Robert Fysher

Last updated

Robert Fysher (baptised 1698, died 1749) was an English librarian who served as Bodley's Librarian, the head of the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford, from 1729 to 1747.

Life

Little is known of Fysher's early life, beyond the fact that he was baptised in Grantham, Lincolnshire, on 30 December 1698, the home town of his father, who was also called Robert. In 1715, at the age of 16, he matriculated at the University of Oxford as a member of Christ Church, obtaining his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1718. He transferred to Oriel College, Oxford in 1723, was promoted to Master of Arts in 1724, and was awarded a Bachelor of Medicine degree in 1725. He was elected as a Fellow of Oriel in 1726. [1]

He won the election to become Bodley's Librarian on 2 December 1729, beating Francis Wise by 100 votes to 85. Thereafter, he completed the library catalogue (with Emmanuel Langford) that had been begun by Joseph Bowles (Librarian 1719–1729). As well as his work as Librarian, he assisted Oriel College by acting as Dean for three terms (1727, 1731–1732 and 1734–1735) and as both Junior and Senior Treasurer. Ill-health towards the end of his life inhibited his work at the library; he died on 4 November 1749 in Sevenhampton, Wiltshire, and was buried in the University Church of St Mary the Virgin. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas James</span> English librarian and Anglican clergyman

Thomas James was an English librarian and Anglican clergyman, the first librarian of the Bodleian Library, Oxford.

John Barton is a British Anglican priest and biblical scholar. From 1991 to 2014, he was the Oriel and Laing Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Oriel College. In addition to his academic career, he has been an ordained and serving priest in the Church of England since 1973.

Edmund Horace Fellowes, was a Church of England clergyman and musical scholar who became well known for his work in promoting the revival of sixteenth and seventeenth century English music.

David Robert Chillingworth is an Anglican bishop. He was Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane between 2004 and 2017, until his retirement. He was also the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church from 2009 to 2016.

Robert Shackleton CBE was an English French language philologist and librarian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humfrey Wanley</span> English librarian, palaeographer and scholar

Humfrey Wanley was an English librarian, palaeographer and scholar of Old English, employed by manuscript collectors such as Robert and Edward Harley. He was the first keeper of the Harleian Library, now the Harleian Collection.

John Harris was Bishop of Llandaff from 1729 to 1738, as well as serving as Dean of Hereford Cathedral and of Wells Cathedral.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bodley's Librarian</span> Head of the Bodleian Library in Oxford, England

The head of the Bodleian Library, the main library at the University of Oxford, is known as Bodley's Librarian: Sir Thomas Bodley, as founder, gave his name to both the institution and the position. Although there had been a university library at Oxford since about 1320, it had declined by the end of the 16th century. It was "denuded" of its books in 1550 in the time of King Edward VI when "superstitious books and images" that did not comply with the prevailing Anglican view were removed. Poor management and inadequate financial resources have also been blamed for the state of the library. In the words of one history of the university, "as a public institution, the Library had ceased to function." Bodley volunteered in 1598 to restore it; the university accepted the offer, and work began soon afterwards. The first librarian, Thomas James, was selected by Bodley in 1599. The Bodleian opened in 1602, and the university confirmed James in his post. Bodley wanted the librarian to be "some one that is noted and known for a diligent student, and in all his conversation to be trusty, active, and discrete, a graduate also and a linguist, not encumbered with marriage, nor with a benefice of Cure". James, however, was able to persuade Bodley to let him marry and become Rector of St Aldate's Church, Oxford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward Nicholson (librarian)</span> British author and Bodleys Librarian

Edward Williams Byron Nicholson was a British author and Bodley's Librarian. He was the head of the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford, from 1882 until his death in 1912. Nicholson was also an early advocate of animal rights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Lockey</span> English librarian and Anglican priest (c. 1602–1679)

Thomas Lockey was an English librarian and Anglican priest, who was Bodley's Librarian from 1660 to 1665.

Joseph Bowles was an English librarian, who served as Bodley's Librarian, the head of the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford, from 1719 until his death.

Reginald Philip Carr is an English librarian, who was Bodley's Librarian from 1997 until his retirement in 2006. He is a member of the Christadelphian church.

Thomas Winstanley was an academic at the University of Oxford, who held the positions of Camden Professor of Ancient History, Laudian Professor of Arabic, and principal of St Alban Hall.

Brian Twyne was an English antiquary and an academic at the University of Oxford. After being educated at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, and becoming a Fellow of the college in 1606, he published his one main work, a history of the university, in 1608. This was designed to prove that Oxford was older than Cambridge University, and has been described by a modern writer as a "remarkable achievement for a young scholar of twenty-eight."

Strickland Gibson was an English librarian and bibliographer, who also served as Keeper of the Archives at the University of Oxford from 1927 to 1945.

Bernard Gardiner was an academic at the University of Oxford, serving as Warden of All Souls College, Oxford, and also as Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University.

Francis Wise was an academic, archivist, librarian and antiquarian at the University of Oxford.

John Walker (1674–1747) was an English clergyman and ecclesiastical historian, known for his biographical work on the Church of England priests during the English Civil War and Interregnum.

Edward Bentham was an Oxford based theologian who in 1763, with some evident reluctance, became Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford University.

Matthew Smyth was the first Principal of Brasenose College, Oxford.

References

  1. 1 2 Moore, Dorothy M. (2004). "Fysher, Robert (bap. 1698, d. 1749)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography . Oxford University Press . Retrieved 4 January 2010.