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Robert Hope Moncrieff

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This article is about the Scottish author. For the Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, see Robert Hope Moncrieff Aitken.

Robert Hope Moncrieff[note 1] (1846–1927) was a prolific Scottish author of children's fiction and of Black's Guides.

Robert Hope Moncrieff
Born(1846-02-26)26 February 1846
Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
Died10 August 1927(1927-08-10) (aged 81)
Middlesex, England
NationalityScottish
Other namesAscott R. Hope
OccupationAuthor
Years active1864–1927
Known forChildren's fiction and guidebooks
Notable workThe world of to-day... in 6 volumes (1905)

Early life

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Robert Hope Moncrieff was born on 26 February 1846, the lawful son[1] of George Moncrieff (11 May 1917 – 16 May 1865), a solicitor and his first wife Angela Birch (19 September 1820 – 25 December 1848). The couple had married the previous year in St Brides Church in Liverpool on 2 June 1845.[2] Robert was quickly followed by a brother, John Forbes (5 July 1847 – 7 March 1927), and a sister, Angela Mary (27 November 1848 – 8 March 1864).

Moncrieff's mother, Angela, died of childbed fever[3] four weeks after the birth of Angela Mary. Moncrieff was under three. His father married a second time on 27 June 1854 to Maria Wilks Williamson Rodgers (1830 – 30 March 1859) in Kilkenny, Ireland.[note 2] The family now lived at No 7, Atholl Crescent[note 3] in Perth. Maria gave George three more children: George Henry (2 November 1855 – 23 February 1947); Francis Edward (24 March 1857 – 7 January 1884); and Henrietta (14 June 1858 – 30 April 1859), who died in infancy.[note 4]

Moncrieff's step-mother, Maria, died[note 5] when he was just 13, and his father married again before he was 15. His third wife was Isabella Roy (29 October 1828 – 18 January 1879)[4][5] whom he married on 16 January 1861 in 2, Atholl Crescent.[note 6] Perth, Scotland. Her father was not a soldier, but the Captain of a ship trading in Asia[6] with the permission of the East India Company.[7]

Moncrieff and his brother were in boarding school by the time their father married for the third time. The 1861 Census shows both Moncrieff (15) and his brother John (13) boarding at the Circus Place School in Edinburgh. This was a highly regarded school[8] which prepared pupils for the Edinburgh Academy. Moncrieff went on to attend the Edinburgh Academy and then the University of Edinburgh.[9]

Moncrieff's father died in 1865,[note 7] four years after his third marriage.[10] when Moncrieff was 19. Moncrieff wrote nearly fifty years later that his mother had died before he knew her and that: my father also was taken too soon, leaving me precociously independent.[11] Not one of his father's three marriages lasted five years, all ending prematurely with the death of either wife or husband. Moncrieff himself never married.

Writing

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Before he was out of his teens, Moncrieff had written and made money by a real book.[12][note 8] While he attended the University of Edinburgh he wrote A book about Dominies (1867), Dominies being a term used for schoolmasters in Scotland. This was taken by a publisher, who published it at his own expense with a promise of profit to the author, which proved rather a mirage in the cold light of publishing accounts.[12][note 9] It was published anonymously with no author's name given. The book was well reviewed and went into several editions. Moncrieff followed this up with A Book About Boys, (1868) adopting his pseudonym Ascott R. Hope for the first time.[13] Moncrieff was ashamed of some of his early books and went to some expense to withdraw them from circulation.[14]

Moncrieff says that he had have made awkward attempts at more than one handicraft, with the view of gathering straw for literary bricks.[15] He was said to have taken up teaching briefly more with the purpose of studying schoolboys and their ways than to making it a profession.[16]

Moncrieff travelled extensively. Even his census returns in the UK show how much he bounced around:

  • 1851 – Living with his widowed father and two siblings in Perth. 5 years old.
  • 1861 – At the Circus Place School in Edinburgh with his brother John.
  • 1871 – An assistant master at Christ College, Brecon in Wales.
  • 1881 – Boarding at 8, Victoria Grove, in Kensington, London. Profession now is Author.
  • 1891 – Boarding at Hillside Boarding Lodge in Ventnor on the Isle of Wight. Profession is Author. The 13th edition of Black's Guide to the Isle of Wight, edited by Moncrieff, was published in 1895.[17]
  • 1901 – Now 55 years old. Moncrieff was no longer boarding, but was at the head of his own establishment at 85 Munster Road in Fulham, London. No relatives in the house, but the house also holds his 60-year-old housekeeper and her adult daughter. The electoral register show that he was still there in 1907.
  • 1911 – Only occupant of 5 Chandos Road, Cricklewood, London, apart from a 52-year-old housekeeper.
  • 1927 – On his death at 81 years-of-age he was living at 16a Addison Gardens, Kensington, London.

Moncrieff not only travelled the whole of Great Britain, but he also travelled internationally. He wrote: It has been by lot to be a good deal about the world from an early age. After a boyish visit to Paris, my travels began with a cruise in the Mediterranean and a stay in Italy, still heaving from Garibaldi's exploits. Moncrieff travelled, and visited four continents. He even tried his hand at farming in Canada, but soon abandoned it.[15] All of his travels contributed not only to the background for his books, but also supported his books on geography and history. Moncrieff suffered from short-sightedness and this led him to favour occupations such as walking and riding. And these leisurely pursuits allowed him to make observations that he made use of when writing on topographical topics.[18]

His study of the geography of the world, The world of to-day : a survey of the lands and peoples of the globe as seen in travel and commerce (1905) took him five years, and was updated every two years or so. Moncrieff wrote every word of the six volumes, bar a single page.[19]

Moncrieff was a member of first the Savile and later of the Athenaeum. He was of a kindly nature and always ready to do good to others, but in a discreet way.[9] He wrote that his work seldom brought him into contact with fellow authors, and that still less had he cultivated what is called smart society.[15] His view of the world's affairs was mainly that of a looker-on.[15] He wrote: I have lived my life in my own way, and that his writing was the sum of his accomplishments.

Death

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Moncrieff died at Eltham, London, England, on 10 August 1927. He was living at 16a Addison Gardens in Kensington, London at the time. He left an estate valued at £11,482 14s 6d. His half-brother George survived him by 20 years.

