Rev. Cuthbert's Book Cabinet

This teak Book Cabinet has a large brass plaque to the side noting that it was given to the Reverend Cuthbert by the Clergy of the Diocese of Leighlin on his departure to India.

George Goring Cuthbert was a resident of Dublin Street, Carlow, Ireland when he decided to join the Church Missionary Society. The year he left, 1845, was also the time of the great famine in Ireland. Cuthbert became Secretary of the CMS in Calcutta and appears to have stayed in India until 1861. Cuthbert wrote a significant amount of correspondence relating to the Indian Mutiny including descriptions of Lucknow. He also described visits to the missions in Tinnevelly and the Krishnaghur district and sketched what he saw. The book cabinet has 3 shelves to each side with 2 fixed to the top and bottom and the middle shelf adjustable to 3 different positions. The book cabinet also has a short shelf to the top of each side which is less than half the depth in size. The bottom shelves are set low to create a small area for papers or to lie a book down; one side has a divider to the middle. The book cabinet is closed by two locks. It is uncommon for book cabinets to have name plaques, let alone one giving so much information. We can assume that it was made in Ireland and although it may have been bought in Dublin there were at least 4 cabinet makers in Carlow at this date, Michael Barrington, Bernard, Peter Nolan and William Pendred. The last two of whom worked in the same street as Cuthbert.

The plaque is dated Carlow July 28th, 1845.

Fully open size is given.