Correspondence, mainly on music, addressed to Herbert Thompson

Correspondence, mainly from composers and musicians, with an envelope of press-cuttings, a photograph of Elgar, and other items

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

Gift of Herbert Thompson's widow, 1945

In English

Contents described in Handlist 29

See also MSS 78-80, 87, 164, and 459