A captivating chapter of literary history has been revealed by the team at Lincoln Cathedral – an invitation to a dinner party dating back to 1875, issued by the illustrious Lewis Carroll. The invite was designated for Henry Ramsden Bramley, a past precentor of Lincoln, famed for his significant part in the Victorian renaissance of Christmas carols. The high-profile guest list included Carroll’s one-time tutor, Professor Bartholomew Price, as well as Reverend John Slatter, both renowned for their scholarly associations with the author. In-house curator, Fern Dawson, referred to the invitation as a ‘buried treasure’ and pointed out its seating plan drawing upon Shakespeare’s ‘cloud-kissed towers’ from The Tempest.
The detailed dining plan gives an intriguing insight into the gastronomic preferences of the era, boasting offerings such as soup, fiery curry, lamb cutlets, apple souffle, and apricot cream. Dawson commented on the menu’s imaginative resemblance to Carroll’s writings, drawing parallels with the Mad Hatter’s tea party scene.
As a tribute to this unearthed document, snippets from the invitation will be woven into the costumes for an imminent performance of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ at Lincoln Arts Centre, planned for the 11th, 12th and 13th of December. Event attendees can rummage through a concealed handkerchief in the Mad Hatter’s costume for the historic imprints.
This find not only broadens our comprehension of Carroll’s links to Lincolnshire, but also provides a visible connection to the forthcoming on-stage adaptation of his much-loved work.
This narrative was reformatted by The Lincoln Post based on initial coverage from www.bbc.com.
