Anthony Morris Storer

Anthony Morris Storer (1746–1799) was an English man of fashion, politician and collector.

Life Born on 12 March 1746, Anthony Morris Storer was elder son of Thomas Storer of Westmoreland, Jamaica (d. Golden Square, London, on 21 July 1793, aged 76), who married Helen, daughter of Colonel Guthrie. He was at Eton College from about 1760 to 1764 with Charles James Fox and Earl Fitzwilliam. He was admitted a fellow-commoner of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge in December 1764, but left without taking a degree.

Storer became a prominent figure of London's social world. Through patronage, he was both a man of fashion, and a Whig politician. During 1778 and 1779 he was in America with Frederick Howard, 5th Earl of Carlisle and William Eden. He visited Carlisle in Ireland in 1781, and, through his interest, succeeded Benjamin L'Anglois as a commissioner of the Board of Trade on 26 July 1781. Meanwhile, he sat in the House of Commons as Member for Carlisle from 1774 to 1780, and subsequently—from 1780 to 1784—for Morpeth. Although Storer complained of the "burden of having nothing to do" in 1787, having been three years out of Parliament, he was busy developing his library and print collection. In addition to early bindings, Storer collected Caxtons and other black-letter books, Greek and Latin classics, Italian literature and early English plays including the first three folios of Shakespeare. Despite the riches of Storer's library – 87 books extra-illustrated by Storer in 143 volumes – the only title named in his will is James Granger's Biographical History of England. Eton College Library showing Anthony Morris Storer's extra-illustrated copy of James Granger's Biographical History of England, left to the College in 1799 along with the book press.

Death and legacy Storer died at Bristol Hotwells on 28 June 1799, and was buried at Purley, a monument by Nollekens, with a Latin inscription, being erected to his memory in Purley church. Storer was elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London on 11 December 1777, and became a member of the Dilettanti Society on 18 April 1790.

Storer's fortune was left to his nephew, Anthony Gilbert Storer, the only son of his brother Thomas James Storer, who had married the Hon. Elizabeth Proby, daughter of John Proby, 1st Baron Carysfort. The only other legacy was the sum of £1,000 to James Hare.

Letters by Storer are printed in John Heneage Jesse's George Selwyn and his Contemporaries, vols. iii. and iv., and in the Correspondence of William Eden, Lord Auckland.