Dr Williams's Library
Encyclopedia
Dr Williams's Library is a small research library
located in Gordon Square
in Bloomsbury
, London
.
(1643–1716) as a theological library, intended for the use of ministers of religion, students and others studying theology, religion and ecclesiastical history
. Several of its first directors were ministers associated with Newington Green Unitarian Church
. The library opened in 1729 at Red Cross Street with its original benefaction of around 7600 books from Williams. Its site moved frequently, until the acquisition of its present home, University Hall in Gordon Square, in 1890. It has always had close ties with the Unitarians
, and when a Doodlebug
destroyed Essex Hall, the headquarters of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
, the Library offered a few spare rooms to displaced workers. They stayed for 14 years, until 1958..
(1877–1961). In 1976, it acquired the library of New College London
.
The library is known to researchers of history and genealogy for its holdings of pre-19th century material relating to Protestant nonconformity in England
, including papers by Dissenting minister Joshua Toulmin
, D.D. It holds the manuscript of a 17th century diary, Roger Morrice's Entring Book, written by Roger Morrice
, which covers the years 1677 to 1691 and is being prepared for publication. It also has many manuscripts of Philip Doddridge
, including letters between Doddridge and his wife, his wife's diary and some of his artifacts.
On 13 July 2006 the library offered for sale at Sotheby's
its copy of Shakespeare's First Folio
. The book sold for a hammer price of £2.8 million. The library's director, Dr David Wykes, commented:
Amongst its aims was that, for a small fee, it kept a 'central registry' of births mainly (but not solely) within non-conformist families to avoid the necessity of having to have a child baptised in the Anglican church. It had variable success, up to 49,000 births were registered there until after a few months of the national Births, Marriages and Deaths Registration starting up in 1837. These registers are now at the National Archives under class RG5 and indexed in RG4.
Research library
A research library is a library which contains an in-depth collection of material on one or several subjects . A research library will generally include primary sources as well as secondary sources...
located in Gordon Square
Gordon Square
Gordon Square is in Bloomsbury, in the London Borough of Camden, London, England . It was developed by Thomas Cubitt in the 1820s, as one of a pair with Tavistock Square, which is a block away and has the same dimensions...
in Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury
-Places:* Bloomsbury is an area in central London.* Bloomsbury , related local government unit* Bloomsbury, New Jersey, New Jersey, USA* Bloomsbury , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
History
It was founded using the estate of Dr Daniel WilliamsDaniel Williams (theologian)
The Revd. Dr. Daniel Williams was a Welsh Presbyterian benefactor, minister and theologian.-Early ministry:Williams was born in Wrexham, Denbighshire, and was a cousin of Stephen Davies, minister at Banbury...
(1643–1716) as a theological library, intended for the use of ministers of religion, students and others studying theology, religion and ecclesiastical history
Ecclesiastical History
Ecclesiastical History or ecclesiastical history may refer to:*Ecclesiastical history *Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum by Bede*Church History , pioneer work on the Christian Church by Eusebius of Caesarea...
. Several of its first directors were ministers associated with Newington Green Unitarian Church
Newington Green Unitarian Church
Newington Green Unitarian Church in north London is one of England's oldest Unitarian churches. It has had strong ties to political radicalism for over 300 years, and is London's oldest Nonconformist place of worship still in use...
. The library opened in 1729 at Red Cross Street with its original benefaction of around 7600 books from Williams. Its site moved frequently, until the acquisition of its present home, University Hall in Gordon Square, in 1890. It has always had close ties with the Unitarians
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
, and when a Doodlebug
Doodlebug
Doodlebug or doodle bug may refer to:Zoology:* Antlion* Woodlouse* Armadillidiidae, the pill bug family in the woodlouse suborderGround vehicles:* Doodlebug , a self-propelled railroad vehicle...
destroyed Essex Hall, the headquarters of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches is the umbrella organisation for Unitarian, Free Christian and other liberal religious congregations in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1928, with denominational roots going back to the Great Ejection of 1662...
