Sir Francis Leicester's 'good library' at Nether Tabley.

Webb, Sarah; Reid, Peter H.

Abstract

This article examines the book collection of Sir Francis Leicester (1674-1742) of Nether Tabley Hall, Cheshire. It charts the genesis of his collection; from an initial collection inherited from his grandfather Sir Peter Leicester to one directed by the interests of Sir Francis Leicester himself. The kind of collection Sir Francis assembled and whether it had a particular kind of identity is examined. The connections between this collection and those owned by other members of the late seventeenth- and early eighteenth-century elite are considered. Whether national and local scholars knew about his books and were granted access is explored. Evidence is provided for access having been granted by Sir Francis to non-elite readers from a variety of professional backgrounds. These potential readers are identified.

Citation

WEBB, S. and REID, P.H. 2018. Sir Francis Leicester's 'good library' at Nether Tabley. Library and information history [online], 34(1), pages 1-22. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/17583489.2018.1412924

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 1, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Mar 2, 2018
• Publication Date: Mar 31, 2018
• Deposit Date: Mar 6, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 3, 2019
• Journal: Library and information history
• Print ISSN: 1758-3489
• Electronic ISSN: 1758-3497
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 34
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 1-22
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17583489.2018.1412924
• Keywords: Sir Francis Leicester; Sir Peter Leicester; Nether Tabley Hall; Tabley Old Hall; Tabley House; Cheshire; Book collection
• Public URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10059/2795