Special Collections and Archives

Digital catalogues

British Library 

British Library Catalogues and Collections - The British Library collection includes books, journals, manuscripts, maps, music, photographs, newspapers and sound archives. The majority can be found in these catalogues, however, some material is not yet described online and is only listed in printed catalogues or hand-lists.

Early Printed Books

• ISTC - Incunabula Short-Title Catalogue
• ESTC - English Short-Title Catalogue

Explore Archives and Manuscripts

Digital Collections - The British Library's digital collections include selected manuscripts and archives and over 95,000 sound recordings chosen from the Library’s extensive collection of music, spoken word and nature.

Digital Bodleian - Discover over a million images of rare books, manuscripts, and other treasures from the Bodleian Libraries and Oxford college libraries.

SOAS Library - (University of London) An important academic library for the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The library holds a major collection of archives, manuscripts, rare books and special collections, an expanding digital library. 

You can search the holdings of many specialist archives through online catalogue networks. The following provide useful starting points.

External archives databases

You can search the holdings of many specialist archives through online databases. The following may provide a useful starting point.

The Archives Hub provides descriptions of archives held in UK universities and colleges. Search by keyword to find out which institutions may hold material of interest to you. Archives Hub includes some content from our Special Collections.

The National Archives (TNA)- Discovery provides access to catalogue records held by the National Archives and more than 2,500 archives across the UK. You can also find contact details for archive repositories, and useful guides on searching by person, place or subject.

JISC Library Hub Discover exposes the rare and unique research material of major UK and Irish academic, national and specialist library catalogues. This service replaces Copac and SUNCAT, providing access to a growing range of Jisc member libraries as part of the National Bibliographic Knowledgebase.

Archives Portal Europe provides access to information on archival collections across Europe, as well as details of archival institutions and repositories.

Europeana is a web portal created by the European Union containing digitalised museum collections of more than 3,000 institutions across Europe. It includes records of over 10 million cultural and scientific artefacts, brought together on a single platform.

Restricted access

Reasonable access is provided within a framework of regulations designed to preserve rare, valuable and fragile materials. We aim to enable the widest possible use of our collections by students and staff, however, not everything may be openly accessible.

Fragile or damaged items

Material deemed too fragile to handle may be withdrawn from use or may only be available at the discretion of the Special Collections Librarian. A surrogate in the form of a digital reproduction may be provided, but this will depend upon whether the digitisation process might cause further harm to the material.

Deposit agreements

When collections are 'on loan', rather than gifted to A&SC, the depositor may have imposed additional access and copyright restrictions. The Special Collections Librarian will inform users if this is the case.

Personal data in archives

Archives often contain sensitive material or personal data, and as such, is subject to:

• Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003. The restrictions related to special collections and archives are governed by this government legislation.
• Data Protection Act 2018. Access to archive records containing personal data is restricted under the Data Protection Act 2018, taking effect of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

A&SC follows The National Archives guidance on archiving personal data with particular reference to closure periods. Some material may not be available at all. Other material will be available in part, or subject to certain restrictions.

Personal information restricted under the Data Protection Act 2018 is clearly indicated on the catalogue record. It will be necessary to provide proof of ‘next of kin’ or a family connection to access this information.

Further information on restricted access can be found in the Collection Care & Conservation Policy. 

Andrew F. Walls Centre for the Study of African & Asian Christianity (AWC)

Collection focus

The collection offers resources across a range of mission studies, its principal focus being Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. Missions from the West have had a part in the African and Asian Christian story, and this collection has substantial holdings on the history of mission and missionary activity in other parts of the world, as well as on mission theology and practice, other faiths, and the history of religions. The collection also includes many volumes on the historical, political, economic, social and religious background and context of African and Asian Christianity. There is an eclectic range of unique materials from books, journals, reports and newsletters from many different organisations and churches around the world to recordings on cassette tapes, films and photographs.

Donations to the collection

The Andrew F. Walls Centre for the Study of African and Asian Christianity (AWC) was officially opened in May 2008 and, primarily, comprises materials donated by Prof Andrew Walls himself, the University of Edinburgh (Centre for the Study of Christianity in the Non-Western World), and the University of Aberdeen.

