Album of material relating to the Gunpowder Plot

Album compiled by John Humphreys consisting of research notes, correspondence, newscuttings, illustrations, postcards, and maps pertaining to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Humphreys' research focused on the people involved and the places connected to them, especially in the East Worcestershire area. A lot of the material relates to the history of Huddington Court, Worcestershire which played a significant role in the plot as it was home to Robert Winter / Wintour, one of the main conspirators.

John Humphreys was awarded three honorary degrees by the University of Birmingham: MDS in 1901, MA in 1925 and PhD in 1931. He built up a private dental practice and in 1913 began to hand this over to his son, Humphrey. John was an active member of the local Bromsgrove amateur dramatic society, a member of the Court Leet, becoming baliff in 1895, and principal organiser of the town's celebration of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887. He took a keen interest in the flora and fauna of East Worcestershire and was a Fellow of the Linnean Society, the Society of Antiquaries and the Geological Society. John retired from dental practice in 1915 but retained his post of Lecturer in Dental Anatomy and Physiology at the University of Birmingham until 1919. He was appointed Hon. Reader in Medieval Archaeology in 1924, and held that post until 1931. He is known for discovering the famous Sheldon Tapestries in Chastleton House, Oxfordshire. He died on 29 May 1937, is buried at Bromsgrove cemetery and is commemorated by a tablet on the main staircase of the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

Source: 'The Great War Letters of Humphrey Francis Humphreys: An Edition' by Richard Douglas Bridgewater (PhD thesis: University of Birmingham, 2003).

Open. Access to all registered researchers.

Donated by the Executors of John Humphreys, July 1937.

Please see full catalogue for more information.

Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Director of 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 Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult.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.

Originally part of the library of John Humphreys. Former location: MSS 2/v/2.

University of Birmingham Staff Papers: Papers of John Humphreys, are held at reference US130. Family and personal papers of the Humphreys family, including John Humphreys, are held at MS190.