Winterbottom Collection

Part of the library of Thomas Masterman Winterbottom (1766-1859), physician, of South Shields.

The collection contains approximately 1,600 titles, largely 18th and 19th century editions, but also including 7 incunabula, 16 STC and 9 Wing items. Travel literature, especially on Africa and Asia, and natural science are strengths. There is asmall but interesting representation of French, German and Italian literature.

The only manuscript in the collection is a catalogue of Winterbottom's library made while it was still at South Shields.

Open for consultation.

The collection is catalogued in Discover

Permission to make any published use of material from the collection must be sought in advance from the Head of Special Collections (e-mail PG.Library@durham.ac.uk) and, where appropriate, from the copyright owner. The Library will assist wherepossible with identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material.

Winterbottom bequeathed his medical books to the General Infirmary at Newcastle, whence a surviving residue has descended to the University Library there. He bequeathed his other books to the University of Durham. The books left to Newcastle wereseriously diminished by fire and damp. Those which came to Durham were drastically reduced in 1926, when under pressure for space many items thought to be duplicated in other collections and editions thought to be superseded were discarded; some ofthe disposals were given to Newcastle.