Layton's Legacy: Thomas Layton of Brentford and his Collection

The story of Thomas Layton’s bequest to the town and what happened to the artefacts.

The Thomas Layton Trust has published a beautifully designed and well illustrated book by Mike Galer called Layton's Legacy. You can buy it at Brentford and Chiswick Libraries or order it by post.

A new book by Mike Galer

ISBN 978-0-9554575-0-0

A5, 40 pages, 43 illustrations in full colour, £4.50

Press Release

A new book on Thomas Layton (1819-1911), one of Brentford’s most prominent Victorian businessmen and a very long-serving local councillor, is now available. Written by Mike Galer, who was the co-ordinator of the Layton’s Legacy project during 2005 and 2006, and it covers Layton’s life, the remarkable collection he made, his political activity and its impact on the town of Brentford.

Layton’s intention was to create a museum for the people of Brentford in his home beside Kew Bridge, but complications over his will meant that the collection had to be moved out of the house and some items were sold. Today books, maps and prints are in Hounslow’s Treaty Centre Library and the objects are housed in the Museum of London and at Gunnersbury Park Museum.

The Layton’s Legacy project was supported by a £50,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and came to an end in June 2007. It was designed to raise the profile of the man and his collection and to make sense of what he collected. The project produced three exhibitions, a new web-site, at www.thomaslayton.org.uk this publication. In addition, a small team of trained volunteers is now working on the books, maps and prints at Hounslow library.

The book is well written and beautifully illustrated. Anyone interested in the history of collecting and museums or in the history of Brentford will find this book a fascinating read.

Copies are on now on sale:

• at £4.50 at Brentford and Chiswick public libraries
• by post at £5.25 (please provide a cheque made out to the Brentford & Chiswick Local History Society) from Layton’s Legacy, 25 Hartington Road, London W4 3TL.

Download the Layton's Legacy order form (PDF 47 Kb).