Percy Society facts for kids
The Percy Society was a British group that published old books. It started in 1840 and ended in 1852.
Contents
What Was the Percy Society?
The Percy Society was a group of experts. They wanted to publish special books. These books contained rare old poems and songs. They printed only a small number of copies of each book.
Who Were Its Members?
Lady Braybrooke was the president of the society. There were twelve founding members on the main committee. These included John Payne Collier, Thomas Crofton Croker, and Thomas Wright. James Orchard Halliwell was the treasurer. Charles Mackay, Edward Francis Rimbault (the secretary), and William Chappell were also key members. Later, William B. Sandys and Robert Bell joined the group.
How Did They Publish Books?
The editors were very careful with the texts. They printed the words exactly as they found them. This was different from Thomas Percy, who inspired them. Thomas Percy often changed old texts. He would add lines or combine different versions.
Like Thomas Percy, the society did not print rude songs. But unlike him, they tried to find the music for the songs. In 1841, John Payne Collier also started the Shakespeare Society.
What Is Its Legacy?
In 1868, the Ballad Society was formed. This new group did similar work. However, they focused more on reprinting old folk songs.
Some books published by the Percy Society are still popular today. These include the Irish folklore books by Thomas Crofton Croker. James Orchard Halliwell sold his own collection of ballads. This collection is now called the Euing Collection. You can find it at the University of Glasgow. The "Crow Collection" at the University of Kent has almost all of the Percy Society's publications.
