Edward Rhoads Longstreth grand tour photograph albums, 1891.

Format:

Other

Author/Creator:

Longstreth, Edward Rhoads, 1871-1944, creator.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Travel--19th century--Europe.

Travel.

Voyages and travels.

Europe--Description and travel--19th century.

Europe.

Genre:

Photograph albums.

Photographs.

Penn Provenance:

Sold by Palinurus Antiquarian Books, 2022.

Physical Description:

2 boxes (.5 linear foot)

Place of Publication:

1891.

Biography/History:

Edward Rhoads Longstreth was the ninth child born to prominent Philadelphia Quakers William C. and Abby A. Longstreth on January 31, 1871. He earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Haverford College in 1890, where he was on the class football team. After graduation, Edward set out on a grand tour of Europe in 1891. He married Helen Champlain Loomis on October 16, 1900. They had three daughters: Emily Taylor (1903-1903), Anne (1905-1991) and Mary Underwood (1908-1950). Edward was a secretary of the West Laurel Hill Cemetery for the majority of his career. He was a vestryman at Christ Church in Media, Pennsylvania, a member of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew and the Kiwanis Club of Philadelphia. Edward died on September 28, 1944.

Summary:

These two photograph albums document Edward's grand tour of Europe in the summer of 1891. Primarily landscape and landmark photographs, postcards, engravings, and etchings, these images provide a visual itinerary of Edward's journey through Ireland, Wales, England, Scotland, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. A majority of the souvenir photographs were purchased, but it appears Edward acquired a camera while in France and took his own photos. There are a few cartes-de-visite of famous Europeans, such as Queen Victoria, Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie, etc. Images are identified and dates are provided in the smaller album (box 1). The larger of the two albums (box 2) was gifted to Edward by his mother and has a pencil inscription from her on the front endpaper. It is unclear if Edward traveled alone or with family or friends.