Finding Aid for the William Roscoe and Jane Griffies Roscoe Collection
MS.2008.023
Processed by Rebecca Fenning Marschall; revised 2022 by Rebecca Fenning Marschall
William Andrews Clark Memorial Library
©2009
2520 Cimarron Street
Los Angeles 90018
clark@humnet.ucla.edu
Contributing Institution:
William Andrews Clark Memorial Library
Title: William Roscoe and Jane Griffies Roscoe Collection
Identifier/Call Number: MS.2008.023
Physical Description:
2.5 Linear Feet
3 boxes and 4 bound volumes
Date (inclusive): 1774-1974
Abstract: Contains correspondence to and from William Roscoe and commonplace books compiled by his wife Jane Griffies Roscoe, as well
as portrait engravings and ephemera, dating 1774-1887.
Physical Location: Clark Library
Language of Material:
English
.
Access
Collection is open for research.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Professor David H. Weinglass and Marilyn Carbonell, 2008.
Biography
William Roscoe was born in 1753 in Liverpool. Although he trained to become an attorney and worked in that capacity for 20
years, his true passion was literature and the arts, particularly the study of Italy. In 1781, he married Jane Griffies, the
daughter of linen draper William Griffies and his wife Ann Lace. Jane was also born in Liverpool in 1757 and was an amateur
poet whose original work is collected in some of the commonplace books described in this collection. William and Jane had
10 children together between 1782 and 1800.
Beginning when he was around 16, William had published and circulated some poetry that was well-received by the critics, but
it was the Life of Lorenzo published in 1796 that earned him his reputation as a writer and historian. This was followed by
a Life of Leo X in 1805, which was not as well-received. He retired from his career in the law soon after the publication
of the Life of Lorenzo and dedicated his time to writing and the arts, as well as farming, abolition and politics. In 1816,
a bank in which he was a partner failed and he was forced to sell his home, Allerton Hall, as well as his sizeable collections
of books, paintings and manuscripts.
Though William continued working as a writer and as an advocate for culture in Liverpool, his family moved often because of
financial worries. Jane Griffies Roscoe died in 1824 and William Roscoe himself died at 78, in 1831.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], William Roscoe and Jane Griffies Roscoe Collection, MS.2008.023, William Andrews Clark Memorial
Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
Scope and Content
The William Roscoe and Jane Griffies Roscoe collection, dating 1774-1887, consists primarily of correspondence between William
Roscoe, his family circle and various friends, booksellers and professional colleagues. The other major component of this
collection are the 4 volumes of commonplace books compiled by his wife, Jane Griffies Roscoe.
The majority of the correspondence collected here consists of outgoing letters written by Roscoe to his sons and to colleagues
and friends in the worlds of publishing, art and politics, as do incoming letters sent to Roscoe and to others. Some letters
are brief notes regarding social engagements, while others contain more substantive discussions of topics ranging from slavery
to bookselling and art collecting. Frequent correspondents include sons Robert, Richard, Thomas and Henry as well as booksellers
Cadell & Davies and artist Martin Archer Shee.
The four volumes of commonplace books, dating 1774-1790, compiled by Jane Griffies Roscoe contain autograph contributions
by William Roscoe, as well as works by him written in Jane's hand. The volumes also contain what appear to be Jane's original
compositions in addition to works by poets such as William Collins, Thomas Gray, Phillis Wheatley and Anna Laetitia Barbauld.
Ephemera and images, dating 1805-1853 and undated, include portrait engravings of William and of his residence at Allerton
Hall, as well as related newspapers and other clippings. A medal issued on his centenary in 1853 by Joseph Mayer, Liverpool
arts patron and possible former owner of parts of this collection, is also included.
The collection is organized into the following series:
- Series 1. Correspondence, 1796-1833, 1887
- Series 2. Poetical commonplace book, 1774-1790. 4 volumes
- Series 3. Images, ephemera and Roscoeiana, 1805-1974.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, UCLA. All requests for permission to publish
or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of
the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission
of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Digitized Materials
Digitized surrogates of the commonplace books of Jane Griffies Roscoe are accessible via
Calisphere .
