800 items, mainly late 19th century, the collection of Scottish-born James Smith (1831-1923) of The Knowle, Blundellsands, a wealthy Liverpool wine merchant and art collector. The bequest was received in 1928, following the death of his wife Elizabeth in 1927.
The collection is strong in theology (including Unitarian works by James Martineau of Hope St. Church, Liverpool), political economy and works by contemporary writers and artists, notably Matthew Arnold, R.L. Stevenson, James Thomson, Walt Whitman, Ruskin and Whistler. Other donations by James Smith to the University Library include LUL MS 40. His art collection was bequeathed to the Walker Art Gallery, and his archaeological collections to the University's Institute of Archaeology, with which he and Elizabeth had been actively involved.
