Anonymous, ca. 1700.

Tie binding.

66 items.

Largely political satire.

Thomas Binns, 1789–1799.

"Collection of Poems" numbered Vols. II and III, and "Miscellaneous Manuscripts" numbered Vols. 3 and 4.

117 + 74 + 112 + 116 = 419 items, numerous very long poems.

Quaker writings; political themes (anti-war, anti-slavery, pro-revolutionary); sentimental poetry and poetry about nature.

Anonymous, ca. 1737–1755. 

17 items.

Political satire; one serious epitaph on Bolingbroke; anti-Hanover and anti-Walpole.

Anonymous; perhaps Thomas Siw---, ca. 1750–1781.

Two sections: a poetry compilation and a commonplace miscellany (ca. 1813–1835)—this entry pertains only to the first section.

96 items.

Interest in women’s self-assertion, poems by Cambridge men, and Latin and Greek. Sources often identified as manuscripts or magazines.

Anonymous, ca. 1712.

15 items.

Comic and satirical poems, often political; items directly related to political issues of late reign of Queen Anne.

Original productions of the Oxford-Winchester school circle.

Anonymous, 1728.

79 items.

Primarily witty poetry, both high and low; some serious political and moral poems.

Anonymous, ca. 1705.

195 items.

Songs, political satire, poems on death, and bawdy poetry.

Anne Milbanke, ca. 1795.

33 items.

Mostly original poetry with multiple pseudonyms, some seemingly later published in Gentleman's Magazine. Interest in historical and contemporary tragic figures e.g. Marie Antoinette.

Gabriel Lepipre, ca. 1744–45. 

252 poems.

Mostly sociable verse, especially arising out of interactions with women, and public affairs. 

John Freeman Milward Dovaston, 1773 and later.

Separate title page at the end for Odes by Thomas Gray.

75 poems, many original. 

A mix of English and Latin poems and mottos with a particular interest in classical figures and religious belief.

Anonymous Jacobite, ca. 1714–1745.

4 volumes, 291 items.

Manuscript collection of Jacobite political satires and poems on public affairs.

Mary Allcard, ca. 1805–ca. 1810. 

2 volumes, 12 poems.

Probably kept during Allcard's education at Ackworth School, a Quaker establishment. Most of the poetry is on moral or religious themes. Also includes several prose entries concerning Quakers in Pennsylvania. 

Mary Harris Cornwallis, ca. 1790–1820.

Approximately 108 poems.

Many occasional poems by the compiler and her family; this manuscript is also packed with print insertions, many of which are (prose) news items about the deaths of royals.

Benjamin Finn, ca. 1790. 

26 poems.

Occasional poetry, many copied from newspapers and dated. Mainly satirical, lighthearted verse, often political; several epigrams and poems about death and/or illness.

George Montagu, ca. 1769–1790. 

77 poems.

Verses attributed to George and Frederick Montagu, and copies of poems by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, and others.

* As of yet, this manuscript has not been examined due to 2021-2022 pandemic access restrictions. This description is a temporary placeholder based on catalogue entries and Union First Line Index records.

Member of Pigott family, ca. 1750.

117 poems in two consecutive hands.

Jacobite poetry.

Anonymous, 1811–1818.

Over 100 poems.

Largely poems on nationalistic subjects, others focused on serious and sentimental subjects like nature, death, friendship, and religion. 

Thomas Phillibrown, 1740–1757.

Divided into sections according to odd and even numbered pages.

152 poems.

Very London oriented (Public affairs, local interest, celebrities). 

Reflects a mid-century coterie centering around John Hawkins and Moses Browne.

Reginald Heber, ca. 1788–1789.

Very plain book. 

18 poems.

Commemoration of people and events in the Brent River area. 

Unknown author, ca. 1750. 

9 poems.

A stitched booklet, largely about the travels of a group of young friends and their local community of Blandford. Phonetic spelling and unpolished verse suggest a relatively uneducated compiler.

Anonymous, ca. 1783. 

102 poems.

Moralizing book with some lighter poems; many items sourced from "L—'s Miscellany," and many items from the 1760s. 

Gabriel Lepipre, ca. 1750. 

246 poems. 

Good example of miscellany as autobiography; also includes lots of epitaphs.

Mary Marshall, 1805.

75 items.

Mostly popular songs.

Note from Harriet Binny endorsing Polly's taste in compiling her book suggests the manuscript circulated among friends.

Ashley Cowper, ca. 1757–1780.

Indications of retrospective copying into this collection, and perhaps even later annotation.

19 poems.

All occasional original poetry, often involving women or public affairs.

Anonymous, ca. 1717.

130 poems.

