Andrew Bowers' Family Tree

SIMMS, Rupert

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Narrative

Rupert lost both of his hands and one arm at the age of eight but learned to write by inserting a pencil in a hole in the leather case he wore on his right arm. He became a tea hawker at the age of 16 but later became a secondhand bookseller. He ran a bookshop in Newcastle-under-Lyme. During this career he spent eleven years collecting and collating the information for his book Bibliotheca Stafforiensis.

'Bibliotheca Staffordiensis' was published in 1894 at Newcastle-under-Lyme by Rupert Simms and printed by AC Lomas, The Johnson's Head, Lichfield. 450 numbered copies only were printed for subscribers whose names are listed in the work.

The full title is 'Bibliotheca Staffordiensis; or a Bibliographical Account of Books and other Printed Matter relating to, printed or published in, or written by, a native, resident, or person deriving a title from, any portion of the County of Stafford; giving a full collation and biographical notices of authors and printers. together with as full a list as possible of Prints, Engravings, Etchings, &c, of any part thereof; and portraits of persons so connected.

here is a quote from his book:

Now old Tredgortha's dead and gone,

We ne'er shall see him more;

He used to wear an old grey coat,

All buttoned down before.

Many letters to and from Rupert Simms occasionally appear at auction.

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