Henry Octavius Coxe (20 September 1811 in

Bucklebury Bucklebury is a village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in West Berkshire, England, about north-east of Newbury, Berkshire, Newbury and north of the A4 road (England), A4 road. The parish has a population of 2,116, but the village ...

, Berkshire, England – 8 July 1881 in

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

) was an English librarian and scholar. The eighth son of Rev. Richard Coxe and Susan Smith, he was educated at

Westminster School Westminster School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Westminster, London, England, in the precincts of Westminster Abbey. It descends from a charity school founded by Westminster Benedictines before the Norman Conquest, as do ...

and

Worcester College, Oxford Worcester College ( ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. The college was founded in 1714 by the benefaction of Sir Thomas Cookes, 2nd Baronet (1648–1701) of Norgrove, Worcestershire, whose coat of arms was ad ...

. Immediately on taking his degree in 1833, he began work in the manuscript department of the

British Museum The British Museum is a Museum, public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is the largest in the world. It documents the story of human cu ...

, became in 1838 sub-librarian of the

Bodleian Library The Bodleian Library () is the main research library of the University of Oxford. Founded in 1602 by Sir Thomas Bodley, it is one of the oldest libraries in Europe. With over 13 million printed items, it is the second-largest library in ...

in Oxford, and in 1860 succeeded Dr.

Bulkeley Bandinel Bulkeley Bandinel (21 February 1781 – 6 February 1861) was a British scholar, ecclesiastic and librarian. Early life He was born in the parish of St Peter-in-the-East, Oxford, first-born son of Rev. Dr. James Bandinel of Netherbury by his wif ...

as head librarian, an office he held until his death in 1881. Having proved himself an able

palaeographer Palaeography ( UK) or paleography ( US) (ultimately from , , 'old', and , , 'to write') is the study and academic discipline of historical writing systems. It encompasses the historicity of manuscripts and texts, subsuming deciphering and dati ...

, he was sent out by the British government under

Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston (20 October 1784 – 18 October 1865), known as Lord Palmerston, was a British statesman and politician who served as prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1855 to 1858 and from 1859 to 1865. A m ...

to inspect the libraries in the

monasteries A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone ( hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which m ...

of the

Levant The Levant ( ) is the subregion that borders the Eastern Mediterranean, Eastern Mediterranean sea to the west, and forms the core of West Asia and the political term, Middle East, ''Middle East''. In its narrowest sense, which is in use toda ...

in 1857. He discovered some valuable manuscripts, but the monks were too wise to part with their treasures. One valuable result of his travels was the detection of the forgery attempted by

Constantine Simonides Constantine Simonides (1820–1867) was a Greek palaeographer and dealer of icons, with knowledge of manuscripts and calligraphy. He was one of the most versatile forgers of the nineteenth century. Life He was born on the small Greek island of Sym ...

. He was the author of various catalogues, and under his direction that of the

Bodleian The Bodleian Library () is the main research library of the University of Oxford. Founded in 1602 by Sir Thomas Bodley, it is one of the oldest libraries in Europe. With over 13 million printed items, it is the second-largest library in ...

, in more than 720 volumes, was completed. He published ''Rogri de Wendover Chronica'', 5 vols (1841–44); the ''Black Prince'', an historical poem written in French by

Chandos Herald Chandos Herald (floruit, fl. 1360s-1380s) for ''Chandos le héraut'' is the name used to refer to the author of a poem about the life of The Black Prince in Anglo-Norman language. He is so-called because he was the herald of the English warlord John ...

(1842); and ''Report on the Greek Manuscripts yet remaining in the Libraries of the Levant'' (1858). He was not only an accurate librarian but an active and hardworking clergyman, and was for the last twenty-five years of his life in charge of the parish of

Wytham Wytham ( ) is a village and civil parish on the Seacourt Stream, a branch of the River Thames, about northwest of the centre of Oxford. It is just west of the Western By-Pass Road, part of the Oxford Ring Road ( A34). The nearest village is ...

, near Oxford. He was likewise honorary fellow of Worcester and Corpus Christi. In 1839 he married Charlotte Esther, daughter of

Tomkyns Hilgrove Turner General Sir Tomkyns Hilgrove Turner KC (12 January 1764 – 6 May 1843) was a British Army officer best known for escorting the Rosetta Stone from Egypt to England. Military career Turner was commissioned as an ensign on 20 February 1782, i ...

, and fathered five children, of whom Susan Esther (1842–1894) married

John Wordsworth John Wordsworth (21 September 1843 – 16 August 1911) was an English Anglican bishop and classical scholar. He was Oriel Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture at the University of Oxford from 1883 to 1885, and Bishop of Salisbury ...

, future

Bishop of Salisbury The Bishop of Salisbury is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Salisbury in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers much of the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset. The Episcopal see, see is in the Salisbur ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coxe, Henry Octavius 1811 births 1881 deaths Bodley's Librarians English librarians English palaeographers People from Bucklebury Alumni of Worcester College, Oxford People educated at Westminster School, London