Hull History Centre: Yorkshire: Painted and Described

Unlocking the Treasures [1^st August – Yorkshire Day]

“Yorkshire: Painted and Described” by Gordon Home

This book is a first edition published in 1908 by A & C Black, London. The author, Gordon Cochrane Home, was born in London in 1878 and was an English landscape artist, writer and illustrator. He worked as an art editor at “The Tatler” [this was a British magazine that focused on fashion, lifestyle, high society and politics]. He served as a Major in the Royal Army Service Corps from 1914 to 1920 in France and North Africa.

Home worked mainly in watercolour and pen and ink and frequently exhibited at the Royal Academy. He wrote and illustrated many travel and history books for A & C Black.

“Yorkshire – God’s own country” is a phrase used far and wide but especially by those of us lucky enough to call “Yorkshire” home. “Yorkshire: Painted and Described” [photo 1 - Book cover] is a

Photo 1. Front Cover of "Yorkshire: Painted and Described" by Gordon Home [Ref: L.9.4]

visual treat and the seventy one incredible illustrations aptly exemplify the beauty and majesty of the Yorkshire landscape – it’s incredible variety of historical sites, open moorland, gentle sloping dales, leafy woodland, wind- swept hills, golden beaches, spectacular cliffs and coastal landscapes are all encapsulated in this one book. The illustrations included in the volume demonstrate the spectacular artistry of Mr Home as well as the sheer beauty of Yorkshire. What is so wonderful is that although the illustrations were drawn over one hundred years ago, often as not, they reflect the scenes that still exist today.

The author originally published a series of three books on Yorkshire – “Yorkshire Vales and Wolds, painted and described by Gordon Home” [this is also available to view at the Hull History Centre]; “Yorkshire Coast and Moorland Scenes” and “Yorkshire Dales and Fells”. These proved so successful that A & C Black then published the three volumes as one book.

To all those lucky enough to live in Yorkshire – “Happy Yorkshire Day!”

To those who do not - you are welcome to visit us at any time to enjoy the stunning scenery [photo 2 – Roseberry Topping, photo 3 – Whitby Harbour].