The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post/Death of Thomas Kerslake (2)

The announcement made in this column yesterday, of the death of Mr Thomas Kerslake came as a sad surprise to many Bristolians amongst whom the deceased gentleman was well known. It was as long ago as 1828 that Mr Kerslake set up in business at the bottom of Park street, and he removed to the top of that thoroughfare about 30 years since, after a fire, in which he lost some very valuable books. His bibliographical knowledge was widely recognised, and during his business some very rare volumes passed through his hands at different times. Notwithstanding his astuteness, however, he once made mistake which he never afterwards forgot, bu under-estimating the value of some original scores of Handel, and disposing of them at a comparatively low figure. Mr Kerslake's great delight in life was his study of matters archælogical, and for many he years he regularly contributed articles to various papers, in addition to occasionally issuing pamphlets for private circulation. In the Bristol and Gloucester archælogical publications are to be found several of his writing; and amongst other papers to which he addressed articles, controversial and otherwise, may be mentioned the Bristol Mercury, the "Athenæum," and the "Academy." It can hardly be said that Mr Kerslake was a popular writer, his style being somewhat didactic and polemic; but he was a man of shrewd mind, keen perception, and original though, and when he engage into controversy his arguments were invariably weighty and to the point. The retirement of Mr Kerslake from business a few years ago afforded him great leisure, of which he fully availed himself, for the pursuit of his favourite study; and only a month since the "Academy" contained one of his article. Mr Kerslake's wife died seven or eight years ago, and he leave no family.