Philip Gaskell (6 January 1926 – 31 July 2001) was a British

bibliographer Bibliography (from and ), as a discipline, is traditionally the academic study of books as physical, cultural objects; in this sense, it is also known as bibliology (from ). English author and bibliographer John Carter describes ''bibliography ...

and librarian.

Life

He was born on 6 January 1926 in

Highgate Highgate ( ) is a suburban area of north London at the northeastern corner of Hampstead Heath, north-northwest of Charing Cross. Highgate is one of the most expensive London suburbs in which to live. It has two active conservation organisati ...

, London, the son of John Wellesley Gaskell, director of an engineering company, and his wife, Olive Elizabeth Baker, who was a

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...

. He was educated at the

Dragon School ("Reach for the Sun") , established = 1877 , closed = , type = Preparatory day and boarding school and Pre-Prep school , religion = Church of England , president = , head_label = Head , head = Emma Goldsm ...

, Oxford, and at

Oundle School Oundle School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) for pupils 11–18 situated in the market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire, England. The school has been governed by the Worshipful Company of Grocers of the City ...

. In 1947, after army service, he went to

King's College, Cambridge King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Formally The King's College of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge, the college lies beside the River Cam and faces out onto King's Parade in the centre of the city ...

, and studied English under

Dadie Rylands George Humphrey Wolferstan Rylands (23 October 1902 – 16 January 1999), known as Dadie Rylands, was a British literary scholar and theatre director. Rylands was born at the Down House, Tockington, Gloucestershire, to Thomas Kirkland Ry ...

. At

Glasgow University , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

, Gaskell worked from 1962 as keeper of the early books in the library, and master of Wolfson Hall. He then served as librarian and fellow of

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by Henry VIII, King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge ...

. He was at Trinity and the

Wren Library The Wren Library is the library of Trinity College in Cambridge. It was designed by Christopher Wren in 1676 and completed in 1695. Description The library is a single large room built over an open colonnade on the ground floor of Nevile' ...

from 1967 to retirement in 1986, initially a period of the Library's reconstruction. Gaskell later taught as a visitor at

Caltech The California Institute of Technology (branded as Caltech or CIT)The university itself only spells its short form as "Caltech"; the institution considers other spellings such a"Cal Tech" and "CalTech" incorrect. The institute is also occasional ...

during the period 1983–1988, while investigating the possible application of bibliographical techniques to film. His pupils included Donald Francis McKenzie, professor of English at Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand, then Oxford, and

James Mosley James Mosley (born 1935) is a retired librarian and historian whose work has specialised in the history of printing and letter design. The main part of Mosley's career has been 42 years as Librarian of the St Bride Printing Library in London, wher ...

, librarian of the St Bride printing library. Gaskell died at Mawgan-in-Meneage, Cornwall, on 31 July 2001.

Works

Gaskell's books included an updating and replacement of

Ronald Brunlees McKerrow Ronald Brunlees McKerrow, FBA (12 December 1872 – 20 January 1940) was one of the leading bibliographers and Shakespeare scholars of the 20th century. Life R. B. McKerrow was born in Putney, son of Alexander McKerrow, a civil engineer, and M ...

's ''Introduction to Bibliography''. According to ''The Guardian'' newspaper,

''his ''New Introduction To Bibliography'' (1972, latest revision 1985) was revolutionary in treating the object of bibliography as not just the text but all the processes that had gone into making it. It has become a classic, used all over the world.''

He was also noted for a pioneering bibliography of the 18th-century Birmingham printer,

John Baskerville John Baskerville (baptised 28 January 1707 – 8 January 1775) was an English businessman, in areas including japanning and papier-mâché, but he is best remembered as a printer and type designer. He was also responsible for inventing "wov ...

, published in 1959 (2nd edition 1973). It followed a 1951 bibliography of the poet

William Mason William, Willie, or Willy Mason may refer to: Arts and entertainment *William Mason (poet) (1724–1797), English poet, editor and gardener *William Mason (architect) (1810–1897), New Zealand architect *William Mason (composer) (1829–1908), Ame ...

. He also produced a bibliography of the

Foulis press Robert Foulis (20 April 1707 in Glasgow – 2 June 1776 in Edinburgh) was a Scottish printer and publisher. Biography Robert Foulis was born the son of a maltman. He was apprenticed to a barber, but was encouraged to become a publisher by F ...

in 1964. Other works were: * ''Standard Written English: A Guide '' * ''Landmarks in English Literature '' * ''From Writer to Reader: Studies in Editorial Method '' * ''Landmarks in Classical Literature '' * ''Morvern Transformed'' (1968)

References

External links

Philip Gaskell

A NEW INTRODUCTION TO BIBLIOGRAPHY by Philip Gaskell on Oak Knoll
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaskell, Philip British writers 1926 births 2001 deaths California Institute of Technology faculty 20th-century English historians Frankau family Bibliographers English librarians