Friday, October 11, 2013

Thames (NZ): Sir George Grey Collection

Sir George Grey had a strong connection with The Thames, and always took an interest in the activities on the goldfields. There is a growing collection of digitised items in the MANUSCRIPTS Collection at the Auckland Library.
 
The original Auckland City Library opened in 1880, thanks to the generosity of Sir George Grey who had the foresight to gift his diverse book collection to the people of Auckland. This collection included some 14,000 items including rare books, manuscripts and letters, which today has both national and international significance.
 
The collection has letters relating to Thames. One of interest relates to the donation of books to Sir George Grey for his collection, and the Auckland Library. In 1898, Rev S J Neill of the Manse, Thames, donated several books to the collection. One was a four volume set  called the Latin Thesaurus by Robert Stephen, which was published in 1735.
Source: Manuscript number: GLNZ N4.2
Auckland City Libraries
Many old books ended up down the mine shafts around the town, so it is pleasing to note that at least these books (among) others survived. Today the book can still be found at Auckland in the Special Collections at the Library. 
TITLE:  Roberti Stephani Thesaurus linguae latinae.
Publish info: Londini : Typis & impensis Sam. Harding ad Bibliorum & Ancorae in vico St. Martin's Lane, 1734-1735.
Sir George Grey died in 1898
'Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, AWNS-18980930-1-1'