Samuel Egerton Brydges
Encyclopedia
Sir Samuel Egerton Brydges, 1st Baronet (30 November 1762 – 8 September 1837) was an English
bibliographer
and genealogist. He was also Member of Parliament
for Maidstone
from 1812 to 1818.
Educated at Maidstone Grammar School
and The King's School, Canterbury
, Brydges was admitted to Queens' College, Cambridge
in 1780, though he did not take a degree. He was called to the bar from the Middle Temple
in 1787. He wrote some novel
s and poems, now forgotten, but rendered valuable service by his bibliographical publications, Censura Literaria, Titles and Opinions of Old English Books (10 vols. 1805-9), his editions of Edward Phillips
's Theatrum Poetarum Anglicanorum (1800) Arthur Collins
's Peerage of England (1812), and of many rare Elizabethan authors. He was a founder member of the Roxburghe Club
, the publishing club of wealthy bibliophiles.
In 1789, the Chandos barony
became dormant.
Egerton Brydges attempted to claim the title, initially on behalf on his older brother
Revd Edward Tymewell Brydges and then on his own behalf. The litigation lasted from 1790 to 1803 before the claims were rejected, but he continued to style himself per legem terrae Baron Chandos of Sudeley. It seems likely that not only was the claim groundless but that the evidence was forged.
He was made a baronet
in 1814. He died at Geneva
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
bibliographer
Bibliographer
"A bibliographer is a person who describes and lists books and other publications, with particular attention to such characteristics as authorship, publication date, edition, typography, etc. The result of this endeavor is a bibliography...
and genealogist. He was also Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Maidstone
Maidstone (UK Parliament constituency)
Maidstone was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.The parliamentary borough of Maidstone returned two Members of Parliament from 1552 until 1885, when its representation was reduced to one member...
from 1812 to 1818.
Educated at Maidstone Grammar School
Maidstone Grammar School
Maidstone Grammar School is a grammar school located in Maidstone, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1549.-Admissions:The school takes boys at the age of 11 and over by examination and boys and girls at 16+ on their GCSE results. The school currently has almost 1200 students and approximately 120...
and The King's School, Canterbury
The King's School, Canterbury
The King's School is a British co-educational independent school for both day and boarding pupils in the historic English cathedral city of Canterbury in Kent. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and the Eton Group....
, Brydges was admitted to Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
in 1780, though he did not take a degree. He was called to the bar from the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
in 1787. He wrote some novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s and poems, now forgotten, but rendered valuable service by his bibliographical publications, Censura Literaria, Titles and Opinions of Old English Books (10 vols. 1805-9), his editions of Edward Phillips
Edward Phillips
Edward Phillips , was an English author.-Life:He was the son of Edward Phillips of the crown office in chancery, and his wife Anne, only sister of John Milton, the poet. Edward Phillips the younger was born in the Strand, London. His father died in 1631, and Anne eventually married her husband's...
's Theatrum Poetarum Anglicanorum (1800) Arthur Collins
Arthur Collins (antiquarian)
Arthur Collins was an English antiquarian, genealogist, and historian. He is most known for his work Peerage of England.-Personal life:...
's Peerage of England (1812), and of many rare Elizabethan authors. He was a founder member of the Roxburghe Club
Roxburghe Club
The Roxburghe Club was formed on 17 June 1812 by leading bibliophiles, at the time the library of the Duke of Roxburghe was auctioned. It took 45 days to sell the entire collection. The first edition of Boccaccio's Decameron, printed by Chrisopher Valdarfer of Venice in 1471, was sold to the...
, the publishing club of wealthy bibliophiles.
In 1789, the Chandos barony
Duke of Chandos
The title Baron Chandos has been created twice in the Peerage of England. It was first created in 1337 when Roger de Chandos was summoned to parliament. It became extinct on his death....
became dormant.
Egerton Brydges attempted to claim the title, initially on behalf on his older brother
Revd Edward Tymewell Brydges and then on his own behalf. The litigation lasted from 1790 to 1803 before the claims were rejected, but he continued to style himself per legem terrae Baron Chandos of Sudeley. It seems likely that not only was the claim groundless but that the evidence was forged.
He was made a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
in 1814. He died at Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
.