Augustus Theodore Bartholomew
Encyclopedia
Augustus Theodore Bartholomew (1882 – 1933) was a bibliographer and a librarian at Cambridge University
for over twenty-five years. He was the youngest child of a large family, his father having died shortly before his birth. He grew up in Fowlmere
, near Cambridge, and attended the Nonconformist Grammar School in Bishop's Stortford
. His mother's lack of funds forced him to quit school at an early age and seek employment nearby. In spite of his limited education, Bartholomew felt from an early age a definite desire for a career in books. At the age of 17, he found a job as "Second-Class Assistant" at the University Library at Cambridge, earning 10 shilings a week. In 1901 he was able to enter Peterhouse, Cambridge
, as an undergraduate, graduating in 1904. After graduation, the library remained the focus of his life. He began by cataloguing Lord Acton's donation to the library – a task which took nine years. Bartholomew was exempted from military service during the First World War by reason of his poor eyesight. During the chaotic war years, Bartholomew's sane and precise habits became vital to the smooth functioning of the library.
In 1926, Bartholomew began to suffer from bouts of depression, which eventually developed into an all-consuming melancholy. This serious affliction was quite satisfactorily cured by a program of psychological intervention. In the years left to him, Bartholomew applied his characteristic sense of cleanliness and order to his new home in Millington Road. He had inherited good taste in furniture from his family, who came from a long line of cabinet-makers. To this he added his knowledge of books and prints, and with these he decorated his house, and so began to enjoy a well-deserved domestic comfort. His enjoyment was cut short; in 1932 he began to suffer from severe headaches, caused by high-blood pressure. Within a year he was dead, at the age of 51.
Bartholomew left behind him not only his considerable contributions to the life of the University Library, but also his bibliographical research (he was a major collector of Butleriana
, and he was the first to assemble a preliminary biography of Frederick Rolfe
), and a number of friends and colleagues who missed his pleasant company. In his youth, he had been a member of the circle of handsome (and sometimes homosexual) young men who congregated at Charles Edward Sayle
's house in Cambridge. These included Rupert Brooke
and Geoffrey Keynes
, who remained a close friend throughout his life. Bartholomew frequently corresponded with authors he admired, including Henry James
and Ralph Chubb
, a younger Cambridge poet whose homosexual poems and paintings had inspired Bartholomew's interest. James was sufficiently intrigued by Bartholomew's letters to make the journey to Cambridge, sleeping uncomfortably at Sayle's house. The embarrassing details of this meeting were later recounted by Geoffrey Keynes. The task of writing Bartholomew's obituary fell to Keynes. He used the occasion to fondly recall his friend, saying:
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
for over twenty-five years. He was the youngest child of a large family, his father having died shortly before his birth. He grew up in Fowlmere
Fowlmere
Fowlmere is one of the southernmost villages in Cambridgeshire, England. It is very close to the Imperial War Museum Duxford, and 9 miles southwest of the city of Cambridge.- History :...
, near Cambridge, and attended the Nonconformist Grammar School in Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town and civil parish in the district of East Hertfordshire in the county of Hertfordshire in England. It is situated just west of the M11 motorway, on the county boundary with Essex and is the closest large town to London Stansted Airport and part of the...
. His mother's lack of funds forced him to quit school at an early age and seek employment nearby. In spite of his limited education, Bartholomew felt from an early age a definite desire for a career in books. At the age of 17, he found a job as "Second-Class Assistant" at the University Library at Cambridge, earning 10 shilings a week. In 1901 he was able to enter Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the oldest college of the University, having been founded in 1284 by Hugo de Balsham, Bishop of Ely...
, as an undergraduate, graduating in 1904. After graduation, the library remained the focus of his life. He began by cataloguing Lord Acton's donation to the library – a task which took nine years. Bartholomew was exempted from military service during the First World War by reason of his poor eyesight. During the chaotic war years, Bartholomew's sane and precise habits became vital to the smooth functioning of the library.
In 1926, Bartholomew began to suffer from bouts of depression, which eventually developed into an all-consuming melancholy. This serious affliction was quite satisfactorily cured by a program of psychological intervention. In the years left to him, Bartholomew applied his characteristic sense of cleanliness and order to his new home in Millington Road. He had inherited good taste in furniture from his family, who came from a long line of cabinet-makers. To this he added his knowledge of books and prints, and with these he decorated his house, and so began to enjoy a well-deserved domestic comfort. His enjoyment was cut short; in 1932 he began to suffer from severe headaches, caused by high-blood pressure. Within a year he was dead, at the age of 51.
Bartholomew left behind him not only his considerable contributions to the life of the University Library, but also his bibliographical research (he was a major collector of Butleriana
Samuel Butler
Samuel Butler may refer to:*Samuel Butler , author of Hudibras*Samuel Butler , classical scholar, schoolmaster at Shrewsbury, Bishop of Lichfield...
, and he was the first to assemble a preliminary biography of Frederick Rolfe
Frederick Rolfe
Frederick William Rolfe, better known as Baron Corvo, and also calling himself 'Frederick William Serafino Austin Lewis Mary Rolfe', , was an English writer, artist, photographer and eccentric...
), and a number of friends and colleagues who missed his pleasant company. In his youth, he had been a member of the circle of handsome (and sometimes homosexual) young men who congregated at Charles Edward Sayle
Charles Edward Sayle
Charles Edward Sayle was an English Uranian poet, literary scholar and librarian. He was born the son of Robert and Priscilla Caroline Sayle. He later served as an under-librarian at Cambridge University Library...
's house in Cambridge. These included Rupert Brooke
Rupert Brooke
Rupert Chawner Brooke was an English poet known for his idealistic war sonnets written during the First World War, especially The Soldier...
and Geoffrey Keynes
Geoffrey Keynes
Sir Geoffrey Langdon Keynes was an English biographer, surgeon, physician, scholar and bibliophile...
, who remained a close friend throughout his life. Bartholomew frequently corresponded with authors he admired, including Henry James
Henry James
Henry James, OM was an American-born writer, regarded as one of the key figures of 19th-century literary realism. He was the son of Henry James, Sr., a clergyman, and the brother of philosopher and psychologist William James and diarist Alice James....
and Ralph Chubb
Ralph Chubb
Ralph Nicholas Chubb was an English poet, printer, and artist. Heavily influenced by Whitman, Blake, and the Romantics, his work was the creation of a highly intricate personal mythology, one that was anti-materialist and sexually revolutionary.-Life:Ralph Chubb was born in Harpenden, Hertfordshire...
, a younger Cambridge poet whose homosexual poems and paintings had inspired Bartholomew's interest. James was sufficiently intrigued by Bartholomew's letters to make the journey to Cambridge, sleeping uncomfortably at Sayle's house. The embarrassing details of this meeting were later recounted by Geoffrey Keynes. The task of writing Bartholomew's obituary fell to Keynes. He used the occasion to fondly recall his friend, saying: