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Herbert Thompson Collection

Archive Collection: SC MS Herbert Thompson Contains records with digital media

Details

Type of record: Archive

Title: Herbert Thompson Collection

Level: Collection

Classmark: SC MS Herbert Thompson

Date(s): 1876-1945

Size and medium: 106 volumes, 3 boxes

Persistent link: https://explore.library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections-explore/167040

Description

Collection compiled by Herbert Thompson on music. Correspondence, opera and concert programmes, autograph album, diary, manuscript music, newspaper cuttings on music criticism, photographs and postcards. Comprises multiple accessions.

Biography or history

Herbert Thompson was born at Hunslet, Leeds, on 11th August 1856, son of John Thompson, bank manager and amateur flautist, and Jane, daughter of William Thurnam. 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 LLM in 1881. He entered the Inner Temple in 1876, read for the Bar and was called on 25th June, 1879; he joined the North-eastern Circuit and practised for a few years, especially at Leeds Quarter Sessions. Whilst living in London between 1878 and 1885 he assisted Alfred Emden in the editing of 'The Complete annual digest of every reported case' and other legal literary works. The collaboration lasted until 1894. Meanwhile Thompson's deep interest in music was drawing him away from the law and having returned to Leeds, he soon had the good fortune to be offered a position on the Yorkshire Post as music and art critic, by Charles Pebody its editor, in October 1886. The work was
congenial and the connection was cemented. Thompson married in 1897 Edith Mary, daughter of F R Sparks, JP, a Leeds printer, publisher and wholesale stationer, who was also honorary secretary of the Leeds Musical Festival. Two years later he seems to have given up regular work at the Bar. As well as working for the Yorkshire Post, Thompson also became the Yorkshire correspondent of the Musical Times and contributed copiously to the critical notes in the programmes of the Leeds Musical Festival and of other festivals. He wrote a study of Wagner, published in 1927, and edited several musical works besides contributing to Grove's Dictionary of music and musicians. He was awarded an honorary LittD by the University of Leeds in 1924 and retired from the Yorkshire Post in 1936. He died on 6th May 1945. Obituaries appeared in The Times (11th May, p7 column 5), the Yorkshire Post (8th May 1945, p3 columns 1-2) and the Musical Times (June 1945, p191 and July 1945, pp207-208). There is a notice
of him in Grove's Dictionary, (5th edition, volume viii (1954), p429). During his life-time he gave many volumes and musical scores to Leeds University Library, and after his death his widow presented, in accordance with his wishes, most of the papers recorded below. This collection has not been listed hitherto though its existence was briefly mentioned at the end of the entry for Thompson in J A Venn's Alumni Cantabrigiensis, part II. 1752-1900 (volume vi (1954), p163).

Access and usage

Access

This collection is subject to various access conditions. Please see individual catalogue descriptions for further details on access.

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