Jacobite poems on the political events of the years 1714–1716.

William Taylor of South Weald, ca. 1730.

61 poems.

Miscellaneous poetry collection including many Latin and Jacobite-related poems, in addition to original poetry. Irregular folio numbering suggests a post-bound compilation.

Augusta Byron Leigh, 1805–1813.

101 poems.

Lots of poems on celebrities, poems by Byron. 

At least partially compiled by Frances, Viscountess Montague, begun ca. 1745.

93 poems.

Mildly moral and cynical about public affairs, social behaviours.

Ann Countess of Strafford, ca. 1715–1730.

172 pages.

Primarily political satire, some acrostics of Ann's name; Jacobite-related material.

Anonymous, ca. 1748–1750. 

Two consecutive hands within a short compilation period.

67 poems.

Many popular poets, themes of women and local interest.

E.L.T. Bale, ca. 1730–1740 (possibly begun as early as 1710s though). 

This entry concerns the poetry end of the manuscript only.

48 poems.

Poems from popular periodicals, a few Latin poems, and a series of Horatian odes versified in English.

Elizabeth Munbee, 1745.

16 poems.

Miscellaneous collection of poems by popular poets like Samuel Wesley, Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, and Nicholas Rowe.

J. Andrew, ca. 1778–1789.

691 items, 576 poems.

All epigrams.

Catherine Springett (with contributions by her daughter and granddaughter, Mary Boys and Mary Sankey), ca. 1742–1749.

149 poems.

Quite a few enigmas, riddles, but mostly poems, almost all contemporary. Seemingly indicative of a coterie with original poetry by "T.T." and other friends.

Francis Hawes, 1720–1760.

An ambigraph volume with poetry on both ends. This entry is concerned with the two ends of the volume only, not the middle (recipe) section which is in another hand.

165 poems.

Political satire poems in the style of early eighteenth-century; satire of court manners and prominent women. Many poems that mention Bath.

Catherine Tuthill Massy, ca. 1795.

46 poems.

A young Irish lady's book, themes of anti-slavery, interest in captives in India, sufferings of Ireland.

Anonymous Irish officer, ca. 1810–1830.

28 poems.

Many local interest pieces and political satire.

Horatia Nelson (16 years old), 1817.

100 poems.

Quite a banal book but a good indication of what poetry was popular, including some poems on the Napoleonic wars, and Irish/Scottish materials.

John Brewster, ca. 1770–ca. 1810.

130 poems.

Frequent epitaphs, poems on death. 

J. Wright, ca. 1700–ca. 1715.

Apparently owned and used by William Bromley immediately after the composition of the book by J. Wright.

100 items, 65 poems.

Very mixed book, containing extracts, poems, epitaphs, anagrams, antiquarian notes, satiric poetry etc.; Lots of recorded info re: languages, mathematics, etc.; Jacobite-related material.

Emma Puleston, ca. 1819–1822.

Decorated with watercolours.

147 items, 100 poems.

Many very short sayings, and items related to Waterloo and the Irish rebellion representing a patriotic British stance. 

Anonymous, 1724–1728.

109 poems.

Almost entirely early eighteenth-century poetry. Many contemporary satirical pieces, and items from Mist's Weekly Journal.

Anne Blandford, ca. 1795–1805.

113 poems.

Emphasis on apparently original writings/occasional writings by Hannah More, and More's sisters and friends in youth that might not be found elsewhere.

Hannah More circle.

Anonymous, ca. 1741.

147 poems.

Many epitaphs, epigrams, and satires.

Daniel Wray circle.

Mr. Stocker of Portsmouth, ca. 1753–1780.

Lots of orginial material.

260 poems.

Much local content; clearly a supporter of the Opposition in the 1730s and 40s.

Anonymous, ca. 1805–1817.

340 poems.

Themes of love, support for the oppressed (slaves, Irish peasants, workhorses, foundlings, animals in general, etc.), consumption.

Maybe part of local network as some pieces attributed to single initials. 

Anonymous, ca. 1735.

15 poems.

Lots of ballads. 

Anonymous, ca. 1765.

29 items.

Coz. Widow Davis gives compiler a Shenstone manuscript ca. 1752.

Lighthearted poems (many about public affairs) with some social satire. 

Anne Milles, ca. 1715.

21 poems.

Opens with a drinking song; not too serious a book in general. 

Joshua Francis Fisher, ca. 1779.

3 poems.

Poems satirizing the organizers of the American Revolution.

Anonymous Norfolk Clergyman, ca. 1814–1822.

Only included up to p. 82 (/119) because the rest of the book is game charts and other miscellaneous contents. 

53 poems.

Primarily local interest, political, and religious poetry. 

