The Macclesfield Collection

The Macclesfield Collection principally comprises the archives of John Collins (1625-1683) and William Jones (1675-1749). As well as being mathematicians in their own right, both men corresponded with leading scientific figures of their day and so the collection includes autograph material by Isaac Newton, Edmond Halley, Henry Briggs, Roger Cotes, Henry Oldenburg and Robert Hooke.

Please enquire at the Manuscripts Reading Room desk if you would like to view items from the Macclesfield Collection.

William Jones was tutor to the Parker family, the Earls of Macclesfield, and both his own papers and those he had inherited from John Collins remained in library at Shirburn Castle until 1999 when they were bought through Sotheby's by Cambridge University Library.

A catalogue of the collection can be found on ArchiveSearch.

Other Newton manuscripts are in the Portsmouth Collection (Add.3958-4007). 3 further scientific notebooks missed from the Macclesfield sale and presented afterwards by the Earl and Countess of Macclesfield are at MS Add.9776.