WEDNESDAY 28 MAY
5-6PM (the talk will be followed by a drinks reception till 6.30pm)
LOCATION: Hosted in-person at Cambridge University Library. Directions
TICKETS: Free, booking essential. Suitable for adults; under 18s welcome when accompanied by an adult.
ACCESSIBILITY: Step-free access, hearing loop, accessible parking and accessible toilets available.
A Maker of Chocolate and Bibles: Francis Fry’s Collecting, Correcting and Cataloguing
Francis Fry, a Victorian collector and heir to J.S Fry & Sons, combined two of life’s greatest pleasures: chocolate and bibliography. Amassing one of the largest Bible collections ever known, Fry used his vast library to create a series of influential books and catalogues. He corrected and catalogued, rearranged copies and even recreated missing pages. Dr Harry Spillane (Munby Fellow 2024-25) will uncover what Fry’s habits show us about Victorian book collecting and explore the lasting legacy of this remarkable collection.