Record of books read and bought by Brian Butler
Exercise book (bound in hard cover) containing a list of the books read and bought by Brian Butler between January 1948 and June 1957, with his comments on his reading.
Dates
- Creation: 1948-1957
Extent
1 box
Language of Materials
- English
Preferred Citation
Oxford, Bodleian Libraries [followed by shelfmark and folio or page reference, e.g. MS. 24282].
Shelfmark:
MS. 24282
Collection ID (for staff)
CMD ID 24282
Abstract
Record of books read and bought by Brian Butler, 1948-1957.
Biographical / Historical
Brian Harding Butler was born and grew up in Petersfield, Hampshire, and attended Churcher's College in Liphook. During this time he became interested in reading and literature and it was during these years into his early twenties that he kept a record of his reading habits. At the age of eighteen he was a Librarian at Paddington Library, London, where he met his wife, Maureen.
In 1962 Butler left with his family for Nigeria where they stayed for five years until the breakout of the Biafran Civil War. During this time he helped to establish the theological library at the Pastor's College where he was lecturing.
In 1968 Butler and his family set sail on the Queen Elizabeth for five years in the USA where he was pastor of a Church and took his Master's in Theology. The family returned to the United Kingdom in 1972.
In 1973 Butler took up the post of Vice Principal at Moorlands College on the south coast where he established the College Library and taught New Testament Greek. He rescued a large pile of valuable books which had been left in the college car park and which formed the basis of what became a large and important theological library.
Until his death in 2023 Butler was an avid and voracious reader of fiction, non-fiction and periodicals, devouring everything he could. He had a particular penchant for detective fiction and the Times crossword. He made the decision to go into ministry instead of studying the piano and was a proficient pianist.
Biographical information supplied by Stephen Butler.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated in 2025 by Stephen Butler, son of Brian Butler.
Creator
- Title
- Catalogue of Record of Books Read and Bought by Brian Butler
- Status
- Published
- Author
- Lucy McCann
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Edition statement
- First edition.
Repository Details
Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom
specialcollections.enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk