Phillipps, Thomas, Sir, 1792-1872

English antiquary and collector. Phillipps began collecting while at Rugby School and Oxford. On inheriting his father's estate at Middle Hill in Worcestershire, he embarked on a career of collecting manuscripts and books. Phillipps's manuscript collection eventually numbered over 60,000 items. He established the Middle Hill Press on his estate to print a number of these manuscripts. His keen interest in genealogy led him to collect and print manuscripts of a number of heraldic visitations.

From the description of Alphabetical list of English pedigrees printed at Middle Hill, [ca. 1848]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122573251

English antiquary and collector. He began collecting while at Rugby School and at Oxford. On inheriting his father's estate at Middle Hill in Worcestershire, he embarked on a career of collecting books and manuscripts. His manuscript collection eventually numbered over 60,000 items. The Middle Hill estate was entailed and ultimately inherited by James Orchard Halliwell, husband of Sir Thomas's eldest daughter. In the 1850s Halliwell brought suit against Sir Thomas in regard to the latter's determination to cut down a large part of the timber on the estate. Sir Thomas also owned the estates of Buckland and Laverton in Gloucestershire. In 1864-65 he transferred his collections and his household to Thirlestaine House at Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

From the description of Maps, plans and bills relating to the Phillipps estates, 1795-1858. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122455359

English antiquary and collector. He began collecting while at Rugby School and Oxford. On inheriting his father's estate at Middle Hill in Worcestershire, Phillipps embarked on a career of collecting books and manuscripts. His collection eventually contained over 60,000 manuscripts, including many in Greek, Latin and Eastern languages as well as English and Continental manuscripts. In the 1820s he made trips to the Continent, where he visited many libraries and purchased manuscripts. On his return to England he continued to collect, frequently buying up entire estate libraries at auction. Phillipps printed a number of his manuscripts as well as other works at the Middle Hill Press he established on his estate. During 1864-65 he removed his household and all his collections to Thirlestaine House, Cheltenham.

From the description of Letters and bills to Sir Thomas Phillipps, ca. 1820-1870. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122455375

Renowned collector of books and manuscripts.

From the description of Pamphlets relating to ceremonial occasions and court festivals, 1623-1632. (Getty Research Institute). WorldCat record id: 77860449

Sir Thomas Phillipps was a book and manuscript collector from young adulthood, and amassed the largest manuscript collection of the 19th century. He was born in 1792, the illegitimate son of a textile manufacturer, and began collecting while a student at Rugby and later at Oxford. Though he inherited a substantial estate upon his father's death, his bibliomania and "vello-mania" (his obsession with manuscripts on vellum) resulted in his being nearly perpetually in debt. After Phillipps' death in 1872, his library was left to his youngest daughter and her family. Beginning in 1885, they began to disperse the collection at a series of sales that only ended in 1977, when New York dealers H.P. Kraus purchased the remainder.

From the description of Collection on publishing and bookselling, 1749-1835. (University of California, Los Angeles). WorldCat record id: 436096179

English antiquary and bibliophile, Phillipps began collecting while at Rugby School and at Oxford. On inheriting his father's estate at Middle Hill at Broadway, Worcestershire, Phillipps embarked on a career of collecting books and Eastern, Continental and British manuscripts. His library eventually contained over 30,000 books and 60,000 manuscripts. In 1819 he married Henrietta Molyneux, who appears to have been known as Harriet within the family. She died in 1832, and in 1842 Phillipps married Elizabeth Harriet Mansel. The three daughters of his first marriage were Henrietta, Maria and Katharine. Henrietta married the Shakespearean scholar James Orchard Halliwell in 1842; under the terms of the entail to the Phillips estate, Halliwell inherited Middle Hill at Phillipps' death in 1872 and took the name James Orchard Halliwell-Phillipps. Owing to a disagreement with Halliwell, Phillipps moved his collection from Middle Hill to Thirlestaine House in Cheltenham in 1864-1865. His daughter Katharine married John Fenwick, who administered Phillipps's library from the collector's death until about 1880.

