Diary of Herbert Thompson

This material is held atUniversity of Leeds Special Collections

  • Reference
    • GB 206 MS 80
  • Dates of Creation
    • 1876-1945
  • Name of Creator
  • Language of Material
    • English
  • Physical Description
    • 71 octavo vols The entries are made in printed diaries. The 1889 diary is lettered on spine: Visit to Germany, 1889. Brahms at Hamburg.

Scope and Content

The diaries include many details of purely personal interest, accounts of domestic events and of social activities, as well as of travels abroad, music criticism, etc. There are 5 entries in the last volume in a different hand, up to Friday, 13 April, followed by obituary notices of Herbert Thompson, from the Yorkshire Post, Times, etc. Many of the volumes contain photographs and press-cuttings.

Administrative / Biographical History

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 Information

Access is unrestricted

Acquisition Information

Bequest of Dr Herbert Thompson

Note

In English

Related Material

See also MSS 78, 79, 87, 164, and 361