Collection of MS. material inc. correspondence.

Collection of manuscript material relating to him, including a section of one of his scientific manuscripts, an unpublished biography of him by his son Ernest W. Wiltshire with associated letters, family and other correspondence, a family portrait, offprint, newspaper cuttings.A valuable collection of material from the family archive of an influential and neglected figure in Victorian science.- Autograph Letter Signed ('Thos. Wiltshire') to his son (29 April 1899; on letterhead of 25 Granville Park, Lewisham, S.E.; 12mo, 4 pp), beginning 'Will you be surprized to learn that I am now a Doctor without any knowledge of medicine & that your dear Mother is Frau Dr. Wiltshire. In other words the University of Cambridge has conferred upon me the degree of D.Sc. (Doctor in Science) a considerable distinction, though of no money value. The affair was none of my seeking and therefore was the more pleasing.' Contains description of ceremony.- Autograph section of an unidentified scientific work by Wiltshire. 8vo, 72 pp, sewn into a signature of 36 leaves. For publication, and paginated between 417 and 444. Begins '[...] services A. V. Meuss has described the fauna of Wieliczka; whose investigations and careful research work, occupied from 1848.' Ends 'kitchen refuse, is the name given to the peculiar wall or mound-like accumulations, in Denmark which [...]'.- Signed manuscript copy, in Wiltshire's hand ('Tho Wiltshire'), of a letter (16 July 1879; 12mo, 4 pp) to his uncle, expressing vexation at his 'asking to borrow two pounds'. Also autograph syllabus by Wiltshire (12mo, 3 pp; on Granville Park letterhead), presumably for course of studies at King's College London, headed '25 Geology', beginning 'Day and hour of attendance Monday from 7 to 8'.- Five Autograph Letters Signed to Thomas Wiltshire: One from his son Thomas P. Wiltshire (30 June 1876; 113 Mersey Road, Widnes; 12mo, 3 pp) discussing reasons for withdrawing money ('I should not have acted otherwise than I have done had I it all to do over again. It is not the result of any personal extravagance; more than that I cannot tell you.'). One from Edward William Binney (4 June 1873; Spring Bank, Cheetham Hill, Manchester; 12mo, 4 pp) discussing 'a few Carboniferous Fossils' which he sending him. One from Joseph B. (8 July 1876; letterhead of College Gardens, 15 St Charles Square, Ladbroke Grove Road; 12mo, 1 p). One from Alfred Barry (undated; on King's College letterhead; 12mo, 1 p). One from his nephew Harry C. Pratt (18 March 1876; 17 Friars Street, Sudbury, Suffolk; 12mo, 4 pp); with autograph copy (12mo, 3 pp) of Wiltshire's reply.- Biography of Wiltshire by his son, on one side each of seventy-eight 8vo leaves (dimensions 24 x 18.5 cm), consisting of a seventy-two page narrative, paginated to 77 but lacking 65 to 69, together with unpaginated title-page, page and a half of addenda, and four pages each containing a transcript of a letter. On aged paper with wear to extremities, and loss to a few words on three or four pages. Biographical information on Wiltshire is scarce, and this clear and detailed biography is especially valuable coming from his son. (Ernest W. Wiltshire is not named as the author, but his initials occur, scored-through, at the end of the introduction.) The title-page reads 'The Life and Work of the Rev. Thos. Wiltshire, M.A., D.Sc., F.G.S., F.L.S., F.R.A.S. etc, etc. Member of the Geological Society of France. Honorary Corresponding Member of the Geological Society of Austalasia, Secretary of the Palaeontographical and Ray Societies. Emeritus Professor & Fellow of King's Coll. London. Evening Lecturer at St. Clement's, Eastcheap. Freeman & Past-Master of the Clothworker's Company. Member of the Athenaeum & Geological Society's Clubs. Born April 21st. 1826; Died Oct. 27th. 1902. "Faire Sans Dire." 1903.' Divided into seven sections: Early Days; His after Life; Church