Short stories and serials

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Moncrieff contributed stories to numerous Boy's Papers and Magazines. He has stories in the first issues of the Boy's Own Paper and Union Jack. The following is a very incomplete list, drawn from Steve Holland's British Juvenile Story Papers and Pocket Libraries Index.[20] Some of the stories, like Dick's Dog, later reappeared in books of stories by Moncrieff.

Serials and short stories in Boy's Papers by Moncrieff
No. Order Year Title Journal Pt Illustrator Vol. Iss. Page Length
1 1 1879 18 Jan The Bogle The Boy’s Own Paper 1 1 1 7 2
2 25 Jan 2 1 2 27 1
3 2 1879 01 Feb The Black Book The Boy’s Own Paper 1 1 3 34 3
4 08 Feb 2 1 4 54 3
5 3 1879 05 Apr At the Masthead The Boy’s Own Paper 1 1 12 185 2
6 12 Apr 2 1 13 201 2
7 19 Apr 3 1 14 214 3
8 4 1879 19 Jul Caught Out The Boy’s Own Paper 1 1 28 433 2
9 26 Jul 2 1 29 455 2
10 5 1880 01 Jan The Magician’s Apprentice; An Old Tale Retold The Union Jack 1 1 1 14 2
11 6 1880 08 Jan The Great Unknown; Or, The Adventures of Robbin, Bobbin, Watkin, And Pippin The Union Jack 1 1 2 30 2
12 15 Jan 2 1 3 46 2
13 22 Jan 3 1 4 61 2
14 29 Jan 4 1 5 78 2
15 7 1880 01 Apr Boots!; Or, The True Hero The Union Jack 1 Horace Petherick 1 14 210 3
16 8 1882 07 Oct The Troubles of a Dominie The Boy’s Own Paper 1 5 195 9 2
17 14 Oct 2 5 196 29 1
18 9 1883 28 Jul The Tell-Tale; A School Story The Boy’s Own Paper 1 5 237 697 2
19 04 Aug 2 5 238 718 1
20 11 Aug 3 5 239 730 1
21 25 Aug 4 5 241 758 4
22 01 Sep 5 5 242 777 2
23 08 Sep 6 5 243 790 1
24 10 1886 23 Jan Dick’s Dog The Boy’s Own Paper 1 8 367 252 1
25 30 Jan 2 8 368 281 1
26 11 1886 24 Jul Miss Molly Mick Mac The Boy’s Own Paper 1 8 393 681 1
27 31 Jul 2 8 394 692 1
28 12 1886 11 Sep Boby Bounce The Boy’s Own Paper 1 8 400 794 1
29 13 1890 06 Sep My Travels in Africa. From a Schoolboy’s Journal The Boy’s Own Paper 1 12 608 777 2
30 13 Sep 2 12 609 791 2
31 20 Sep 3 12 610 806 1
32 27 Sep 4 12 611 817 2
33 14 1891 10 Oct Well Caught! A Grammar School Story The Boy’s Own Paper 1 14 665 25 2
34 15 1892 06 Aug Left Behind. A Story of Holiday Misfortunes The Boy’s Own Paper 1 14 708 714 2
35 13 Aug 2 14 709 729 2
36 16 1892 Xmas The Good Old Times The Boy’s Own Paper 1 14 Xmas 5 3
37 17 1893 03 Jun The Merry Swiss Boots The Boy’s Own Paper 1 15 751 565 2
38 10 Jun 2 15 752 581 2
39 17 Jun 3 15 753 598 2
40 24 Jun 4 15 754 613 2
41 18 1893 Summer The Holiday Tiroler The Boy’s Own Paper 1 15 Summer 17 3
42 19 1894 09 Jun The McKickshaws. An Old Boy’s Recollections The Boy’s Own Paper 1 16 804 561 3
43 16 Jun 2 16 805 577 3
44 23 Jun 3 16 806 593 3
45 30 Jun 4 16 807 609 3
46 07 Jul 5 16 808 625 3
47 14 Jul 6 16 809 642 2
48 20 1894 04 Aug An Adventure with the Apaches The Boy’s Own Paper 1 16 812 689 2
49 11 Aug 2 16 813 705 2
50 18 Aug 3 16 814 721 2
51 21 1894 06 Oct Hard Up! A Story of Exmoor The Boy’s Own Paper 1 17 821 5 2
52 13 Oct 2 17 822 21 2
53 20 Oct 3 17 823 38 2
54 27 Oct 4 17 824 53 3
55 03 Nov 5 17 825 40 2
56 10 Nov 6 17 826 85 2

Books other than Black's Guides

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In the semi-autobiographical A Book About Authors (1914) Moncrieff wrote that: For more than forty years I have been an author of all work, what the contemptuous call a hack...[19] His range was very broad and included:

  • School stories for boys
  • Serial stories in boy's papers
  • Translations of works in other languages. Moncrieff says he spent his time when travelling learning other languages and translating works in them.[18]
  • Books about religion – including martyrdom and religious persecution
  • Entertaining essays – about being a teacher, about school boys, etc.
  • Encyclopedic and instructional works – about animals, history, or geography, etc.
  • Black's Guides for tourists

This following section lists the guides that Moncrieff worked on, while this section lists books other than the guides.