From the description of Almanacs and diaries, 1803-1866 (bulk 1814-1866). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122685976

English antiquary and collector. He began collecting while at Rugby School and at Oxford; on inheriting his father's estate at Middle Hill in Worcestershire he embarked on a career of collecting manuscripts and books. Phillipps's collection eventually contained over 60,000 manuscripts and included many in Greek, Latin and Eastern languages as well as English and Continental manuscripts. In the 1820s he made trips to the Continent where he visited many libraries and purchased manuscripts. On his return to England he continued to collect, frequently buying up entire libraries at auction. He printed a number of the manuscripts at his Middle Hill Press.

From the description of Number of copies of Sir T.P.'s printed works : being a volume of sheets bound together, [ca. 186-?]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122343542

English collector and antiquary. He began collecting at Rugby School and Oxford; on inheriting his father's estate at Middle Hill in Worcestershire he embarked on a career of collecting books and manuscripts. Phillipps's collections eventually numbered over 60,000 manuscripts and an almost equal number of books and included many manuscripts in Greek, Latin and Eastern languages as well as British and Continental manuscripts. In the 1820s Phillipps made trips to the Continent, where he visited many libraries and purchased manuscripts. On his return to England he continued to collect, frequently buying up entire libraries at auctions. He printed a number of the manuscripts at his Middle Hill Press. During 1864-1865 Phillipps removed his household and his collections to Thirlestaine House in Cheltenham.

From the description of Autograph account book, 1819-1870. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122602919

English antiquary and collector. Upon inheriting his father's estate at Middle Hill in Worcestershire, he embarked on a career of collecting books and manuscripts. His collection eventually contained over 60,000 manuscripts and an almost equal number of books. Sir Thomas was also a keen genealogist and collected and annotated genealogies and pedigrees of noble and landed families of counties of interest to him.

From the description of Pedigrees of John Mellersh, Edward Heydon and the Comyn family: autograph manuscript, [ca. 1870]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122624113

English author.

From the description of A catalogue in Ms. of all works upon the fortresses, cities, towns, monasteries etc. of the various kingdoms in Europe, stating the authors named and the dates when they were published, discriminating whether atlas's, or views, or plans of harbours, museums, battles etc., ca. 1850. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122536738

English antiquary and collector. His collection of Latin, Greek, Eastern, Continental and British manuscripts eventually numbered over 60,000 items. Phillipps established the Middle Hill Press on his estate in Worcestershire. After reading an acount of the English mathematician John Wallis (1616-1703) and his work on devising a means of expression for super-large numbers, Phillipps created this table.

From the description of Improved numeration table to facilitate and extend astronomical calculations [proofsheet with related autograph manuscript], ca. 1829. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122685983

English antiquarian and bibliographer.

From the description of Sir Thomas Phillipps collection, circa 1400-1857. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70980275

Sir Thomas Philipps (1792-1872) was the pre-eminent book and manuscript collector of nineteenth century England. By the time of his death he had amassed nearly 60,000 manuscripts and about as many printed books. These were first housed at his estate of Middle HIll at Broadway, Worcestershire and from 1864 at Thirlestaine House, Cheltenham. He had three daughters by his first wife. His middle daughter, Maria, married John Walcot and his youngest daughter, Katharine, married John Fenwick. The images were collected by Harrison D. Horblit.

From the description of Phillipps family photographs, ca. 1850-1868. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122405920

English antiquary and bibliophile. Phillipps began collecting while at Rugby School and Oxford. On inheriting his father's estate at Middle Hill in Worcestershire Phillipps embarked on a career of collecting manuscripts and books. His collection eventually contained over 60,000 manuscripts and included Eastern, Greek and Latin manuscripts as well as English and Continental. Phillipps was deeply interested in his family genealogy and in the topography of the counties of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, where he owned property, as well as in the topography of the counties of Warwickshire and Wiltshire. He formed a collection of prints and drawings of outstanding views and houses in these counties; some of the drawings may have been made at his request. Around 1845 he had a proofsheet printed for a book plate (label), possibly for the books of his Middle Hill Press, based on a design by E. Offen. The label design used a medieval structure on his property known as the"Broadway Tower".

