James Crossley (author)
Encyclopedia
James Crossley was an English author, bibliophile and literary scholar. By profession he was a lawyer.
, and moved to Manchester
in 1816. Some of his early essays were published in the Retrospective Review.
He perpetrated a literary fraud, the forging of Fragment on Mummies, supposedly by Sir Thomas Browne, that was a highly successful hoax. The bogus nature of the Fragment, given by Crossley to George Wilkin to publish, is now regarded as highly probable, but Crossley never precisely confessed to it.
He set up the Chetham Society
in 1843, with Thomas Corser
, Francis Robert Raines
and others: it was named after Humphrey Chetham
and its purpose was to edit and publish historical works relating to Lancashire and Cheshire. In the following years he personally edited many of its publications: including the Autobiographical tracts of John Dee
(1851), and the Diary of John Worthington
.
He is said to have collected 100,000 books at his residence in Chorlton on Medlock and later Stocks House, Cheetham. He supplied the novelist William Ainsworth
with historical material and ideas; he was in business with Ainsworth's father Thomas, and their friendship was lifelong.
Life
He was born in HalifaxHalifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
, and moved to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
in 1816. Some of his early essays were published in the Retrospective Review.
He perpetrated a literary fraud, the forging of Fragment on Mummies, supposedly by Sir Thomas Browne, that was a highly successful hoax. The bogus nature of the Fragment, given by Crossley to George Wilkin to publish, is now regarded as highly probable, but Crossley never precisely confessed to it.
He set up the Chetham Society
Chetham Society
The Chetham Society was founded in Manchester, England, in 1843, by James Crossley, a lawyer, and the Reverend Thomas Corser. The Society's stated aim is to maintain the "Historical and Literary Connected with the Palatine Counties of Lancaster and Chester"...
in 1843, with Thomas Corser
Thomas Corser
Thomas Corser was a British literary scholar and Church of England clergyman. He was the editor of Collectanea Anglo-Poetica.-Life:...
, Francis Robert Raines
Francis Robert Raines
Francis Robert Raines was the Anglican vicar of Milnrow, Lancashire, known as an antiquary. He edited 23 volumes for the Chetham Society publications. He also transcribed 44 volumes of manuscripts.-Early life:...
and others: it was named after Humphrey Chetham
Humphrey Chetham
Sir Humphrey Chetham was an English merchant, responsible for the creation of Chetham's Hospital and Chetham's Library, the oldest public library in the English-speaking world.- Life :...
and its purpose was to edit and publish historical works relating to Lancashire and Cheshire. In the following years he personally edited many of its publications: including the Autobiographical tracts of John Dee
John Dee
John Dee was a Welsh mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, occultist, navigator, imperialist, and consultant to Queen Elizabeth I.John Dee may also refer to:* John Dee , Basketball coach...
(1851), and the Diary of John Worthington
John Worthington
John Worthington was an English academic. He was closely associated with the Cambridge Platonists. He did not in fact publish in the field of philosophy, and is now known mainly as a well-connected diarist.-Life:...
.
He is said to have collected 100,000 books at his residence in Chorlton on Medlock and later Stocks House, Cheetham. He supplied the novelist William Ainsworth
William Harrison Ainsworth
William Harrison Ainsworth was an English historical novelist born in Manchester. He trained as a lawyer, but the legal profession held no attraction for him. While completing his legal studies in London he met the publisher John Ebers, at that time manager of the King's Theatre, Haymarket...
with historical material and ideas; he was in business with Ainsworth's father Thomas, and their friendship was lifelong.
Further reading
- Ellis, S. M. (1931) A Great Bibliophile: James Crossley in: Wilkie Collins, Le Fanu and others. London : Constable & Co. (reissued in 1951 by Constable)
- Collins, Steve (2001) An Eminent Bibliophile and Man of Letters: James Crossley of Manchester, in: "Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society Transactions"; vol. 97 pp. 137-152