Scope and Content Note
The first six volumes, (volumes 1-6 of the scrapbooks) were compiled between 1835-1846 by George Donisthorpe Thompson (1804-1878), British abolitionist, lecturer and antislavery activist. Thompson founded the Edinburgh Society for the Abolition of Slavery Throughout the World in 1833. He worked with William Lloyd Garrison, John Greenleaf Whittier and other members of the American Anti-Slavery Society and was instrumental in establishing early abolitionist societies in both the United Kingdom and the United States. In 1847, Thompson was elected as a Member of Parliament where he served until 1852. The collection also comprises of 13 volumes (volumes 7-19 of the scrapbooks) compiled between 1854-1886 by Frederick William Chesson (1833 or 1834-1888), English journalist, influential anti-slavery proponent and secretary of the London Aborigines’ Protection Society.
Volumes 1-3 collected by George Thompson (1835) include newspaper and journal articles from: The Liberator that reprinted articles from the Abolitionist, Augusta Chronicle (Georgia), Baltimore Patriot, Boston Advocate, Boston Chronicle and Reformer, Boston Commercial Gazette, Boston Daily Advertiser, Boston Recorder, Charleston Courier, Charleston Mercury, Christian Advocate and Journal, Christian Watchman, Cincinnati Chronicle, Cincinnati Gazette, Detroit Journal, Downington Standard (Pa.), Emancipator, Fall River Recorder, Hallowell Free Press, Hampshire Republican, Herald of Freedom, Lowell Times, Lynchburg Virginian, Lynn Recorder (Mass.), Millenial Trumpeter, Morning Star (New Hampshire), New Bedford Mercury, New England Spectator, New Hampshire Patriot, New Orleans Bee, New York Baptist Register, New York Commercial Advertiser, New York Courier and Enquirer, New York Evangelist, New York Evening Post, New York Evening Star, New York Journal of Commerce, New York Morning Herald, Observer (New York), Ohio Observer, Philadelphia Gazette, Providence Gazette and Country Journal, Republican Standard (Pennsylvania), Richmond Compiler, Richmond Whig, Salem Landmark, Salem Register, South Carolina Patriot, Southern Christian Herald, Spectator (Boston), Standard and Democrat, Utica Standard (New York), Vanity Fair, Washington Globe, Washington Telegraph and Zion's Herald. Volumes 1-3 collected by George Thompson (1835) include newspaper and journal articles from: The Liberator that reprinted articles from the Abolitionist, Augusta Chronicle (Georgia), Baltimore Patriot, Boston Advocate, Boston Chronicle and Reformer, Boston Commercial Gazette, Boston Daily Advertiser, Boston Recorder, Charleston Courier, Charleston Mercury, Christian Advocate and Journal, Christian Watchman, Cincinnati Chronicle, Cincinnati Gazette, Detroit Journal, Downington Standard (Pa.), Emancipator, Fall River Recorder, Hallowell Free Press, Hampshire Republican, Herald of Freedom, Lowell Times, Lynchburg Virginian, Lynn Recorder (Mass.), Millenial Trumpeter, Morning Star (New Hampshire), New Bedford Mesaturdarcury, New England Spectator, New Hampshire Patriot, New Orleans Bee, New York Baptist Register, New York Commercial Advertiser, New York Courier and Enquirer, New York Evangelist, New York Evening Post, New York Evening Star, New York Journal of Commerce, New York Morning Herald, Observer (New York), Ohio Observer, Philadelphia Gazette, Providence Gazette and Country Journal, Republican Standard (Pennsylvania), Richmond Compiler, Richmond Whig, Salem Landmark, Salem Register, South Carolina Patriot, Southern Christian Herald, Spectator (Boston), Standard and Democrat, Utica Standard (New York), Vanity Fair, Washington Globe, Washington Telegraph and Zion's Herald.
Volumes 4-6 collected by George Thompson include newspaper and journal articles from the Aberdeen Herald, Aghra Ukhbar, Anti-Slavery Register, Anti-Slavery Reporter, Anti-Slavery Standard, Asiatic Journal, Belfast Whig, Birmingham Journal, British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Reporter, British Emancipator, Christian Advocate, Christian's Penny Record, Delhi Gazette Extraordinary, Friend of India, Glasgow Argus, Glasgow Chronicle, Globe, Great Western Local Chronicle, Inquirer, Justitia (Chichester), Liverpool Courier, Liverpool Times, Manchester Times, Morning Advertiser, Morning Herald, New York Anti-Slavery Standard, New York Observer, Nonconformist, Patriot, Scottish Piliot, Tyne Mercury, Ulster Banner, Universe, Watchman, Witness, as well as some pamphlets and extracts from Alexander's East India and Colonial Magazine, Lindfield Reporter, or Philanthropic Magazine, Miscellaneous Intelligencer and Parbury's Oriental Herald.
Volumes 7-19 collected by F.W. Chesson include clippings of articles written by or about him and published in Aberdeen Free Press, Aborigines' Friend, Academy, Alliance News, Anti-Game-Law Circular, Anti-Slavery Advocate, Argus, Athenaeum, British Trade Journal, Chatham Advertiser, Christian Work, Colonial Intelligencer, Daily News, Daily Chronicle, Daily Telegram, Echo, Editorial Note Book, Empire, Englishman, Evening Mail, Examiner, Folkestone Express, Friend, Glasgow Herald, Globe, Greenwich and Deptford Chronicle, Guardian, Herald of Peace, Independent, Indian Spectator, Journal of Society of Arts, Kensington Times, Leisure Hour, Levant Herald, Liberator, Library, Licensed Victuallers' Gazette, Liverpool Daily Post, London Anti-Slavery Reporter, Manchester Guardian, Manchester Times, Merchants and Planters Gazette, Mercury, Methodist Times, Morning Star, Natal Mercury, Nation, National Review, New York Evening Post, New York Independent, New Zealand Herald, Nonconformist, Pall Mall Gazette, Platform, Preston Guardian, St. James Magazine, Scotsman, Spectator, Standard, Star, Star and Dial, Statesman, Sword and the Trowel, Times and Vanity Fair.
Four separately published pamphlets in the scrapbooks have been cataloged separately and are listed in the Library’s online cataloging. They include:
Debate on the Motion of T. Fowell Buxton, Esq., M.P., for Protecting the Civil Rights and Imparting Civilization and the Christian Religion to the Native Inhabitants of the British Colonies. London: Printed for the proprietor of "The Mirror of Parliament", 1834. lccn: 2013659694
Remonstrance on the Subject of American Slavery, by the Inhabitants of Dumbarton and the Vale of Leven. [Glasgow: W. Lang, 1837]. LCCN: 2013659695
Report of the Proceedings at a Meeting of the Aborigines Protection Society. Newcastle Upon Tyne: Printed by W. and H. Mitchell, St. Nicholas' Church-Yard, [1838]. LCCN: 2013659692
Thompson, George, 1804-1878. India and the Colonies. [Edinburgh]: Printed at the Pilot Office by Alex. Murray, 1838. lccn: 2013659693