Several individuals have also donated materials to the Centre including; Rev. George Hood’s collection of materials which he acquired during his time as a missionary in China; South African materials donated by the Brothers Hofmeyr, Prof. J.W. (Hoffie) Hoymeyr and Mr. G.S. (George) Hofmeyr; Indian Christianity material from Canon Daniel O’Connor, and books from Mrs M.E. Cecilia Irvine and Mr. R. Ross Noble. Most recently we have received generous donations from the Methodist Church House, London and the Wesley Historical Society Library in Oxford, as yet to be catalogued. We welcome donations on World Christianity and Missions History, for further information please read our guide to donations. More information about the research activities and events surrounding the Andrew  Walls Centre, is available at Liverpool Hope’s Andrew F. Walls Centre Research.

J.F. Butler Collection (AWC)

The John F. Butler Collection was donated by the University of Edinburgh to sit alongside the Andrew Walls Centre material. The collection focuses on Non-Western Christian Art and contains a range of formats including some Indian theological journals, and artefacts.

Baker Library Vatican II Council Archive

Baker Library Vatican II Archive contents list.

An archive of material relating to the Vatican II Council, dating from 1929 to 1996, originally collected by a delegate and observer of the Vatican II Council, Rev Dr William G. Baker.

Biblioteca Diocesana of Modena-Nonantola Diocese

A reciprocal arrangement between Liverpool Hope University and Biblioteca Diocesana of Modena-Nonantola Diocese, allows Hope staff and students access to their Library catalogue and Serial catalogue to support their studies and research. The online catalogues currently cover 30% of all their documents. The library staff at Modena-Nonantola can undertake a search of the complete paper catalogue (especially ancient documents and manuscripts) and, if required, are able to check if specific documents are available as digital versions.

Archbishop Stuart Blanch Archive

Stuart Blanch Archive catalogue on Hope Digital Collections

Liverpool Hope has been fortunate enough to receive materials from the estate of Archbishop Stuart Blanch (1918-1994). These include notes from his student days at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford and notes for sermons, lectures, talks and speeches made while Bishop of Liverpool (1966-1975) and Archbishop of York (1975-1983). There are also hand-written works on the Gospels and transcripts of various broadcasts and press articles.

Josephine Butler Collection

Josephine Butler was a feminist and social reformer in Liverpool in the nineteenth century. This collection is small, containing only 29 items of mainly duplicated works from the more substantive collection held at the University of Liverpool.

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)

CND Archive catalogue on Hope Digital Collections

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) is an organisation that advocates unilateral nuclear disarmament in the United Kingdom and also campaigns non-violently for a global weapons ban. CND began in November 1957 and since then has been at the forefront of the British peace movement. The archive contains material from both the Formby branch and the Merseyside branch.

The Formby CND was a well-organised and committed group of campaigners, fund-raisers, publicists and activists. The archive was collected by former Secretary and Chair during the 1980s and early 1990s. Formby CND were involved with Merseyside CND in the Snowball Campaign. Snowball was a non-violent direct-action campaign against military bases and establishments in the 1980s. It was a national campaign to cut the wire openly at nuclear bases around the country in order to fight for the legal case against nuclear weapons in the courts. The archive contains, minutes of meetings, newspaper cuttings and a substantial number of legal papers as members usually defended themselves in court. 

Catholic Truth Society Pamphlets

see Talbot Library

Cornwell Collection

Liverpool Hope Library is privileged to house the Anthony Cornwell collection of books, previously held in the Talbot Library in Preston where Cornwell spent many hours cataloguing the stock. The collection covers subjects such as theology, history, literature, art and some music books and is fully catalogued and available to search on the Library catalogue.

Church Missionary Society Archive (CMS) on microfilm

Church Missionary Society Archive catalogue on Hope Digital Collections

Historical background

The overseas mission work of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) began in Sierra Leone in 1804 but spread rapidly to India, Canada, New Zealand and the area around the Mediterranean. Its main areas of work in Africa have been in Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Sudan.

Collection focus

The Church Missionary Society archive includes letter books, mission books, original (incoming) papers and other records from their overseas missions during the 19th and 20th century. The mission papers are a rich source for Church and mission history. The papers include, for example, the detailed journals and annual letters which the society's missionaries were required to provide as an account of their activities. As the work of the missions embraced not just evangelism but also education, medical work, language study and translations, and development of local agriculture and industry, these detailed records are a valuable resource for study in a wide range of other research interests including anthropology, politics, slavery, geography and travel, and women's studies.

