We've been lucky enough to receive a couple of books penned by the ... eccentric ... John "Poet" Close from one of our contributors, Lorraine Smith.
They are in a fairly worn condition, but have a fantastic insight to the Close Family, in particular Poet Close. There are innumerable drawings accompanying his doggerel (too many exclamation marks for my liking) with commentaries on the Lake District in general and Kirkby Stephen in particular.
Given that they are 140 and 120 years old respectively they are in remarkably good condition inside (unfortunately the covers have suffered).

You can occasionally find originals of these but they are incredibly rare and cost a fortune. 

If you are a Close, any relation to John "Poet" Close, or are looking for background into mid-nineteenth century Westmorland and Cumberland ... you will not be disappointed by these.
The quality of image below is a meagre fraction of the full high-res scans... yes, you can read them. They are very clear.

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Poet Close's Grand Lake Book of 1869
64 pages of doggerel and commentary based in and around Kirkby Stephen, Westmorland in 1869.

This volume also contains (rather bizarrely) an additional 24-page reference manual entitled Diseases of the Lungs and Air-Ways.

Total number of printable A4 pages: 57

File size: 175 Mb

Format: .PDF

 
Poet Close's Christmas Book of 1885
114 pages of doggerel and commentary based in and around Kirkby Stephen, Westmorland in 1885.

This volume contains a drawing of his daughter Elizabeth and grandson Cecil Oversby Sayer.

Total number of printable A4 pages: 61

File size: 150 Mb

Format: .PDF

 
Thanks for looking ... oh yeah ... and please visit our shop ...