Alexander Horsburgh Turnbull
Encyclopedia
Alexander Horsburgh Turnbull (14 September 1868 – 28 June 1918) was a New Zealand
merchant, dandy
and book collector. On his death, his collection formed the nucleus of the Alexander Turnbull Collection, initially housed in his house on Bowen Street opposite Parliament Buildings
but now housed with the collections of the National Library of New Zealand
. In 1913, shortly before his death, Turnbull had presented his Maori
and Pacific artefacts to the Dominion Museum (now Te Papa
).
Born in Wellington
to Scottish merchant Walter Turnbull (1823-1897) and his wife Alexandrina Horsburg (1827-1896), Turnbull grew up in Wellington but moved to London with his family near the end of his schooling in 1881. By the time he returned permanently to New Zealand in 1892, he was already collecting books. His particular interests were New Zealand, Pacific exploration, Scottish history, English literature
, John Ruskin
, and, particularly, John Milton
. He had a standing order with London bookseller Bernard Quaritch
, which was regularly updated to include more subjects.
After his death his collection contained approximately 55,000 books, as well as manuscripts, photographs, paintings and sketches (the artefacts having already been given to the Dominion Museum). The collection is no longer housed in his purpose-built house (which is now in the care of DoC), but in the same building as the other collections held by the National Library. Turnbull's Milton collection continues to be added to, by purchase and donation. A number of significant additions were made in the 1970s.
He is buried with his parents at Bolton Street Memorial Park, Wellington.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
merchant, dandy
Dandy
A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance in a cult of Self...
and book collector. On his death, his collection formed the nucleus of the Alexander Turnbull Collection, initially housed in his house on Bowen Street opposite Parliament Buildings
New Zealand Parliament Buildings
The New Zealand Parliament Buildings house the New Zealand Parliament and are on a 45,000 square metre site at the northern end of Lambton Quay, Wellington...
but now housed with the collections of the National Library of New Zealand
National Library of New Zealand
The National Library of New Zealand is New Zealand's legal deposit library charged with the obligation to "enrich the cultural and economic life of New Zealand and its interchanges with other nations"...
. In 1913, shortly before his death, Turnbull had presented his Maori
Maori culture
Māori culture is the culture of the Māori of New Zealand, an Eastern Polynesian people, and forms a distinctive part of New Zealand culture. Within the Māori community, and to a lesser extent throughout New Zealand as a whole, the word Māoritanga is often used as an approximate synonym for Māori...
and Pacific artefacts to the Dominion Museum (now Te Papa
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is the national museum and art gallery of New Zealand, located in Wellington. It is branded and commonly known as Te Papa and Our Place; "Te Papa Tongarewa" is broadly translatable as "the place of treasures of this land".The museum's principles...
).
Born in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
to Scottish merchant Walter Turnbull (1823-1897) and his wife Alexandrina Horsburg (1827-1896), Turnbull grew up in Wellington but moved to London with his family near the end of his schooling in 1881. By the time he returned permanently to New Zealand in 1892, he was already collecting books. His particular interests were New Zealand, Pacific exploration, Scottish history, English literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
, John Ruskin
John Ruskin
John Ruskin was the leading English art critic of the Victorian era, also an art patron, draughtsman, watercolourist, a prominent social thinker and philanthropist. He wrote on subjects ranging from geology to architecture, myth to ornithology, literature to education, and botany to political...
, and, particularly, John Milton
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
. He had a standing order with London bookseller Bernard Quaritch
Bernard Quaritch
Bernard Quaritch, full name Bernard Alexander Christian Quaritch, was a German-born British bookseller and collector....
, which was regularly updated to include more subjects.
After his death his collection contained approximately 55,000 books, as well as manuscripts, photographs, paintings and sketches (the artefacts having already been given to the Dominion Museum). The collection is no longer housed in his purpose-built house (which is now in the care of DoC), but in the same building as the other collections held by the National Library. Turnbull's Milton collection continues to be added to, by purchase and donation. A number of significant additions were made in the 1970s.
He is buried with his parents at Bolton Street Memorial Park, Wellington.