Joseph Gulston (collector) facts for kids

Joseph Gulston, a famous collector and politician.

Joseph Gulston (1745–1786) was an English collector who loved art and books. He was also a Member of Parliament (MP), which means he was elected to help make laws for the country.

Joseph Gulston: A Collector's Story

His Family and Early Life

Joseph Gulston and his brother John in 1754.

Joseph's father, also named Joseph Gulston, was a successful businessman. He was an MP for a town called Poole for many years. Joseph's parents had a secret marriage for a long time. Because of this, Joseph and his three siblings were raised very privately.

Joseph went to famous schools like Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford. When his father passed away in 1766, Joseph inherited a huge fortune. This included a lot of money, a large estate in Hertfordshire, and a house in London. He also got a property called Ealing Grove in Middlesex.

Building a Grand Collection

An architectural drawing for Ealing Grove.

Joseph used his wealth to buy many things. He spent a lot of money on books and art prints. He also spent a large sum turning his home, Ealing Grove, into a beautiful Italian-style villa. In 1768, he started building his amazing collection of prints.

Joseph was a handsome man, but he was also quite lazy. He was elected as an MP for Poole in 1780. However, he lost his seat in 1784 because he overslept! He woke up too late to ask five important voters for their support.

Financial Challenges and Sales

Joseph spent a lot of money, and eventually, he faced financial problems. He tried to save money and sell some property. In June 1784, he had to sell his large collection of books. Even King George III bought some items from this sale!

Finally, in 1786, Joseph had to sell his incredible collection of art prints. This collection was truly special. It included:

• Prints by famous artists
• 18,000 portraits of people from other countries
• 23,500 portraits of English people
• 11,000 funny drawings and political pictures
• 14,500 pictures of places

The sale of his prints lasted for forty days, from January to March 1786. However, it only brought in about £7,000. Joseph was struggling with money and family worries. He passed away in London on July 16, 1786, and was buried in Ealing Church.

His Legacy and Interests

Joseph Gulston was known as a very kind person. Some of his difficulties came from his health and his education when he was younger. He was very talented in many ways and had an excellent memory.

For several years, he worked on a book about foreigners who had visited England. The handwritten book was sold after he died, but it seems it was never published. Joseph was also a member of the Society of Antiquaries of London, a group that studies history and old objects.

His Family Life

Joseph married Elizabeth Bridgetta. She was known for her beauty and talents, and she was also very good at spending money, just like him! She even invented a type of plated horse harness. Elizabeth was also an artist who made etchings (a type of print). She created portraits of her husband and another person in 1772. She passed away on March 9, 1780. Their son, Joseph, also faced many difficulties and passed away at the age of 22 in 1790.

Portraits of Joseph Gulston

You can find a portrait of Joseph Gulston in a book called 'Literary Illustrations,' Volume 5. There are also special types of prints called mezzotints of Joseph and his wife. These were made by artists named James Watson and Richard Earlom based on paintings by Hamilton.