Autograph album, compiled by Herbert Thompson

Contains a collection of signatures of well-known musicians and conductors, letters, postcards, festival-tickets, and a portrait, mounted on separate sheets, with pencil notes by Herbert Thompson identifying the signatures. Signatures include those of Antonin Dvorak, Sir F.A.G. Ouseley, Sir George Grove, and Charles Hall. At the end are inserted a cartoon of Sir Julius Benedict, and 5 pp. of musical notes by Sir C.H.H. Parry.

Herbert Thompson was born at Hunslet, Leeds, on 11th August 1856. He was educated privately, partly at Wiesbaden in Germany, and at St John's College, Cambridge, where he graduated in 1878 and later took the degree of LL.M. in 1881. After a career in law his deep interest in music drew him back to Leeds to accept the offer of a position with the Yorkshire Post as music and art critic in 1886. In 1897 he married Edith Mary Sparks, daughter of the honorary secretary of the Leeds Musical Festival. He also became the Yorkshire correspondent of the Musical Times. His writings included a study of Wagner in 1927 and contributions to Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians. He was awarded an honorary Litt.D. by the University of Leeds in 1924, and retired from the Yorkshire Post in 1936. He died on 6 May 1945

Access is unrestricted

Bequest of Dr Herbert Thompson

In English

See also MSS 78, 80, 87, 164, and 361