Mystery Heirloom Copybook? Any ideas what this is?

[cristeen]

Mods, feel free to move to a more appropriate board if needed, this seemed my best option
I just spent a few days visiting family & ancestral villages etc. Was wonderful
met up with the family 'archivist' and found a very interesting old soft covered book
I have posted some images of this book, all the names are family, and tie in with dates etc I already have.
I have a gut feeling of what this is, but am very interested in any opinions from you lovely lot
There are 19 pages altogether, though at least 5 have been cut out at some stage. There seems to be a marbled inner cover which is smaller than the pages and the back cover (A4 compared to foolscap sizes FYI) I have posted some images showing the type of contents. The first several pages are worked examples of the Single Rule of Three (yes I've googled that!) This is followed by the Richard Gardner pages which mainly consist of what seem to be practice letters? Then several removed pages, followed by a section of navigation notes and some sketches. Finally there are more sketches, a random poem and further 'jottings' and doodles.
I can only post 4 photos apparently so have chosen some examples of each section and an inner cover
I look forward to your ideas

[Mike in Cumbria]

Handwriting exercises. But perhaps it was later used as a notebook for someone (the same person?) studying navigation

[Viktoria]

Just from the first  page it almost looked like a code” lovers “Clovers” ostensibly but the stronger  definition leaving the C faint reads “ lovers”.
Just a thought.
Viktoria.

[cristeen]

Mike in Cumbria & Viktoria
Thanks for your thoughts
I was wondering why someone would be practising this 'Single Rule of Three' From google it is an old type of algebraic solution to a problem where 3 quantities are known and 1 isn't. The first two names are John Glover and Wilton Glover, brothers born 1823 and 1832 in Maryport. Their father, James, was  a clerk for the local shipbuilder and Wilton apprenticed as a shipwright before joining brother John in the merchant Navy. I wondered if the practice calculations might be related to their father being a clerk? What would 'Copy' mean? Like a copy book for handwriting?
I think the Richard Gardner Fish Salesman is my signature photo, born 1822 and married the Glover boys elder sister Mary. Their son was also a Richard and became a Lune pilot. I think the book went through all their hands. The handwriting style definitely seems to change
I have attached an image of the Glover bible which has a similar hand to the the calculations I thought. I have no idea whether James wrote the bible page, or it was written later by one of the children
Please keep the suggestions coming
Also, any ideas on how I can best preserve this thing?

[Viktoria]

Thanks for your reply.
It is all very interesting ,hope you solve the puzzle.
Viktoria.