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- William Bullock
- Also known as
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William Bullock
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primary name: Bullock, William
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other name: Bullock's Museum
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other name: Egyptian Hall
- Details
- individual; collector; publisher/printer; goldsmith/metalworker; British; Male
- Life dates
- 1773-1849
- Biography
- Jeweller and goldsmith by training, later turned antiquarian and museum proprietor. Brother of the furniture designer George Bullock. Early career in Liverpool, where opened a museum in 1795. Moved it to London in 1809 at 22 Piccadilly. This was initially called the Liverpool Museum, but in 1812 renamed the Egyptian Hall Museum after he rehoused it in his newly erected Egyptian Hall (also at 22 Piccadilly). This was designed by Peter Frederick Robinson (1776-1858) to resemble an Egyptian temple. In 1819 sold his collection, but retained the Hall, which was let out for other displays (including one by Belzoni).
Between December 1822 and November 1823 he visited Mexico, and brought back one of the first collections from that country, which he displayed in the Egyptian Hall with a catalogue the following year. After selling much of the contents to the BM, he went to Mexico again in 1827, continuing on to Cincinnati where he bought an estate (described in Fanny Trollope's 'Domestic manners of the Americans') and later in 1828 founded a new town at Ludlow Kentucky, designed by J.B.Papworth. This failed, and he returned to England in 1836, where he is known still to have been alive in 1843.
Published a series of prints made by Samuel Howitt, in 1812, with address lettered 'London Museum Piccadilly'.
- Bibliography
- ODNB
Robert Altick, 'Shows of London', 1978
Michael P. Costeloe, 'WB connoisseur and virtuoso of the Egyptian Hall', Bristol 2008
author of 'Six Months' Residence and Travels in Mexico', 1824 (facsimile edition, 1971)
author of 'Sketch of a Journey through the Western States of North America', 1827