From the description of Architectural and topographical drawings and sketches, 1800-1868. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122444943

Middle Hill was the estate of Sir Thomas Phillipps, England's preeminent manuscript and book collector. He maintained his collections in the house on his Middle Hill estate until 1863-64 when he transferred them to Thirlestaine House in Cheltenham (Gloucestershire). Sir Thomas was also interested in the architecture and topography of the Middle Hill neighborhood.

From the description of Middle Hill house and other buildings at Broadway, Worcestershire: photographic views, 1857-1860. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122405940

Epithet: Captain

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000243.0x000260

British collector of manuscripts, rare books, and works of art.

From the description of Miscellaneous papers about collecting, 1842-1862. (Getty Research Institute). WorldCat record id: 84405285

English antiquary and collector. His estate at Middle Hill, Worcestershire eventually housed over 60,000 manuscripts and over 30,000 printed books. He also established a press on his estate for the printing of some of the manuscripts. Middle Hill was an entailed estate. The Shakespearean scholar James Orchard Halliwell, who had married Phillipps's eldest daughter against his wishes, would inherit the house and original property, but Phillipps drafted various wills that would prevent Halliwell from obtaining the collections and properties not part of the original estate.

From the description of Will of Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart., Thirlestaine House, Cheltenham [autograph manuscript], 1863 March 18. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122516190

Sir Thomas Phillipps was the pre-eminent book and manuscript collector of nineteenth century England. By the time of his death he had amassed nearly 60,000 manuscripts and about as many printed books. His father had purchased Middle Hill House in Worcestershire in 1794 and Sir Thomas housed his collections there until 1863-64 when he transferred them to Thirlestaine House at Cheltenham. He was also deeply interested in genealogy and was a member of several scholarly societies.

From the description of Miscellaneous documents, portraits, and maps, 1681-1862 (bulk 1793-1862). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122405952

English antiquary and bibliophile. Phillipps began collecting while at Rugby School and Oxford. On inheriting his father's estate at Middle Hill in Worcestershire he embarked on a career of collecting manuscripts and books. His collection eventually contained over 30,000 printed books and 60,000 manuscripts and included oriental, Greek and Latin manuscripts as well as English and Continental. In the 1820s he made trips to the Continent where he visited many libraries in France and Switzerland and purchased manuscripts. On his return to England Phillipps continued to collect, frequently buying up entire estate libraries at auction. He printed a number of the manuscripts as well as other works at the Middle Hill Press he established on his estate. His second wife was a member of the Manwell family. During 1865-1865 he removed his household and all his collections to Thirlestaine House, Cheltenham. Phillipps was made a baronet among the creations for the coronation of George IV in 1821.

From the description of Manuscripts and documents relating to the Phillipps family, 1749-1870 (bulk 1800-1864). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 145382404

English antiquary and collector. He began collecting while at Rugby School and Oxford; on inheriting his father's estate at Middle Hill in Worcestershire he embarked on a career of collecting manuscripts and books. His collections eventually contained over 60,000 manuscripts and included many in Greek, Latin and Eastern languages as well as English and Continental manuscripts. In 1853 the Greek-born Constantine Simonides came to London with both genuine manuscripts and a number of forgeries, including many of classical authors. Phillipps purchased most of the material Simonides offered.

From the description of Letter concerning some forgeries by Constantine Simonides [autograph draft manuscript], ca. 1859. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122309603

Title: 1st Baronet

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000562.0x00020b

Biographical Note

Sir Thomas Phillipps was a book and manuscript collector from young adulthood, who amassed the largest manuscript collection of the 19th century. He was born in 1792, the illegitimate son of a textile manufacturer, and began collecting while a student at Rugby and later at Oxford. Though he inherited a substantial estate upon his father's death, his bibliomania and "vello-mania" (his obsession with manuscripts on vellum) resulted in his being nearly perpetually in debt.

After Phillipps' death in 1872, his library was left to his youngest daughter and her family. Beginning in 1885, they began to disperse the collection at a series of sales that only ended in 1977, when New York dealers H.P. Kraus purchased the remainder.

From the guide to the Sir Thomas Phillipps Collection on Publishing and Bookselling, 1749-1835, (William Andrews Clark Memorial Library)