J. Rolfe, 1700.

67 poems.

Primarily religious material.

Rev. Thomas Austen, 1760.

Three volumes, only the first two of which are manuscript verse miscellanies, and therefore included in this entry.

768 poems. 

A real variety of contents. The first volume revolves around poems about various natural elements and experiences of country life. The second volume

Melesinda Munbee (seemingly transcribed by Elizabeth Munbee), 1749–1750.

A manuscript verse miscellany assembled in childhood, based on a father's library. 

Two volumes, 44 poems.

Many items by Swift; other bawdy contents.

Hester Thrale Piozzi, ca. 1810.

50 poems.

Entirely or almost entirely original poetry, many occasional. 

Robert Beere, ca. 1740s.

Very good example to look at organizing systems because he uses thematic, length, alphabetical, etc. to varying degrees throughout the book.

 338 items.

Many items are short aphorisms or epigrams; much in nature of advice literature; various pieces on the nature of man (the human state).

Anonymous, 1724–1729, with additional items copied in the 1690s and early 1730s. 

A book bound subsequent to copying.

115 poems.

Contains a Historical Dialogue in Scripture, as well as addresses, ballads, epigrams, epitaphs, extracts, poems and verses. Interest in literary celebrities like Pope and Swift.

Rose Tavern circle. 

Anna Eliza Grenville, Duchess of Buckingham and Chandos, 1811–1832.

A mix of copied poetry and clippings.

33 poems.

Mostly poems about political events and nature.

Anonymous, ca. 1775–1810.

130 items.

Pieces from Garrick's memoir and other prose with a record of Wyvill-G—ll coterie's poetic exchanges in the middle.

Eliza Marriott, ca. 1763–1803.

29 items.

Generally serious poems with an interest in local Yorkshire elites.

Anonymous, ca. 1745–1780.

An example of a collection that includes print paste-ins, perhaps added at a a later date onto the blank pages.

90 items, 48 poems.

Post-1745 Jacobite-related material.

Smyth family of Heath, ca. 1710–1806.

This entry concerns only pp. 1-239 which consists of two hands, the second replacing the first but adopting the first hand's format. The second hand is also responsible for the index. All in all, however, the book is a sequence of at least six single-hand compilations.

173 items.

Political satire (Tory perspective), Oxford affairs, Wakefield-area affairs.

Mary Capell, ca. 1740–1751.

Verso pages are filled with explanatory notes identifying people and places from the poems.

87 items.

Political satire, love poems; poems about poetry (writing, collection, gifts of poetry), the arts, and prologues and epilogues.

The final section of poems seems to be associated with the Yorke-Grey coterie. 

Anonymous, ca. 1740s.

73 poems.

Seemingly a woman’s book with themes of nature, courtship, public affairs.

Anonymous, ca. 1713–1740.

91 items.

Mostly anti-Whig, anti-Hanoverian political satire; Jacobite-related material. 

Joshua Peart, 1726.

256 poems.

A large eclectic book with a special concentration of pastoral poems and songs, political satire and other poems about politicians, and humorous poems; also contains multiple poems about alcohol and tobacco.

Revd. William Heath Marsh, ca. 1810.

~100 + ~85 = ~185 poems.

Volume 1 consists primarily of copied poetry, especially pastoral and morality poems or poems with classical themes; volume 2 contains much more original poetry, poems related to public affairs, and references to a Norfolk social network centred around Marsh and Thomas and Mary Blofeld.

Anonymous, 1715–1717.

318 poems.

Diverse collection of poems, with a significant number of poems satirising women and marriage; also interested in the classics, public affairs, literature, Oxford, theatre, and religious satire.

Anonymous Scottish anti-Unionist, 1708.

116 items, 100 poems.

Contents focused on issues around the ascension of Queen Anne and the Act of Union, as well as religious disputes between Episcopal and Presbyterian positions.

The position of this manuscript is Jacobite, Episcopalian, and anti-Unionist.

Anonymous, ca. 1769–1790.

152 poems.

Bound-with The New Bath Guide (1766).

Celebrity-centred manuscript verse miscellany, with a particular focus on Samuel Johnson, Hester Thrale Piozzi, David Garrick, Peter Pindar, and Horace Walpole.

John Liptrott, ca. 1786. 

215 items, 151 poems, many of which are introduced with lengthy prose anecdotes or critical prefaces. 

Contents include satires of social issues and political corruption, historical anecdotes supporting Church of England, nature poetry, recollections of favourite dogs.

Anonymous, ca. 1750-1760. Last item dated 1757.

8 poems, seemingly all original to the compiler's circle; several are unfinished.

Humourous parodies on politics, local social events, journeys.