Noumea/New Caledonia Almanac, 'Agenda-Buvard' from 1897-1898, 2 almanacs

Bordeaux: G. Delmas, 1898. Hardcover. Very good condition. Two almanac / diaries by a woman with ties to Noumea, but apparently lived in Melbourne, Australia. Includes printed French advertisements, comical cartoons, tables, New Caledonia facts, government pages, tariffs, recipes and maps of New Caledonia and Noumea and the sea route from France, b&w photo illustrations of the ships Saint-Pierre, Saint Antoine, Saint Louis interspersed throughout, with manuscript additions. Also a b&w double page illustration of L. Ballande Fils Aine, a mercantile store in Noumea on Rue de l'Alma and Rue Austerlitz.

The diary owner awaits letters from 'Tom" in Noumea, and a niece Bina Witt moves from Macedon to Noumea. Hand written entries (in English) include the births and deaths of friends and neighbors, and final resting place as Melbourne Cemetery; visits to friends, recipes, recording when letters were written, poems etc. One entry is a particularly sad one at the end of 1897, "My dearly loved child (Lucy) died on Friday January 4, 1898 and was buried on the next day Saturday. At rest."

At the beginning of the 1898 almanac, "My dear daughter died this morning [1/7/1898] between ten and eleven o'clock after about a months illness leaving a broken hearted husband and children to mourn her loss."

Also glued into the front of the 1898 volume:
'Geoffrey Orlando William Witt, born the 26th July 6 years. Walter George Herbert Witt born 9th January 1886 12 years. Arthur Henry Bridgeman Witt born the 5th of January 1884. 14 years.'
[with]
"Numea"/New Caledonia & "S. S. Island," albumen photographs, 1880. Two large impressive photographs laid down on a thick album page, and captioned in a period hand, in ink below the image. The first titled, "Numea," a bird's eye view of the French colonial town, showing the town and major buildings (military prison), and the harbor with tall masted ships, in the distance. 10 1/2 x 8 3/4". On the verso, "S. S. Island" showing a large thatched roof native dwelling with a man in western attire standing outside, set in a very dramatic jungle and mountainous landscape, likely Tahiti. 9 1/2 x 7 1/4". Album sheet, thick stock, 11 3/4 x 9 1/4", browned, chipped at corners and one edge. Images very good condition.

Small 4to, 11 x 7 1/2", 1897 volume has blue cloth covers with red/blue flag "L.B." (Balland) on front, 116pp, newspaper quality paper, manuscript additions. 1898 volume has maroon cloth covers with red/blue flag "L.B." (Balland) on front, 114pp, lacking title page, manuscript additions, hinges supported with acid free tape.