The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam – A Memorial.
Towards the end of 1966 George Kirkpatrick took part in a series of programmes for Ulster TV on bookbinding. The studio manager was very enthusiastic about the work and later gave a small commisson to bind a copy of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.
The work was started but while still in the early stages came the shocking news that he had been killed along with his wife and two small children in a car crash. A small baby girl was pulled from the wreckage alive.
Work on the commission ceased, but the dream remained that one day it would be completed and an attempt made to trace the ‘baby girl’, and that if she could be found the book given to her in memory of her family. It seemed like an impossible task. However in 2009 her whereabouts was discovered.
Completing the task after so many years has given the binder a great deal of pleasure and finally this little bit of business has come to completion. It was also exciting to hear of a fruitful and happy life.
The binding onlaid in many colours of leather and richly decorated with gold was intended to become an icon which would have a special meaning for future generations of this family.