Related Materials at the Clark Library
Additional books by or related to William Roscoe from the collection of David Weinglass are cataloged as a part of the Clark
Library's print collections. To find these books, search the UC Library Search catalog for "William Roscoe Collection of D.H.
Weinglass & M. Carbonell."
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Ephemera -- England -- 19th century
Letters -- England -- 19th century
Commonplace books -- England -- 19th century
Authors, English -- 18th century -- Archives
Engravings (prints)
Correspondence Series 1.
1796-1833, 1887, undated
Physical Description: 0.42 Linear Feet1 box
Scope and Contents note
The majority of the correspondence collected here consists of outgoing letters written by Roscoe to his sons and to colleagues
and friends in the worlds of publishing, art and politics, though there are also incoming letters addressed to him and others
close to him. Some letters are brief notes regarding social engagements, while others contain more substantive discussions
of topics ranging from slavery to bookselling and art collecting. Frequent correspondents include sons Robert, Richard, Thomas
and Henry as well as booksellers Cadell and Davies and artist Martin Archer Shee.
Arrangement note
Items are arranged in two subseries: Subseries 1. Correspondence from William Roscoe, 1797-1830, undated and Subseries 2.
Correspondence and material from others, 1796-1833, 1887, undated.
Outgoing correspondence from William Roscoe Subseries 1.
1797-1830, undated
Container Summary: 47 letters
Arrangement note
Letters are arranged in chronological order.
Box 1, Folder 1
To James Heath (1757-1834)
4 March 1797
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 2
To Cadell & Davies
[1799?]
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 3
From Rev. Henry Boyd, with appended note from Roscoe to Cadell & Davies, booksellers
August 1802
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 4
To Messrs. Lackington, Allen & Co., booksellers
8 December 1803
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Scope and Contents note
Ordering 13 books and requesting book catalog.
Box 1, Folder 5
To unknown correspondent
8 February 1805
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Scope and Contents note
Regarding an engraving of Allerton Hall.
Box 1, Folder 6
To unknown correspondent
9 June 1805
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 7
To Joseph Cooper Walker
26 August 1805
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 8
To Rev. William Parr Greswell (1765-1854)
22 June 1806
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 9
To Cadell & Davies
6 September 1806
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 10
To Richard Taylor (1781-1858)
30 January 1807
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 11
To [David Steuart Erskine], Lord [Buchan]
3 March 1807
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 12
To William Barber
19 March 1807
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 13
To Thomas Winstanley
6 April [1807?]
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 14
To [Thomas Cadell?]
5 December 1807
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 15
To [Cadell & Davies]
[24 January 1808]
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Scope and Contents note
List of persons to whom WR would like sent his Considerations.
Box 1, Folder 16
To Cadell & Davies
26 May 1808
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 17
To Martin Archer Shee (1769-1850)
4 November 1808
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 18
To W[illiam] M[acDowal] Tartt
2 January 1809
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 19
To William Wilberforce
10 July 1809
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 20
To Henry Wilckens
18 April 1810
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 21
To unknown correspondent
20 October 1814
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 22
To [Dawson Turner (1775-1858)?]
25 November 1814
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 23
To Martin Archer Shee
17 April 1819
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 24
To Robert Roscoe
24 April 1819
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 25
To Archibald Constable
28 July 1819
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 26
To Thomas Winstanley
[ca. 1820]
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 27
To William Bullock (fl. 1808-1828)
1 January 1820
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 28
To Edward Rushton
15 September 1821
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 29
To unknown recipient
13 October 1821
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Scope and Contents note
Fragment of a letter, with signature on verso and six lines of text on recto. Mentions a present to His Majesty and Sir Benjamin
Bloomfield.
Box 1, Folder 30
To William Earle
6 October 1822
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 31
To [James Cropper?]
23 January 1823
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 32
To Mrs. [Frances Smith] Martin
10 Sept [ca. 1825-27?]
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 33
To Miss [Margaret] Holford
19 January 1825
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 34
To [Mr. Barclay?]
