Knowsley Hall Library

5000 17th-19th century items from the Library of the Earls of Derby at Knowsley Hall, Lancashire.

Knowsley books

image of Knowsley Hall, c.1850

At the 1954 Christie's sales of books from Knowsley Hall Library, the University bought the beautiful 1465 Mainz edition of Cicero.

The University also acquired from Knowsley a good collection of the ordinary books of the period - divinity, politics, law, history, travel, astrology, popular medicine - including first editions of Milton and Dryden, and Robert Boyle's The Sceptical Chymist (1661).

Knowsley pamphlets

The collection includes Civil War tracts, a unique copy of Propositions of Captain Ferentes (1622) and the 19th-century collection of Edward George, 14th Earl of Derby (1799-1869), three times Prime Minister, whose parliamentary career was summarised by Disraeli as "He abolished slavery, he educated Ireland, he reformed parliament".

See Knowsley Hall Library in the Highlights gallery

Finding and using

See items in Highlights gallery

Opening hours

Monday - Friday: 9.30am - 4.45pm

Appointments must be made at least one day in advance.

SC&A contacts

email: mwatry@liv.ac.uk
tel: (0151) 794 2696
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