Books written or translated by Moncrieff
Year Title Illustrator Pages Place Publisher
1864 “Get thee behind me, Satan” : a story for boys 23 p., [1] leaf of plates : 1 ill. ; 14 cm. London SPCK
1865 Oudendale: a story of schoolboy life 354 p. 19 cm. London William Mackingtosh
1865 The lycee boys : or, school life in France 151 p. ; 17 cm.; ill. Edinburgh Oliphant & Co
1866 The martyr shepherd : a story of the Scottish Covenanters 158 p. : plates ; 17 cm. Edinburgh Oliphant & Co
1866 Horace Hazelwood, or Little things and other tales (Title work by Moncrieff with contributions by various others) William Small viii, 328, 16 pages, 1 unnumbered leaf of plates : illustrations ; 18 cm. Edinburgh Johnstone, Hunter, and Co
1867 A book about Dominies : being the reflections and recollections of a member of the profession 211p. + 24. Edinburgh W. P. Nimmo
1868 A book about boys, 2nd ed. xii, 252 p. 18 cm. Edinburgh
1868 Stories of school life, 2nd ed. xii, 439 p. ; 8vo. Edinburgh W.P. Nimmo
1868 Mr. Leslie's stories 150, [4]p, plates ; 17.3 cm. Edinburgh Oliphant, Anderson, & Ferrier
1869 A Book about Dominies ... 2nd ed. vi, 248 pages ; (8º) Edinburgh W. P. Nimmo
1870 Texts from the Times, etc. xi, 252 p. ; 19 cm. Edinburgh
1870 My schoolboy friends : a story of Whitminster Grammar School 354 p. : ill. ; 19 cm. London W. P. Nimmo
1870 The exiles of France 159, [1]p, plates ; 16.5 cm. Edinburgh Oliphant & Co
1871 Stories of French school life. [With plates.] 8vo. Edinburgh
1871 Stories about boys viii, 271 p., [5] leaves of plates : illus. ; 19 cm. Edinburgh W. P. Nimmo
1872 Master John Bull. A holiday book for parents and schoolmasters, etc. (8º) Edinburgh
1873 Stories of Whitminster 312 p. : ill ; 20 cm. Edinburgh W. P. Nimmo
1874 A Peck of Troubles. An account of certain misfortunes which happened to certain young people of Whitminster[note 10] (8º) London Sunday School Union
1874 Hope's annual. [by A.R.H. Moncrieff] cm.18 Edinburgh
1874 The night before the holidays : Hope's annual vii, 205 p., [8] leaves of plates : ill. ; 19 cm. Edinburgh W. P. Nimmo
1875 The holiday task : an occasional magazine of contributions by the pupils of Whitminster Grammar School and their friends Gordon Browne 127, [8] p. : ill. ; 19 cm. London W. P. Nimmo
1875 The day after the holidays Gordon Browne 203 p., [8] leaves of plates : ill. ; 19 cm. London W. P. Nimmo
1875 Famous historical scenes from three centuries : Pictures of celebrated events from the Reformation to the end of the French Revolution. Selected from the works of standard authors. Add. engr. t.-pl, vii, [1], 600 p., frontis. plate ; 23 cm. London W. P. Nimmo
1876 Round about the Minster Green; Stories of the boys and girls who lived there, etc. (8º) ill Edinburgh
1876 'The Pampas' : a story of adventure in the Argentine Republic[note 11] Gordon Browne viii, 312 p., [9] leaves of plates : 9 ill. (1 col.) ; 18 cm. London W. P. Nimmo
1877 The old tales of chivalry xii, 276 p., [6] leaves of plates : ill. ; 18 cm. Edinburgh Gall & Inglis
1877 The heroes of young America ix, 318 p., [7] leaves of plates : ill., maps ; 19 cm. London Edward Stanford
1878 The Young Rebels: a story of the Battle of Lexington (8º) illust. London Sunday School Union
1878 George's enemies : a sequel to "My schoolboy friends" 312 pages, 4 leaves of plates : illustrations ; 18 cm London W. P. Nimmo
1879 Buttons; : the narrative of the trials and travels of a young gentleman [8], 232 p. ; 17.5 cm. London Griffith & Farran
1880 The Men of the Backwoods; true stories and sketches of the Indians and the Indian Fighters ... Illustrated, etc. (8º) London
1880 Seven stories about old folks and young ones. By A. R. H 293 pages ; (8º) London Griffith & Farran
1880 Wonders of the volcano 128 p. : 10 ill. ; 17 cm. London Gall & Inglis
1881 Stories of Young Adventurers ... With illustrations 380 pages ; (8º) London John Hogg
1881 The Daughter of the Regiment. A story from My Grandmother's Journal, etc. Charles Oliver Murray 148 pages ; (8º) London Sunday School Union
1881 Stories of Long Ago [adapted from the “Gesta Romanorum,” etc.]. Retold by A. R. Hope ... With ... illustrations by Charles Oliver Murray, etc. Charles Oliver Murray xvi, 255 pages ; (8º) London John Walker & Co
1881 Wonders of Electricity, etc. 128 pages ; (8º); illust London Gall & Inglis
1882 A Book of Boyhoods, etc. 382 pages ; (8º) London John Hogg
1882 Our Homemade Stories, etc. 346 pages ; (8º) London John Hogg
1883 Kidnapped; or, Lewis Lloyd's Adventures in Virginia 128 pages ; (8º) London Sunday School Union
1883 Evenings away from home : a modern miscellany of entertainment for young masters and misses Gordon Browne 351p : ill ; 18 cm. London John Hogg
1883 Stories of old renown : tales of knights and heroes Gordon Browne xvi, 286 p., [8] leaves of plates : ill. ; 19 cm. London Blackie & son
1884 Stories out of school-time vi, 343, 23 p. : ill. ; 18 cm. London John Hogg
1884 The Wigwam and the War-Path: or, Tales of the Red Indians. Gordon Browne 352 pages ; (8º), [6] leaves of plates : ill. London Blackie & Son
1885 Stories of Wild Beasts, etc. 304 pages ; (8º) London Gall & Inglis
