The Attic Chest was a literary circle hosted by William Porden and his daughter Eleanor Anne at their home in Berners Street, London. From 1808 to 1818 the circle met every fortnight during the winter season.
Anonymous contributions were deposited in the Grecian cedarwood chest from which the circle derived its name. The Pordens selected those to be read at each meeting and wrote editorial comments. Eleanor Anne chaired the meetings and read the contributions.
Most of the Attic Chest contributions have been preserved and are held by the Derbyshire Record Office (DRO) in Matlock, UK, where they form part of the Gell Collection.
Anna Jane Vardill was a close friend of Eleanor Anne Porden and an enthusiastic contributor to the Attic Chest. With the cooperation of the DRO the Vardill Society has undertaken the task of transcribing the Attic Chest collection and making it available in digital form.
The Transcription Notes indicate the guidelines adopted in transcribing the contributions, and the Catalogue Notes identify the numbers assigned by the DRO to the bound fascicles of the collection.
At the conclusion of each season, members of the circle were invited to acknowledge their contributions. The List of Authors is a transcription of these attributions as recorded by Eleanor Anne Porden.
A small collection of publications is available in the Reference Section, including a biography of Eleanor Anne Porden and copies of her published poetry.