Man burning ships from BL YT 13, f. 97

Bas-de-page scene of a man setting fire to three ships (the Burning of the Ships of Tarsus), with a caption reading, 'Cy erodes comaunda darder toutes les neifs pur ire des .iii roys'. Image taken from f. 97 of Book of Hours, Use of Sarum ('The Taymouth Hours'). Written in Latin and French.

Henry Yates Thompson (1838-1928) was a British collector and philanthropist who assembled this remarkable collection over his lifetime. The collection is now housed at the British Library in London.

Henry Yates Thompson was born into a wealthy family in 1838. Thompson began collecting manuscripts and other items in the 1870s. His collection quickly gained recognition for its exceptional quality and breadth. He had a keen eye for illuminated manuscripts, which are manuscripts decorated with intricate illustrations and calligraphy. The collection has a particular emphasis on medieval manuscripts.