Recently the antiquarian bookshop in the Bluecoat has had a number of early book on Liverpool in. The Library has bought two. The first is the script of a farce played at the Theatre Royal entitled ‘The Liverpool Prize’ written by the Irish actor and dramatist Frederick Pilon who lived between 1750 and 1788. The play was first performed in February 1779 and tells the story of a romance between a beautiful young woman, Harriet Debenture and her lover and cousin George Belford. Harriet is to be married off to a Captain Teneriffe, the retired Master of a Privateer. As you might expect love triumphs over all. This work fits well with our collection of playbills and theatrical ephemera
The other acquisition is in much more serious vein. Entitled Remarks on the Resolutions which were formed at the Archdeaconry of Chester’. The author is Reverend Joseph Smith a Nonconformist minister in Liverpool, and, what makes it of particular interest one of the first Proprietors of the Athenaeum [number 494]. In this book he is arguing that the terms of the Test Acts, designed to exclude Roman Catholics from office should not apply to Protestant Dissenters. These two new acquisitions will soon be on display in the Library after processing and cataloguing.
These volumes have been bought through the generous donations of Proprietors and we invite you to contribute to the acquisition of further interesting and valuable book.
David Brazendale Chairman of Library