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Bourne, Henry.
The History of Newcastle upon Tyne: Or, the Ancient and Present State of That Town.
Publisher: John White, Newcastle Upon Tyne;
Date of Publication: 1736
Stock Code: 6946
FIRST EDITION. Folio, pp. viii, 245 with inscribed continuation to p. 265 bound-in, [6] appendix. With the rare engraved folding plan of the town; decorative engraved head/tail pieces and initial letters. Mid 19th c. half calf with handsome green marbled boards, five raised bands and gilt titles to maroon leather label to spine. Marbled endpapers to match boards. Typed obituary of Bourne loosely inserted. Upper joint partially cracked but holding; spine tips and corners rubbed. Inscribed to verso ffep in pencil: “from collection of Matthew Mackey, leather merchant, Pudding Chare”; also inscribed in ink in a contemporary hand to blank preceding map with details of Nathaniel Clayton and William Clayton, Aldermen of Newcastle. Map with some repairs to verso. Manuscript annotations to margins throughout. A good example of the first edition of one of the cornerstone histories of the Town. Published posthumously three years after the death of the Author and printed in a run of possibly as few as 250 copies. The first edition is distinguished from the 1757 edition (which has an identically dated title page to the first) by the text extending to p. 246 which is blank first printing. The 20 pp. manuscript continuation begins on p. 246. In three hands it continues the Mayors and Sheriffs of the town to 1847 and includes an index summary of the contents. Matthew Mackey was a noted book collector in Newcastle during the late 19th c. and was the Honorary Librarian of the Newcastle Society of Antiquaries from 1894–1899. The Mackey collection at Newcastle City Library is testament to his collecting taste and zeal and at least some of the MS material is likely to be in his hand. Sold