Simms Family Papers

Most of the letters are addresses to the Rev'd Edward Simms or his daughter, Miss MN Simms. Those addressed to his father include several relating to his poetry, especially his lines in memory of Sir Walter Scott, and his translations from Homer.

Edward Simms (c1803-1897), clergyman, writer, was the only son of Samuel Simms of Bath, gent. He was educated at Wadham College, Oxford, graduating BA in 1827 and MA in 1830 (Crockfords; Alumni Oxon has respectively 1826 and 1829). He was ordained deacon in 1836, priest in 1837, and became curate of Dudley, Wilton, Wiltshire at the age of fifty. In 1856 he moved to Plaitford, Wiltshire, where he remained until 1860. Where he was in the period 1860-1870 is not clear; he was possibly in Sussex, as his son's entry in Alumni Oxoniensis mentions him as being of 'Lindfield, Sussex, cler.' In 1870 he became vicar of Escot in Devon, a post which he retained until 1877. His various publications include: Holy thoughts and holy prayers (1848), Devout Musings on the Book of Psalms (1851), The first six books of the Iliad of Homer (1873), and [as William Edward Simms] A Spiritual Commentary on the Book of Psalms (1882). His 'Stanzas to the memory of Sir Walter Scott' was privately printed in the 1890s. He retired to Bushey Park, Salterton, Devon, where he lived until his death. He was alive in 1896, but deceased by 1898. His son Spencer Edward Simms (c1862-1941) also became a clergyman, and for twenty years was rector of Charmouth. Nothing is known about Edward Simms's daughter, Miss MN Simms, who was the most likely compiler of the family autograph album from which these letters seem to have come.

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The various papers were distributed throughout the Library's old Miscellaneous Papers series. They appear to have been kept on account of their autograph value, and probably represent a part of the Simms family autograph collection.