Henry Huth (bibliophile)
Henry Huth | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1815 London, England |
| Died | 1878 |
| Occupation(s) | Merchant banker, book collector |
| Years active | 1833–1878 |
| Known for | Collector of rare books and manuscripts; member of Philobiblon Society and Roxburghe Club |
| Notable work | Commissioned limited edition publications edited by William Carew Hazlitt; translated first chapter of Henry Thomas Buckle’s History of Civilisation into Spanish |
Henry Huth (1815–1878) was a distinguished English merchant banker and an avid collector of rare books.
Early life
Born in London as the third son of Frederick Huth, originally from Hanover and later established in Corunna, Spain, Henry came from a family that experienced significant upheaval during the Napoleonic Wars. Frederick Huth departed Spain under British escort and arrived in England in 1809, subsequently obtaining British citizenship through an act of Parliament. He founded the London banking enterprise Frederick Huth & Co. Henry received his education at George Keylock Rusden's school in Leith Hill, Surrey. His father intended for him to pursue a career in the Indian Civil Service, prompting Henry to study classical languages alongside Persian, Arabic, and Hindustani. In 1833, he entered his father's banking firm.
Unenthusiastic about clerical responsibilities, Henry was encouraged to travel extensively. He spent intermittent periods working in Hamburg over two years, nearly a year in Magdeburg, followed by a three-month tour of France. Early in 1839, he ventured to the United States, spending time in the southern states before taking up a voluntary position at a New York company. In 1840, through his father's arrangements, he joined a business firm in Mexico. After marrying in 1844, he settled in Hamburg but returned to London to rejoin his father’s firm in 1849.
Book collector
Once established back in London, Huth devoted himself to expanding his personal library, frequently visiting booksellers on a daily basis. He acquired notable collections from prominent sales such as those of Utterson, Hawtrey, Gardner, Smith, Slade, Perkins, Tite, Daniel, and Corser. His interests were wide-ranging; however, he maintained a strict standard for pristine condition and rejected any volumes he considered flawed, referring to them as "the lepers of a library."
His assemblage was particularly distinguished by works on voyages, Shakespearean literature, early English texts, and early Spanish and German publications. Although not extensive in size, his Bible collection was remarkable for including nearly every edition sought after by collectors. His holdings of manuscripts and prints also earned significant recognition. Huth became a member of the Philobiblon Society in 1863 and produced Ancient Ballads and Broadsides for its members based on unique originals obtained from the Daniel sale. In 1866 he was admitted to the Roxburghe Club but did not participate in its meetings.
Huth commissioned limited edition publications edited by William Carew Hazlitt: Narrative of the Journey of an Irish Gentleman through England (1869), Inedited Poetical Miscellanies (1870), Prefaces, Dedications, and Epistles (1874), and Fugitive Tracts (1875). Additionally, in 1861 he translated the first chapter of Henry Thomas Buckle’s History of Civilisation into Spanish, reflecting his engagement with leading intellectual circles.
Approximately ten years prior to his death, Huth initiated the cataloguing of his library but delegated most of this task to Hazlitt and Frederick Startridge Ellis due to limited availability. At the time of his unexpected passing on 10 December 1878, half of the catalogue had been printed; the remaining portion was completed posthumously and published in 1880.
For many years Huth held positions as treasurer and president at the Royal Hospital for Incurables.
In his later years, he lived at Wykehurst Place near Bolney in Sussex—a château-style residence designed by Edward Middleton Barry and constructed between 1872 and 1874 at an expense of £35,000. This building has been described as "one of the most unlikely houses anywhere in Sussex," later serving as a military facility during World War II and appearing in various films.
Huth was interred at St Mary Magdalene's Church in Bolney; his son Edward contributed a "magnificent" lychgate to the churchyard in 1905.
Family
He was united in marriage with Augusta Louisa Sophia von Westenholz, the daughter of Frederick Westenholz, owner of Waldenstein Castle in Austria. Together, they had six children: three sons and three daughters. Among their offspring was the distinguished writer and book collector Alfred Henry Huth. Their children were:
- Manuela Philippa Huth (1845–1871)
- Edward Huth (1847–1935)
- Augusta Julia Huth (1848–1944)
- Alfred Henry Huth (1850–1910), noted author and bibliophile
- Richard Basil Huth (1852–1934)
- Louisa Sophia Huth (1858–1887)