Cecil Willett Cunnington (22 November 1878 – 21 January 1961) was an English medical doctor and collector, writer and historian on costume and fashion.

[3] In 1918 he married Phillis Webb who was also a qualified doctor and for a number of years they had a joint practice in Finchley.

[3] Having moved to West Mersea, Essex the couple began a series of five handbooks that covered the history of English dress which they completed by 1959.

[5] The collection was said to contain over 900 dresses, 650 hats or bonnets, 550 items of underclothing, 100 pairs of shoes, 90 shawls, 100 parasols and 350 examples of ribbons.

[5][6] In 1945 Lawrence Haward, the director of the Manchester City Art Gallery, launched a campaign to raise funds for the purchase of the Cunnigtons' extensive collection.