1885 Wonders of the ice world 128 p., [1] leaf of plates : ill. ; 17 cm. London Gall & Inglis
1885 Young days of authors xiv, 380 p., [8] leaves of plates : ill. ; 18 cm. London John Hogg
1885 Spindle stories : new yarns spun from old wool Charles Oliver Murray 220 p., [6] leaves of plates : ill. (some col.) ; 20 cm. London G. Routledge & Sons
1886 'Dumps', and other stories, by Ascott R. Hope cm.16 Edinburgh
1886 A Handful of Stories Charles Oliver Murray 128 pages ; (8º) London CKS
1886 The Vulture's Nest and other stories (adapted ... from the German) 128 pages ; (8º) Edinburgh W. P. Nimmo
1886 The hermit's apprentice Gordon Browne 219 p. : ill. ; 19 cm. Edinburgh W. P. Nimmo
1887 Dick's dog and other stories of country boys Edinburgh W. P. Nimmo
1887 Schoolboy Stories vi, 248 pages ; (8º) Edinburgh W. P. Nimmo
1887 Boy's own stories vi, 360 pages ; (8º); ill London T. Fisher Unwin
1887 The seven wise scholars Gordon Browne viii, 223, 32 p. ; 21 cm. London Blackhill & Son
1887 Scenes from our century, selected from standard historians and other writers, by A.R.H. Moncrieff vii, 442 p., [7] leaves of plates : ill. ; 20 cm. London
1888 A Book of Bow-wows 36 pages ; (oblong 8º); ill London Charles & Co
1888 Youngsters' yarns Charles Oliver Murray x, 372 p., [6] leaves of plates : ill. ; 19 cm. London G. Routledge & Sons
1888 Romance of the mountains vi, 376, 24 p., [12] leaves of plates : ill. ; 20 cm. London John Hogg
1889 Dogs' delight 32 p. ; 15 cm. London SPCK
1889 Phil's fortune 31 p. ; 16 cm. London SPCK
1889 Playing at soldiers 32 p. ; 16 cm. London SPCK
1889 The hermit and the herbs 31 p. ; 16 cm. London SPCK
1889 Fred's Fun 16 pages ; (8º) London CKS
1889 The Apprentice Prince 47 pages ; (8º) London CKS
1889 The Scarecrow's Story 16 pages ; (8º) London CKS
1889 An emigrant boy's story 128, 8 p., 1 p. of plates : ill. ; 17 cm. London Blackie & Son
1889 Romance of the forests xii, 336 p., [12] leaves of plates : ill. ; 19 cm. London John Hogg
1890 The dream donkey 32p ; 16 cm. London SPCK
1891 Redskin and Paleface. Romance and adventure of the Plains. ... With twelve illustrations x. 338 pages ; (8º) London John Hogg
1891 A string of stories P. Hardy 160, [16] p. : 19 cm. London George Cauldwell
1891 A handful of stories 128 p. : ill. ; 16.8 cm. London SPCK
1891 In forest and jungle; or, Adventures with wild beasts 304p,[8]leaves of plates ill 20 cm London Gall & Inglis
1892 My Schoolfellows 250 pages ; (8º) London Biggs & Co
1892 The Lost Dog and other stories 128 pages ; (8º) London Blackie & Son
1892 Stories by Ascott R. Hope [selected from his collections of short stories previously published] xii, 447 pages ; (8º) London A. & C. Black
1892 Stories, etc. xii, 447 pages ; (8º) London A. & C. Black
1892 Nutcracker and mouse king, and Educated cat by E. T. A. Hoffmann viii, 198 p. : ill. ; 17 cm. London T. Fisher Unwin
1892 Our stories vi, 240 , [8] p., [6] leaves of plates : ill. ; 19 cm. London Biggs & Co
1892 Royal youths : a book of princehoods [8], 355, [9] leaves of plates : ill., ports. ; 21 cm. London T. Fisher Unwin
1893 Animal Adventures 124 pages ; (8º) Edinburgh W. P. Nimmo
1893 Cap and Gown Comedy. A Schoolmaster's Stories 342 pages ; (8º) London A. & C. Black
1893 Stories of the Wild West 246, 16 p., [6] leaves of plates : ill. ; 20 cm. Edinburgh W. P. Nimmo
1893 The men of the backwoods: true stories and sketches of the Indians and the Indian fighters, New rev. ed. Charles Oliver Murray 488, 32 p., [8] leaves of plates : ill. ; 20 cm. London Griffith & Farran
1894 Heroes in homespun : scenes and stories from the American Emancipation movement 380, [4] p. ; 8° London SPCK
1894 Toby : his experiences and opinions iv, 151 p. : ill., frontis. ; 16 cm. London A.D. Innes & Co
1895 Voyages en zigzag ... Selected, translated, and edited from Rodolphe Toepffer 127 p.
1895 Ups and Downs; or, the Life of a Kite 80 pages ; (8º) London CKS
1895 Walter's Feats. From the Swedish of Z. Topelius. Translated [from “Läsning för Barn”] by A. R. Hope 96 pages ; (8º) London Blackie & Son
1895 Young Travellers' Tales, etc. H. J. Draper 288 pages ; (8º) London Blackie & Son
1896 Black and blue Charles Oliver Murray 364 p. : ill. ; 20 cm. London A. & C. Black
1896 The lad from London Harold Copping 120, 32 p. : ill. ; 18 cm. London John Hogg
1896 The story of the Indian Mutiny 243 p., 8 p. of plates : 8 ill. ; 20 cm. London Frederick Warne and Co
1896 The white rat 16 p., [1] leaf of plates : ill. ; 16 cm. London Blackie & Son
1896 On the war-path and other schoolboy stories 4 unnumbered pages, viii, 315 pages, 1 unnumbered page : illustrations ; 19.0 cm London Gall & Inglis
1897 The Parish clerk 128p ; 19 cm. London SPCK
1897 The Fire at the Farm 64 pages ; (8º) London Dean & Son
1897 Half-Text History: chronicles of school life vi, 336 pages ; (8º) London A. & C. Black
1897 The Battle of Whistlebunkers and other stories 64 pages ; (8º); ill London Dean & Son
1898 Hero and heroine, by Ascott R. Hope cm.19 London
1898 Mr. Dalton's prescription : and other stories 269, [3] p. : 14 ill. ; 19 cm. London Sunday School Union
1899 Ready-Made Romance. Reminiscences of youthful adventure 358 pages ; (8º) London A. & C. Black
