the letter to Cameron Davidson
140 Bath Street
Glasgow
24th Dec 1898
My Dear Cameron
I am sending you this little
book of animals which has been illustrated by a young friend of mine in
Glasgow, to wish you a jolly Christmas and a very happy new year. I hope you
will soon be well enough to come back and tell us all about your adventures in
a foreign land. You will write to me and tell me if you get the book safely and
what you think of it. You will let Mrs Davidson see it – and tell her that I
also send her my very best wishes.
book of animals which has been illustrated by a young friend of mine in
Glasgow, to wish you a jolly Christmas and a very happy new year. I hope you
will soon be well enough to come back and tell us all about your adventures in
a foreign land. You will write to me and tell me if you get the book safely and
what you think of it. You will let Mrs Davidson see it – and tell her that I
also send her my very best wishes.
Your friend
Uncle Tosh
Inscribed
on back:
on back:
Letter
received from Charles Rennie by Wm Cameron Davidson Esq, of Windyhill,
Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, when in the South of France for health reasons as a
small boy
received from Charles Rennie by Wm Cameron Davidson Esq, of Windyhill,
Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, when in the South of France for health reasons as a
small boy
Miss Jean Wilks, who died in 2014 aged 97, left
an entire library of extremely rare books to her beloved King Edward VI High
School for Girls. As well as the Mackintosh works her library included works by
renowned writers such as DH Lawrence, Virginia Woolf and Evelyn Waugh, plus
illustrated poetry books by TS Eliot and Robert Browning. Miss Wilks ran the
independent school for 13 years from 1964. She was also president of the
Association of Headmistresses from 1972 to 74, governor of the Schools Council
in the 1970s, served on several university committees and received an honorary
doctorate from University of Birmingham in 1986. On her retirement from King
Edward’s she received a CBE.
an entire library of extremely rare books to her beloved King Edward VI High
School for Girls. As well as the Mackintosh works her library included works by
renowned writers such as DH Lawrence, Virginia Woolf and Evelyn Waugh, plus
illustrated poetry books by TS Eliot and Robert Browning. Miss Wilks ran the
independent school for 13 years from 1964. She was also president of the
Association of Headmistresses from 1972 to 74, governor of the Schools Council
in the 1970s, served on several university committees and received an honorary
doctorate from University of Birmingham in 1986. On her retirement from King
Edward’s she received a CBE.