The Christian Year.

PRINCE ALAMAYU'S COPY

First edition thus. 8vo. Contemporary black morocco, spine gilt, a.e.g., slightly rubbed, bookplate to front pastedown, inscribed on the front free endpaper. xxii, 383, [1]pp. Oxford and London, James Parker & Co.,

Inscribed on the front free endpaper by Alamayu's guardian: "Alamayu Palm Sunday 1878 TWJB."

 

A poignant memento belonging to Prince Alamayu (1861-79). He was the son of Emperor Theodore of Abyssinia against whom Robert Napier led the 1868 British Expedition to Abyssinia. The expedition concluded with Theodore committing suicide and thus Alamayu was placed under the care of Captain Tristram Speedy and his wife Cornelia, who lived on the Isle of Wight. He was introduced to Queen Victoria who took a great interest in his life.

 

Alamayu was educated at Lockers Park School and in March, 1872 (just before his eleventh birthday) at Cheltenham under the care of principal Thomas Jex-Blake (1832-1915). Their relationship was such that when Jex-Blake moved to Rugby, Alamaya came with him. This book was given to Alamayu on the eve of him attending Sandhurst (which would prove to be a miserable year). He went from there to study with Cyril Ransome (one of his tutors at Cheltenham) at Far Headingly, Leeds, where he almost immediately contracted pleurisy and passed away six weeks later on 14 November 1879. On the 21st of that month Queen Victoria attended his burial at Windsor Castle. Also present were Captain Speedy, Cyril Ransome, General Napier and Stafford Northcote, chancellor of the Exchequer.

 

There is a second, longer inscription, presumably by Stafford Northcote:, first Earl of Iddesleigh "Alamayu was the only son of Theodore King of Abyssinia, he was brought to England and educated at Rugby, and paid a visit to Pynes where he left this book shortly before he died. This book was presented to him by the Revd. T.W. Jex Blake." Pynes was the Northcote family home and the Earl was an advocate of the Abyssinian expedition.

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Stock Code: 246059