purchasing old books -help needed

[kathhale]

Does anyone know of a web site were one can purchase old books?I have just found out that one of the ancestors I am researching wrote two books about himself.He was b1818 and one of the books is titled 'FIFTY YEARS OF ARTISTIC LIFE 'the other is ' THE LIFE OF SIMS REEVES ' so I think they were writen mid 1800's. Can anyone help ?

kind regards Kath

[Biker]

Hi

Not sure where in the world you are, but if in the UK http://www.abebooks.co.uk has a rare books section and I've found it quite useful in the past for out-of-print books.  But if you have specific titles you might try Googling them.

Jonathan

[Boongie Pam]

I've heard www.abebooks.com/  Abe Books is very reliable.

Though it can take a long time to source old books.  Often Googling can bring up smaller sites.

Pam
 

[Boongie Pam]

Haha 

[RJ_Paton]

The Life of Sims Reeves Written by Himself.
Simpkin Marshall & Co: London, 1888. 279 pp. Octavo. Frontispiece portrait. Elegantly decorated cloth. Edges bumped, otherwise fine.
BKS-9655

http://www.wurlitzerbruck.com/  an american site who price the book at $30

[RJ_Paton]

was this your man ?

John Sims Reeves (1818-1900), premier English tenor

if so there is a photograph of him for sale on ebay at
Ebay item sold

there is also a brief synopsis of his life and career.

[kathhale]

Thank you everyone for your help.I have now located the books I was looking for.kind regards Kath

[adriancooper]

Dear Kath

I found this thread via Google and have registered just to post this, so please reply... we might be related! 

I'm told by my Great Aunt and Great Uncles that John Sims Reeves was my Great-Great-Great-Grandfather. I've found that - unless there was an illegitmate child, then the family tree as it is believed must be incorrect.

However, my Great Uncle remembers the funeral of one of the Reeves' and into the coffin was engraved a huge bird - possibly a peacock or a phoenix - something of the like, and my Great Uncle believes that the crest was directly from John Sims Reeves.

Anyway, I'm determined to track down the nystery of it - as far as Victorian truths will allow. Be interesting to swap notes, if you would be interested.

You can drop me a line by email if that's easier?

[kathhale]

Hello Adrian,nice to recieve your email.This is going to take some explaining as I did not put the whole story in my message regarding purchasing books writen by John Sims Reeves.
I am not related to John Sims Reeves but my maiden name is Sims and I have been lucky enough to find a great deal of infomation about the family.In a letter which I found at Bolton archives, that was writen by George Fredrick Sims in about 1912 to his cousin in Australia,he talks about a man called Sims Reeves.
He says that his fathers grandfather ,Thomas Sims,was very musical and that he wrote music and poetry.He goes on to explain how he had a great friend and this friend was so in awe of all that Thomas did that when his wife gave birth to a boy ,he insisted in calling the child Sims Reeves .G