James Crossley was born in Halifax co Yorks on 30 March 1800. He was the second son of James Crossley (1767-1831), a merchant in the wool manufacturing trade, and Anne (1772-1813).
Crossley came to Manchester in 1817 where he was articled to the solicitor Thomas Ainsworth (father of William Harrison Ainsworth). He joined the firm as a partner in 1823, when it became known as Ainsworth, Crossley, and Sudlow. He practised as a solicitor until 1860.
Crossley was actively involved in the literary life of Manchester. He became president of the Chetham Society in 1847, a post he held for 35 years, and edited many of its publications. In his capacity as chairman of the committee he was involved in purchasing books for Manchester Free Library which opened in 1852. He was appointed honorary librarian of Chetham's Library in 1877, and was a governor of Chetham's Hospital and Library [from c. 1860]. He was an ardent book collector and accumulated an extensive library which was kept at his home, Stock's House, Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester, where he lived from 1878. In The Annals of Manchester W.E.A. Axon stated Crossley's library numbered 90,000 books, but he himself estimated his collection to be about 50,000 volumes. He was known for his literary knowledge, and was a frequent contributor to Blackwood's Magazine, Retrospective Review and Quarterly Review .
Crossley died on 1 August 1883, and was buried at St Paul's parish church, Kersal, Manchester. His collection of books and manuscripts was sold at three auctions in May 1884, July 1884 and June 1885.
See Stephen Collins, 'Crossley, James (1800-1883)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, (Oxford University Press, 2004).
From the guide to the The James Crossley Collection, 17th century-19th century, (Chetham's Library)
