The Holy Bible Containing The Old and New Testaments
Appointed To Be Read In Churches
Publisher: George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode: London 1870
Includes Original Family History For The Gainfort & Thompson Families Married In Melbourne, October, 1872.
"This dignified 1870 folio Bible, printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for the British and Foreign Bible Society, represents one of the classic Victorian family editions appointed to be read in churches. Bound in its original richly panelled and blind-tooled leather, with raised bands and a commanding shelf presence, it offers the full text of the Old and New Testaments "translated out of the original tongues" and "diligently compared and revised," reflecting the formal ecclesiastical typography and layout characteristic of high-quality London printings of the era. The wide margins, clear double-column setting, and neat cross-references exemplify the refinement and legibility of mid-nineteenth-century Bible production.
What elevates this volume beyond its textual importance is the intact family register documenting the union of two early colonial families. The presentation leaf records that the Bible was gifted to Mary Elizabeth Gainfort as a wedding present from her father, dated Melbourne, 19 October 1872. Following this is a beautifully handwritten genealogical entry detailing the marriage of David Henry Thompson, born in Cambridgeshire in 1844, and Mary Elizabeth Gainfort, born in Dublin in 1849, who were wed at Wesley Church, Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, on the same date. These entries provide a rare and moving record of immigrant lives woven into the fabric of nineteenth-century Victoria.
Surviving with its original binding and possessing such clear provenance, this 1870 family Bible is both a handsome example of Victorian religious printing and a valuable genealogical artefact of early Melbourne society. It would appeal strongly to collectors of colonial Australian history, enthusiasts of family-record Bibles, and those who appreciate historical volumes that preserve the lived stories of the families who cherished them."
General wear with minor peeling to covers and spine. Covers are firmly attached and the binding in general is in excellent condition. There are no loose pages. Several Family Register notes completed at the front of the bible as noted. A beautiful bible in very good condition overall. Please study photos to further understand condition.
