Theatre Collection: Colyer-Fergusson albums

Albums of theatrical programmes collected and compiled by Sir Thomas Colyer-Fergusson. The programmes have often been annotated with the date on which he attended a performance, together with the initials of the person or persons attending or accompanying him. The inside cover of the first three volumes bear the bookplate of Thomas Colyer Colyer-Fergusson of Ightham Mote and Wombwell Hall, Kent. The first volume is also inscribed by Thomas Colyer- Fergusson: 'Thomas Colyer- Fergusson of Hever Court. Programmes from 1870-1888'.

Sir Thomas Colyer Colyer-Fergusson (1865-1951) 3rd Baronet, was the eldest son of Sir J. R. Fergusson, 2nd Baronet, and Mary Ann Somes (died 1868), daughter of late Thomas Colyer, Wombwell Hall, Northfleet. He succeeded his father in 1924. He married Beatrice Stanley in 1890 (died 1902), daughter of late Right Honourable Professor Max Miller and had one son, Max and three daughters. (He assumed the additional name of Colyer on his marriage.) He subsequently married Mary Freda, daughter of late Right Honourable Arthur Cohen in 1914. He was educated at Harrow and Christ Church, Oxford (MA) and served as High Sheriff of Kent in 1906.

Reference: Who was who ( London ).

The contents of each album is arranged chronologically: 1870-1888, 1889-1898, 1898-1908, 1909-1915. Each album is catalogued at file level and the individual programmes and other items contained are catalogued at item level.

Open. Access to all registered researchers.

Please see the full catalogue for further details

Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the University Archivist, Special Collections (email: special-collections@contacts.bham.ac.uk). Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. Special Collections will assist where possible with identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material.

Most of the contents of these four volumes were formerly numbered 5429-6021 and incorporated into a collection called the Theatre Collection. They have now been identified as an unconnected acquisition and have been catalogued as a discrete collection.

The Special Collections Department holds other personal and artificial collections of theatre playbills, programmes, newscuttings and associated materials. The largest collection is the Theatre Collection, MS38. Smaller collections include the Heron-Allen album of playbills, MS107; the Williams Theatre collection, MS109; a volume of play bills, MS110; an album of programmes, MS111; the Louis Cohen Collection,MS112; the Kemp album, MS113; and a volume of Shakespearian souvenirs and programmes, MS114.