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
Sir John Summerson
Museum curator and architectural historian. Born John Newenham Summerson at Barnstead, Coniscliffe Road, Darlington. He taught at Edinburgh College of Art, and had professorships at Oxford and Camb...
1 memorial
Lionel Barnett
When we first listed these memorials in 2014 we could find no information about "Mrs" but the Encyclopaedia Judaica listed a Lionel Barnett that could be our Lionel and Wikipedia adds some details:...
1 memorial
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...
1 memorial
Grant Museum of Zoology
A natural history museum that is part of University College London. It was established by Robert Edmond Grant (1793 – 1874, anatomist and zoologist) as a teaching collection of zoological specimens...
1 memorial
Vestry House Museum
Located in Walthamstow. It was originally a workhouse and then a police station. It contains various items from the Victorian era to the 20th century. Its most famous exhibit is the first British m...
1 memorial
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