Add MS 88942/1

Talbot's notebooks testify to his wide-ranging intellectual and practical scientific interests, which extended far beyond pioneering photographic research and invention to encompass research in mathematics, optics, astronomy, botany, horticulture, Assyriology, philology, and many associated avenues of interest. Talbot's notebooks sometimes contain an eclectic mixture of subject matter, recording not only the results of particular experiments, or lines of thought about a given subject, but also spontaneous and fleeting observations on ostensibly unrelated matters to which he would often return at a later date.

In addition to notebooks of this character, the Series also includes more mundane records in notebook format relating to other aspects of Talbot's life: continental travel itineraries, address books, meticulous records of personal expenditure, as well as notebooks concerning his Lacock Estate responsibilities, from the maintenance of house and garden to records of tithe apportionment and the collection of rents from Estate tenants. Some of the notebooks are not in Talbot's hand but were completed by others (household and other records mainatined on his behalf, or notebooks kept by other family members such as Elisabeth Feilding and Henrietta Feilding); some items, such as two of Talbot's Passports, for example, are not notebooks at all (88942/1/297 and 88942/1/298).

The notebooks span most of Talbot's life: the earliest notebook is dated 1806, when Talbot was six years old, and the last notebook was completed in 1877, the year of his death. There is a single earlier notebook (1778) belonging to one John Brickdale, which contains a fairhand copy of 'The Elements of Euclid' that was probably used in the course of Talbot's education. When a notebook was given a title by Talbot, it has been noted in the title field; a notebook without title (the majority) is simply recorded in the title field as 'Notebook'.

Appendix III of the biography of Talbot by H. J. P. Arnold, William Henry Fox Talbot: Pioneer of Photography and Man of Science (1977), is a list of 'Talbot Notebooks'. Arnold's list of 36 notebooks is confined to Talbot's intellectual notebooks in the broad fields of 'Science and Mathematics' and 'Etymology and Philology', and thus excludes most of the notebooks in the present more broadly-grouped British Library Series. For convenience, Arnold's list is given below, correlated with British Library reference numbers:

• 'Science and Mathematics':
• B (1822) 88942/1/184;
• C (1825) 88942/1/185;
• D (1825-6) 88942/1/186;
• E (1827) 88942/1/187;
• F (1828-30) 88942/1/188;
• I (1831-2) 88942/1/190;
• J (1832-3) 88942/1/191;
• K (1833-4) 88942/1/192;
• M (1834-5) 88942/1/193;
• N (1835-6) 88942/1/194;
• O (1836-8) 88942/1/195;
• P (1839-40) - held at National Media Museum, Bradford;
• Q (1840-43) - held at National Media Museum, Bradford;
• CC Mathematical Notebook (September 1836) 88942/1/197;
• No code Mathematical Notebook (December 1837) 88942/1/203;
• No code Botanical Notebook (1823-6) 88942/1/221;
• No code 'The Garden' (1828-9) 88942/1/223.

• 'Etymology and Philology':
• No code (1833) 88942/1/49;
• 'Called G' (1834) 88942/1/50;
• S2 (1836) 88942/1/14;
• S3 (1836) 88942/1/15;
• S4 (1837) 88942/1/16;
• S5 (1837) 88942/1/17;
• U (1837) 88942/1/19;
• U2 (1837) 88942/1/20;
• V (1838) 88942/1/21;
• W (1838) 88942/1/22;
• X (1838) 88942/1/23;
• Y (1838) 88942/1/24;
• 'Separate Series':
• B (1841) 88942/1/27;
• C (1841) 88942/1/28;
• D (1842) 88942/1/29;
• G (1844) 88942/1/32;
• J (1845) 88942/1/34;
• K (1847) 88942/1/35;
• M (1847) 88942/1/37.

Arnold's list is now supplemented by other notebooks of a similar intellectual character. To the 'Science and Mathematics' sequence above can be added: Notebook 'A' (88942/1/183) and Notebook 'H' (88942/1/189).

In further addition to Arnold's list, Notebook 'S1' (88942/1/13); and, in respect of the 'Separate Series', Notebook 'A' (88942/1/26), Notebook 'E' (88942/1/30), Notebook 'F' (88942/1/31), Notebook 'H' (88942//1/33) and Notebook 'L' (88942/1/36).

As well as bound notebooks, Series (88942/1) includes loose notes starting from (88942/1/349) and continuing to (88942/1/384). These loose notes consist of fragments, single pages or a number of previously bound pages concerning a wide range of Talbot's intellectual and social interests:

• Photography, (1839-1866). See 88942/1/349.
• Photography, Photoglyphic etching and photographic licences, (1840-1900). See 88942/1/350.
• Mathematics (1826-1877). See 88942/1/351 to 88942/1/362.
• Astronomy (1822-1867). See 88942/1/363.
• Botany (1823-1867). See 88942/1/364.
• Scientific research and experiment (1827-1871). See 88942/1/365.
• Etymology (1841-1846). See 88942/1/366 to 88942/1/369.
• Etymology and philology (1835-1843). See 88942/1/370 to 88942/1/371.
• Philology (1827). See 88942/1/372.
• Assyriology (1834-1875). See 88942/1/373 to 88942/1/375.
• Family history (1837-1880). See 88942/1/376.
• Education (1807-1815). See 88942/1/377.
• Books and publishing (1822-1847). See 88942/1/378.
• Politics (1833-1845). See 88942/1/379.
• The Lacock Estate (1826-1873). See 88942/1/380.
• Railways and iron ore mining (1845-1858). See 88942/1/381.
• Miscellaneous (loose notes) (1806-1872). See 88942/1/382 to 88942/1/386.