15 September 1825
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 35
To unknown correspondent
12 November 1825
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 36
To Rev. Domenico Moreni
20 January 1826
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Scope and Contents note
In Italian.
Box 1, Folder 37
To J. Wesley?
29 September 1826
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Scope and Contents note
Name of correspondent from docket; not clearly legible.
Box 1, Folder 38
To Jonathan Trevanion Hatfield (1793-1840)
[February 1827]
General Physical Description note: 1 item
General note
Signature and date cut away from original letter, affecting several lines of text. Modern paper inlaid, with missing text
supplied in pencil and autograph supplied from another source.
Box 1, Folder 39
To [William] Jevons
15 August 1827
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 40
To Thomas Thompson (1776-1861)
5 December 1827
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 41
To Samuel Parker
7 December [1827]
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Scope and Contents note
Remargined and repaired with modern paper.
Box 1, Folder 42
WR autograph and poetical quotation
26 March 1829
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Scope and Contents note
With pencil note from one of WR's grandchildren. Remargined in modern paper.
Box 1, Folder 43
To George Smith
23 July 1829
General Physical Description note: 1 item
General note
Tipped onto gray album page.
Box 1, Folder 44
To [Nathaniel Wallich]
17 May 1830
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 45
To Mr Dodd
20 September 1830
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 46
To John McCreery (1768?-1832)
undated
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 47
To William Rathbone (1787-1868)
undated
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Correspondence from others Subseries 2.
1796-1833, 1887, undated
Container Summary: 14 letters
Arrangement note
Letters are arranged in chronological order.
Scope and Contents note
This subseries includes letters written to Roscoe, as well as letters written to third parties connected to him. Several letters
communicate messages to and from Roscoe to other parties via his sons Robert, Richard, Thomas and Henry. A letter from 1887
to great-grandson Frederick Warburton Dunston documents his acquisition of the items detailed in Series 2 of this finding
aid.
Box 1, Folder 48
From Cadell & Davies to WR
30 Oct [1796]
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Scope and Contents note
Apparent draft copy of a letter to WR.
Box 1, Folder 49
From Georgiana Cavendish, Dutchess of Devonshire, to Dr. John Moore (1729-1802)
[19 December 1798]
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Scope and Contents note
Letter intended to be forwarded by Moore to WR.
Box 1, Folder 50
From Mary Ann Roscoe Jevons to Mr Marples
9 January 18--?
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 51
From William Parr Greswell to Cadell & Davies
6 April 1801
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 52
From Richard Roscoe to Cadell & Davies
[ca. 1814]
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 53
From Robert Roscoe to Cadell & Davies
7 June 1819
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Scope and Contents note
Gives instructions sent from WR.
Box 1, Folder 54
From Robert Roscoe to [?] Horwood
2 October 1826
General Physical Description note: 2 items
Scope and Contents note
Letter and autograph of W. Roscoe.
Box 1, Folder 55
From Henry Roscoe to unknown correspondent
19 June 1833
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Scope and Contents note
Regards his biography of WR and the unknown's friendship with WR.
Box 1, Folder 56
From Richard Roscoe to unknown correspondent
undated
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 57
From Henry Roscoe to unknown correspondent
undated
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 58
From Thomas Roscoe to Cadell & Davies
undated
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 59
From Henry Roscoe to John McCreery
undated
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 60
Excerpt from The butterfly's ball and the grasshopper's feast in Jane Griffies Roscoe's hand
undated
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 61
From Sotheran and Co., booksellers, to Frederick Warburton Dunston
15 July 1887
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Jane Griffies Roscoe poetical commonplace books Series 2.
