Hartley Collection, Special Collections, Hartley Library: Home

Hartley Collection

The Hartley Collection reflects the interests of Henry Robinson Hartley (1777-1850), whose bequest led to the founding of the Hartley Institution, the forerunner of the University. Reluctant to travel himself, Hartley acquired books to “fill out his ideas” of different parts of the world, collecting descriptions of world voyages, of journeys to Africa and Arabia, Lapland and Russia, as well as reports of tours through Europe.

His lifelong interest in classical literature makes this one of the largest sections of his collection whilst the Arabic, Hebrew and Turkish grammars and dictionaries demonstrate his wider interest in languages. 

Hartley’s natural history books include a copy Martini Lister Historiae Conchyliorum (1685-1698), engraved throughout, and John Latham’s A General Synopsis of Birds (1781-1787).

Extent: Over 500 books ranging in date from the 17th century to the early 19th century.

Location and Access

The Hartley Collection is part of Special Collections on level 4 of the Hartley Library and items are fetched for use in the Archives, Manuscripts and Rare Books Search Room.

Access

The Search Room is open Tuesday-Thursday 1000-1600. All visits are by prior appointment and all visitors will be required to book their visit and to order their material at least 1 working day in advance. 

Bookings are made by emailing Archives@soton.ac.uk providing details of name, University ID number (members of the University of Southampton only), permanent residential address and contact details, date of visit and list of items to be consulted.

If you do not have a University I.D. Card, you will need to show photographic I.D. and a form of I.D. which includes your permanent residential address when you enter the Hartley Library and also when you arrive at the Search Room.

Catalogues

The books are listed by author in the Card Catalogue which is in the Film and Music Resources Room on level 5 of the Hartley Library.

There are records for a small proportion of the collection on Library Search, the online catalogue.

Enquiries

For general enquiries about the Hartley Collection contact: Jenny Ruthven email: archives@soton.ac.uk or tel. 023 80593335

Search Room Bookings: email: archives@soton.ac.uk or tel. 023 80592721

Address: Special Collections, Hartley Library, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ

Reprographics Service

Bound volumes cannot be photocopied but you can request photographic copies, subject to the age and condition of the item.

See Reprographics Service for a list of the types of copy available and charges.

Collection History

Henry Robinson Hartley (1777-1850) bequeathed almost all of his estate to the Corporation of Southampton, intending that it should be used to 'promote the study and advancement of the sciences of natural history, astronomy, antiquities, classical and oriental literature in the town, such as by forming a public library, botanic gardens, observatory'. It was also his wish that his three houses in the High Street should be maintained and his effects, in particular his manuscripts, preserved.

In 1862, the Hartley Institution, the forerunner of the University of Southampton, opened on the site of Hartley's property. In the period since his death, his manuscripts had been destroyed by his trustees, who regarded his revolutionary and atheistical ideas as 'obscene and blasphemous', but his personal library survived, becoming the first of the new library's special collections.