Subject strengths: Arts, Visual Arts, History, Literature

The Bradshaw-Bewick Collection contains works by and relating to the engraver Thomas Bewick (1753-1828). Bewick was born at Cherryburn, near Mickley, Northumberland and his early interest in drawing, under the tuition of the Reverend C. Gregson, was later developed when he was apprenticed under the Newcastle engraver, Ralph Beilby. He was to become a master craftsman.

Bewick had a particular fascination with the natural world and this is reflected in works such as A general history of quadrupeds (1790) and History of British birds (1797). The collection is strong in Bewick's other main area of interest - morals and fables. His Select fables (1784) was immediately popular and ran into several editions but he worked on many small moral instruction books, such as Youth's instructive and entertaining story-teller (1778) and The looking-glass for the mind (1792).

Collection Name and Collection Reference Code:

Collection Name: Bradshaw-Bewick Collection

Library Search Collection Ref Code: Bradshaw-Berwick

Date Range of Material

1760 - 1978

Type of Material

Rare book collection

Size of Collection

2 Linear Metres of shelving 

How To Order Items From This Collection

The books within this collection are described within the Newcastle University Library Search and can be ordered directly from the catalogue.

This link to the Library Search will show a list of all the items within the collection. Please note this link is available to members of the public as well as University staff and students.

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If you are unable to visit our reading room, we also have a virtual reading room service and a digitisation service. 

Other Resources

Material from this collection has been included in the exhibition 'Reivers and Heroes; Borders in the Romantic Age'.