Education Research Collection (Ed Stack)

This research collection of books, pamphlets and journals, including government annual reports and other statistical publications on education, particularly from an historic viewpoint and with large sections on religious education, learning difficulties and special education and educational psychology.

Gradwell Collection

Collection focus

The Gradwell Collection, entrusted to Liverpool Hope on the closure of St. Joseph's College at Upholland, contains material covering the following subjects: theology, philosophy, church, secular and local history, ecclesiastical history, art, architecture, sociology, education and works of general reference.

The Gradwell is particularly strong in Catholic studies with standard works of Catholic reference including the complete series of Concilium Tridentinum, Acta et Documenta Oecumenico Vaticano II Apparando, Acta Synodalia and a substantial number of volumes from the Corpus Christianorum series. The collection contains primary recusant material from the 17th and 18th centuries; this includes devotional works, sermons, tracts, pamphlets, and biblical studies, including editions of the Fathers in Greek and Latin from the 16th century.

The Gradwell is partly catalogued and so the classification scheme is available to consult which lists the subjects covered by the collection. It may be necessary to book an appointment to visit Special Collections to discover the full extent of the resources available.

Gradwell Collection Classification

Gradwell Local History Bibliography

Special Collections History material (uncatalogued)

Dr Lois Loudon Collection

Lois Loudon Papers on Hope Digital Collections

In 2017 Liverpool Hope Archives and Special Collections were fortunate to receive a significant collection of education research material donated by the Culham St. Gabriel's Trust. The collection belonged to Dr Lois Loudon (1938-2015), a prominent figure in Education and Church Schools in the North West. She was an historian of education, education advisor, lecturer, and author who specialised in studying the relationship between the Church and faith schools, with particular emphasis on the National Society and Methodism, and was largely active in the Lancaster and Blackburn area.

The collection consists of two halves, books and archival papers, covering a wide variety of topics including the general history of education, schools, and the Methodist Church. A significant aspect of Loudon’s personal papers is her research of education and church schools. This includes research organised by location and school, such as materials she collected relating to St Martin’s College, research organised by event, such as the 1902 Education Acts, and research organised by topic and type of school. Additionally, there are materials relating specifically to the Church of England and the National Society. Her book collection is fully catalogued.

Loughlin Collection

The Loughlin Collection is a small collection of books belonging to the Talbot Library containing books by and about G.K. Chesterton and Hilaire Belloc.

Historical background

The Talbot Library was named after William Talbot, a wealthy Lancashire cotton manufacturer, who in 1849 provided the money with which the Jesuits built the first Catholic school and chapel in the Maudland area of Preston. In 1988, the school was closed and Bishop John Brewer, then Bishop of Lancaster, established a Catholic library in the former school premises. Donations of books and journals came in from presbyteries and convents in the diocese, and the Talbot Library was officially opened in 1992.

The collection remains uncatalogued but is available to browse and the original card catalogue is accessible for consultation. 

Militant Tendency Newspaper, 1980s Liverpool Archive

Militant Tendency Liverpool 1980s Newspaper Archive catalogue on Hope Digital Collections

Newspaper reports of the militant faction of the Labour Party under Derek Hatton, Deputy Leader of Liverpool City Council, were collected during the 1980s to form this unique archive, donated in 2020 by an Alumni member of one of Hope's founding colleges, Sisters of Notre Dame Our Lady's Training College. The donor, the former Head Teacher at Walton St Mary’s Primary School and remained there for 23 years, hoped the archive would serve as a stark reminder of the financial hardships, lack of resources, and threats of closures schools in Liverpool suffered under the militant leadership. Contemporary discussion on the historical political situation in Liverpool during the 1980s, can often be too easily excused or palliated, but this primary resource provides a snap-shot of what was happening at the time.

The value of this archive lies, not in the individual newspaper articles it contains that could be located in the Newspaper Archive from which it was published, but in the juxtaposition of the material and the personal reasons behind the decision to collect it.

Rev H. K. Moulton Papers

Rev Prof. Dr. Harold Keeling Moulton (1903-1982) was a missionary for the Methodist Missionary Society in South India from 1927. He taught for 5 years at Findley College, Trichinopoly, before becoming Professor of New Testament Studies at United Theological College, Bangalore. He worked on the revision of the Tamil New Testament and the development of liturgy for the Church of South India. In 1957 he returned to England and was a Translation Secretary at the British and Foreign Bible Society. The archive contains 507 items, dating from 1939 to 1982.

