Lord Amherst of Hackney

Painted by Amy Joyce Carter, this portrait of Lord Amherst in his peer’s regalia was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1898 (#1290). It is signed A.J.C. and is housed in a gilt metal frame.

William Tyssen-Amherst (1835-1909) was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford before entering the House of Commons in 1880 as a Conservative MP. He was created a peer in 1892 becoming 1st Baron Amherst of Hackney. He also served as the High Sheriff of Norfolk and was a Justice of the Peace.

Amherst is better remembered though as a bibliophile and an avid collector of books, antiques and Egyptian artifacts all of which he housed in a purpose-built museum at his country estate, Didlington Hall. It was there that young Howard Carter became fascinated with Egyptology. Pre-occupied with researching and enjoying his collection, Amherst left the day-to-day management of his estate to an agent who embezzled his employer of large sums of money to fund a gambling habit. This was only uncovered upon the agent’s sudden death whereupon Amherst was obliged to place a large portion of his collection with an auction house. Six weeks after the first auction, Amherst died leaving his wife and seven daughters to oversee the dismantling of the remainder of his treasured collection.