1900 Precocious prodigies p. 811-813 ; 8vo. London Religious Tract Society
1900 Sandy's secret 128, 16 p. ; 19 cm. Edinburgh W. P. Nimmo
1900 Tales for Toby W. Heath Robinson and S. Jacobs x, 207 p. : ill. ; 20 cm. London J. M. Dent & Co
1902 A midsummer carol H. K. Robinson 96, [8] p. : ill. ; 18 cm. London Ernest Nister
1904 Young head on old shoulders 179 p., [5] leaves of plates : ill. London Sunday School Union
1904 Stories D. Furniss xii, 447 p., [8] leaves of plates : 8 col. ill. ; 20 cm. London A. & C. Black
1905 Die Ostereier by Johann Christoph von Schmid. Translated, abridged and edited. 52 p.
1905 Die zwei Brüder by Jacob Grimm. Translated and edited.
1905 The Schoolboy Abroad 308 pages ; (8º) London A. & C. Black
1905 Wilful Willie 48 p. : ill. ; 17 cm. London Blackie & Son
1905 Stories from Grimm (translated) 122 p. : ill. ; 17 cm. London Blackie & Son
1905 Round the world 1 v. (unpaged) : ill. ; 26 cm. London Blackie & Son
1905 The world of to-day : a survey of the lands and peoples of the globe as seen in travel and commerce 6 volumes : illustrations (some color) ; 26 cm London Gresham Pub. Co
1905 The adventures of Punch S. Baghot-De la Bere 207 p., [12] leaves of plates : col. ill. ; 22 cm. London A. & C. Black
1906 Heroes of European history 256 p., [13] leaves of plates : ill. (some col.) ; 20 cm. London
1907 Dramas in Duodecimo: abstracts and brief chronicles of youth vi. 319 pages ; (8º) London A. & C. Black
1908 The world viii,184p.,37 leaves of plates : ill.(some col.),1 folded map ; 20 cm. London A. & C. Black
1909 Adventurers in America Henry Sandham ix, 355p : 12 f.p. col. ill  ; 21 cm. London A. & C. Black
1909 Seeing the world : the adventures of a young mountaineer Gordon Browne 296 p., [5] leaves of plates : 5 col. ill. ; 22 cm. London Wells Gardner, Darton
1909 Beasts of business George Vernon Stokes viii, 244 p., [8] leaves of plates : col. ill., frontis. ; 21 cm. London A. & C. Black
1910 Fifty-Two Stories of Classic Heroes ... Edited by Francis Storr Frank C. Papé 400 pages ; (8º) London Griffith & Farran
1912 Stories of Wild Beasts and their curious traits ... With illustrations 304 pages ; (8º) London Gall & Inglis
1912 Romance and legend of chivalry xii, 439 p. : ill., plates (some col.) ; 22 cm. London Gresham Pub. Co
1912 Classic myth and legend xvi, 443 p., 48 p. of plates (some col.) : ill. ; 22 cm. London Gresham Pub. Co
1913 Heroes of the European Nations. [Another edition of “Heroes of European History.” With illustrations.] vii, 194 p.
1913 Leaders & Landmarks in European History, from early to modern times. By A. R. Hope Moncrieff ... & the Rev. H. J. Chaytor, etc. [With plates and maps.] 4 volumes ; (8º) London Gresham Pub. Co
1913 Half and Half Tragedy. Scenes in black and white vi, 340 pages ; (8º) London A. & C. Black
1914 A book about authors : reflections and recollections of a book vii, 308 p. ; 21 cm. London A. & C. Black
1915 The School of Arms: stories of boy soldiers and sailors viii, 335 pages ; (8º) London G. Routledge & Sons
1916 The home story book: with George Manville Fenn 107 p. ; 4to. London
1918 Holiday Adventures ... New edition [of “An Album of Adventures”], etc. 332 pages ; (8º) London A. & C. Black
1918 The adventures of two runaways T. M. R. Whitwell 352 p., [8] leaves of plates : ill. ; 20 cm. London A. & C. Black
1919 The McKickshaws at School ... With ... illustrations, etc. (First published as “Half-Text History.”) 336 pages ; (8º) London A. & C. Black
1919 Schoolboys of other lands Walter Paget [iv], 308 p., [8] leaves of plates (incl. front.) : ill. ; 20 cm. London A. & C. Black
1920 The New World of To-Day ... With economic data supplied by Lionel W. Lyde ... and a series of maps. [Illustrated.] L. W. Lyde (8º) London Gresham Pub. Co
1920 Chieftain and chum : the story of a Highland holiday Allan Stewart vi, 308 p., [8] leaves of plates : ill. ; 20 cm. London A. & C. Black
1922 The fairy Christmas-boxes 1 v. ; 16 cm. London SPCK
1922 The home service : a household history 320 p. ; 19 cm. London Selwyn & Blount
1923 Heroines of European history 191 p., [9] p. of plates : ill. ; 19 cm. London Gresham Pub. Co
1924 Boys of Whitminster 312 p. ; 19 cm. London Sampson Low, Marston
1924 Redskins and settlers : stories of the wild west 248, 16 p. ; 19 cm. London Sampson Low, Marston
1924 The truant from school : an adventure in the backwoods 282 p., [8] leaves of plates : 8 ill. ; 19 cm. London Sampson Low, Marston
1924 The rise of the British Empire 192 p., [16] plates : ill., plates, ports ; 22 cm. London Blackie & Son
1925 A book about schools, schoolboys, schoolmasters and schoolbooks vii, 312 p ; 23 cm. London A. & C. Black
1926 The adventures of lazybones 62p ; 16 cm. London SPCK
1927 Comedies of Error. A book about ourselves vii, 304 pages ; (8º) London A. & C. Black
1928 Robert Hope Moncrieff: a memorial volume, etc. [Papers intended for a projected book “Romances of America.” With a portrait.] xx, 156 pages ; (8º); portrait frontispiece London Printed for private circulation
1929 Are ministerial missionaries needed? 25 p. ; 18 cm. Shanghai Presbyterian Mission Press