John Henry Newman Collection

The John Henry Newman Collection is the result of the amalgamation of Newman’s own published works (including first editions), books on or related to Newman, and pamphlets brought together from other collections across The Sheppard-Worlock Library. This collection is fully catalogued and available to search on the Library catalogue.

Historical background

John Henry Newman was declared Venerable by Pope John Paul II in 1991, Beatified by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010, and Canonised by Pope Francis on 13 October 2019, Britain’s first new saint since St. John Ogilvie was Canonised in 1976. John Henry Newman stands as a Victorian giant in the field of theology, philosophy and education. Influencing many academic and spiritual disciplines, Cardinal Newman’s writings and his lifelong search for religious truth continue to inspire scholars throughout the world. Liverpool Hope University aims to enhance and extend the reach of Cardinal Newman’s life and spirituality. The collection includes, preserved on microfilm, the diaries, letters and miscellaneous documents from the Cardinal Newman Archive held at the Oratory of St. Philip Neri, in Birmingham. 

Personal papers of John Henry Newman on microfilm

John Henry Newman Personal Papers on microfilm catalogue

The Personal Papers of John Henry Newman consist of the diaries, letters and miscellaneous documents from the Newman archive held at the Oratory of St. Philip Neri, in Birmingham, preserved on 137 reels of microfilm.

Nugent Archive

Nugent Archive catalogue on Hope Digital Collections

Collection focus

The Nugent Archive was deposited with Liverpool Hope in 2013 by the registered charity Nugent, formerly Nugent Care, the origins of which date back to the pioneering work of Father James Nugent (1822-1905) in relation to child welfare, relief from poverty and social reform. The institutional records relating to the children’s homes affiliated with the Archdiocese of Liverpool and information related to family history are held by Liverpool Central Library and Archives. It was felt that the personal correspondence and the more ephemeral items would be better placed at Liverpool Hope University, to support education in the history of child welfare in Liverpool. There is a useful YouTube video available to watch on Father Nugent and the archive materials held at Liverpool Hope University.

The Nugent Archive falls into two halves; firstly, the letters of Father Nugent written during his time as Chaplain of Walton Gaol and as co-founder of the Liverpool Catholic Children’s Protection Society. And secondly, and by far the largest part of the archive, the correspondence of Father Bennett covering subjects such as child welfare, juvenile delinquency, child psychology, and the end of child emigration to Canada in the 20th century. The archive contains some 26 books and over 270 items in total, including the addition of any academic research undertaken using the archive.

R.S. Peters Library

R.S. Peters Archive catalogue on Hope Digital Collections

In the Summer of 2021 Liverpool Hope University was gifted Richard Stanley Peters’ personal library by the Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain (PESGB). The collection includes twelve handwritten notebooks, audio recordings of Peters’ lectures, and around 1000 books, several inscribed first edition volumes presented to Peters by, among others, Michael Oakeshott, Israel Scheffler and Paul Hirst.

As well as containing works written or edited by Peters, including his personal first edition hardback copy of Ethics and Education, the collection represents Peters’ scholarship and diverse interests. There is a substantial collection of ancient Greek, modern, and 20th century (especially analytical) philosophy. There are also many books on the philosophy, psychology, and practice of education, including books by Peters himself, in several languages. The library represents Peters’ wide interests in general philosophy – philosophy of mind, ethics, science, politics etc. – as well as his particular passions for religion, psychology, and literature. The book collection is fully catalogued and available to search on the Library catalogue.

Radcliffe Collection

Radcliffe Collection catalogue (pdf download)

Radcliffe Collection on Hope Digital Collections

The Radcliffe Collection catalogue lists the holdings of early printed books, pre-1801, including 26 incunabula (books printed before 1501), and manuscripts. The post-1801 printed book collection is fully catalogued and available to search on the Library catalogue.

Collection focus

The Radcliffe Collection, named after its chief donor, Sir Frederick Radcliffe (1861-1952), is the Anglican library of Liverpool Cathedral and St Aidan’s Theological College. The focus of the collection was primarily to be a ‘liturgical library’. Radcliffe aimed to buy exemplars of every book printed for liturgical use in England during the Tudor and Stuart reigns, both Roman Catholic and Anglican, to be brought together alongside medieval manuscripts to document and observe the liturgical transition during this period.

