1885-1893 Dictionary of National Biography Volume I: Abbadie – Anne Volume II: Annesley – Baird Volume III: Baker – Beadon Volume IV: Beal – Biber Volume V: Bicheno – Bottisham Volume VI: Bottomley – Browell Volume VII: Brown – Burthogge Volume VIII: Burton – Cantwell Volume IX: Canute – Chaloner Volume X: Chamber – Clarkson Volume XI: Clater – Condell Volume XII: Conder – Craigie Volume XXXV: MacCarwell – Maltby

Description

First Edition, Publishers' Original Binding

The notable publisher George Smith first planned to create a universal dictionary of biographical entries on individuals from world history in 1882, inspired by other national biographical collections published in Europe, such as the 'Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie'. Later focused specifically on subjects from the United Kingdom, the first volume of the 'Dictionary of National Biography' was published on the 1st January 1885, with Leslie Stephen acting as the series first editor. Whilst Lee served as the editor until May 1891, Sidney Lee, Stephen's assistant editor from the beginning of the project, succeeded him as editor. This work provides not only a concise accounts of the lives of the notable deceased, but also contains numerous lists of sources, invaluable to researchers in a period when few libraries or collections of manuscripts had published catalogues or indices. This extensive and painstaking work was completed by a dedicated team of sub-editors and researchers who worked under Stephen and Lee, consisting of both veteran journalists and young scholars . Moreover, many contributions to the dictionary also came from external contributors, including numerous respected writers and scholars of the late nineteenth century. By 1900, more than seven hundred individuals had contributed to the work. The complete 'Dictionary of National Biography' was published between 1885 and 1900, in sixty three volumes. This set contains only the first twelve volumes and volume XXXV (Mac-Maltby). With the following pagination: vi, 474pp [2pp publisher's adverts]; vi, 448pp; vi, 462pp [2pp publisher's adverts]; vi, 464pp; vi, 448pp; vi, 471pp; vi, 453 [2pp publisher's adverts]; vi, 458pp [2pp publisher's adverts]; vi, 460pp; vi, 456pp; vi, 470pp [2pp publisher's adverts]; vi, 452pp; vi, 447pp. With publisher's advertisement to the rear of volume I and III, VII, VII and XI. Featuring a tipped in bookplate of a 'Henry Arthur Lascelles' to the front pastedown of volume III to VI and volume XI.