• Home
  • About Us
    • Membership >
      • Application Form
    • Committee and Constitution
    • Cookie Notice
  • Current Season
    • Syllabus 2021/22
    • Syllabus 2020/21
    • Syllabus 2019/20
    • Syllabus 2018/19
    • Syllabus 2017/18
    • Syllabus 2016/17
    • Syllabus 2015/16
    • Syllabus 2014/15
    • Syllabus 2013/14
    • Syllabus 2012/13
    • Syllabus 2011/12
    • Syllabus 2010/11
    • Syllabus 2009/10
    • Syllabus 2008/09
  • Stirling's History
    • On This Day >
      • 16th January 1520
      • 4th December 1214
      • 19th Century Dates >
        • 31st January 1865
        • 1st March 1848
        • 6th May 1866
        • 11th May 1866
        • 23rd May 1899
        • 28th June 1814
        • 30th July 1870
        • 26th August 1899
        • 10th - 11th September 1877
        • 11th November 1878
      • 20th Century Dates >
        • 10th May 1924
        • 13th June 1900
        • 11th July 1914
        • 25th July 1911
        • 5th December 1905
    • Wallace Monument
    • Municipal Buildings
    • Stirling's Burial Grounds >
      • Ballengeich Cemetery
      • Blackfriars
      • Cambuskenneth Abbey
      • Erskine Mary-kirk
      • Stirling Holy Rude Kirk-yard >
        • Holy Rude Kirk-yard local fashion
        • Holy Rude Kirk-yard emblems
        • Holy Rude Kirk-yard new fashions
      • Snowdon Cemetery
      • Valley Cemetery >
        • Valley Cemetery Gravestones
    • Stirling's Prisons >
      • Tolbooth as Prison
      • Stirling Jail
    • Stirling's Schools
    • Stirling's Sports >
      • Kings Park Football Club >
        • Season 1898-1899
        • Dewar Shield Winners >
          • Dewar Shield 1899
      • Roller Skating Rink >
        • Roller Skating Opening
        • Olympia Roller Skating Rink
        • Roller Skating Carnivals
        • Roller Skating Charity Carnivals
        • Roller Skating Hockey
        • Roller Skating Sports Events
      • Raploch Skating Pond >
        • Search for Site
        • Opening Raploch Skating Pond
        • Managing Skating Pond >
          • Season 1902-1903
          • Regulations for Skating Pond
          • Busiest Season 1925
        • Ice Carnivals
        • Refreshment Room
    • Stirling's People >
      • John Allan, Architect
      • Dr. G.T. Galbraith >
        • Recollect 1
        • Recollect 2
      • David Taylor, Poet >
        • Royal Wedding Day Poem
      • Stirling Criers >
        • Dannie McVean
        • Isaac Spyron
        • Tammy Chalmers
    • Stirling Council Archives >
      • S.C.A. 2014 Collect >
        • S.C.A. Dr Welsh Trust Photos
        • S.C.A. Stirling of Gargunnock
        • S.C.A. Cambuskenneth Crossing
        • S.C.A. General Strike 1926
        • S.C.A. Customs Payable 1755
        • S.C.A. Whinwell Home
        • S.C.A. WW1 Postcards
        • S.C.A. Wallace Monument
        • S.C.A. Duncan McInnes
      • S.C.A. 2013 Collect >
        • S.C.A. Dr T. Lucas Diaries
        • S.C.A. Valentine's Day Cards
        • S.C.A. Old Polmaise House
        • S.C.A. Doune SWRI 1934
        • S.C.A. Aerial Photo Stirling
        • S.C.A. Deanston Mill c1930
        • S.C.A. Map of Cambuskenneth
        • S.C.A. Drymen Reading Club
      • S.C.A. 2012 Collect >
        • S.C.A. Conventicles Letter
        • S.C.A. Killearn Hospital
        • S.C.A. Titanic Anniversary
        • S.C.A. Modern Housing 1936
        • S.C.A. Trial of Radicals
        • S.C.A. Touch House Sale
        • S.C.A. Snowdon Industrial School for Girls
        • S.C.A. Suffragette Action
        • S.C.A. 2nd World War Scrapbook
      • S.C.A. 2011 Collect >
        • S.C.A. McLaren Collect
        • S.C.A. Debtors Prison
        • S.C.A. C.R.Mackintosh
        • S.C.A. Murray Polmaise Collect
    • Further Information >
      • Local Organisations
      • National Sources
  • Projects and Development
    • John Allan Booklet
    • Stirling Stone Survey
    • King's Knot Survey >
      • King's Knot Survey Techniques
      • King's Knot Survey Results
      • King's Knot Pictures
      • King's Knot Pictures more
      • King's Knot Poster
      • September Continuation
      • King's Knot Survey Updated Results
      • King's Knot Survey Interpretation
      • King's Knot Radar Survey
  • Blog
Stirling Local History Society

23rd May 1899 the Inauguration of Lewis Carroll Memorial ‘Alice in Wonderland Cot’

On Tuesday afternoon of the 23rd May 1899, the Duchess of Montrose inaugurated the ‘Alice in Wonderland Cot’ which would be placed in the Stirling Royal Infirmary.  The Lewis Carroll Committee had raised the sum of £400 for its endowment and the ceremony took place in the Public Hall, Albert Place, Stirling (Albert Hall) with a large gathering in attendance. There were many children in the audience reflecting their efforts in making the fund raising a success. The Duchess was accompanied on the platform by a large party including Sir Alan and Lady Seton Stewart, Colonel Murray of Polmaise, Colonel Stirling of Gargunnock and Lady Georgina Home Drummond. 

Mr D. H. Erskine of Cardross, President of the Infirmary, presided and after a few introductory remarks called upon Dr Aikman, chairman of the Memorial Committee, to give a short history of the movement and to introduce the Duchess. Mr Aikman spoke of their appeal for subscriptions for a suitable memorial for the popular author. There had been an ice carnival on Airthrey Loch during the previous winter which was very successful and he thanked Mr Graham of Airthrey for his kindness in allowing them to hold it. He also thanked the ladies who had worked hard for the success of the jumble sale and likewise the teachers of the various schools and the pupils who contributed a considerable portion of the cost of erecting and endowing the cot. 
Lewis Carroll (Charles Dodgson) died on 14th January 1898. He was the author of ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ which was published in 1865. It gained steady popularity, and as a result, Carroll wrote the sequel ‘Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There’ in 1871. 
By the time of his death, Alice had become the most popular children's book in Britain.

References:
Stirling Observer, 26th May, 1899, Scotsman 24th May 1899.
Wikipedia entry for Lewis Carroll.

After accepting a bouquet of flowers from the children the Duchess then made many remarks about Lewis Carroll and the amazing story of Alice in Wonderland and its enduring popularity with children and how the cot was a fitting memorial to his memory. The Duchess then presented a cheque from the subscribers to the Director of the Infirmary and also an additional cheque from an anonymous friend for the purchase of books by Lewis Carroll for the amusement of the children occupying the cot. The cot was fitted with a brass plate inscribed with ‘Alice in Wonderland Cot 1899’.

SLHS is a Registered Charity: No.SCO38247
Site and content copyright © SLHS All rights reserved
Proudly powered by Weebly