Black's Guides

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Adam and Charles Black published an extensive series of guides known as Black's Guides, as well as illustrated books describing different localities. Although Moncrieff is usually credited as the editor, the work was more involved than the term editor would suggest. Moncrieff said: I have edited, that is mainly written, or re-written, some dozens of guide-books, most of them appearing in successive editions.[18] The list of those which could be found in searches on the Jisc Library Hub Discover, which aggregates catalogues for academic libraries, and libraries of record in the UK and Ireland.[21] The differences between the editions were not trivial, and sometimes involved a complete rewrite. The more popular books were revised more often than the less popular books, as changes in railways, towns and cities, and in hotels and attractions brought the need for new editions. The table below is not exhaustive as not all of the different editions are held in the libraries.

The guides fall into two broad categories:

  • Books with a great deal of colour illustration with notes, such as Bonnie Scotland (1904), later republished as Scotland (1922). This had 75 leaves of colour illustrations from paintings by Harold Sutton Palmer. The notes did not so much describe the views painted, but put them in a historical and literary context, together with railway directions.
  • The Guides proper: Books that serve as tour guides, with maps, and accounts of places of interest, and journeys, be they on foot along the coast, or by rail or road.
Guide books written or edited by Robert Hope Moncrieff for Adam and Charles Black Limited
Year Title Edition Illustrator Pages
1892 Where shall we go? A guide to the watering-places and health resorts of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. 12th ed. pp. xxv, 348: plates; maps. ; 17 cm.
1893 Where to go Abroad. A guide to the watering-places and health resorts of Europe, the Mediterranean, etc. [With map.] xxii. 466 pages ; (8º)
1895 Black's Guide to the Isle of Wight including sailing directions for the Solent 13th ed. Maps by Walker and Boutall viii, 122p. maps ; sm.8vo.
1895 Black's guide to Devonshire 15th ed. 232 p., [10] leaves & [2] folded leaves of plates : maps ; 17 cm.
1895 Black's guide to Cornwall 16th ed. x, 186 p., [8] leaves of plates : maps ; 17 cm.
1896 Black's guide to Bournemouth and the New Forest 71 p., [3] folded leaves : maps ; 17 cm.
1896 Black's guide to Leamington, Warwick, Stratford-on-Avon, Kenilworth & Coventry 8th ed. 82, 128, [2] p., [5] leaves of plates (some folded) : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1896 Black's guide to the county of Sussex and its watering places 10th ed. 200,128p, [10]leaves of plates(6 fold) : ill, maps, plans ; 17 cm.
1896 Black's guide to the English Lakes 22nd ed. x, 223 p., [11] leaves & [8] folded leaves of plates : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1896 Black's guide to Edinburgh 24th ed. [8],110,[2],128p, 3 (fold)plates : illus, maps, plans ; 17.2 cm.
1897 Black's guide to Bath and Bristol, Clifton, Wells, Glastonbury etc. 6th ed. 87 p., [4] leaves & [1] folded leaf of plates : maps ; 17 cm.
1897 Black's guide to Dorset, Salisbury, Stonehenge, etc. 14th ed. vi, 132 p., [1] leaf & [1] folded leaf of plates : map, plan ; 17 cm.
1897 Black's guide to Hampshire 13th ed. xii, 184 p. ; 17 cm.
1898 Black's guide to Matlock, Dovedale and central Derbyshire 76 p., [4] leaves & [2] folded leaves of plates : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1898 Black's guide to Bournemouth and the New Forest 2nd ed. iv, 71 p., [3] folded leaves : maps ; 17 cm.
1898 Black's Guide to Surrey 5th ed. vi, 184 p., [4] folded leaves : maps ; 17 cm.
1898 Black's guide to Buxton and the peak country of Derbyshire 9th ed. 87 p., [2] leaves & [3] folded leaves of plates : maps ; 17 cm.
1898 Black's shilling guide to Scotland 10th ed. 143 p., [2] leaves & [1] folded leaf of plates : maps ; 17 cm.
1898 Black's guide to Sussex and its watering-places 11th ed. 200 p., [7] folded leaves : maps ; 17 cm.
1898 Black's guide to the county of Sussex and its watering places 11th ed. 200,132p, [9]leaves of plates(7 fold) : ill, maps, plans ; 17 cm.
1898 Black's guide to Brighton and its environs 12th ed. 95 p., [1] leaf & [1] folded leaf of plates : maps ; 17 cm.
1898 Black's guide to Devonshire 16th ed. 232 p., [10] leaves & [2] folded leaves of plates : maps ; 17 cm.
1898 Black's guide to Cornwall 17th ed. x, 186 p., [9] leaves of plates : maps ; 17 cm.
1899 Black's guide to Hastings & Eastbourne, St Leonards, Bexhill, Rye, Winchelsea, etc. 88 p., [2] leaves & [4] folded leaves of plates : maps ; 17 cm.
1899 Black's guide to Harrogate 11th ed. 88 p., [4] folded leaves : maps, plans ; 17 cm.
1899 Black's guide to the Isle of Wight : including sailing directions for the Solent 14th ed. vi, 122, 132 p., [8] leaves of plates : maps ; 17 cm.
1899 Black's guide to Scarborough & Whitby, Filey, Bridlington, Saltburn, Eskdale, etc. 19th ed. 88 p., [5] leaves & [3] folded leaves of plates : maps ; 17 cm.
1899 Black's guide to Edinburgh 25th ed. 110 p., [1] leaf & [2] folded leaves of plates : ill., maps, plans ; 17 cm.
1899 Blacks guide to Somerset 15th ed. xvi, 231, [1], 132 p. : maps (fold., col.) ; 8vo.
1900 Black's guide to the Wye 120 p., [3] leaves of plates : maps ; 17 cm.
1900 Black's guide to Manchester 11th ed. 84 p., [2] folded leaves of plates : maps ; 17 cm.
1900 Black's guide to the English Lakes 23rd ed. x, 223 p., [11] leaves & [8] folded leaves of plates : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1901 Black's guide to West Kent : Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone, Rochester, etc viii, 120 p., [8] leaves of plates, [5] folded leaves : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1901 Black's guide around London vi, 88 p., [5] leaves & [1] folded leaf of plates : maps ; 17 cm.
1901 Black's guide to Surrey 6th ed. vii, 184,128p : maps(col, fold)
1901 Black's guide to Cornwall 18th ed. x, 132 p. : ill., maps (1 folded), plans, plates ; 17 cm.
