One of 41 sketches in a volume of pen and ink sketches (41), beginning with Caldecott's early career in the M&S Bank in Manchester, up to the success of 'Old Christmas' and his first oil painting at the Royal Academy. Some of the sketches are on note-paper or envelopes, bearing the address of the Manchester and Salford Bank, where Caldecott was a clerk until 1872. The volume originally belong to William Clough, who was an official at the bank. His autographed signature is on the fly-leaf, and the title is in his writing. E.3694-1927 is described as 'Last drawing done in the bank 1872'. E.3695-1927 is a portion of a letter written to Wm. Clough from 46 Gt. Russell Street, London, W. C. on the 3/4 Dec. 1872, and is headed with a self-portrait of the artistworking by the aid of Ozokerit candles during a strike of gasmen.
Caldecott left the bank in 1872 and was working on illustrations for 'London Society' and other periodicals. The volume also contains one lithograph (E.3696-1927) of a boy looking at three horses, 'drawn in Oxford ROad opposite the end of High St., to illustrate a paper against the Bearing rein'.