Work; Connection with King's College; Connection with the Clothworkers Company; Scientific Work & Travels; Conclusion. Includes notices of his works, and of the establishment of the 'Wiltshire Prize' at Cambridge, as well as of his travels (Wiltshire being 'among other things a great traveller, - his travels being generally undertaken with a Scientific object'). Also transcripts of two testimonials on behalf of Wiltshire's first and unsuccessful University of London candidacy: the first by Sir Richard Owen (British Museum, 1 December 1869) and the second by Thomas Henry Huxley (Royal School of Mines, 3 December 1869: 'I have much pleasure in expressing my conviction that your acquaintance with Geology & Palaeontology is extensive & intimate, & that the energy & method you display as Secretary of the Palaeontographical Society would if turned in the direction of teachingm make you an excellent Professor.'). Also transcripts of two letters relating to Wiltshire's donation of 'his very extensive & valuable Collection of Minerals' to the Mineralogical Museum in Cambridge.Kings College have a 56p biography published in Brighton in 1903. This could well be the MS. Source.- Eight letters, 1902-3, replying to E. W. Wiltshire's enquiries regarding his father's life: one from Arthur Roper (describing the 'immediate cause' of Thomas Wiltshire's death); two from Walter Smith, Secretary of King's College; three from Sir Owen Roberts, Clerk to the Clothworkers' Company; one from John Hopkinson, Treasurer of the Ray Society; one from Henry R. Tedder of the Athenaeum.- A family photograph, 7.5 x 10 cm, docketed in pencil on the reverse 'Rev. Wiltshire', showing Thomas Wiltshire, his wife and three children. In good condition, with one small pinhole at head. (The National Portrait Gallery does not possess an image of Wiltshire.)- A printed form, completed in manuscript and signed by John Carrick Moore, informing Wiltshire of his election as Fellow of the Geological Society of London. 4to, 1 p. Dated 7 February 1856, 'Apartments of the Geological Society of London, Somerset House.' Good, on lightly-creased paper.- A detailed manuscript record of Wiltshire's connection with the Clothworkers' Company, of which he was Master, 1888/9 (described in one of Roberts' letters to E. W. Wiltshire, above, as 'some Memoranda relative to your good and lamented father'). 4to, 6 pp. Good, on six leaves of lightly-aged paper. Example of entry: 'At the Court the 6th. July 1898 the Revd. Professor Wiltshire presented a Cheque for £45 for Investment to provide a Prize or Prizes for Swimming by the Pupils of the Sutton Valence Grammar School. this Sum was invested in the purchase of £40 India 3 1/2 er cent Stock, [...]'.- A typed letter of condolence to Wiltshire's widow from John Hopkinson on behalf of the Ray Society; another to her from Sir Owen Roberts, regarding financial affairs; and a third from John Hill & Sons, stockbrokers.- Two long Autograph Letters Signed (1914 and 1926) from Ernest W. Wiltshire to his son A. L. Wiltshire.- Letter to Sir Owen Roberts from A. L. Wiltshire (undated; 8vo, 2 pp), with four banking receipts.- Printed card of 'The Rev. Thomas Wiltshire, M.A. Candidate for the Vacant Sunday Evening Lectureship of the United Parishes of St. Swithin, London Stone, and St. Mary Bothaw. | Rectory, Bread Street Hill.'- Printed offprint (4to, 4pp), 'From the City Press, Oxford Journal, Chelsea Mail, and other journals, Nov. 1902', of 'Review of the Joint Scientific Surveys and Readings of the Rev. Professor Thomas Wiltshire, M.A. [...] Before the British Association for the Advancement of Science, The Association Francaise, and the American Association.'- Three newspaper cuttings connected with Wiltshire: One from The Northern Whig, 24 August 1874; another (undated) headed 'Gladstone at King's College'; a third, from the City Press, 31 December 1859, headed 'Rev. T. Wiltshire's Christmas Treat'.