Summer 2009 - Sir John Soane's Museum

A New Book for Children at the Soane:
The Journal of Mrs Soane’s Dog, Fanny, by Herself
30 subscribers have each contributed £500 to pay for the
publication of a new book for children The Journal of Mrs
Soane’s Dog, Fanny, by Herself to be published in autumn 2010.
Commissioned by the Museum, the book is based on the
fictitious adventures of Mrs Soane’s dog – Fanny – a lively
Manchester Terrier whose portrait can be found in various
locations around the Museum and who is buried in a
touching monument in the Monk’s Yard. The Journal of Mrs
Soane’s Dog, Fanny, by Herself has been written by the acclaimed
author Mirabel Cecil with beautiful illustrations by the artist
Francesca Martin.
The inspiration for publishing by subscription came from
an example in the Museum’s Research Library: by this means
Robert Adam’s handsome account of The Ruins of the Palace
of the Emperor Diocletian at Spalatro in Dalmatia eventually
Fanny and her friend Mew, the next-door cat
sir john soane’ s museum, 13 lincoln’ s inn fields, london wc2a 3bp
Tel: 020 7405 2107 Website: www.soane.org
appeared in 1764, and there was a list of over 500 subscribers
– including Frederick the Great!
The Museum’s aspirations were more modest and needed
only 30 subscribers to support the project. Thanks to the
generous response from individuals, the Museum will now
be able to produce 5,000 copies of the book, which will be
hardback, 64 pages long, with full colour original illustrations
throughout and which will retail at just under £10.00; the
proceeds of which will go directly to supporting the Opening
up the Soane appeal.
Look out for its publication later next year.
mike nicholson
development director