Treasured donations – Hertford College Library & Archives Blog

Our special collections contain several main items donated by college members, families of alumni, and college tutors and staff. Here we look at two examples of donors and their gifts. Our library rebuild plans include a new bespoke rare books and archives store and consultation space. These will allow us to preserve the collections and share them with many future generations.

A rare gift from the Obsonator

Hundreds of books were donated to the libraries of Magdalen Hall and Hart Hall in the 17^th and 18^th centuries. Our best sources of information for these are the Benefactors’ Books from Magdalen Hall. This edition of Lombard’s Sentences is one of the earliest printed items still in the collection. This copy was given to Magdalen Hall by Roger Fry in 1657. The inscription in the book (and in the Benefactors’ book) describes him as “obsonator”, i.e. manciple or caterer for the Hall.

Provenance note on inner leaf of book in reddish pen — Provenance note on inner leaf of book

Entry of 'Rogerus Frye' in ink pen with details of donation in Latin written below — Provenance note on inner leaf of book

Early modern printed text with early modern pen annotations in margins — Text with early modern annotations in margins

Front cover of book, with rough holes for chain marks near page edge — Text with early modern annotations in margins

Cale’s legacy

Hertford College’s collections received a large bequest from Hart Hall alumnus John Cale in 1777. His will records the donation of books, money to pay for the transfer and cataloguing of the books, and shares in the East India Company to fund a librarian. Cale’s donations are currently part of the College’s rare books cataloguing project. We are gradually learning about the wide variety of material in his collection and his distinctive bindings and markings on the books.

This set of brief works is an example of the wide variety of material collected by Cale. The items were published from 1718 to 1754 and cover topics including currency and finances, controlling infectious diseases, political debate, growing hops, and the criticism of the Moravian Church.