THE LIBRARY OF THOMAS EYRE and BOOKS HE AUTHORED
Thomas Eyre was house steward and bailiff to the Mowbray family, and later to the Lefevre family, owners of Burley Manor, between 1780 until his death in 1829.
Thomas Eyre's will of 18th November 1823 (proved 3rd June 1829) bequeaths "my library of books", and his bookcases, to the three sons of Charles Shaw Lefevre; Charles, John and Henry. Felicite Hardcastle describes the library as "over 300 volumes".
He was clearly an avid collector: "With empty vehicle he travels to market; but who shall tell the contents of that vehicle when it returns? Of fish, flesh, and fowl, we speak not; but of books new and old, accruing weekly to the stores which already occupy sufficient tea-chests to astound an East India Director."
"Over 300 volumes" would appear to be a serious underestimate! By 1808 he was up to Number 1364. This implies an acquisition rate of approximately 41 volumes per year between 1786 and 1808. Extrapolating this suggests that his library probably contained some 2000 volumes by the time of his death in 1829.
How many of these possible 2000 books still exist? To date two books from Thomas Eyre's library have been found (see below). Help in locating any further examples would be gratefully appreciated.
Thomas Eyre's will of 18th November 1823 (proved 3rd June 1829) bequeaths "my library of books", and his bookcases, to the three sons of Charles Shaw Lefevre; Charles, John and Henry. Felicite Hardcastle describes the library as "over 300 volumes".
He was clearly an avid collector: "With empty vehicle he travels to market; but who shall tell the contents of that vehicle when it returns? Of fish, flesh, and fowl, we speak not; but of books new and old, accruing weekly to the stores which already occupy sufficient tea-chests to astound an East India Director."
"Over 300 volumes" would appear to be a serious underestimate! By 1808 he was up to Number 1364. This implies an acquisition rate of approximately 41 volumes per year between 1786 and 1808. Extrapolating this suggests that his library probably contained some 2000 volumes by the time of his death in 1829.
How many of these possible 2000 books still exist? To date two books from Thomas Eyre's library have been found (see below). Help in locating any further examples would be gratefully appreciated.
Caution! To confuse the issue there was another Thomas Eyre, of Hassop in Derbyshire, (? - 1792) who had an "Inner and Outer library". These library books have a printed bookplate containing a coat of arms and mention either "Inner Library" or "Outer Library". "Our" Thomas Eyre library books were annotated in manuscript with no printed bookplate. |
N 462 Purchas his Pilgrimage Samuel Purchas 1st edition 1617
|
Annotated: "N 462 This book is the property of Thomas Eyre of Burley near Ringwood Hants and is Numbered in his Collection Four Hundred and Sixty Two ye 21 Feb 1786"
This volume is now in The Victoria and Albert Museum: Thomas Eyre's copy of Purchas his Pilgrimage in the V&A |
N 1364 Memoirs of Josias Rogers, Esq., Commander of His Majesty's Ship Quebec William Gilpin 1808
Annotated: "N 1364 Thomas Eyre Burley Manor near Ringwood Hants ye 23rd June 1808 Number Thirteen hundred and Sixty four" Eventually became the property of "The New York Public Library", possibly in 1898. Digitised version of this book available here |
1827 book by Thomas Eyre and David Cake,
"Remarks on various parts of The Holy Scriptures"
"Remarks on various parts of The Holy Scriptures"
A fortuitous "blind" purchase of the rare 1827 book by Thomas Eyre and David Cake "Remarks on various parts of the Holy Scriptures"
published by W Wheaton of Ringwood.
The book has been rebound at some stage and includes a dedication page in the hand of Thomas Eyre to "Mary Ann Sanson", giving his date of birth, 23rd October 1752, and, in a different hand, a memorial note to his death on Thursday 26th March 1829.
Together with a following inscription by George Tooks, a later owner of the book.
Ancestry.co.uk finds a Mary Ann Sanson who was baptised in Southampton on 25th January 1829. Could this have been a baptismal gift to Mary from Thomas Eyre almost exactly two months before his death? More research required!
The Hampshire Chronicle obituary notice of 30th March 1829 states:
On Thursday, Mr Thomas Eyre, of Burley, near Ringwood, aged 76, an eccentric, but very humane and charitable character.
Thomas Eyre was instrumental in the building of the Burley Chapel in 1789 at a total cost of £400 (around £65,000 today).
The book contains a number of engravings including illustrations of various white marble memorial tablets that were inside the old Burley Chapel, which was completely rebuilt in 1842-43. Both Thomas Eyre and his wife were buried inside the original Chapel.
published by W Wheaton of Ringwood.
The book has been rebound at some stage and includes a dedication page in the hand of Thomas Eyre to "Mary Ann Sanson", giving his date of birth, 23rd October 1752, and, in a different hand, a memorial note to his death on Thursday 26th March 1829.
Together with a following inscription by George Tooks, a later owner of the book.
Ancestry.co.uk finds a Mary Ann Sanson who was baptised in Southampton on 25th January 1829. Could this have been a baptismal gift to Mary from Thomas Eyre almost exactly two months before his death? More research required!
The Hampshire Chronicle obituary notice of 30th March 1829 states:
On Thursday, Mr Thomas Eyre, of Burley, near Ringwood, aged 76, an eccentric, but very humane and charitable character.
Thomas Eyre was instrumental in the building of the Burley Chapel in 1789 at a total cost of £400 (around £65,000 today).
The book contains a number of engravings including illustrations of various white marble memorial tablets that were inside the old Burley Chapel, which was completely rebuilt in 1842-43. Both Thomas Eyre and his wife were buried inside the original Chapel.
(click on image for enlargement)
Thomas Eyre's Burley Meeting-House book published in 1823 describes features of
Burley Chapel interspersed with memorials and quotes from the Bible.
(click on image for enlargement)
Courtesy of the Christopher Tower Reference Library, New Forest Heritage Centre, Lyndhurst
Courtesy of the Christopher Tower Reference Library, New Forest Heritage Centre, Lyndhurst