1. Sir Thomas Phillipps, 1st Baronet, was an English antiquary and book collector who amassed the largest collection of manuscript material in the 19th century.
14 Facts About Thomas Phillipps
1. 2.
Thomas Phillipps was an illegitimate son of a textile manufacturer and inherited a substantial estate, which he spent almost entirely on vellum manuscripts and, when out of funds, borrowed heavily to buy manuscripts, thereby putting his family deep into debt.
3.
In 1808, when Thomas Phillipps was 16 years old, he already owned 112 books.
4.
Thomas Phillipps continued buying books when he went on to University College, Oxford and graduated in 1815.
5.
Thomas Phillipps would go into bookshops and purchase the entire stock; he would receive dealers' catalogues and buy all the listings; his agents bought entire lots of books at auction, outbidding his rival the British Museum.
6.
Thomas Phillipps employed a distant relative by marriage, Amelia Elizabeth Guppy, to photograph some of his collection in 1853 including artefacts from Babylon and Utrecht.
7.
In 1863, Thomas Phillipps began to move the collection as he was fearful that his son-in-law, James Orchard Halliwell, would gain ownership of it when Thomas Phillipps's estranged daughter inherited Middle Hill.
8.
Thomas Phillipps was an assiduous cataloguer who established the Middle Hill Press in 1822 not only to record his book holdings but to publish his findings in English topography and genealogy.
9.
Thomas Phillipps's will stipulated that his books should remain intact at Thirlestaine House, that no bookseller or stranger should rearrange them and that no Roman Catholic, especially his son-in-law James Halliwell, should be permitted to view them.
10.
Thomas Phillipps was appointed High Sheriff of Worcestershire in 1825.
11.
Thomas Phillipps came to visit Thomas Phillipps in February 1842 and became attached to Harriett.
12.
Thomas Phillipps refused to allow his daughter to marry and the couple eloped.
13.
Thomas Phillipps was enraged by this and maintained a lifelong vendetta against the couple.
14.
Thomas Phillipps was buried at the Church of St Eadburgha in Broadway.