, the Library offered a few spare rooms to displaced workers. They stayed for 14 years, until 1958..
Holdings
In addition to its theological holdings, the library contains collections of philosophy, history, literature, and related subjects. There is also a large collection of works on Byzantine history and culture bequeathed by Professor Norman H. BaynesNorman H. Baynes
Professor Norman Hepburn Baynes was a noted 20th century British historian of the Byzantine Empire.-Career:Baynes was Professor of Byzantine History at University College London from 1931 until 1942...
(1877–1961). In 1976, it acquired the library of New College London
New College London
New College London was founded as a Congregationalist college in 1850.-Predecessor institutions:...
.
The library is known to researchers of history and genealogy for its holdings of pre-19th century material relating to Protestant nonconformity in England
English Dissenters
English Dissenters were Christians who separated from the Church of England in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.They originally agitated for a wide reaching Protestant Reformation of the Established Church, and triumphed briefly under Oliver Cromwell....
, including papers by Dissenting minister Joshua Toulmin
Joshua Toulmin
Joshua Toulmin of Taunton, England was a noted theologian and a serial Dissenting minister of Presbyterian , Baptist , and then Unitarian congregations...
, D.D. It holds the manuscript of a 17th century diary, Roger Morrice's Entring Book, written by Roger Morrice
Roger Morrice
Roger Morrice was an English Puritan minister and political journalist. He is most noted for his Entring Book, a manuscript diary which provides a description of society in the years 1677 to 1691. The manuscript is held by Dr Williams's Library in London, and in 2007 the Boydell Press published a...
, which covers the years 1677 to 1691 and is being prepared for publication. It also has many manuscripts of Philip Doddridge
Philip Doddridge
Philip Doddridge DD was an English Nonconformist leader, educator, and hymnwriter.-Early life:...
, including letters between Doddridge and his wife, his wife's diary and some of his artifacts.
On 13 July 2006 the library offered for sale at Sotheby's
Sotheby's
Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...
its copy of Shakespeare's First Folio
First Folio
Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. is the 1623 published collection of William Shakespeare's plays. Modern scholars commonly refer to it as the First Folio....
. The book sold for a hammer price of £2.8 million. The library's director, Dr David Wykes, commented:
Amongst its aims was that, for a small fee, it kept a 'central registry' of births mainly (but not solely) within non-conformist families to avoid the necessity of having to have a child baptised in the Anglican church. It had variable success, up to 49,000 births were registered there until after a few months of the national Births, Marriages and Deaths Registration starting up in 1837. These registers are now at the National Archives under class RG5 and indexed in RG4.
See also
- St Deiniol's LibrarySt Deiniol's LibraryGladstone's Library, known until 2010 as St Deiniol's Library , is a residential library in Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales.The library was founded by the Victorian statesman and politician William Ewart Gladstone ....
, HawardenHawardenHawarden is a village in Flintshire, North Wales. Hawarden forms part of the Deeside conurbation on the Welsh/English border. At the 2001 Census, the population of Hawarden Ward was 1,858... - The Evangelical LibraryEvangelical LibraryThe Evangelical Library 5-6 Gateway Mews, Ringway, Bounds Green, London, N11 2UT is a lending library for Christian ministers, students and other lay-persons. For many years the library was located on Chiltern Street in central London...
, London - Dr Williams' School, DolgellauDolgellauDolgellau is a market town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the River Mawddach. It was the county town of the former county of Merionethshire .-History and economy:...
, WalesWalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, named after the same benefactor (closed 1975, now Coleg Meirion-DwyforColeg Meirion-DwyforColeg Meirion-Dwyfor , also known as CMD, is a college in Gwynedd, Wales at Dolgellau, serving the areas of Meirionydd and Dwyfor. It has a bilingual language policy and offers the possibility of studying most subjects through the medium of Welsh...
)