Magdalene Library News
Library News
Elizabeth Bathurst
For IWD 2025, we spotlight Truth Vindicated, a rare book written, printed, and owned by three Quaker women across three centuries: Elizabeth Bathurst, Mary Hinde, and Elizabeth Grubb.
The Pontifex Collection
The Pontifex collection, now catalogued, includes first editions of Charles Dickens' works, offering unique insights like original periodical covers and illustrated comparisons in Oliver Twist.
Richard Ladborough (1908-1972)
Richard "Dick" Ladborough, Fellow of French Literature and Pepys Librarian at Magdalene, left a lasting impact through his mischievous humour, erudition, and collection of Enlightenment works.
Little Gidding and the Gospel Harmonies
The cataloguing of Ferrar Prints has been completed and is now searchable online. The collection includes religious engravings and prints of inventions, some with unique excisions by the Ferrars.
Pepys and Horses
Pepys relied on horses for travel, status, and enjoyment. His library includes rare books on vaulting and equine anatomy, reflecting seventeenth-century equestrian culture and knowledge.
Jean-Sylvain Van de Weyer
The cataloguing of the Van de Weyer albums is complete. Highlights include letters from figures like the Duke of Wellington and Maria Edgeworth. The collection is now searchable online.
James Duport and Play Quartos
Two rare playbooks at Magdalene may have belonged to James Duport, Master in Pepys’s time. They show his interest in Renaissance drama, even during periods of censorship and war.
Arthur Sale
The cataloguing of the Arthur Sale collection is complete. The collection, now available on ‘idiscover’, showcases 19th-century literature and fascinating discoveries, including a pressed flower.
Mark vs. Tristram
To mark 70 years since C. S. Lewis joined Magdalene, we spotlight a playful pamphlet in the Old Library: a mock legal exchange on Tristram and Isolde, penned by Lewis and Owen Barfield.
Sydney Morgan
For International Women’s Day 2024, Magdalene showcases Lady Sydney Morgan’s letter, revealing her lively social life and literary career. The letter is part of the Van de Weyer collection.
‘Curious Cures’ Digitisation Project
Pepys Library has digitised six medieval manuscripts for the Curious Cures in Cambridge Libraries project. Notable among them is PL 911, a 'Sortes' manuscript featuring fascinating illustrations.
Peckard, Equiano and the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade – Part II
Peter Peckard, Master of Magdalene, played a key role in the abolition of the slave trade. He mentored Thomas Clarkson, inspiring his anti-slavery work and the “Am I not a man?” slogan.