Phillips, Thomas, Sir, 1792-1872

Sir Thomas Phillipps was England's preeminent collector of books and manuscripts. He acquired over 60,000 manuscripts and an almost equal number of books and maintained these collections on his estate of Middle Hill at Broadway, Worcestershire. He transferred them in 1863-64 to Thirlestaine House at Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Sir Thomas had inherited Buckland Manor in Gloucestershire and maintained a keen interest in the history of this county. Around 1820 he employed William Hensley to make notes from parish registers in Gloucestershire and John Osborne to make topographicdrawings; their relation to this collection is uncertain.