1774-1790
Physical Description: 1 Linear Feet4 bound volumes
Scope and Contents note
This series consists of 4 volumes of commonplace books kept by Jane Griffies Roscoe before and after her marriage to William
Roscoe in 1781 The volumes each contain contributions from William Roscoe in his own hand, as well as poems composed by him
but written here by Jane. They also contain original work written by Jane, as well as works by poets such as William Collins,
Thomas Gray, Phillis Wheatley, Anna Laetitia Barbauld, Lord Lyttleton and Samuel Johnson. Each volume contains an inscription
on the first page by Frederick Warburton Dunston, dated 3 November 1893, noting that he purchased the "volumes at Sotheby's
on or about 19 July 1887" and that the writer was Jane Griffies, "afterwards wife of Wm. Roscoe of Liverpool." Dunston owned
5 volumes of these commonplace books, but there are now only 4 volumes; it is unclear when the fifth may have been lost. He
believed that all 5 volumes were at "one time in the possession of the late Joseph Mayer of Liverpool," who probably purchased
them "from the widow of my great uncle Richard Roscoe MD," who had been a great collector of Roscoe family documents.
These commonplace books have all been fully digitized and are freely available from the
Calisphere website.
Arrangement note
The four volumes of this work are organized in chronological order.
Volume MS.2008.023 v.1
Volume 1
1774
General Physical Description note: 180 p. ; 21 cm.
Scope and Contents note
Calligraphic title page with ink drawings, reading "Poems extracted from several authors : with a few originals, JG, 1774."
Contains what appear to be original compositions by JGR and WR on pages 1-21, and in other places throughout the volume.
Digital Surrogate
Volume MS.2008.023 v.2
Volume 2
1775
General Physical Description note: 7, [173] p. ; 21 cm.
Scope and Contents note
Calligraphic title page with embellishments reads, "Poems, JG, 1775."
Digital Surrogate
Volume MS.2008.023 v.3
Volume 3
about 1775-1780
General Physical Description note: 160, [20] p. ; 21 cm.
Scope and Contents note
Calligraphic title page reading, "Poems collected by JG, Liverpool." There are black and white watercolor illustrations presumably
by Jane Griffies on both the title page and a later page in the text. "To Julia" (the title has been supplied in pencil) on
p. 1 is in the hand of William Roscoe.
Digital Surrogate
Volume MS.2008.023 v.4
Volume 4
about 1780-1790
General Physical Description note: [180] p. ; 21 cm.
Scope and Contents note
No title page. Several works apparently by JGR or WR; several works closer to the end of the volume signed "WR."
Existence and Location of Copies
Images, ephemera and Roscoeiana Series 3.
1805-1979
Scope and Contents note
This series contains various pieces of Roscoe-related ephemera and images of William Roscoe and his residences, collected
by donor David H. Weinglass. Some 20th century published works related to Roscoe and correspondence between David Weinglass
and other scholars are also included here. Many items are undated, but the bulk of material appears to date from the first
half of the 19th century. A medal issued on Roscoe's centenary (1853) by Joseph Mayer, a Liverpool arts patron and possible
former owner of parts of this collection is also included.
Box 2
"Allerton Hall, Lancashire" colored engraving in frame
undated
General Physical Description note: In frame 23 x 27 cm.
Scope and Contents note
Additional unframed copy of this print in Box 1, Folder 74.
Box 2
"Birth-place of William Roscoe, Liverpool" hand-colored engraving in frame
undated
General Physical Description note: In frame 23 x 27 cm.
Box 1, Folder 62
Memoir of William Roscoe, Esq. The European Magazine
July 1822
General Physical Description note: 10 p.
Scope and Contents note
An article about WR published in 1822, with an engraved portrait by J. Thompson.
Box 1, Folder 63
Engraved monogram "J McC"
undated
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Scope and Contents note
Possibly the monogram of WR correspondent and Liverpool printer John McCreery.
Box 1, Folder 64
"W. Roscoe aetat: 38" black and white engraving from Bohn's standard library edition of the Life of Leo the Tenth
undated
General Physical Description note: 6 p.
Scope and Contents note
Engraving and several pages from a later 19th century edition of WR's work.
Box 1, Folder 65
"Roscoe" engraving with pencil attribution to Williamson and Edwards
undated
General Physical Description note: 26.5 x 17.5 cm.
Scope and Contents note
Apparently original printing of the same portrait as in folder 64. Light foxing to edges of sheet.
