James Crossley : publisher, critic, collector and bibliographer: a Manchester man of letters
Through the life and work of James Crossley, this thesis explores the important and often neglected significance of middle-class power and influence in the nineteenthcentury industrial city of Manchester. Born in the first year of the century, Crossley can be considered a paradigm of one section of a class divided along political and sectarian lines. He was a lawyer by profession, and a 'Church and State' Tory by inclination. After successive defeats, political ambitions gave way to antiquarian and especially literary interests, which he pursued in common with an influential network of other like-minded individuals. It is principally in this area that he made a significant contribution to the cultural maturation of the burgeoning city, and achieved the highest recognition during his lifetime. The principal topics investigated in successive chapters, through manuscript and printed sources, are: 1) Education and early literary interests. 2) The beginnings of a lifelong friendship with William Harrison Ainsworth, many of whose novels depended on source material provided by Crossley. Early literary journalism in Blackwood's Magazine and the Retrospective Review. 3) Legal training, the formation of the Manchester
Collins, Stephen Frank
19th century middle classes; Literary collection
James Crossley : publisher, critic, collector and bibliographer: a Manchester man of letters. Through the life and work of James Crossley, this thesis explores the important and often neglected significance of middle-class power and influence in the nineteenthcentury industrial city of Manchester. Born in the first year of the century, Crossley can be considered a paradigm of one section of a class divided along political and sectarian lines. He was a lawyer by profession, and a 'Church and State' Tory by inclination. After successive defeats, political ambitions gave way to antiquarian and especially literary interests, which he pursued in common with an influential network of other like-minded individuals. It is principally in this area that he made a significant contribution to the cultural maturation of the burgeoning city, and achieved the highest recognition during his lifetime. The principal topics investigated in successive chapters, through manuscript and printed sources, are: 1) Education and early literary interests. 2) The beginnings of a lifelong friendship with William Harrison Ainsworth, many of whose novels depended on source material provided by Crossley. Early literary journalism in Blackwood's Magazine and the Retrospective Review. 3) Legal training, the formation of the Manchester
james publisher critic collector manchester man letter life_work james explore important often_neglected significance middle_class power_influence nineteenthcentury industrial city manchester born consider paradigm section class divide along political sectarian line lawyer profession church_state tory inclination successive defeat political ambition give_way antiquarian especially literary interest pursue common influential network like minded individual principally area make_significant cultural maturation burgeon city achieve high recognition lifetime principal topic investigate successive manuscript printed source education early literary interest beginning lifelong friendship william many whose novel depend source_material provide early literary journalism magazine retrospective review legal training formation manchester