The Blunt-Newman Collection
Regis obtained the Blunt-Newman Collection through seven incremental donations, with the first arriving circa 1935.
Due to the large number of texts in the collection, many of which were contemporaneous at the time of donation, the entire collection was initially housed in the Regis College Libraries in a specially designated space, the aptly named Newman Room. The collection was curated by Sister Fortunata, who claimed that at the initial time of the bequest the Newman collection housed at Regis was, “the most complete Newman library in the country,” containing many first editions and many first American editions.
According to our accession records the collection mainly consists of over 2000 volumes and includes: Newman’s works, books on the Oxford movement, books on Newman himself, and other biographies and reference books. In particular:
- Approximately two hundred volumes of Newman’s own works. There are many first editions of his books, such as: the Hymni Ecclesiae; Tract Ninety, Sermons Preached Before The University of Oxford, Lectures On Justification, Lives Of The Saints, and the Letter To Jelf.
- Approximately thirty biographies and biographical sketches of Newman.
- Writings by Ward, Atkins, Canon Berry, Cross, Donaldson Faure, Grappe, Hutton, Jennings, Kiener, McGoldrick, May, Wilfred Meynell (aka John Oldcastle), Nicoll, Newcome, Rivington, Sarolea, Whyte, Waller and barrow, Brastow, Inge, Ross, Kegan, Froude, and others
Other especially valuable and scarce volumes include:
Lyra Apostolica – First American Edition
History of my Religious Opinions
Essays on Miracles
Devotions of Bishop Andrews - First edition
Valentine to a Little Girl
The Oscotian: Life of Bishop Ullathrone
Also included in the collection are four letters authored by Newman. These are arguably drawn from the most important periods of his life: one from his time at Oxford prior to the Oxford Movement, one from Littlemore when he was preparing to enter the Catholic Church, one when he was Rector at the Catholic University in Ireland, and one from his time after becoming a Cardinal.
Additional materials include biographies, biographical sketches, and other published writings about Newman by a wide range of authors Blunt collected during his lifetime.
To celebrate this unique and valuable bequest, on October 22, 1945 Regis College held a symposium entitled: Commemorating the Centenary of the Conversion of John Henry Newman. The month of October was specifically chosen for this symposium as it marked the one hundredth anniversary of Newman’s conversion to Catholicism. The topics discussed during the symposium included a biographical sketch of the Cardinal, literary appreciation of Newman’s works, and his role in the Oxford Movement. It was also during this symposium that for the first time in Regis history the collection was exhibited. The commemoration concluded with a lecture entitled, “Inquisitive Newman,” given by Monsignor Blunt himself.
It was also during this very first symposium that Father Blunt reiterated the importance and completeness of this collection by reminding attendees that, “already the collection has been invaluable to some who otherwise must have gone to England for their research.” Even the noted 1960s British historian, Christopher Dawson, commented that he was, “surprised to find in the [Blunt-Newman] collection some books that he hadn’t been able to get in England.”
At the end of 2019, the entirety of the Blunt-Newman Collection was relocated from the library to the Regis College Archives, and can be viewed by appointment with the Regis College Archivist.
