Background of the Christmas cards
John Herschel came back to his homeland from the Cape of Hope where he had spent four years for observing the southern skies, and he soon had seven children including three born in the southern country. In early 1840's his family moved to the Collingwood House in Hawkhurst, Kent from the old house in Slough near London which was narrow for his big family. His family became even larger with more children born in the new house and held a Christmas party and a new year party with friends every year. They recorded remarkable news in a year in pictures and comments on a 30-50 cm sized card with their signatures. Mrs Debonnaire Perceval, a Herschel descendant in Ireland, preserves with care these cards as very valuable materials to know the life of the Herschel family. When we visited her in the 3rd Herschel Tour in autumn of 1989, she permitted us to take photographs of 19 cards (1851-1859, 1861-1869 and 1888). These cards little by little tell us memories of the Herschel family.
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The Ball - clock & pictures of the months, no family allusion (1851)
Marriage of C. E. M. Herschel to Colonel Ale. H. Gordon, & W. J. H. going to India (1852)
Past, Present & Future, snake emblem of eternity - no family allusion (1853)
Flags of War Allies, the Crimea, Motto "Peace on earth" peace terrene (1854)
Collingwood views - C. A. H. as her baby (1855)
Hawkhurst church & little beads, one for each day (1856)
Crimea dream, 4 medallions & M. L. Herschel's engagement (1857)
Little medallion pictures central hall - Collingwood decorated for Xmas, C. A. H. & sister dancing, Adel Lodge - verses by J. F. W. H. (1858)
Illuminated, "Behold how good & joy" (1859)
Rainbow & eclipse, Death of Prince Consort (1861)
A cross of stars - & quotaion (1862)
return of the eldest son - W. J. H. - drawn by Maria S. H. (1863)
Wedding W. J. Herschel - drawn by Maria S. Herschel (1864)
Travels of the family - Collected for the wedding of M. S. H. to Henry Hardcastle, a baby - Margery H. drawn by M. Rose Herschel (1865)
4 Medallions - Hawkhurst church, the great meteor shower, John H's homecoming - birth of Frances Hardcastle, verses by J. F. W. H., drawn by M. Rose Herschel (1866)
A spread, places where return of Emma H. with 2 children, Balmoral & Ajaccio, painted by Amelia H. Hastings & Copt Hall Hawkhurst where Gordon painted by M. Rose Herschel (1867)
Chinese - A holly wreath, group not finished, marriage of Amelia to T. F. Wade (1868)
Photograph of W. J. H.'s house in India (1869)
(1888)