To celebrate Valentine’s Day we have collated a selection of love themed material from Special Collections.
Our collection of women’s magazines include many short stories of a romantic nature:
Extract from “Cupid on Crutches”, The Lady’s World, Feb 1902
Illustration “The Ring”, from The Lady’s World, Jan 1902
Our small collection of Victorian Sheet Music covers includes this romantic scene.
!["Down Where the Blue Bells Grow", written by J Bruton, composed by Alexander Lee, published by D'Almaine and Co [1851]](https://dmuheritage.our.dmu.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2017/02/VSM5_Down-Where-the-Blue-Bells-Crow001.jpg)
“Down Where the Blue Bells Grow”, written by J Bruton, composed by Alexander Lee, published by D’Almaine and Co [1851]
And all of joy below
I love to stray at the close of day
In the vale where the blue bells grow”
Questionable advice for the unlucky in love from Jackie Annual 1977
How does your star sign affect your love life? Jackie Annual tells all, 1977
Love is traditionally seated in the heart, although the heart shape ubiquitous at this time of year bears only passing resemblance to the actual organ.
Diagram of the heart from “The Descriptive Atlas of Anatomy”, 1880, from the Leicester Royal Infirmary Nurses’ Library
Valentine’s Day reminds us that Spring is approaching, and as this illustration of the folk song “Come Lasses and Lads” shows, Spring is the time for lovers to dance around the maypole, a suggestive courtship ritual.
From “Come Lasses and Lads”, R Caldecott Picture Books, 1910
From “Come Lasses and Lads”, R Caldecott Picture Books, 1910
From “Come Lasses and Lads”, R Caldecott Picture Books, 1910
