Dear all I am trying to get a true evaluation of an autograph book for NZ and insurance .Yes I can only view it on cam for now.A Shakespeare's Birthday book printed 1880,belonged to A Surgeon Dr Thomas Leslie Crooke b Mar04 1861 Sheffield Uk matriculated Edinburgh University 1882 arrived NZ 1899 as Senior Medical Officer Christchurch Hospital Died 1943.He was the Dr to Lord Tennyson on the Isle of Wight.The Dr amassed some 800-900 autographs sadly( not Tennyson) but his son Lionel Tenyson Mar 16 and wife Eleanor B Tennyson nee Locker Aug 21.
John Dudgeon (Peking)April 7, produced the first book on photography in Chinese ,Ralph Stockman see Stockman Medal,Aug 3.D Noel Paton Mar 19,
Count Ferdinand de Jouffroy d 'abbans France Feb 28, Artist and Crimean War
Capt Edwyn F Temple Apr 21, Artist Scotland John Duncan,Artist Annie French, Poet Susan L Mitchell Ireland,Poet Emily Mary Barton (Grand mother to Banjo Paterson AB)
Commodore NZ Shipping Line Thomas Shailor Weston,Tea Planter Hunter Ceylon, Harry Story,Cricketer Hong Kong Frank Walkinshaw,Richard and Ralph Assheton,Heathcote Helmore Architects,Author Fegus Hume(The mystery of the Hanson cab),Major Rupert Cravern (Cecil).A.W Robin,Legion of Honour,John C Bradshaw (Christopher) youngest then in British empire to get Dr's Degree of Music aged 25yrs.Robert Heaton Rhodes,(Sir) son of R H Rhodes one of the great pioneering families to NZ,Archibald M Hamilton,Road Through Kurdistan and inventor of the Hamilton Baileys Bridge WW2, American Sculpture Lousia Eyre, Hymn writer Scotland Horatius Bonar Dec 19......
These are a few of the professions others are Clergy, A H Norris (Arthur Hugh),Eyre Chatterton (Nagpur),Campbell West Watson, Walter Averill, Land Owners Thomas Teschemaker,W K Macdonald, Thomas Kendall Fair (South America),Pioneers to NZ and over tworld,family,freinds ,colleagues,associates Masters of ships,troop carriers to WW1 and after and sailing Immigrants to NZ from Sailing ships to the age of Steam.
The Dr's sister Olive Louisa Crooke a pioneer pharmicist in WW! and NZ died on her journey home during WW2 in the bombing of the Queen's Guards Chapel London,his father Milward Crooke was Chaplin to the Armed Forces Crimean War,his mother Emily Crooke nee Hackett and sister to( VC recipient Thomas Bernard Hackett) all Thomas's brothers died in wars.
The oldest autograph is 1796 March 23 Robert Seymour Drought and atleast 80 autographs have not been interpreted yet?
There is much to write here but enough .This is a genuine article in almost mint condtion for age and where I discovered it.
Hope someone can help if not may find this of interest thanks.

Dear Mr Duffy, My wife's great aunt was married to Count Ferdinand de Jouffroy d'Abbans - though for not very long. He was in fact born on 29 February 1884 in San Francisco. His father was a French diplomat, and French consul in New Zealand at one time. Did he really sign huimself as an "artist"?
Kind regards, Ian Mather

Hi there Mr Ian Mather thanks for reply and varification.Yes I have mistook the name for his father which I will ammend asap.I do have Ferdinand as AUTOGRAPHED on Feb 29th 1884 so another mistake on my behalf...
No he is not listed as an artist it's how I explained the book which is full of many such people.
I would although love to hear about the Great Aunt and if any of these names are or could be children?
Isabelle June 02, Marcel Aug 25, Rene(e) Sept 03 and an unidentified Dec 07
possibly beginning with C..

I so appreciate this info you sent me and would once again accept any help or any snippets of info that could be shared here.

With kind regards Shane Duffy NZ

Hi Ian Mather shane again NZ
Looking at records Dec 07 the name is Charlotte D'Abbans whom I believe is Charlotte nee HAMILTON

Does that ring any bells with your wife's great aunt??

Thanks again Shane