Antiquary and collector.
Born Lancashire. Although he never married there are letters making it clear that this was not for lack of interest in the ladies. His collection of antiquaries was freely available for viewing and became renowned, being recommended in the Rough Guides of the day. There is a painting by Zoffany of Townley surrounded by his collection in the library at the house that he had built at what is now 14 Queen Anne's Gate. This is where he died. Much of his collection went to the, relatively new, British Museum, of which he had been a trustee.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Charles Townley
Commemorated ati
Charles Townley
Greater London Council Charles Townley, 1737 - 1805, antiquary and collector...
Other Subjects
Major Ernest Edward Austen, DSO
Ernest Edward Austen was born in 1867 in Dalston, Middlesex (now Greater London), the eldest of the five children of Ambrose Austen (1838-1924) and Eliza Burnet Austen née Smith (1839-1916). His bi...
Thomas Grenville
Bibliophile and politician. He was commissioned briefly in the Coldstream Guards, and served as a member of parliament from 1780 to 1810. He started collecting books from an early age, and by his d...
Person, Armed Forces, Museums / Libraries, Politics & Administration
Westminster Library
In 1856 the Vestry Council of St Margaret and St John in Westminster provided premises for a public library as described in the 1855 Public Libraries Act, thus beating other London parishes by 30 y...
Sir Frederic William Burton
Born County Clare, Ireland. Watercolour painter and art administrator. Appointed director of the National Gallery 1874 and knighted in 1884. Died 43 Argyle Road, Kensington.
Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in to see them