The collection houses Missals dating from the pre-Reformation era, some 15th century European manuscript books of hours, 16th and 17th century bibles and early commentaries, hymn books and ecclesiastical music, and a large number of early printed books chiefly of liturgical and scholastic interest. The collection also includes the library of St. Aidans Theological College, Birkenhead, donated after its closure in 1969 and the Wordsworths' family library.

S. Katharine's College Archive (formerly Warrington Training College)

S. Katharine's College Archive catalogue on Hope Digital Collections

Historical background

S. Katharine’s College began in 1844 with the Anglican foundation of Warrington Training College, established in response to the need to provide suitably trained women teachers for the increasing school provision. The ‘training school’, later called ‘college’, was associated closely with St. Elphin’s School housed in adjoining buildings but by the 1880s an increasing independence had been established as the college expanded. This Warrington existence ended abruptly in December 1923 when a serious fire caused sufficient damage for the college buildings to be abandoned. Pictured to the left are the College staff in 1911 with Revd. Morley Stevenson, Principal 1882-1923.

Warrington Training College survived temporary relocation at Battersea, London, before the building and opening of the Liverpool site in 1930. The former name seemed increasingly inappropriate and the Warrington Chapel dedication of S. Katharine was chosen as the new name of the College in 1938. No sooner had the consolidation at Liverpool got underway when pre-war planning and air-raid precautions necessitated the evacuation of the College buildings on the day war was declared in 1939. The David Lewis Northern Hospital requisitioned the buildings in Childwall and the. The College was re-located to Keswick for the duration of the war only returning to Liverpool in 1947. Due to an increase in student numbers premises in Keswick were retained and additional buildings taken at Scarisbrick Hall near to Ormskirk, Lancashire.

The completion of additional new buildings and facilities in 1963 consolidated the College to the one site in Liverpool, and then federation with the Liverpool teacher training colleges of Notre Dame and Christ’s led rapidly to the formation of the Liverpool Institute of Higher Education in 1980.

Sisters of Notre Dame Our Lady's Training College Archive

Mount Pleasant Training College Archive catalogue on Hope Digital Collections

The archive contains material dating from 1856 to 1980 including correspondence relating to the founding history, the Governing Body, and the Board of Education, Catholic Education Council reports, and information relating to Principals and some student records. The amalgamation and federation papers and some property and finance records, are yet to be processed and catalogued.

Historical background

The Mount Pleasant Training College Archive from the Notre Dame British Province was deposited with The Sheppard-Worlock Library in January 2015. The Notre Dame College in Mount Pleasant is one of Liverpool Hope’s Foundation Colleges. In 1980 the college relocated to Childwall to merge with Christ’s College, and federated with S. Katharine's College under the title of Liverpool Institute of Higher Education (LIHE).

Sisters of Notre Dame Collection

The Sheppard-Worlock Library holds a unique collection of books donated by Sister Mary Charles-Murray and Sister Maura O'Carroll from the British Province of the Sisters of Notre Dame. Sister Mary Charles-Murray, Trustee and Member of the Governing Council, is a noted Patristics Oxford scholar and her research interests are reflected in her outstanding private collection which focuses on the Church Fathers, both Latin and Greek, and early Christian Art. The late Sister Maura O'Carroll, awarded Doctor of Education (honoris causa) in July 2017 in recognition of her outstanding service towards the foundation of the University, sadly died in December 2019. Her collection is centred on medieval Church history, particularly the Preaching revival of the 12th-13th Centuries. To support this study, works of the Church Fathers mostly in translation were collected as well as a number of catalogues of medieval manuscripts with an emphasis on the Dominicans. The two collections complement each other very well and are fully catalogued.

Talbot Library

Collection focus

The Talbot Library is a major reference collection of Catholic history, theology, and spirituality. It contains a sizeable collection of Irish studies material, missals and other liturgical texts, seminary key works, and books on politics, history, English literature, art and architecture. The collection also includes a substantial number of early printed books (pre-1801).

The Talbot Library is home to a sizable collection of Catholic Truth Society pamphlets and other CTS publications. The Catholic Truth Society is a unique charity with a mission to communicate the truths of the Catholic faith through its publishing since 1868. 

