A fascinating group of 42 lots from the Sir Thomas Longmore library feature in our Books, Manuscripts and Maps auction, offering a rare insight into Victorian military medicine and reform. Highlights include two letters by Florence Nightingale, alongside annotated books and personal volumes from Longmore’s own collection.
16 April 2026
VIEW COLLECTION REQUEST A VALUATION CONTACT A SPECIALIST
Sir Thomas Longmore was one of the most distinguished military surgeons of the Victorian age, and the 42 lots from his library in our forthcoming Books, Manuscripts and Maps auction offer a fascinating glimpse into the life and interests of a man at the heart of nineteenth-century medical history.
Florence Nightingale - Autograph Letter Signed (£400-600)
Longmore trained at Guy’s Hospital before going on to a notable career in military medicine. He served during the Crimean War as Regimental Surgeon with the 19th Regiment of Foot, the Green Howards, and later became Surgeon-General and Professor of Military Surgery at the Army Medical School at Netley. His career combined frontline experience with major contributions to the development of military healthcare, particularly through his published studies on gunshot wounds and the treatment of injured soldiers. In 1864, he represented Britain at the congress in Geneva that led to the first Geneva Convention, and he was later appointed Honorary Surgeon to Queen Victoria.
Among the most striking items in the sale are two letters by Florence Nightingale, which highlight Longmore’s place within the reforming medical circles of the period. One, written in August 1864, discusses Henry Dunant’s Un Souvenir de Solférino, the publication that directly inspired the creation of the Red Cross and the first Geneva Convention. In it, Nightingale gives her opinion on the proposed convention, while also expressing some scepticism about how much practical effect such agreements might have in war. A second letter, written in May 1885 and addressed to Professor Longmore, concerns the distribution of a pamphlet on the life of General Gordon to soldiers returning from Egypt. Together, the letters offer a revealing connection between two of the most important figures in Victorian military medicine.
Florence Nightingale - Autograph Letter Signed (£400-600)
The wider library is equally rich in interest. It includes Longmore’s own annotated copy of his Manual of Instructions for the Guidance of Army Surgeons, filled with manuscript notes and corrections, as well as medical texts from his student days at Guy’s Hospital, works on military surgery, and volumes relating to India and imperial campaigns. Several books contain presentation inscriptions, personal notes, or Longmore’s armorial bookplate, making the collection not only academically important but also deeply personal.
Together, these books, letters and pamphlets reflect a period of enormous change in medicine, warfare and humanitarian thought. More than a collection of historical works, Longmore’s library offers a rare and intimate connection to a man who helped shape modern military surgery and reform.
Timed Online Auction
books@sworder.co.uk | 01279 817778
Sworders are delighted to be presenting contents from the personal collection of the celebrated art collector Doris Lockhart Saatchi in our autumn auctions.
24 September 2026
A collection of Georgian silver flatware offered in our 22-28 September Open House sale provides a tangible link to one of the most memorable figures in the history of Eton College: Dr John Keate, Headmaster from 1809 to 1834.
23 September 2026
Our 13 October auction, The Glass Sale, presents a fantastic private collection of John Hutton works.
23 September 2026