1901 Black's guide to the Trossachs, Loch Katrine, Loch Lomond, etc. 25th ed. viii, 92 p., [2] folded leaves : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1902 Black's guide to Exeter and East Devon : Seaton, Sidmouth, Exmouth, etc 76 p., [6] leaves & [3] folded leaves of plates : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1902 Black's guide around London viii, p. 86-156, [4] leaves & [1] folded leaves of maps : maps ; 17 cm.
1902 Black's guide to Bournemouth and the New Forest 4th ed. iv, 71 p., [3] folded leaves : maps ; 17 cm.
1902 Black's guide to Leamington, Warwick, Stratford-on-Avon, Kenilworth & Coventry 9th ed. 82 p., [7] leaves & [2] folded leaves of plates : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1902 Black's guide to Sussex and its watering-places 12th ed. 208 p., [5] leaves & [7] folded leaves of plates : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1902 Black's Guide to Dorset, Salisbury, Stonehenge etc. 15th ed. vi, 132 p., [7] leaves & [4] folded leaves of plates : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1902 Black's guide to Devonshire 17th ed. xix, 243 p. : ill.,maps (part folded), folded plan ; 17 cm.
1903 Around London : Black's guide to the environs for twenty miles viii, 248 p., [4] leaves & [6] folded leaves of plates : maps ; 17 cm.
1903 Black's guide to Manchester 12th ed. 84 p., [3] leaves & [2] folded leaves of plates : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1903 Black's guide to Edinburgh 26th ed. 110 p., [8] leaves & [2] folded leaves of plates : ill., maps, plans ; 17 cm.
1904 Black's guide to Sherwood Forest and South Derbyshire iv, 60 p., [5] leaves & [2] folded leaves of plates : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1904 Bonnie Scotland Sutton Palmer xi, 254 p., [75] leaves of plates : col. ill. ; 23 cm.
1904 Black's guide to Somerset 2nd ed. xvi, 231,114p, [6]plates : ill, maps(4 fold) ; 17 cm.
1904 Black's guide to Buxton and the Peak country of Derbyshire 10th ed. 87, 114 p. : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1904 Black's guide to Derbyshire with Sherwood Forest 18th ed. x, 78, 58, 56, iv p., [17] leaves & [3] folded leaves of plates : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1904 Black's guide to Hampshire : Bournemouth, New Forest, Winchester, Southampton, Portsmouth, etc 15th ed. vi,188;112p., leaves of plates : ill.., maps ; 17 cm.
1905 Black's guide to Surrey 7th ed. vi, 184 p., [5] leaves of plates, [4] folded leaves : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1905 Black's guide to Sussex and its watering-places 13th ed. 208 p., [8] leaves & [7] folded leaves of plates : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1906 The Highlands and Islands of Scotland William Smith, Jr. x, 231, 1 page, 40 col. preliminary leaves (incl. frontispiece) : folded map ; 23 cm.
1906 Black's guide to West Kent : Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone, Rochester, etc 2nd ed. viii, 120 p., [8] leaves of plates, [6] folded leaves : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1906 Black's guide to Devonshire 18th ed. xix, 243 pages : frontispiece, plates, maps (some folded) folded plan ; 17 cm.
1906 Surrey 1st ed. Sutton Palmer xi, 252 p : plates, fold. map ; 23 cm.
1907 Middlesex John Fulleylove ix, 159 p., [20] leaves of plates, [1] folded leaf of plates : ill., maps ; 23 cm.
1907 Black's guide to Dorset, Salisbury, Stonehenge, etc. 16th ed. vi, 136 p., [7] leaves & [4] folded leaves of plates : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1907 Black's guide to Cornwall 20th ed. x, 188 p., [16] leaves of plates : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1908 Isle of Wight Alfred Heaton Cooper viii, 175 p., [24] leaves of plates : ill. ; 23 cm. + folded maps.
1908 The Peak country W. Biscombe Gardner xii, 182, [2] p., 24 leaves of plates : col. ill. ; 20 cm.
1908 Kew Gardens Thomas Mower Martin x, 208 p. : frontispiece, [23] col. plates ; 21 cm.
1908 Black's guide to Bath and Bristol, Clifton, Wells, Glastonbury, etc. 9th ed 87 p. : 1 ill., maps
1909 Essex Louis Burleigh Bruhl xii, 26l, 1 p. : 75 col. pl. (incl. front., fold. map) ; 23 cm.
1909 The heart of Scotland Sutton Palmer x, 205 [1] p. : 24 col. pl. (incl.front.) fold. map. ; 26 cm.
1909 Black's guide to West Kent : Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone, Rochester, etc 3rd ed. viii, 120 p., [8] leaves of plates, [6] folded leaves : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1909 Black's guide to Surrey 8th ed. vi, 184 p., [4] leaves of plates & [4] folded leaves : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1910 Black's guide to Devonshire 18th ed. xix, 243 p. : ill. ; 17 cm.
1911 Black's guide to Exeter and East Devon : Seaton, Sidmouth, Exmouth, etc 2nd ed. 74,96p : ill, maps(2 fold), fold.plan ; 17 cm.
1911 Black's guide to Sussex and its watering-places 14th ed. 208, 88 p., [20] leaves of plates (7 fold.) : ill., col. maps (1 fold. in pocket) ; 17 cm.
1911 Black's guide to the county of Sussex and its watering places 14th ed. 208,96p, [17]leaves of plates(7 fold) : ill, maps, plan ; 17 cm.
1911 Black's guide to Devonshire 19th ed. xix, 243, 88 p. : ill., maps
1911 Black's guide to Cornwall 21st ed. x, 188 p., [16] leaves of plates : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1913 Black's guide to Hampshire: Bournemouth, New Forest, Winchester, Southampton, Portsmouth, etc 17th ed. 8vo.
1915 Black's guide to Dorset, Salisbury, Stonehenge, etc. 17th ed. vi, 136p, [8]plates : ill, maps(5 fold), plan ; 17 cm.
1919 Black's guide to Cornwall 22nd ed. 188p.
1920 The cockpit of Europe xii, 210 p : 32 col. plates, fold. map ; 23 cm.
1921 Black's guide to Dorset, Salisbury, Stonehenge, etc. 18th ed. vi, 136 p., [5] leaves & [5] folded leaves of plates : ill., maps ; 17 cm.
1921 Black's guide to Devonshire 20th ed. xv, 243 p. : ill. ; 17 cm.
1922 Scotland (2nd ed. of Bonnie Scotland) Sutton Palmer xi, [1], 259, [1] p. col. front., col. plates, illus. (map) 21 cm
1925 Highlands and islands of Scotland 2d ed. William Smith Jnr. xi, 234 p., 32 leaves of plates : ill., map. ; 21 cm.
1926 Black's guide to Dorset, Salisbury, Stonehenge, etc. 19th ed. vi, 136,36p, [3]plates : ill, maps(6 fold), plan ; 17 cm.
1926 Essex Rev. ed. Louis Burleigh Bruhl ix, 261 p., [32] leaves of plates : ill. ; 22 cm.
1927 Derbyshire W. Biscombe Gardner, W. Heaton Cooper vii, [1], 239 p. col. front., illus. (map) col. plates. 21 cm

