The Alcock Album: Scenes of China Consular Life 1843-1853 - by Andrew Hillier (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

This book is a collection of watercolours and sketches by Henrietta Alcock and her husband, the British Consul, Rutherford Alcock, along with the stories behind them. The more than 100 images in this book feature picturesque natural landscapes, traditional Chinese architecture, and scenes of consular life. They bring Henrietta Alcock out of the shadows, providing a unique picture of her as an amateur artist, the wife of a consul and, most importantly, a woman in empire.

About the Author

Dr Andrew Hillier is an Honorary Research Associate at the University of Bristol. He is the author of Mediating Empire: An English Family in China 1817- 1927 (Renaissance Books, 2020) and editor of My Dearest Martha: The Life and Letters of Eliza Hillier (City University of Hong Kong Press, 2021). He has published articles in the Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History and Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong. He is an active contributor to the Historical Photographs of China Project (www.hpcbristol.net/), which locates, digitises, and archives historical photographs of China.