The York Gate Library

Component identifier:

Series 4

Content Summary:

The York Gate Library was a private collection of books assembled by bibliographer S. William Silver of London at his home 'York Gate'. Its strength was in history, geography and colonial affairs. The catalogue of S. William Silver's York Gate geographical and colonial library was compiled by Petherick in London and published by John Murray in 1882. After Silver's death in March 1905 Petherick informed Sir Samuel Way of Adelaide that the library was for sale. The series contains a printed lecture on the library given by Petherick at Silver's home c. 1883, and typescript copies of the cables and letters written by Petherick, Way and Silver's widow in 1905 'in the negotiations for its / the library's / sale and purchase by the South Australian Branch of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia'.

This series comprises Items 1-30.

Immediate source of acquisition:

Edward Augustus Petherick presented his collection of books, pamphlets, manuscripts, maps and pictures relating to Australia and the Pacific to the Commonwealth Parliament in 1909 as the 'Nucleus of an historical museum'. The agreement between Petherick and the Library Committee was formalized by the Petherick Act, which was passed by the Commonwealth Parliament in 1911.

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