Notes

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  1. ^ Ascott was never part of his name, but was adopted by him as part of his pseudonym. It may have been a punning reference to his origin A Scot. He used the name A. R. Hope Moncrieff for some of his books for adults, including the semi-autobiographical A Book About Authors.
  2. ^ The census shows that Maria Rodgers was born in Scotland. Her father was a staff officer, and presumably was posted to Ireland at the time.
  3. ^ The house is now occupied by the Perth Citizens' Advice Bureau. Archived 2017-05-24 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ The cause of death was given as hydrocephalus on the register of deaths.
  5. ^ The death register gives the cause as consumption (this usually means what is now called Tuberculosis) of some twelve months duration.
  6. ^ This house was occupied by Jane Hope Oliphant (31 July 1773 – 24 January 1861), the widow of a former officer of the East India Company. Mrs. Oliphant was rich, judging by the large number of servants she kept (housekeeper, cook, plus two female and two male servants), and generous, judging by her frequent subscriptions to good causes. Isabella's sisters, Margaret Isabel (14 October 1826 – 17 July 1879), and Mary Euphemia (5 April 1830 – 10 October 1866) were also married from this house. The house was sold for £3,225 in March 1861.
  7. ^ The death register says that he died of consumption which he had suffered from for several years
  8. ^ Moncrieff turned 20 in February 1866, so this book must have been published in 1864 or 1865. Oudendale: A story of schoolboy life is the most likely candidate, as the two other works dated for these years are a 24 page pamphlet for the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge in 1864 and a book on school life in France in 1865. The Oxford Companion to Children's Literature (1991, p.259) describes the plot as follows: Charlie Campion, a pupil at Oudendale College, shows 'pluckiness' in standing up to bullies, but gets into bad company; he drinks and smokes, and causes grave anxiety to Dr. Eden the head master. He is rescued by the good effects of Confirmation – whereupon he falls off a cliff and dies a holy death. Oudendale: A story of schoolboy life at the HathiTrust Digital Library
  9. ^ Moncrieff never placed another book with that publisher.
  10. ^ Given as Westminster in the catalogue, but examination of the original on Google Books shows that the name is Whitminster.
  11. ^ In A Book About Authors Moncrieff says that a fiction of his describing from materials supplied me the life of an Argentine settler, passed hardly doubted for fact (p.11)

References

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  1. ^ City and Parishes of Perth (4 April 1846). "February 1846: No. 84". Register of Births and Baptisms. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  2. ^ Liverpool Record Office (2 June 1845). "Reference 283 BRI/3/3". Liverpool, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932. Liverpool: Liverpool Records Office. p. 208.
  3. ^ Parish of Kinnoull. "(Old Parish Registers: Deaths 369/50 538 Kinnoull)". Register of Deaths. National Records of Scotland. p. 538.
  4. ^ "India Office Family History Search  >  Search Results  >  Record details: Isabella Roy: Birth". British Library: India Office: Family History Search. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  5. ^ "Wills and Probates 1858-1996: Pages for Roy and Year of Death 1879. p283". Find a Will Service. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  6. ^ "India Office Family History Search  >  Search Results  >  Record details: Peter Roy: Marriage". British Library: India Office: Family History Search. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  7. ^ "India Office Family History Search  >  Search Results  >  Record details: Peter Roy: Biography". British Library: India Office: Family History Search. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  8. ^ Alexander Dallas Bache (1839). Report on Education in Europe: To the Trustees of the Girard College for Orphans. Printed by Lydia R. Bailey. pp. 196–198. ISBN 9780608435053.
  9. ^ a b ""Ascott R. Hope" Dead". Northern Whig (Saturday 13 August 1927): 10. 13 August 1927.
  10. ^ Isabella survived him by 14 years.
  11. ^ Moncrieff, A. R. Hope (1914). "Introduction - The Author". A book About Authors: Reflections and Recollections of a Book-Wright. p. 5.
  12. ^ a b Moncrieff, A. R. Hope (1914). "Introduction - The Author". A book About Authors: Reflections and Recollections of a Book-Wright. p. 2.
  13. ^ Moncrieff, A. R. Hope (1914). "Introduction - The Author". A book About Authors: Reflections and Recollections of a Book-Wright. p. 3.
  14. ^ Moncrieff, A. R. Hope (1914). "Introduction - The Author". A book About Authors: Reflections and Recollections of a Book-Wright. p. 6.
  15. ^ a b c d Moncrieff, A. R. Hope (1914). "Introduction - The Author". A book About Authors: Reflections and Recollections of a Book-Wright. p. 12.
  16. ^ "Ascott R. Hope". Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail (Saturday 13 August 1927): 5. 13 August 1927.
  17. ^ "Books Received Yesterday". Westminster Gazette (Tuesday 28 May 1895): 6. 28 May 1895.
  18. ^ a b c Moncrieff, A. R. Hope (1914). "Introduction - The Author". A book About Authors: Reflections and Recollections of a Book-Wright. p. 8.
  19. ^ a b Moncrieff, A. R. Hope (1914). "Introduction - The Author". A book About Authors: Reflections and Recollections of a Book-Wright. p. 9.
  20. ^ Holland, Steve (25 August 2019). "British Juvenile Story Papers and Pocket Libraries Index". British Juvenile Story Papers and Pocket Libraries Index. Archived from the original on 19 February 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  21. ^ Jisc. "About Library Hub Discover". Library Hub Discover. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
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