Radcliffe Trust Manuscripts

The Radcliffe Trust Manuscripts consists of a collection of miscellaneous manuscripts acquired by the Radcliffe Library, Oxford, including:  

• Twelve volumes of letters to Richard Richardson, botanist and antiquary, and his son Richard, 1690-1777
• Sixteen volumes of drafts and notes for lectures by Thomas Hornsby, ca. 1774-1800
• Ten volumes of drawings and descriptions of shells by Joan Raye de Breukelerwaard, entitiled 'Choix de coquilles rares et autres dessines d'aprs nature avec soin sur les originaux qui se trouvent dans mon cabinet', 18th century
• 12 volumes of water-colours of birds, 18th century
• Eight volumes of Japanese water-colours, late 18th century
• Sixty dissertations submitted for the degree of Doctor of Medicine at Oxford, 1859-95

John Radcliffe (1650-1714) was a physician who left money in trust for, among other things, the foundation of the Radcliffe Library, Radcliffe Infirmary and Radcliffe Observatory. Details are given in the Dictionary of National Biography.

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card (for admissions procedures see http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk).

Most of the manuscripts became the property of the Bodleian by decree of Chancery in 1932; others were given by the Radcliffe Trustees, 1935-8.

Collection level description created by Emily Tarrant, Department of Special Collections and Western Manuscripts.

M. Clapinson and T.D. Rogers, Summary Catalogue of Post-Medieval Western Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library Oxford. Acquisitions 1916-1975. (Oxford, 1991), vol. II, nos. 51839-52032.

See also:

• Radcliffe Trust (MSS. D.D. Radcliffe a. 1-4, b. 1-8, c. 1-72, d. 1-39, e. 1, f. 1)
• Additional Papers of the Radcliffe Trust Concerning the Radcliffe Observatory (MSS. D.D. Radcliffe c. 73-4, d. 40-3, e. 2-4)
• Additional Papers of the Radcliffe Trust (MSS. D.D. Radcliffe a. 5-6 (R), b. 9-29, c. 76-92, e. 5-6)