Upholland Northern Institute Lectures UNITAPES (digital access & on CD)

Unitape Online

Historical background

Based at the junior seminary of St Joseph's College in Upholland, Lancashire, the Upholland Northern Institute (UNI) was set up to aid adult Christian education and the continuing development of clergy in the North West. Talks organised by UNI were recorded to cassette tapes and sold across the UK, both to priests and lay audiences, to provide material for study or group talks.

Collection focus

In 2013 the tapes were digitised and copies may be downloaded for free from the Archdiocese of Liverpool’s website. There are over 800 recordings of UNI lectures taped between 1975 and 1988. As a theological resource, these recordings cover a wide spread of topics ranging from scripture to social issues. Speakers include Vincent Nichols, Hugh Lavery, Dympna Magee and Raymond E. Brown. A PDF version of the Upholland Unitape catalogue is available from the UNITAPE website. The digital copies have also been downloaded onto CD format and are housed in A&SC and are available to borrow for students, staff and readers with a visitors card.

Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society Archive on microfiche

Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society Archive catalogue on Hope Digital Collections

Historical background

The collection records the work of the Methodist Missionary Society (from the Methodist Union of 1932), and the work of the different missionary societies prior to 1932 (including the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society, Primitive Methodist Missionary Society and the missionary societies of the churches that formed the United Methodist Church).

Collection focus

The main series includes material from the home organisation in London, which directed overseas missionary affairs, including committee minutes and papers, candidates' papers (1829-1869) finance papers (1817-1945), home (1803-1896) and outgoing correspondence (from 1816). However, the bulk of the material comprises Synod minutes and correspondence sent to London from the overseas districts including Europe, North America, West Indies [Caribbean and Americas], West Africa, Central Africa, South Africa, Kenya, Ceylon [Sri Lanka], Southern India, Northern India, Burma [Myanmar], China, and Australasia. There are over 17,000 microfiche in the archive.

Worldwide Evangelisation Crusade WEC International Research Archive

Collection focus

The WEC International Research Collection is the culmination of 40 years of collected articles and ephemera that formed the backbone of the Operation World information in the pre-internet era. There are several thousand spiral bound scrapbooks, approximately 45 linear metres, with articles pasted into pages, organized in different categories within each country, with four editions per country dating from the 1970s into the early 21st century. The different categories covered include a general information survey, political-economic news and analysis, religion and Christian surveys and information, church and Christian ministry, particularly mission activity, and finally ethnolinguistic people group information. The majority, but certainly not the entirety, is from Global North sources. The content compiled from newspapers, magazines and journals, in-house publications and even missionary prayer letters, is not fully comprehensive.

Historical background

In 1964, missionary Patrick Johnstone was working with Worldwide Evangelisation Crusade International (WEC), a Christian mission agency. While attending a prayer conference in Kenya, Patrick was asked to compile information for intentional and strategic prayer at the conference. Patrick produced a 30-page booklet covering 40 countries. In 1970 he was challenged to rewrite it, but believed that any future edition would need to cover the world.

The first globally-focused edition, Operation World, was published in 1974. It has been translated into several languages: German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Korean, Chinese, Russian, Indonesian, and into Italian. The cumulative number of copies printed in all languages exceeds 2 million. Jason Mandryk, Director, Editor Operation World (6th-7th editions) describes Operation World as ‘the definitive prayer guide to every nation’ and the recipient of the ECPA Gold Medallion Award for Excellence in Evangelical Christian Literature.

Wordsworths' Library

Historical background

The Radcliffe Collection is also home to a significant number of holdings from the library of Christopher Wordsworth (1848-1938); great-grandson of Christopher Wordsworth (1774-1846), Master of Trinity College Cambridge, great-nephew of the poet William Wordsworth, nephew of Charles Wordsworth (1806-1892), Bishop of St. Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane, son of Christopher (1807-1885), Bishop of Lincoln, and brother to John (1843-1911), Bishop of Salisbury and Dame Elizabeth Wordsworth (1840-1932), the founding Principal of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, a college for female undergraduates.

Christopher Wordsworth served as chancellor of Lincoln Cathedral and later was a canon of Salisbury Cathedral, where he held a number of posts including that of librarian and chancellor. The Wordsworths' collection reflects his academic interest in historical and liturgical research as well as containing books and manuscripts that belonged to or were written by his brother, father, uncle and grandfather.