Microform Collections in Stauffer Library
THE THOMASON TRACTS, 1640-1661
Description
George Thomason (d. 1666) was a Bookseller of the Rose and Crown shop in St. Paul's Church Yard, London, England. Sometimes documented as George Thompson or Tompson in the Register of Stationers' Hall, Thomason was a remarkable benefactor of the British Museum. From the period of 1640-1661, Thomason acquired and preserved works including writings, sermons, songs, political speeches, debates, opinions, jokes, gossip, news reports, and early newspapers. He also collected manuscripts relating to the Execution of King Charles I, the Civil War, the Commonwealth, and the Restoration. The original collection is comprised of more than 23,926 tracts in 2,142 volumes.
"At the time of Thomason's death in 1666, the pamphlets were at Oxford in the care of Thomas Barlow, the Provost of Queen's College. Thomason himself appreciated the significance of his collection; his will emphasised the unparallelled scope of the collection as well as the time and money that had been spent in its formation. After Barlow became Bishop of Lincoln, various attempts were made to sell the collection to the University of Oxford, to the nation, and, later, to several of the wealthiest private collectors in the country. All these attempts failed, mainly because of the high price being demanded. As a result, for almost a century the vast collection remained inaccessible, ignored and neglected by historians. It was not until 1762 that the pamphlets were finally sold to the Earl of Bute, acting on behalf of George III. They were presented to the British Museum in 1762 in the king's name. As a result, the collection is occasionally known as the 'King's Tracts' in some 18th and 19th century sources. The Thomason Collection was transferred to the British Library in 1973." -- from the British Library documentation describing the collection
The microfilm collection consists of nine units of approximately 100,000 pages each, spanning 256 reels. Part I of the Index to the 256 reels gives the volume and page reference on which the item is to be found in the catalogue, the date of publication for each tract, the Wing identification number, and the reel number location in the microfilm collection. Part II of the Index provides a cross-reference to the Thomason Tracts by Wing number. The Index also includes an explanation of a sample entry. Also included is a facsimile of the 1908 catalogue to the collection housed at the British Museum. Volume 1, Part 1 of the catalogue provides a detailed biography of George Thomason and his book trade.
Microfilm Location and Call Number Stauffer Library Microfilms at HV6431. T495 1986t
Guide/Index Location and Call Number Stauffer Library Reference & W.D. Jordan Special Collections Reference at Z2018 .T4t: Parts I & II
Collection Status Complete (256 of 256 Reels, plus Guide)
Notes
- The Collection Catalogue is available in Stauffer Reference at Z2018.B85 1977 and consists of 2 volumes in 2 parts each, for a total of 4 books.
- Queen's Library also has purchased online access to The Thomason Tracts via ProQuest's Early English Books Online (Note: Access is restricted to Queen's students, faculty and staff)