BUCHANAN’S SHORT STORIES

Stormbeaten:  or Christmas Eve at the “Old Anchor” Inn.
(Written in collaboration with Charles Gibbon.) London: Ward Lock & Co., 1862.

I must thank Dr Richard Beaton for providing the following information about this early book of Buchanan's. It is a “Christmas book” in the Dickens tradition (i.e. a collection of stories and poems with a linking narrative), and it has a short introduction, dated December 1861, signed “Williams Buchanan” with a note before the text stating that parts of the book had been published in All the Year Round and Once a Week. There is no further indication as to who wrote what, but one presumes that all the poems are by Buchanan. The contents are as follows:

Introduction: How the good ship Boomerang was Storm-Beaten; how we were compelled to put back into the port of Scuttleton-upon-Kegg; and how we came together on Christmas-eve in the “Old Anchor Inn”.
The Barrister’s Story -- Recalled to Life
The Cadaverous Gentleman's Story -- A Woman’s Heart
The Captain’s Story -- Tubb’s Demon
The Sickly Gentleman’s Story -- Reuben Gray (poem)
The Genteel Young Gentleman’s Story -- My Aunt’s Umbrella
The Scotch Lady’s Story -- Jessie Cameron's Bairn
The Cabin Boy’s Story -- Faithful and Brave (poem)
The Doctor’s Story -- A Parisian Mstery
The Quiet Lady’s Story -- Cousin Bertha
The Scotch Gentleman’s Story -- Innis Farm
The Gold-Digger’s Story -- Forgiven (poem)
The Seaman’s Story -- A Life Struggle
The Stout Ruddy Gentleman’s Story -- A Jolly Christmas
The Waits -- Christmas Carol (poem)
The Mate’s Story -- A Haunted Life
Conclusion: How a murder was committed in the “Old Anchor Inn” ten years previous to our meeting; how we discovered the murderer; how I learnt the meaning of the cabin-boy’s story; and how we parted.

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The book is not mentioned in Harriett Jay’s biography, but Buchanan’s friendship with Gibbon is dealt with in Chapter VIII: Friendships, 1864. Here’s the opening section:

“Then it was that he made the acquaintance of Charles Gibbon, who was a year or so younger than himself. The pair first met at Herne Bay, whither they had gone for a few days’ recreation, and on their return to London they set up housekeeping together, Gibbon going to share the “bankrupt garret” in Stamford Street. Besides assisting his friend in the production of copy for Mr. Maxwell, Mr. Gibbon wrote a good deal of fiction on his own account. Although their earnings at that time were not great they were both at work far into the watches of the night, reading, writing, studying, like young fellows cramming for an examination. Every night a pot of strong coffee was set upon the hob, and out of this pot they refreshed themselves, fighting hard against the natural desire for sleep, and again and again tumbling off into a troubled doze till daylight came and they crept wearily to bed. There was no absolute necessity for their burning the midnight oil in this fashion, and indeed the poet never contracted this ugly habit until Mr. Gibbon became his companion.”

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Red and White Heather: North Country tales and ballads.
London: Chatto and Windus, 1894

Contents:

A Highland Princess
The Ballad of Lord Langshaw (poem)
The Legend of the Mysterious Piper
The Broken Tryst (poem)
Mis Jean’s Love Story
The Dumb Bairn (poem)
Sandie McPherson
L’ Envoi (poem)

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Buchanan also wrote stories for magazines, but these have never been published in book form. John A. Cassidy’s bibliography lists two:

“A Heart Struggle. A Tale in Two Parts,” Part I, Temple Bar, IV (December, 1861), 137-50; Part II (January, 1862), 195-215.

“Lady Letitia’s Lilliput Hand,” Part I, Temple Bar, IV (March, 1862), 551-79; Part II, V(April, 1862), 114-31.

And in The Penny Illustrated Paper (2 December, 1882 - p. 2) I came across this mention of a Christmas story by Buchanan published in the 1882 Christmas Supplement to the Illustrated London News:

     Cinderella (as charmingly painted by Mr. Millais for the proprietors of the Illustrated London News, who paid the illustrious Artist 3000 guineas for the work of art) has proved the popular picture I predicted it would be. I have no doubt Messieurs Leighton Brothers would tell you that Cinderella is by far the most successful Christmas Supplement they have printed for the Illustrated London News since they produced Little Red Riding Hood. The orders received from the great firm of Messrs. W. H. Smith and Sons alone are something colossal, I'm told. As for the Christmas Number itself, that is furnished by Mr. Robert Buchanan with a Christmas Story far above the average in literary merit; and is embellished with a host of welcome Illustrations from the pencils of Kate Greenaway, Fred. Barnard, Alfred Hunt, G. H. Boughton, R. C. Woodville, S. Read, Harry Furniss, and others. A wonderfully good Shillingsworth!

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