From strong stances on punctuation to the building of the library, learn a few fun facts from the Fulham Bishops!
Bishop Porteus
Had a vast library and left money in his will for a library to be built at Fulham Palace. Bishop Howley followed the instructions in the 1820s and converted the chapel into a library. Amongst the collection were a large number of books and pamphlets on the French Revolution and the transatlantic slave trade, these are now stored at Senate House Library at UCL.
You can visit Bishop Porteus’s library on your next museum visit!
Louise Creighton
Wife of Bishop Creighton, wrote historical biographies and stories for children including ‘Child’s First History of England’.
Bishop Lowth
Wrote ‘A Short Introduction to English Grammar’ which had helpful hints. His work remained a standard text in schools and other educational institutions unto the early 20th century. (Although he had strong views on the use of a question mark in formal writing…)
Bishop Ridley
Was a key author of the Book of Common Prayer, which established Protestant doctrine after the English Reformation and the break with the Catholic Church. There is a copy of one of the volumes in the museum.
Palace cat Edmund
Edmund is the current chief mouser at the Palace. Edmund enjoys taking cat naps in the garden and reading adventurous books — he even has a book about his time travelling adventures.
Listen to Rachel Bagnall-Bray read Edmund’s book below or purchase your own copy from the museum shop!