Introduction

Lewis Carroll's connections with the Isle of Wight make an interesting area of study. The artistic and literary life on the island is of great significance and Carroll introduced himself into the group of writers and artists for a brief, but important period of his life. Several books and booklets give information about Carroll on the Isle of Wight or background information about the environment.

In addition to these items researchers will want to refer to some of the dozens of books written about Tennyson and Julia Margaret Cameron.

Isle of Wight Reading List

EPERSON, D B.
'The Friendship between Lewis Carroll and Lord Tennyson'
The Carrollian, Issue 6, Autumn 2000

A short piece describing Carroll's meeting with Tennyson on the Isle of Wight

FULLER, Hester Thackeray.
Three Freshwater Friends: Tennyson, Watts and Mrs Cameron.
Edited by Elizabeth Hutchings
Newport , Hunnyhill Publications, 5 th ed., 1998
ISBN: 0 9504736 8 5

Written in 1933 this booklet gives a portrait of these important Victorians and their influence on literary and artistic life on the Isle of Wight.

HINTON, Brian.
Immortal Faces: Julia Margaret Cameron on the Isle of Wight.
Newport , Isle of Wight County Press, 1992
ISBN: 1 870947 13 4

Reproductions of Cameron’s portraits of famous people with brief biography of Cameron and other relevant material.

LEACH, Karoline.
'"Lewis Carroll" as Romantic Hero; Anne Thackeray's From an Island'.
The Carrollian, Issue 12, Autumn 2003

An insightful exploration of the character of Lewis Carroll as it might be portrayed in Anne Thackeray's From an Island. The article prompted three (very different) responses from readers which are published in the subsequent iss of The Carrollian.

TENNYSON, Emily.
The Farringford Journal, 1853 – 1864
Edited by Richard J. Hutchings and Brian Hinton
Newport , Isle of Wight County Press, 1986
ISBN: 0 9510379 1 9

A fascinating account of Farringford life, with mention of Dodgson’s visit and insight into the literary and artistic world he briefly entered.

THACKERAY, Anne.
From an Island.
Edited by Elizabeth Hutchings
Newport , Hunnyhill Publications, 1996
ISBN: 0 9521939 1 4

Originally written in 1887, this short story describes a few days of life at Dimbola Lodge. The characters are heavily based on real visitors to the house and on echaracter is believed by many to be Lewis Carroll.

THWAITE, Ann.
Emily Tennyson: The Poet’s Wife.
London , Faber & Faber, 1997 (paperback edition)
ISBN: 0 571 19059 6

A comprehensive biography of Emily Tennyson, which includes several references to Dodgson.

TRUSS, Lynn.
Tennyson and his Circle.
London , National Portrait Gallery, 1999
ISBN: 1 85514 257 0

A beautifully illustrated introductory guide to Tennyson and his close artistic associates, including a section on Lewis Carroll.

TRUSS, Lynn.
Tennyson’s Gift.
London , Hamish Hamilton, 1996
ISBN: 0 241 13521 4
London , Penguin, 1997
ISBN: 0 14 024671 1

A comic novel based on life around Farringford. Tennyson, Watts, Terry, Cameron and Lewis Carroll all feature.

WRIGHT, Keith
'Agnes Grace Weld, "Little Red Riding Hood"'
The Carrollian, Issue 9, Spring 2002

Agnes Weld was one of Carroll's photographic models. His image of her as Little Red Riding Hood served as an introduction to Tennyson for Carroll. The article explores the Tennyson-Carroll relationship.

Credits

This page is dervied from material compiled by Alan White. Additional material has been supplied by Mark Richards.