Blackburn rope-maker Robert Edward Hart died in 1946 and left his rare book collection and coins to Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery. His family made their fortune by supplying rope to the cotton industry and this money enabled Hart to pursue his interests in collecting from a young age.
Through his books he attempted to document the history of the written word and spent his life compiling an outstanding collection that is now considered to be one of the best in the country.
The Hart family and other newly rich Blackburn entrepreneurs made their vast fortunes through the manufacture of cotton textiles and the production of auxiliary materials for the cotton mills such as coal and rope. This enabled them to engage in local philanthropy from investing in local infrastructure and charities to the building of collections they would later donate.
Hart’s wealth in particular allowed him to invest in objects for his own enjoyment that ultimately resulted in cultural enrichment for his local community. As Hart put it himself, his bequest of his collections of rare books and coins was made for ‘the people of the town’ and he was keen for them to stay in places he was connected to.
Highlights of the collection include the Psalters and Books of Hours, early printed books by William Caxton and a page from the Gutenberg bible.
Those who enjoy the Arts and Crafts Movement can see books made by William Morris’ Kelmscott Press including a beautiful copy of Canterbury Tales.
Hart’s collection also features a selection of manuscripts and texts from the Islamic world including copies of the Qur’an and Guide to Goodness.
In Summer 2016 Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery exhibited the first four Shakespeare Folios. In this video Sir Brian Vickers (who is a world authority on Shakespeare with special interest in the surviving printed texts of his works), speaks about his work, the folios and the collections at Blackburn Museum.
Robert Edward Hart; Blackburn’s ‘Worthy Citizen’ 1878 – 1946
Dr Cynthia Johnston, from the Institute of English Studies, School of Advanced Studies at the University of London has produced this Podcast bringing to life Robert Edward Hart. This programme uses extracts from the memories of Mrs Peggy Cook, who worked for Hart in domestic service.
The production of this documentary drama was funded by the Train and Engage programme at University College London.