Box 1, Folder 66
Photograph reproduction of Roscoe portrait in Walker Art Gallery collection
undated
General Physical Description note: 18.5 x 16 cm.
Box 1, Folder 67
Engraving of Roscoe portrait by J. Lonsdale,
undated
General Physical Description note: 21 x 16 cm.
Scope and Contents note
Engraved by S. Freeman.
Box 1, Folder 68
Prospectus for the Landscape Annual, edited by Thomas Roscoe
1830
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Box 1, Folder 69
Roscoe portrait etching by Alfred Croquis
undated
General Physical Description note: 22 x 13 cm., mounted to 25 x 21 cm.
Scope and Contents note
Published by James Fraser, 245 Regent Street, London. Pasted to gray album page.
Box 1, Folder 70
Cabinet card photograph of Roscoe portrait
undated
General Physical Description note: 10 x 6.5 cm.
Scope and Contents note
Captioned "Wm. Roscoe" in ink. Produced by E. Cox-Walker, Liverpool & Rock Ferry.
Box 1, Folder 71
Engraving of Roscoe portrait by Hopwood
1815
General Physical Description note: 12.5 x 10.5 cm.
Scope and Contents note
Published by I.W.H. Payne, July 1st, 1815. Trimmed down from original size.
Box 1, Folder 72
Modern Roscoe related postcards and ephemera
20th century
General Physical Description note: 4 items
Box 1, Folder 73
Engraving of Allerton Hall by J. Storer from a drawing by E. Goodwin
1805
General Physical Description note: 21.5 x 13 cm.
Scope and Contents note
Captions read "For the Beauties of England and Wales" and "Allerton Hall, the residence of W. Roscoe, Esqr., Lancashire."
Published by Vernor & Hood Poultry, March 1, 1805.
Box 1, Folder 74
"Allerton Hall, Lancashire" colored engraving
undated
General Physical Description note: 20 x 13 cm.
Scope and Contents note
Framed copy of the same engraving stored separately, as above.
Box 2, Folder 1
William Roscoe, Esq., Engraved by C. Picart from an original picture by M. Haughton in the possession of Mr. J. McCreery
1813
General Physical Description note: 36 x 23.5 cm.
Scope and Contents note
Published Jan. 11, 1813 by T. Cadell & W. Davies, Strand, London.
Box 2, Folder 2
"Letter to William Roscoe, Esquire of Toxteth Park near Liverpool" from Roberts Vaux, Philadelphia, 10 May 1827. In Paulson's
American Daily Advertiser
18 May 1827
General Physical Description note: 4 p.
Scope and Contents note
4 pages from the American Daily Advertiser of Philadelphia.
Box 2, Folder 3
Roscoe centenary commemorative medal
8 March 1853
General Physical Description note: 1 item
Scope and Contents note
Recto with Roscoe bust in profile also reads "Mayer Liverpool direxit" and "Allen & Moore f[ecit]." Joseph Mayer, the former
owner of parts of this collection, is the likely candidate for the "Mayer" mentioned here.
Box 3, Folder 1
Correspondence and papers of David Weinglass, inserted into Roscoe's Whole proceedings (1791)
Physical Description: Items removed from Clark call no. *K .A51w 1791
Box 3, Folder 2
Men of Letters, Public Record Office publication
1974
Box 3, Folder 3
Newspaper clipping on the Washington family, The London Times
1894 Sep 24
Box 3, item 4
A guide to Liverpool (folding pamphlet)
about 1970-1990?
Box 3, Folder 5
Liverpool Packet no. 5 in the Scouse Press series of Collections of Local History material: Slavers and Privateers, by Fritz
Spiegl
1972
Box 3, Folder 6
Liverpool History Teaching Unit No. 2: The Slave Trade and Liverpool
1973
Box 3, Folder 7
Receipt for Roscoe's The Life and Pontificate of Leo X
1979
Physical Description: Previously inserted in Clark call no. DG737.9 R794 1864 * (The life of Lorenzo de' Medici). Invoice made out to David Weinglass
from Alan Wilson.
